Paul Janish
Encyclopedia
Paul Ryan Janish (born October 12, 1982 in Houston, Texas
) is a Major League Baseball
shortstop
for the Cincinnati Reds
.
where he played shortstop and pitched
for the Cougars. He was named to the 2001 Texas 5A All-State team.
Janish played for Rice University
. In , he played in 61 games at shortstop, had a batting average
of .299, and was named to the Western Athletic Conference
All-Star team. In , the Rice Owls
baseball team won the College World Series
as Janish played in 68 games for the team. Janish had his best batting average in with the Owls, hitting .345, and hitting 9 home run
s and 16 doubles
as he was named to the WAC All-Star team. During the 2004 MLB Draft, the Cincinnati Reds wanted to get position players where they needed them early due to an apparent lack of depth, and as a result chose Janish with the 138th pick in the 5th round of the draft.
. He had his best game of the season in a 7-3 win on August 15 of that year at Missoula
as he went 4-for-4 with a double and 2 runs
scored. Following the season, he was the first recipient of the Dernell Stenson
Award as MVP of the Florida Instructional League.
. He batted .245 with 5 home runs and 29 RBI in 55 games at Single-A Dayton
. On June 8, he underwent Tommy John surgery
on his right elbow and missed the remainder of the season.
s). He had the fourth-best strikeout
to at-bat ratio in the Florida State League
(1 every 10.08 plate appearances). On August 30, he was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga
and played the last 4 games of the season with the Lookouts (.267, 4 hits
).
camp. He spent most of the year at Chattanooga, but made his Triple-A debut playing the last 55 games of the season at Louisville
. When he was promoted on July 8, he ranked second in the Southern League
in doubles (21) and 5th among all Double-A players in walks
(50). Following the season, his strike zone discipline was rated by Baseball America as the best in the organization. On August 9, he hit his first career grand slam
off Indianapolis Indians
' pitcher Marty McLeary
; this was his first career grand slam and his first Triple-A homer. On November 20, he was added to the major league 40-man roster.
s Alex Gonzalez, Jeff Keppinger
, and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
. He returned to the Bats on June 27, but was recalled in September.
. The Reds had blown a six run lead in the top of the 9th inning of a May 14, , game against the Florida Marlins
. With the score tied at 6, Janish hit an RBI single
against Renyel Pinto
to score Johnny Cueto
for the game winner. It was the first time a player had gotten a walk-off in his major league debut since Miguel Cabrera
in 2003, and the first time a player had gotten a game-winning hit for his first hit since Randy Keisler
in 2005. On May 18, 2008, Janish got his first major league start at shortstop. He went 3-3 with a walk as the Reds won 6-4 against the Cleveland Indians
and then major league leader in ERA
Cliff Lee
. He delivered another clutch hit, getting a pinch-hit 2-run single to break the 7-7 tie in the 11th inning of the 18-inning game between the Reds and the San Diego Padres
on May 25. The Reds lost 12-9. On June 26, the Reds optioned Janish to Louisville to make room for Jerry Hairston, Jr.
, who had been activated from the disabled list
.
He also had the most RBI in a game for Louisville that season, getting 6 on April 27 vs. Columbus, during a 4-for-4 performance with 2 doubles and a grand slam.
He finished the 2008 season for the Reds with a .188 average (15-for-80), along with six RBI and his first career and only homer for the season.
for the season and one start (two appearances) at third base
. The two games at third marked only the 7th and 8th times Janish played at third for his professional career, the other six coming in 2007 at double-A Chattanooga
. Janish hit either 2nd or 8th in all but three of his games. Janish is noted for being the first Reds position player to pitch in more than one game since Mel Queen in 1966. He pitched the ninth inning of a 15-3 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers
on May 6, allowing five earned runs on five hits, including a two-run homer by Prince Fielder
. His second pitching appearance was July 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies
, where he pitched the 8th inning of the 22-1 loss, allowing six earned on four hits, including a Jayson Werth
grand slam.
