feeling cozy

Zack Cozart’s impressive but injury-curtailed big league debut last summer apparently was no fluke. The former Ole Miss standout, starting at shortstop for Cincinnati, is batting .455 in six games. He has two triples, two doubles and two RBIs. According to reports, he is the first Reds rookie since 1947 to hit safely in the club’s first six games. Cozart, 26, said he feels very comfortable hitting in the 2-hole ahead of slugger Joey Votto. Cozart hit .324 for the Reds in 2011 but was KO’d by a shoulder injury. He looked fine in the spring, batting .345 and easily winning the shortstop job. Meanwhile, former Taylorsville High star Billy Hamilton, another Reds shortstop prospect, is batting .217 at high-A Bakersfield. Sports Illustrated suggested in its March 26 baseball preview issue that Cincinnati should push the 21-year-old Hamilton to The Show this season. Hamilton, whom SI calls “the fastest man in the minors,” stole 103 bases in low-A last year and has five in six games in 2012. But he also has three errors, giving him 61 in 247 career pro games. Obviously, his defense needs polish. One thinks Cozart’s job is safe for a while.