Reds make 2 year, 6 mill offer to Loretta

That the Reds may attempt to convert Encarnacion to RF.  I watched a Q&A of Redsfest online, and Narron did say it was a possibility, and they have been tossing the idea around.

Can Loretta play 3rd?

Loretta is (was?) a decent enough player, but I'd rather see us put our resources elsewhere.  He still gets on base but hasn't slugged worth a damn in the last two years, which isn't surprising given that he's 35.  

I'd be curious to see how he and Gonzalez fared as a double play combo last year.  His fielding win shares are respectable, but where would that leave Phillips?  Loretta has played some 3B in his career but none the last two years.

let's pile up the second basemen again!  we all know how well that worked out last year.

second basemen and catchers...someone needs to teach krivsky the rules of this game.

freel would be gone for linebrink, making loretta a backup?  phillips?  i don't get it.  freel is cheaper, younger, has speed, can lead off, and can play all over.  we don't even need another reliever.

FIRE KRIVSKY!!!

Rich Aurilia without power, or Ryan Freel without speed?

Loretta could fill in at all four infield positions. This could mean he's the platoon partner for Hatteberg at 1B. then giving days off to Phillips, AGon, and Encarnacion. Or he's the everyday 3B and EdE is in RF. I don't like either of these scenarios. A Loretta/Hatteberg 1B platoon lacks pop, and I think EdE will be just fine defensively at 3B with time.

I would have liked the idea of signing Loretta more if he were to play 2B and Phillips was going to SS, but the Reds already flushed the AGonzalez money down the toilet.

Instead of signing Loretta and possibly moving EdE to a position that he's not familiar with, why not sign Jose Cruz Jr for the same money, keep EdE at 3rd and have a much better hitter with possibly better defense.

BTW, thanks Red Menace for the frustration of knowing that a decent right field option could be had for reasonably cheap money.  I just wish Krivsky saw it too.  

was already signed by the  Pads or Giants for 650K..I am sure I saw that somewhere.........

Wasn't EE's biggest problem at 3B throwing, not fielding?

Wouldn't moving him to RF exacerbate his negatives (arm accuracy), while limiting his positives (reflexes)?

Although last year, 3B did hit better than RF; on the other hand, Loretta would be the worst hitting 3B in either league.

does anyone think it has ever occurred to Krivsky where the Reds actually play?  Both Minnesota and Oakland parks are big parks.  Why are you going to try to do a pitching/infield thing in a matchbox?  Wouldn't it be better to sign a good rightfielder (since we gave ours away) who has some pop?  Wouldn't it be better to sign infielders who have some pop?

Does anyone know what Krivsky is doing?  Does he know?  

This is all so frustrating!!!!!

!!!1!!

!!!

Not too expensive, and look at his stats away from Detroit. I admit, I know nothing about his defense, so that might be an issue. According to Crasnick, Tigers are looking for LH relief in return - haven't we got that market cornered?

I'd say that's more likely than a trade of Phillips or move of Edwin. Ew. I don't know about you guys, but I prefer people who can actually hit to play 1B. Loretta isn't even good offensively at 2B. Could we really not shell out the extra mil per year to bring back Aurilia if we're gonna go around offering a contract like this to a guy who is half the hitter?

If this rumor is indeed true, I hope its just to steal one of the remaining 2nd baseman from the market, then turn him into a trade (Padres maybe?). If he picks up to do anything other than sit the bench I would be confused.

According to Marc: "We have NOT made an offer to Mark Loretta, I can tell you that," said Narron. "We talked to his agent, but we did not make any kind of offer."

So, well, there we go. For now.

Unless this is going to be followed up with a trade of BP, Freel, et al.

If they are looking at Loretta, what does this mean for Brendan Harris?  Don't they think that Harris can put up a .700-.750 OPS at the MLB level and provide backup at 2nd and 3rd?  If not, then why did they trade for him?  He didn't do anything at Louisville (.918 OPS) to make it seem like he couldn't do it.  And here's the kicker, they would save about $2.5 million a year.  I'm not assuming that they are going to sign Loretta, but it confuses me as to why they are even talking to him with a cheap option like Harris sitting around.

New information from the same thread on ESPN:

"Why would the Reds offer Mark Loretta two years and $6 million when they already have a talented second baseman in Brandon Phillips? The Reds think Loretta can log enough at-bats as the right-handed first base complement to Scott Hatteberg to make the deal worthwhile. Loretta's first preference is to return to San Diego to play second, but the Padres are more interested in signing Ronnie Belliard or trading for Marcus Giles."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove06/news/story?id=2686831&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

Well, that makes a little more sense, but why get a guy who won't give you first-base level production from first base?

Right now, giving effect to the Loretta signing, the Reds have an awful lot of square pegs in round holes and people who aren't producing what the position requires:

LF (Dunn):  A guy who should be playing first but hits like a LF or 1B.
CF (Jr.):  A guy who should be playing RF or LF but (if healthy) hits like a RF or LF.
RF (Freel):  A guy who can play a whole boatload of positions but can't hit like a RF should.
3B (EdE):  A guy who can play 3B whom the Reds want to move to RF but hits like a 3B or RF.
SS (Gonzo):  A guy who pretty much hits like a SS playing SS.
2B (BP):  A guy who hits well for a 2B, but a number of people seem to want to trade.  Why?
1B (Hatte/Loretta?):  Both guys who don't really give you the production you want from 1B.
C (Ross):  Doing fine here offensively, but can't seem to "catch" balls, which seems to be a prerequisite for the position.

Sweet loretta martin thought she was a woman
But she was another man
All the girls around her say she's got it coming
But she gets it while she can

Get back, loretta!