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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > December
December 2008
My 2008 Hall of Fame ballot
Time to ‘fess up.
Who did I vote for on my 2008 Hall of Fame ballot? As a voter, I am NOT required to divulge for whom I did or didn’t vote.
But I respect the fans and my readers and, in fact, next year I may write a blog before I vote and list the candidates and ask you to help me make my vote.
First of all, I’ll tell you for whom I did NOT vote — Mark McGwire. Not now, not ever. As many of you know, my position is that when he sat in front of the congressional hearing on steroids and said, “I’m not here to talk about the past,” I immediately decided, “Well, Mark, if you won’t talk about the past, I won’t consider your past accomplishments.”
One of my esteemed colleagues at the Dayton Daily News, Sean McClelland, recently wrote that he voted for McGwire and said, “How can you not vote for a guy who hit 583 career home runs?”
Well, steroids and HGH notwithstanding, take a look at McGwire’s career statistics. I might not have voted for him even without the needle controversy. Yes, he hit 583 home runs. What else did he do? Not much. His career batting average was .262. When he hit 70 home runs, he had 61 singles. And he wore a glove at first base for decorative purposes only.
As an aside, in another piece, McClelland wrote that he saw nothing wrong with the exorbitant and obscene spending of the New York Yankees, close to $450 million this off-season.
Another esteemed cohort, Greg Simms, also wrote that he saw nothing indecent about what the Yankees do.
This is not to throw monkey do-do at my compatriots. Both are great guys, talented newspapermen and both have saved my posterior innumerable times by ferreting errors out of my copy - of which I’m much appreciative.
It’s just that I don’t agree with them. Sean once covered the Yankees and might still be under the Steinbrenner glare and Simms is an acknowledged Yankee fans (pshaw on him).
What the Yankees are doing is proof that baseball needs a salary cap. Now.
All baseball has is the luxury tax, as Simms pointed out. Any team with a payroll over $150 million a year must pay a luxury tax to the 29 other teams for the amount they transgress over the $150 million.
Well, in the six years of the luxury tax, the Yankees have paid nearly $150 million in luxury taxes. Divide that by 29 and each team has received a little more than $5 million. Big deal. That won’t even buy a decent starting second baseman.
OK, my Hall of Fame ballot. We are given a long list of eligible players and we can vote for up to 10, but we don’t have to vote for 10. We can vote for none or one or six or 10.
This year I voted for five - Rickey Henderson (first-year eligible), Jim Rice, Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven and Lee Smith (who, to me, was as good, if not better, than last year’s winner, Goose Gossage).
That’s it. What do you think?
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TweetTaveras believes he can do better
Willy Taveras didn’t have a spectacular season with the 2008 Colorado Rockies, hitting only .251 with an on base average of .308.
Those are not glossy numbers for a leadoff hitter. And it makes the fact that he stole 68 bases in 75 tries just short of spectacular.
As the new center fielder and leadoff hitter for the Cincinnati Reds, signed to a two-year contract Saturday, Taveras believes he can do better.
And so does Jamie Quirk, a new member of the Reds front office who watched Taveras last year while Quirk was a bench coach for the Rockies.
In fact, it was Quirk who pushed Reds general manager Walt Jocketty toward acquiring the 27-year-old Dominican.
“We tried to do a trade with Colorado for Taveras earlier, but it didn’t work out,” said Jocketty. “When the Rockies didn’t tender him (offer him a contract after the season), we called his agent and got this done.”
About his fallen batting average and on base percentage in 2008, Jocketty said, “Jamie Quirk believes Willy got away from his game plan. He needs to bunt more and keep the ball on the ground and get some infield hits. I don’t know if he tried to hit home runs, or what, but Jamie think he changed his approach and that we can get him back to where he was in 2007 (.320 batting average in 2007 over 97 games with a .367 on base average 33 stolen bases in 42 attempts).”
Taveras doesn’t believe playing in Coors Field changed his game, “Just that things didn’t work out and I know I can do better and will do better.”
He likes the fact Quirk is with the Reds on his side.
“Jamie knows me and knows my game and he worked a lot with me,” said Taveras. “We get along real well and he helped me a lot. He kept after me to stay on top of my game.”
Of more import to Taveras is the fact he’ll be playing for manager Dusty Baker, who called him to consider signing with the Reds.