Janish became the starting shortstop after the August 14 trade of Alex Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox
. He started 42 of the Reds 48 remaining games, and posted a .995 fielding percentage after the trade that led all MLB shortstops. Overall for the season he committed three errors for a .991 fielding percentage, which would have qualified as the team record if he had appeared in enough games. Janish's first career stolen base came on September 11 against the Chicago Cubs
. He became the first Reds player with three doubles in a game since Jorge Cantu
in 2007 when Janish had a three hit game on September 15 against the Houston Astros
. Overall he hit .211 in 90 games with one homer and 16 RBI.
Despite the weak bat he displayed over his first two seasons, he was slated to be the Reds starter in 2010 until they signed Orlando Cabrera
during the offseason.
. Janish got very little playing time throughout the season. having just 63 at-bats through the end on July. However, on August 3, Orlando Cabrera went down with a strained oblique and missed the next month on the DL. Janish took over as the starting shortstop and started nearly every game for the 31 day stretch, hitting .263 for the stretch including several clutch hits. He continued to start once or twice a week for September/October and finished the season with career highs in average (.260), home runs (5), RBI (25), on-base percentage (.338) and slugging (.385). He played 11 error-less games at third and 7 error-less games at second, and committed just 4 errors in 62 games at shortstop. He was 0-for-1 in the NLDS
.
The Reds declined the option on Cabrera's contract and named Janish the starting shortstop for the 2011 season. The Reds, however, made a big move by singing 2010 World Series
MVP shortstop Edgar Renteria
to a one-year deal. Many speculated that Janish would be demoted to bench duty once again, but Reds GM Walt Jocketty
announced that he had called Janish and confirmed that Paul would still be the starter going into spring training.
went on the DL and Miguel Cairo
had been playing every day, when Cairo needed a day off Janish played third and Renteria played shortstop. However, by July 6, Janish's average had dropped to .227 and he had only 9 extra-base hits with no home runs. He also had nine errors. On July 7th, 2011 Janish was demoted to Triple A Lousiville in exchange for prospect Zack Cozart. Manager Dusty Baker said that Janish had "put a lot of pressure on himself", "needed to get his confidence back up", and was "definitely a quality shortstop". On July 23, Cozart hyperextended his left elbow and was placed on the DL, so the Reds recalled Janish to take his place.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
High school and college
Janish attended Cypress Creek High SchoolCypress Creek High School (Harris County, Texas)
Cypress Creek High School, also known as Cy Creek, is a public secondary school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. Cypress Creek, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District....
where he played shortstop and pitched
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Cougars. He was named to the 2001 Texas 5A All-State team.
Janish played for Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
. In , he played in 61 games at shortstop, had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .299, and was named to the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
All-Star team. In , the Rice Owls
Rice Owls
The Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest.Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics and is part of Conference USA. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic...
baseball team won the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
as Janish played in 68 games for the team. Janish had his best batting average in with the Owls, hitting .345, and hitting 9 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 16 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
as he was named to the WAC All-Star team. During the 2004 MLB Draft, the Cincinnati Reds wanted to get position players where they needed them early due to an apparent lack of depth, and as a result chose Janish with the 138th pick in the 5th round of the draft.
2004
In his first professional season, Janish batted .263 with 2 home runs and 22 RBI in 66 games for the rookie league Billings MustangsBillings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are a minor league baseball team based in Billings, Montana. The Mustangs are the Pioneer League Rookie affiliate of the Major League Cincinnati Reds. The team has been a part of the Pioneer League since 1948 with a five-year gap between 1964 and 1968, and has been affiliated...
. He had his best game of the season in a 7-3 win on August 15 of that year at Missoula
Missoula Osprey
The Missoula Osprey is a minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Missoula, Montana. The team plays its home games at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. The club is a member of the Pioneer League, a short-season league which is designated Rookie Advanced.The Osprey...
as he went 4-for-4 with a double and 2 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
scored. Following the season, he was the first recipient of the Dernell Stenson
Dernell Stenson
Dernell Renuald Stenson was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw left-handed. He was 6'1" tall and weighed 230 lbs.-Baseball career:...
Award as MVP of the Florida Instructional League.
