With $25 mil, if they go and get Beltre, that’s $14 mil. (I hope they do this). When they inevitably get Willy Taveras, that’s $2 million. (I hate this idea, but it seems like them). Throw in two crappy relievers at $4 million each, that brings us to $24 million, and a team that is not much better. Go Reds!

Don’t do this to yourself again Reds fan, just don’t do it.

….this is the Reds.

LHP Tyler Pelland was outrighted to Louisville.

I would try and sign Furcal with part of this money. I would think a 3 or 4 year deal for 12-15 million would net him. We could still try and get Beltre and move EDE to left. This team would be significantly better defensively on the left side of the field and Furcal would give us the lead off man we need.

the payroll last year according to espn was $74,117,695. The $25-30 million here basically takes us back to that level, with all the talk of Bob putting a competitive team on the field can we expect anything more out of the wallet? It’s been clearly documented here and other places there is not much out there is year but will Bobo back up his word on this at all?

They have the pitching. Who knows how effective our guys will be in 2-3 years.

Although I want the Reds to compete right away, I don’t want the team to mortgage its future by gutting the farm system. Instead, they should sign Furcal and trade for Beltre. I don’t think acquiring Beltre would have that big of an impact on the farm system.

BTW, I’m a big fan of spending Bob’s money.

Are they really planning to offer him arbitration or something? Hoping to trade him?

I’d think they’d have a better use for the roster spot, since they DFA’d him once already.

What about Randy Johnson? He was still very effective last year (173K / 44BB). I don’t think people realize how much he pitched. Hell, I had him on my fantasy team and even I didn’t realize he started 30 games and threw 180 innings.

He made 10M last year and supposedly offered to take a 50% pay cut to stay with the DBacks, which they declined. I know he makes more sense for a team that’s very close, but for 7-8M any team should take a shot, right?

What if Arroyo fetched us Hardy and we rolled the dice with Unit?

The future is overrated.

-give Towers a nice package for Peavy, and give Peavy rea$on$ to accept a trade to cincy
-lets take on Beltre’s entire salary, and send Seattle the prospects
-Juan Cruz or Bob Howry? let’s sign both.
-Furcal? sure
-catcher? lets send Texas an arm.

I’m tired of Hope.

Tomorrow never comes.

Lets do something today.

MLB owners approve change of power of Yankees

Why do the owners have to approve this? The team’s ownership hasn’t changed hands. I don’t see how it’s any different from changing the Director of Baseball Operations.

Dayan Viciedo, the 19-year-old 3B prospect, is signing with the White Sox, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Evidently, we let the Padres send him to the minors for a PTBNL or cash. I know he was old-ish. And maybe not that good – certainly wasn’t great in San Diego. I still would have liked to see him back.

Then again, I still miss Calvin Medlock. So…what IS my problem, anyway?

Remember this comment and the ensuing conversation?

Well, I did it tonight. Finished it in less than ten minutes with a side of Doritos. I smashed the sandwiches down so I could get the damned thing in my mouth.

ONE

TWO

I passed on putting bacon in the grilled cheese, since that would just be gluttonous. :)

Free Dr. Pepper.

Because I can’t doze off and it’s 2 a.m. or so, I’ll post this bit of goofiness. I took a look at high school players drafted in 2004 who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. I’ll try to work on the college guys from 2005 and the international signings later. From 2004, there’s not much there, although two guys stand out to me.

— James Skelton-C-Detroit. I’d love to see Cincinnati take him simply so we can have Red Skelton. Anyway, he spent most of 2008 in High-A ball and posted a 3-23-.307 .468 .406 line. He also was 14-19 in SB. In AA, Skelton went 2-11-.294 .425 .388 and was 1-2 in SB. Skelton is strong defensively, runs well and has a strong arm.

— Todd Blackford-RHRP-Chicago Cubs. A 14th-round pick of Atlanta, he was traded in 2005 with Angelo Burrows to the Cubs for Todd Hollandsworth. Last season in High-A ball he went 7-1 2.40, 1.31. He gave up 40 hits in 45 IP, struck out 31 and walked 19. Not great, but like I said, there’s not much out there.

Other guys maybe worth a look, all out of High-A ball, include Ryan Royster-RF-Tampa Bay, Chad Boyd-LF-Oakland, Matt Walker-RHSP-Tampa Bay and Bobby Cassevah-RHRP-Anaheim.

Could the Reds lose any HS players drafted in 2004? Maybe Terrell Young-RHRP-Sarasota.

The Phillies made him their bench coach.