“I’ve heard from plenty of guys about how good it is to play for Dusty,” said Taveras. “You know he is in charge and he lets you do what you do best. And I’m told he never has any problems with his players. I’m really looking forward to playing for the Reds and for Dusty Baker.
“I’ll play hard and do what I can do to help the team win and I know it is a young team and I believe I can help it.”
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TweetReds sign Willy Taveras
The Cincinnati Reds filled their leadoff hole by signing free agent outfielder Willy Taveras to a two-year deal.
Taveras, who turned 27 on Christmas Day, hit only .251 with a .308 on base average with the Colorado Rockies, but stole 68 bases in 75 tries.
But in 2007 Taveras hit .320 in 97 games with a .367 on base average with the Rockies.
Prior to playing in Colorado, Taveras had two solid years in Houston, hitting .291 in 2005 and .278 in 2006, playing 152 and 149 games. He stole 33 bases in 2006 and 33 in 2007.
It is expected Taveras, a native of the Dominican Republic who lives in Pearland, Texas, will play center field for the Reds.
“We’ve added speed to our club and added defense,” said general manager Walt Jocketty. “He fills a lot of needs for us and what I like he is genuinely excited about coming to the Reds.”
Taveras comes to the Reds on the recommendation of Jamie Quirk, Colorado manager Clint Hurdle’s bench coach last year and now a member of Jocketty’s staff in Cincinnati.
“We tried to do a trade with Colorado for Taveras earlier, but it didn’t work out,” said Jocketty. “When the Rockies didn’t tender him (offer him a contract after the season), we called his agent and got this done.”
About his fallen batting average and on base percentage in 2008, Jocketty said, “Jamie Quirk believes Willy got away from his game plan. He needs to bunt more and keep the ball on the ground and get some infield hits. I don’t know if he tried to hit home runs, or what, but Jamie think he changed his approach and that we can get him back on track.”
Jocketty said the Reds remain in pursuit of a left fielder, “And we’re still trying to sign Jerry Hairston Jr. and he can play some out there in left.”
There was a story this week that Sammy Sosa says he wants to play major-league baseball this year and when Jocketty was kiddingly asked if the Reds were interested in Sosa, he said, “Don’t think so. And I don’t think (manager) Dusty Baker wants him.”
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TweetNo ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ please
A healthy and prosperous holiday season to you all as you await word on that big Christmas present the Cincinnati Reds are going to deliver - a hard-hitting righthanded-hitting outfielder, with or without a big Christmas bow.
And while we wait?
How many of you have seen the petition from some folks who want you to sign on behalf of George Foster appearing on Dancing With the Stars? The petition says an appearance by Foster would enhance the show’s ratings, as if that show needs a ratings kick in the posterior.
How many people who watch DWTS know George Foster from Jodie Foster or Stephen Foster - and which one wrote My Old Kentucky Home? In all the years Foster was with the Reds, I never saw him dance, except away from outfield walls.
That got me to thinking - always a dangerous exercise. Here are some former Reds who I think should NEVER appear on DWTS.
PETE ROSE - It wouldn’t look good if Rose slid head-first into his dancing partner and separated her collarbone. And what song would Rose use? Ah, that’s easy. Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler.
CLAY CARROLL - A down-home country boy from Alabama and I don’t think DWTS would let him dance to the Electric Slide. Carroll once asked if a Rhodes Scholar was somebody who studied to be a highway engineer. I made that up - but he could have.
GENE LOCKLEAR - He was a full-blooded Lumbee and I don’t think there is a place on DWTS for a native American dance to end a drought. Locklear was an artist and painted portraits of his teammates. Did he give the portraits to the players? Nah, he sold them to them. And I didn’t make that up; it’s the truth.
RAY KNIGHT - Do they let contestants do solos on DWTS. Don’t think so. Knight liked to do everything himself when he managed (and played). Designating authority was not his thing. He would dance to Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
JACK McKEON - Smoking is not allowed on the dance floor and his cigar would be inappropriate. I laughed every time I saw McKeon early in the afteroon before day games doing his physical workouts, long walks around the ballpark’s warning track, puffing a Padron 4000 as he pumped his arms on his stroll. His song would be Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
SEAN CASEY - You can only dance with one partner and the Mayor of The World would want to dance with every female in the house. And he would end his dance with The Bounce, that thing the Reds did when they scored a game-ending run by gathering around home plate and jumping up and down. His song would be the classic by Danny & The Juniors, At The Hop.
