1. I’m not sure the Brewers will be in a rush to trade Hardy since Escobar has 9 ABs above Double-A. Granted they were in the big leagues, but it’s risky for a contender to trade away a young, solid position player when the replacement player may still need another year of seasoning in the minors. I think they’ll have to be wowed by any deal before they make it.
2. I wouldn’t say the salaries are comparable as Arroyo is guaranteed $22.5 million over the next 2 seasons (plus a buyout). Hardy will be in his second arb year and made under $3 million last year.

That being said, I’d at least consider trading Arroyo for Hardy with the Reds potentially throwing in another player or a bunch of cash. I doubt the deal would happen though.

Most of the projections of the Reds making a run at the division in 2009 were based on the other teams not significantly improving. But if the Cubs get Peavy and the Cards get Holliday, I call those significant improvements, and we need to keep pace. If we would get Beltre, then EdE in LF is a noble experiment, but there’s still no guarantee that he could cut it there.

I’ve been feeling for awhile that the Reds will go after Burrell, but I’d really like them to kick the tires on what it would take to get Dunn back. I doubt it would happen, and maybe for the sake of Dunn it shouldn’t happen, but if Burrell’s your guy, he’s too similar to Dunn to not at least put out a feeler to what it would take to get the younger version of him.

NYPost:

There are some Met officials who believe they need a better game-caller than Brian Schneider to shepherd their pitching staff. The Mets did find some interest (Cincinnati, for example) if they need to move Schneider.

Not as a GM, but he was here. I would certainly think that he’d be looking to put his stamp on the team. We’re just not really sure what that stamp is.

but let me be the first to say that Passan doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Having anybody ranked behind Castro is a sham.

This is based on the fact that WJ appears to have historically been very successful at (1) finding bargains in the reject bin (Matheny, Kline, Woody Williams, Mabry, Womack, Eckstein, etc.) and turning them into valuable/servicable role players and (2) acquiring big time players that not only played at a high level but came with a reasonable price tag.

Jim Bowden. Great.

It seems that Walt and Dusty seem pretty content with what we got now in the infield. Moving our now golden boy Phillips to short seems out, and the general sentiment is that between Agon, Kepp, and Hairston (if he returns) we have that spot covered.

What is left is the 3b/lf question. I have a feeling EdE will be our starting 3b in April and if we can’t get a bargain on a solid right handed left fielder we may end up with Hairston out there with Quickerson in center. That seems like a pretty mediocre lineup, but I think it is a possibility with Jocketty playing it really conservative so we can wait for Alonso and move Votto to left in 2010. They wait and see how this bunch of guys does in ’09 and see if we need to bring in another pitcher or hitter to make the run in ’10.

Dickerson CF
Hairston LF
Bruce RF
Encarnacion 3b
Votto 1b
Phillips 2b
Agon SS
Hannigan C

I would like to see Beltre here and EdE in left this year, but I don’t think it will happen.

Justin Duchscherer led that team with 10 wins last year and was one of only four guys to reach 100 IP, one of whom is gone (Joe Blanton). Is a hitter really what they need?

I’m not doubting Beane or the Oakland organization, they always seem to pull good young pitching straight out of their ass. It just shocks me that they would be going after Holliday with what he earns and all. Just doesn’t seem like their style.

Is reporting it’s Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith, and Houston Street. Too much for a year and a half of Holliday?

I would be happy. But I have little faith in (1) the Reds’ “marketing team” to market the impressive young players, or (2) the Reds’ “manager” to let players progress and/or weed themselves out.

but it seems to me like a “let’s see what we can do next year” approach. I’m not asking to do something just to do something, but I hardly think that there’s nothing out there worth having. BTW, I’m arguing with Doc, not you. I can somewhat get behind your strategy, but that’s not Doc’s strategy. My concern with your plan is that I don’t think you’re playing for 2010 either. Your plan is better for the long-long term, but I think the Reds will fail for a couple of years without adding some outside parts before then.

sort of like Toe Nash. I googled for a bit, then realized I’m an idiot.

Walt’s asleep at the wheel…he abd Dusty could start their own old baseball guys retirement home.

The Reds were worst in the NL in defensive efficiency, and behind only the Rangers in MLB.

Last year, they said they were going to improve the defense, because that’s the fastest way to improve a bad team. Great plan, but the execution was lacking.

EdE is a bad 3B. but Keppinger is pretty much just as bad as EdE is, and at a more important position. Gonzo has played 110 games at shortstop the past 2 years and has had a major knee surgery. his range was starting to wane in ’07, and i shutter to think what it might be now. we have no viable shortstop right now and Walt knows it.

at least with EdE there is a hope that he could get better. his tools are strong, so there is theoretically much room for improvement. no one is holding their breath though. im still undecided on whether or not i would move him, but with shortstop there is no doubt. this team will contend unless we upgrade at shortstop. the trouble is there are really no options.

He might read this and take it as implicit approval.

1.06 for a movie is awesome. Never had any problem, except the selection can suck sometimes.

I like it. They give you a coupon for a free in-store rental every month and you can exchange them in the store for free. I forget what it costs a month but it seems to suit us.

who put up an ERA+ of 101 last year. If he regresses just a touch more, he will be slugged like a pinata.

see, look at me, Mr. Positive. XOXOXO

He’s way too expensive. He doesn’t strike out, which would play well here, but he doesn’t take walks either. The fun little facts at Baseball Reference tell that he was third in the league in GIDPs in 2007, and that he gets hit by pitches at a near Biggian rate. His defense seems good, but his arm seems average. Wikipedia claims he is making rapid progress in learning English and Spanish, but I still have communication concerns with our young, Dominican pitchers.

Basically, the Mariners were very foolish to give him the contract extension they did, and I’d really rather not bring any of it to Cincinnati.

Also, does anyone find it ominous that we haven’t heard anything from Bill Bavasi? I have to say, I’m a little nervous.