2005
Janish entered the season as the #10 ranked prospect in the Reds organization according to Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. He batted .245 with 5 home runs and 29 RBI in 55 games at Single-A Dayton
Dayton Dragons
The Dayton Dragons are a Class A minor league baseball team from Dayton, Ohio affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. They play in the Midwest League at Fifth Third Field.The Dragons came to Dayton in 2000...
. On June 8, he underwent Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
on his right elbow and missed the remainder of the season.
2006
Began the season at Dayton and after 26 games was promoted to Sinlge-A Advanced Sarasota, where he played in 91 games and batted .278 (9 home runs, 55 RBI, 8 stolen baseStolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s). He had the fourth-best strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
to at-bat ratio in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
(1 every 10.08 plate appearances). On August 30, he was promoted to Double-A Chattanooga
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
and played the last 4 games of the season with the Lookouts (.267, 4 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
).
2007
Began the season by participating in his first major league spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp. He spent most of the year at Chattanooga, but made his Triple-A debut playing the last 55 games of the season at Louisville
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
. When he was promoted on July 8, he ranked second in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
in doubles (21) and 5th among all Double-A players in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(50). Following the season, his strike zone discipline was rated by Baseball America as the best in the organization. On August 9, he hit his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
' pitcher Marty McLeary
Marty McLeary
Marty Lee McLeary is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is presently a free agent.McLeary stands at 6' 3", and weighs 225 pounds. He attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio. He made his major league debut on August 22, 2004, with the San Diego Padres...
; this was his first career grand slam and his first Triple-A homer. On November 20, he was added to the major league 40-man roster.
2008
Janish began the season with Louisville, hitting .293 in 35 games (4 hr, 20 rbi) before being promoted to the major league club after a string of injuries to middle infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
s Alex Gonzalez, Jeff Keppinger
Jeff Keppinger
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Keppinger is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed. Known as a contact hitter, Keppinger has one of the lowest strikeout rates in Major League Baseball...
, and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
. He returned to the Bats on June 27, but was recalled in September.
2008
Janish recorded a game-winning hit in his first major league game and second major league at-bat. Janish had been called up that day to replace an injured Jeff KeppingerJeff Keppinger
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Keppinger is an American professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed. Known as a contact hitter, Keppinger has one of the lowest strikeout rates in Major League Baseball...
. The Reds had blown a six run lead in the top of the 9th inning of a May 14, , game against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. With the score tied at 6, Janish hit an RBI single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
against Renyel Pinto
Renyel Pinto
Renyel Eligio Pinto is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his major league debut on May 18, .-Career:...
to score Johnny Cueto
Johnny Cueto
Johnny Brent Cueto [KWAY-toe] is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.-Minor league career:...
for the game winner. It was the first time a player had gotten a walk-off in his major league debut since Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
in 2003, and the first time a player had gotten a game-winning hit for his first hit since Randy Keisler
Randy Keisler
Randy Dean Keisler is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He attended Palmer High School in Palmer, Texas and Louisiana State University.-New York Yankees:...
in 2005. On May 18, 2008, Janish got his first major league start at shortstop. He went 3-3 with a walk as the Reds won 6-4 against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and then major league leader in ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
. He delivered another clutch hit, getting a pinch-hit 2-run single to break the 7-7 tie in the 11th inning of the 18-inning game between the Reds and the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
on May 25. The Reds lost 12-9. On June 26, the Reds optioned Janish to Louisville to make room for Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
, who had been activated from the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
.
He also had the most RBI in a game for Louisville that season, getting 6 on April 27 vs. Columbus, during a 4-for-4 performance with 2 doubles and a grand slam.
He finished the 2008 season for the Reds with a .188 average (15-for-80), along with six RBI and his first career and only homer for the season.