GREG VAUGHN - I fear for the life of the judges who dismiss him. In 1999, Vaughn, the leader of Cincinnati’s LAST GOOD TEAM, picked up a whiny Reds pitcher by the throat and held him against the wall, the pitcher’s feet about six inches off the floor. Can anbody dance to Rocky? Vaughn’s partner would have to be Kevin Mitchell, an equally fearsome fellow, but do they allow same-sex partners?
KURT STILLWELL - He looked so much like the young Ron Howard on the Andy Griffith Show that teammates called him Opie. He would have to dance to the Andy Griffith Show theme song (whistling along with it) and he’d have to dance with Aunt Bee.
Well, you get what I mean. I don’t think George Foster, a great player and a great man, is the savior of Dancing with the Stars, nor is any former Reds player.
Happy holidays and it’ll be spring training before you know it - if the Reds have a full roster by then.
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TweetReds-Reds Futures to play at Fifth Third
To commemorate 10 years of their existence and 10 years affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, the Dayton Dragons came up with a novel idea.
The idea, which germinated last April, was so good that Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said, “A tremendous idead and I wish I had thought of it.”
Jocketty gave credit to the Class A Dayton Dragons for dreaming it up and presenting it to the Reds: An annual exhibition game before the season between the Reds and a Reds minor-league All-Star at Fifth Third Field.
The Reds bought the idea quickly and the first game will be played Saturday, April. 4, two days before the Reds open their 2009 season in Great American Ball Park.
“The only danger is they might beat us,” said Jocketty.
That could be so, especially after Reds director of minor league development Terry Reynolds tossed out a few names of possible minor-league participants.
“It is hard to nail down specific players at this point, especially pitchers who might have thrown a day or two previous o the game,” he said.
He mentioned: first baseman Yonder Alonzo, the team’s No. 1 draft pick in June; shortstop Chris Valaika, the Reds’ minor-league player of the year in 2008; shortstop/outfielder Todd Frazier; third baseman Juan Francisco, the teams minor-league hitter of the year; outfielder Drew Stubbs and catcher Devin Mesoraco, the team’s No. 1 draft pick in 2007.
“Most of these kids played in Dayton and this game will be a plum for them, a chance to show what they can do against the big team in front of everybody,” said Reynolds.
It is believed this is the first time any major-league team has played a game against an All-Star team made up of the club’s minor-league affiliates.
The minor-leaguers, called the Reds Futures, will come from Class A, Class AA and Class AAA teams.
REDS VERSUS REDS FUTURES
When: Saturday, April 4, 2009 (Time To be Determinted).
Where: Fifth Third Field, Dayton
What: Cincinnati Reds against an All-Star team of Reds minor-leaguers.
Tickets: First choice goes to season ticket holds, corporate partners and suite holds. If any tickets remain, the rest will be offered to those on the Dragons season ticket waiting list.
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TweetReds signs outfielder Nix
With only three outfielders on their 40-man roster - Jay Bruce, Chris Dickerson and Norris Hopper - the Cincinnati Reds are in search of a few good outfielders.
On Monday, they signed one to a minor-league contract, 28-year-old Laynce Nix. He has agreed to a minor-league contract that is worth $600,000 if he makes the team out of spring training with bonus clauses that could push it to $1.1 million.
The Reds hope to re-sign free agent Jerry Hairston Jr., but he is negotiating with two other teams. GM Walt Jocketty said talks with Hairston, “Are slow, but now that thre winter meetings are over maybe they’ll pick up.”
Hairston attended the winter meetings in Las Vegas last week, but did not sign with any team.
Nix was a top prospect with the Texas Ranger at one time before sustaining a severe shoulder injury when he ran into a wall in 2003.
The Rangers sent him to Milwaukee as part of the Carlos Lee deal in July 2006.
The last two years, playing at Class AAA Nashville in the Brewers’ system, he hit 48 homers and drove in 140 RBIs while playing all three outfield positions. During that time, he has had only 24 at-bats in the majors.
