GOODYEAR, Ariz. — It was a short audition for a shortstop — just 11 games. But those 11 games were enough to convince the Cincinnati Reds that Zack Cozart can wear the label, “Major-League Ready.”
He has the team’s Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
He better be as advertised, as he showed during his cameo appearances last July. The team’s other options are shortstop are pretty much Slim and None — and both left town.
The Reds are counting upon the 26-year-old from Memphis to step into the role of No. 1 shortstop for 2012.
As manager Dusty Baker points out, though, Cozart was not a sudden find, not some diamond found in an old setting.
He paid his dues and didn’t leave any loose change.
Cozart spent five years in the minors, proving himself every shuffle-step of the way, including his first two years at low-A in Dayton.
And not once in those minor-league years did he wear a major-league uniform, not once did he get a quick call-up for a quick look.
His first chance came last July 7, a call-up from Class AAA Louisville because the Reds were getting no shortstop production from Paul Janish and/or Edgar Renteria.
Cozart, a second-round draft pick in 2007 out of the University of Mississippi, was hitting .310 at Louisville after spending all of 2010 at Louisville and hitting .255 with 17 homers and 67 RBI.
He was dazzling everybody during his major-league debut — .324 in 11 games (nine starts).
Then, a devastating disaster. A rare injury. Cozart reached into a base runner to make a tag and the contact tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow — an injury normally suffered only by pitchers.
So Cozart underwent the pitcher’s procedure, Tommy John surgery, and was out for the season. He also had minor surgery to clean out debris from his right ankle.
Cozart is extremely comfortable these days in the Reds clubhouse at their spring training complex in Goodyear. He should be. He has been here since last October doing rehabilitative work.
“I’ve been at it real hard for the last three weeks and everything feels good,” said Cozart. “Now it is a matter of getting into baseball shape.”
Cozart established squatter’s rights in Goodyear, “Other than for three weeks when I got to go home for Christmas,” he said. “Then it was right back at it out here.”
He smiled and said, “I’ve had a lot of Arizona. Rehab and working out. I decided to come out here for rehab because it is baseball-specific. Chris Valaika (teammate and fellow infielder) and I decided to come out here all winter and spend time together. It was better than staying home and working out with some random person. It was better for us to be out here in the good weather, too.”
Cozart doesn’t call his injury that shortened his audition a misfortune. He doesn’t even believe it was a setback toward him proving his worth.
“I don’t think it set me back, even though it was a bad injury that nobody wants to see happen,” he said. “It was one of those things. But that short stint actually gave me some confidence to go into this year.
“I know that I’m healthy now and a lot more relaxed coming into this spring training,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know all the guys and have my routine down. I’m just ready to go.
“It’s the same game in the majors as the minors, other than everybody is better,” he added. “But ultimately you catch the ball and throw it to first. They are going to throw the ball around the plate so it is up to you to have good at-bats. Same game, but a bigger spotlight and bigger stage.”
Cozart relishes the knowledge that the Reds are expecting him to be their shortstop and only he can mess that up.
“My whole goal after the injury was to come to spring training fully healthy, and I’ve done that. I have to show (manager) Dusty Baker that I’m healthy. I know they trust me out there and that’s what those 11 games showed — that I can help this team and help it win.”
Baker is totally confident in Cozart’s pedigree.
“He did well at Triple-A during his apprenticeship,” said Baker. “He came through the system and wasn’t rushed through the system. He progressed as he had success. He is unlike a lot of guys here — he spent almost two years in Triple-A.
“He has gotten better, we like his play at shortstop, I like his deceptive speed, his relative power and I think he is going to be better as a hitter. I wish his time here could have been longer, but he can’t help that.”
Now, though, Cozart can help himself, which means he will help the team at one of the most important positions on the field.
