Cincinnati Reds: What More Can Chris Heisey Do to Get in the Lineup?

Tonight, Chris Heisey continued the trend of making the most of every opportunity.  Something he has done since getting called up last year.

Heisey pinched hit in the ninth inning, hit a ball that bounced just past second base into center field to get an RBI and expanded the Reds lead over the Diamondbacks.  Not to mention, that was only his 11th at bat and fifth RBI this season.

Heisey is flat-out a good ball player that just flat-out makes plays.  A majority of these plays, though, come when he is used as a pinch hitter or a substitution to take over on the field later in the game. 

If you watch or listen to the Reds on a daily basis more than likely, you often hear Marty Brenneman or his son, Thom, say that eventually Heisey will put himself in to the lineup, my question is: Why can't eventually be now?

Okay, I know that Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce are the guys in center and right, but Heisey really could be a heck of a right fielder as he has shown during his time with the Reds.

Yes, I'm well aware that Johnny Gomes is a fan-favorite, and people love the guy.  Don't get me wrong I love him just as much as you do, as far as his heart, the fact he hustles and crushes left-handed pitching.

But with Gomes' ability to hit lefties and his struggles against right-handed pitching, I've often felt that Heisey really could be a starter in left instead of Gomes.

In no way do I intend on disrespecting Gomes' abilities, I just have felt that overall, Heisey brings more to the game than Gomes does and is also a better option in the long run. If Heisey continues to make the plays he has been, expect that eventually to come up sooner rather than later.