FOR A BRIEF PERIOD the Reds had only two outfielders. They did not offer a contract to Hopper. Nor did they offer contracts to pitcher Gary Majewski and Matt Belisle. All three were free to sign with another team.
The Reds, though, quickly signed Hopper to a one-year contract.
JOCKETTY’S TAKE ON the garish spending by the New York Yankees: “They money theyspent enough on two pitchers ($321 million to CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett) is enough to buy a whole franchise.
“It’s really hard for us (the Reds) to put into perspective because the money is so outrageous,” he added. “They are in a position to do it, but that doesn’t always equal success or a championship. Hey, as long as the rest of us aren’t expected to compete with that…”
JOCKETTY CONTINUES the search for a righthanded-hitting outfielder. Why righthanded when he has only two lefthanded hitters (Jay Bruce, Joey Votto), while as of now he has four righthanders (Brandon Phillips, Edwin Encarnacion, Alex Gonzalez, Ramon Hernandez)?
“We’re trying to find the right back to put between Bruce and Votto,” he said. Jocketty said of free agent Pat Burrell: “His market might be beyond our reach, but we’re looking a some non-tendered players, a few free agents or maybe a trade.”
How about the Jermaine Dye deal? “Right now, we’re thinking more long-term (Dye is 34) and on the final year of his contract ($11.5 million in 2009).
“We have to fill out our outfield and some bench spots and it may or may not happen right away, but we’re working on it,” he said.
ASKED IF THE MAN who missed all of last season, Alex Gonzalez, is the team’s shortstop going into spring training, Jocketty said, “Reports are that he should be ready for spring traing. If he’s not, we still have Jeff Keppiner and Paul Janish and Hairston, if we can sign him.”
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TweetRhodes agrees to sign with Reds
If lefthanded relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes passes a physical Friday in Cincinnati, he will sign a two-year, $4 million contract to work in the Reds bullpen.
Rhodes pitched for the Seattle Mariners (36 games) and the Florida Marlins last year (25 games), combining for a 4-1 record and a 2.04 ERA.
Rhodes fills another need, a lefthander in the bullpen, after the Reds lost Jeremy Affeldt to the Giants via free agency and Kent Mercker is headed for retirement. Rhodes joins Bill Bray as a lefthander in the bullpen.
IN THE RULE 5 draft that concluded the winter meetings in Las Vegas, the Reds lost a righthanded starting pitcher and gained a righthanded starting pitcher.
The Washington Nationals, picking first in the draft, selected pitcher Terrell Young off the Class AAA Louisville Roster.
The Reds selected pitcher David Patton off the roster of the Class AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox, an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.
The Reds immediately traded Patton to the Chicago Cubs, so the Reds will not have a 2008 Rule 5 draft on the 25-man roster, although relief pitcher Jared Burton was acquired from Oakland in the 2006 Rule 5.
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TweetDye deal real and not dead yet
For those vilifying me and suggesting I made up the Homer Bailey for Jermaine Dye deal, well, let me aim you toward another source - one who is right more often than wrong.
This appeared this afternoon in the blog of FoxSports baseball expert Ken Rosenthal.
The Jermaine Dye-to-the-Reds discussions continue at a “moderate” level, but for the moment the White Sox continue to plan on Dye being their Opening Day right fielder, according to a major-league source.
A deal for Dye was indeed close before Thanksgiving, the source said, with the White Sox expected to receive right-hander Homer Bailey and perhaps another prospect in return.
The trade, however, stalled in part due to questions about how much the White Sox would pay of Dye’s $11.5 million salary next season. The amount they paid would have affected the quality of the second prospect in the deal.
Now, the Reds simply might wait to determine whether they can sign a free-agent outfielder such as Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell at a comparable salary without giving up any players in a trade.
Neither Abreu nor Burrell was offered salary arbitration by their former clubs, so neither would cost the Reds a draft pick.
End of Rosenthal report.
And a major-league scout told me early this week that the Dye-Bailey deal was still under discussion and could be announced this week. I report that dutifully and was scorched by some blog readers.
The thing is, perhaps 90 percent of all trade talks fall through. That doesn’t mean they weren’t talked about and came close to materializing. When I hear those about the Reds, I figure readers want to know what’s happening. So I report it. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.
