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CINCINNATI — In the four seasons from 1974 to 1977, four Cincinnati Reds won Gold Gloves each year: Johnny Bench (catcher), Joe Morgan (second base), Davey Concepcion (shortstop) and Cesar Geronimo (center field).

Their mention was part of a conversation about defense — in particular, defense up the middle — that dominated Reds manager Dusty Baker's meeting with reporters on Saturday, July 5.

"Defense is concentration, work and the ability to change sides without taking your offense onto the field," Baker said.

It's also an area in which he hopes his team is improving.

Cincinnati played the first five games of its current homestand without an error.

Still, the Reds entered Saturday's game ranked 11th in the National League in fielding, which many feel is a major reason Cincinnati is treading water at the bottom of the NL Central Division.

Part of that rebound is stability at shortstop.

Five Reds have started at the position this season — Jeff Keppinger, Jerry Hairston Jr., Paul Janish, Jolbert Cabrera and Juan Castro.

But with Hairston now healthy and hitting .314 since he returned from the disabled list, the team is stable up the middle, for the time being.

"The shortstop is the main guy," Baker said. "You have to be strong up the middle — catching, short, second and center field. That's where you want to be the strongest. Plus, your shortstop is in on almost every play. That shortstop is way important to the defense."

The other middle infielder, second baseman Brandon Phillips, has been even better.

Phillips entered Saturday without an error in 75 games, the longest streak of his career.

"And with range," Baker said. "Brandon, I mean, that's defense right there. What Brandon's playing is defense. He goes back on balls up in the air, he goes to the hole, he goes up the middle, he throws accurately. He's Gold Glove to me."

Phillips, though, didn't win a Gold Glove last season.

That award, instead, went to Arizona's Orlando Hudson.

"I can't see anybody better," Baker said.

Youth abundant

This from the Reds, via Elias Sports Bureau:

Rookies Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and Darryl Thompson have started a combined 24 games this season, which is behind only Atlanta and Minnesota for the number of rookie starts. Cueto, Bailey and Thompson, all 22 years old, have gone a combined 7-13 with a 5.26 ERA.

Treats from Rijo

Former Reds pitcher Jose Rijo, now a staffer with the Washington Nationals, spent a few minutes before Saturday's game pulling baseballs out of a white bucket near the Washington dugout and chucking them into the crowd.

He twice nearly landed balls in the upper deck behind home plate.

Contact this reporter at

(937) 225-7389 or

knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.