2009
Janish made the Reds out of Spring Training, and spent the whole year with the club. He made 63 starts (82 appearances) at shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the season and one start (two appearances) at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. The two games at third marked only the 7th and 8th times Janish played at third for his professional career, the other six coming in 2007 at double-A Chattanooga
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
. Janish hit either 2nd or 8th in all but three of his games. Janish is noted for being the first Reds position player to pitch in more than one game since Mel Queen in 1966. He pitched the ninth inning of a 15-3 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on May 6, allowing five earned runs on five hits, including a two-run homer by Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
. His second pitching appearance was July 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, where he pitched the 8th inning of the 22-1 loss, allowing six earned on four hits, including a Jayson Werth
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right-handed.-Background:Werth was born in...
grand slam.
Janish became the starting shortstop after the August 14 trade of Alex Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. He started 42 of the Reds 48 remaining games, and posted a .995 fielding percentage after the trade that led all MLB shortstops. Overall for the season he committed three errors for a .991 fielding percentage, which would have qualified as the team record if he had appeared in enough games. Janish's first career stolen base came on September 11 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He became the first Reds player with three doubles in a game since Jorge Cantu
Jorge Cantú
Jorge Luís Cantú Guzmán is an American professional baseball first baseman.Cantú bats and throws right-handed. He was born in McAllen, Texas, went to Sharyland High School, but was raised and makes his home in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.-Tampa Bay Devil Rays:Cantú was spotted by a scout while...
in 2007 when Janish had a three hit game on September 15 against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Overall he hit .211 in 90 games with one homer and 16 RBI.
Despite the weak bat he displayed over his first two seasons, he was slated to be the Reds starter in 2010 until they signed Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Luis Cabrera, nicknamed "O-Cab" and "The OC", is a Colombian-American baseball infielder.He won a World Series championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. He has played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins,...
during the offseason.
2010
Janish made the Opening Day roster for the second straight year, sharing the infield backup job with Miguel CairoMiguel Cairo
Miguel Jesús Cairo is a Major League Baseball utility player who is currently with the Cincinnati Reds. He has mostly played second base during his career, but has played every position in baseball except catcher and pitcher. He currently plays mostly third base, in place of Scott Rolen during his...
. Janish got very little playing time throughout the season. having just 63 at-bats through the end on July. However, on August 3, Orlando Cabrera went down with a strained oblique and missed the next month on the DL. Janish took over as the starting shortstop and started nearly every game for the 31 day stretch, hitting .263 for the stretch including several clutch hits. He continued to start once or twice a week for September/October and finished the season with career highs in average (.260), home runs (5), RBI (25), on-base percentage (.338) and slugging (.385). He played 11 error-less games at third and 7 error-less games at second, and committed just 4 errors in 62 games at shortstop. He was 0-for-1 in the NLDS
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
.
The Reds declined the option on Cabrera's contract and named Janish the starting shortstop for the 2011 season. The Reds, however, made a big move by singing 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
MVP shortstop Edgar Renteria
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
to a one-year deal. Many speculated that Janish would be demoted to bench duty once again, but Reds GM Walt Jocketty
Walt Jocketty
Walt Jocketty is the General Manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he attended the University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. He was previously the General Manager of the St...
announced that he had called Janish and confirmed that Paul would still be the starter going into spring training.
2011
Janish made the team again out of spring training, but this time he made it as the starter. Janish started Opening Day and has played the majority of the games so far. Edgar Renteria has started against pitchers who he has fared well against in the past, but Janish plays most games. After Scott RolenScott Rolen
Scott Bruce Rolen is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is an eight-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
went on the DL and Miguel Cairo
Miguel Cairo
Miguel Jesús Cairo is a Major League Baseball utility player who is currently with the Cincinnati Reds. He has mostly played second base during his career, but has played every position in baseball except catcher and pitcher. He currently plays mostly third base, in place of Scott Rolen during his...
had been playing every day, when Cairo needed a day off Janish played third and Renteria played shortstop. However, by July 6, Janish's average had dropped to .227 and he had only 9 extra-base hits with no home runs. He also had nine errors. On July 7th, 2011 Janish was demoted to Triple A Lousiville in exchange for prospect Zack Cozart. Manager Dusty Baker said that Janish had "put a lot of pressure on himself", "needed to get his confidence back up", and was "definitely a quality shortstop". On July 23, Cozart hyperextended his left elbow and was placed on the DL, so the Reds recalled Janish to take his place.