Dye-Bailey remains alive. Maybe on a respirator, but it is alive. Maybe it won’t happen - depending on what the White Sox are willing to eat of Dye’s $11.5 million contract and that prospects the Reds are willing to send to Chicago.
Anyway, that’s where it stands. Maybe some of you don’t want to hear any of this. But it won’t stop me from reporting what I know.
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TweetReds acquire catcher for Freel
Ryan Freel is gone and Ramon Hernandez is coming.
The Cincinnati Reds have plugged one of their holes by acquiring catcher Hernandez from the Baltimore Orioles.
The Reds sent infielder/outfielder Ryan Freel and two minor-league prospects to the Orioles and the deal hinged on the Orioles picking up a portion of the $9 million the O’s owe Hernandez.
Because the Reds are to receive $1 million from the Orioles, the deal had to be approved by the commissioner’s office, which it was.
In addition to sending Freel to the Orioles, also going are minor-league infielders Brandon Waring and Justin Turner. Waring, a third baseman, hit .270 with 20 homers and 71 RBIs last season for the Class A Dayton Dragons. Turner, a second baseman, played at Class AA Chattanooga last season.
Hernandez will make $8 million in 2009 and there is a club option for $8.5 million in 2010, with a $1 million buyout.
Freel will make $4 million this year, so with the $1 million in cash and Hernandez’s $9 million, the Reds invested $4 million.
Hernandez, 32, hit .257 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs last season. He is a native and resident of Venezuela, originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Oakland A’s in 1994.
He played for the A’s and the San Diego Padres before the Orioles signed him to a four-year free agent contract in 2005. He hit 23 homers and drive in 94 runs for the 2006 Orioles.
Freel, 33, is a hard-playing fan-favorite who was jammed up by injuries most of his six years with the Reds, playing only 75 games in 2007 and 48 games last season and didn’t play after June 3. eventually undergoing right hamstring surgery.
In 2006, Freel started at five different positions over his 108 games - all three outfield spots, plus second base and third base.
The Reds reportedly are one of three teams in running to sign free agent lefthanded relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes, who is expected to make his decision this week. The other two teams were not identified and terms of the Reds’ offer were not
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TweetDye on hold, Freel on the block?
While the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White have had discussions about outfielder Jermaine Dye and pitcher Homer Bailey, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said there have not been recent discussions.
A soure close to the White Sox told The Dayton Daily News Sunday that a deal was imminent and could be announced at baseball’s annual winter meetings this week in Las Vegas.
“We’re not close to a deal and while we have talked to the White Sox, there hasn’t been anything this month.”
The Reds are seeking a righthanded power-hitting outfielder and Dye hit 34 homers last year. He will make $11 million in 2008 with a $12 million mutual option in 2009 - seemingly an affordable price tag with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. off the roster.
So, the Reds and White Sox could announce a deal this week, re-visit it after the meetings or not make the trade at all.
Another available righthanded power-hitter is Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada and the Astros are searching for a young starting pitcher.
Bailey is 22 and a native Texan who resides in LaGrage.
The Reds search for a catcher could be solved if the Baltimore Orioles are willing to eat a portion of Ramon Hernandez’s $8 million contract for 2008. If they’d do that, the Reds would send them outfielder-infielder Ryan Freel.
Hernandez hit .257 last year with 15 homers and 65 RBIs.
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TweetDying to hear about Dye
So far, on this chilly Monday afternoon in Dayton, there has been no confirmation or announcement on the trade of pitcher Homer Bailey to the Chicago White Sox (with a couple of minor-leaguers tossed in) for outfielder Jermaine Dye.
As many of you might suspect - because there is no LAS VEGAS dateline on my newspaper stories, I am NOT at the winter meetings. The economy being what it is, it just made little sense for the paper to send me to the meetings for four or five days when news out the winter meetings is so scarce.
Let’s hope there hasn’t been a snag in the deal. My source, reliable and an insider with the White Sox, says there is a deal in place. Or was.
White Sox GM Ken Williams is known as a tough guy to deal with and has been known to change his mind on a quick whim. And he might want more than the Reds are willing to part with from the minor-league system.
The deal certainly would be good for the Reds, even though Dye is 34 years old and Bailey is only 22.
For once the Reds have a surplus of starting pitchers and they need a righthanded bat, preferably in the outfield. Dye, who hit 34 homers last year, would hit that many, if not more, playing in Great American Ball Park.
While he does strike out (104 times last season), it is still far fewer than Adam Dunn (164) and Dye is a better defensive player and baserunner. He also hits for a better average - .292 to Dunn’s .245. They are about equals in RBIs (Dunn 100, Dye 96). Dunn takes more walks - 112 to 44.
It is a good trade for the Reds. Bailey still has a large upside and may soon live up to his pre-signing hype, but it isn’t likely to happen in Cincinnati.
Pull the trigger, Walt Jocketty. Pull the trigger Ken Williams.
THE REDS have talked in the past to the Texas Rangers about acquiring catcher Gerald Laird, a commodity thye Reds need. But that won’t happen. It appears the Rangers have traded Laird to the Detroit Tigers.
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TweetWeathers offered arbitration
RHP David Weathers is the only player of eight Cincinnati Reds free agents to whom the team offered salary arbitration.
Weathers has until Sunday at midnight to accept or decline. If he accepts, he remains with the Reds and his salary will be determined by arbitration, a three-person panel setting his pay scale for 2009.
If Weathers says no, he becomes a free agent, but because the Reds offered arbitration they will receive draft picks from the team with which he signs.
The Reds declined to offer arbitration to free agents Paul Bako, Josh Fogg, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mike Lincoln, Kent Mercker, Corey Patterson and Javier Valentin.
PItcher Matt Belisle, third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and pitcher Gary Majewski are eligible for arbitration, but are not free agents. The Reds can negotiate and sign any of the three. If they don’t sign, the players can take their case to arbitration to determine their 2009 salaries - the Reds can sign them any time up until the arbitration hearing.
Weathers, 39, was 4-6 with a 3.25 ERA for 72 appearances, the 10th time in his 18-year career that he made 63 or more appearances.
The Reds were 38-34 in game in which he appeared and he posted a 2.45 ERA in his last 36 appearances as the team’s set-up man.
(See previous post for a State of the Reds blog)
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TweetDeafening silence in Cincinnati
The silence out of Cincinnati is deafening - and it has nothing to do with the Cincinnati Bengals.
It is the Cincinnati Reds.
So far, nothing.
Oh, there was one defection. Lefthanded relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt couldn’t wait to bail out. About 30 seconds after teams could sign free agents, Affeldt became the first free agent to sign with a new team - two years for $8 million with the Giants.
Can’t blame him, for two reasons. One, he no longer has to watch pop flies land in the bullpen for home runs. Two, who else is going to pay $8 million to a middle relief guy who as 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 74 games. Lots of games, nice ERA - but EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS?
Maybe the Reds are waiting for the Baseball Winter Meetings next week in Las Vegas at the Bellagio. Maybe Bob Castellini can hit it big enough at the craps table to sign both C.C. Sabathia and Manny Ramirez.
Not likely. Sabathia and Ramirez aren’t likely to come to Cincinnati even if the Reds had the money.
So what’s a team like the Reds to do?
There aren’t enough good free agents out there to make a difference, at least ones the Reds can afford or can lure to Great American Ball Park.
That means they must make trades. With what? They need a power-hitting righthanded bat for left field or center field. They need some veteran catching.
The problem is that everybody who talks to the Reds wants the good, young players - Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto. The Reds shouldn’t do that. Finally, they DO have some minor-league prospects, but how much can that bring?
One tradeable commodity might be pitcher Homer Bailey. Clearly, he needs a different venue. But scouts have watched him the last two years and they know something is amiss. What could the Reds get for him.
The Reds are at the point where they need to stick him into the rotation and leave him there for a full season. Make or break time. If they don’t want to do that, time to dump him for whatever they can get.
As here’s an idea being kicked around in Cincinnati - how about moving third baseman Edwin Encarnacion to left field. He has power. He is right handed. And that would eliminate all those errors at third base.
That, though, would mean they would have to find another third baseman. Some believe Jeff Keppinger could play there. Doubt it. Not regularly. From the few games he played there, too many balls zipped down the line between him and the third-base bag.
The other necessity is a leadoff hitter. Tough to find.
What’s the line on Las Vegas: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” The Reds better hope that isn’t true.
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