Reds Ideal Offseason

by JJ on Feb 1, 2008 6:04 PM EST

My ideas coming into the offseason for what the Reds should do were a lot different than what has actually been done. I hold out hope of a Blanton for Cueto+3 other non-Bailey/Bruce/Votto minor leaguers deal, but I'm at the point where I think we're basically set for the season. While I'm comfortable with what's been done, here's what my ideal (and, to me, realistic) offseason would've brought us:

TRADE GRIFFEY AND VOTTO, MOVE DUNN TO FIRST BASE: I would've explored moving Griffey and Votto for quality relief pitching. I'm sure that we could've gotten a servicable reliever. Mark Kotsay (.575 OPS, 56 games, lingering back issues in '07) and some cash got Joey Divine, a former 1st rounder! Maybe if we'd jumped in early we could've landed Brad Lidge? Huston Street?
DEAL FOR BLANTON - I still think that Cueto + a maybe Frazier, Dorn, and Soto may be enough for Blanton. I think that he'd become the #2 guy for the Redlegs for the next 3 years. Plus he's from Kentucky. Maybe with Cueto, Votto, and some others would get us Blanton + Street.
GUARANTEE HOMER A SPOT: Harang, Arroyo, and Blanton will eat a ton of innings. That'll give Bailey and the #5 pitcher less pressure to go deep into games.
SIGN 2 VETERAN PITCHERS TO WIN THE #5 SPOT: I'd like to have seen a deal to Prior. Affeldt is fine for me.
CUT/TRADE CASTRO & STANTON. A bag of balls would due.
KEEP CANTU for a RH bat off the bench. He plays a decent 3rd or 1st.
DON'T USE A RULE 5 PICK ON AN A-LEVEL PLAYER WITH AN ERA LIKE STANTON'S. If you want to burn money, just give it to me. Or lower ticket prices!

OPENING DAY ROSTER (with position in the lineup):
1B- Dunn (4)
2B- Phillips (3)
SS- Gonzalez (7)
3B- Encarnacion (5)
RF- Hopper (1)
CF- Hamilton (2)
LF- Bruce (6)
C1- Ross (8)

UT- Freel
UT- Keppinger
C2- Valentine
1B- Hatteburg
UT- Cantu

SP- Harang
SP- Arroyo
SP- Blanton
SP- Bailey
SP- Belisle

RP- Salmon/Coffey/Majewski/McBeth
RP- Coutlangus/Affeldt
RP- Bray
RP- Trade acquisition
RP- Weathers
RP- Burton
CL- Lidge?

Taking on Lidge's, Street's, and Blanton's salaries would less than the salaries of Griffey and Cordero.

That was what I was picturing. Any thoughts?

Poll

JJ for GM?

YES!!!

1 votes

um, no - stick to your day job

30 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

i'd say stick with the dayjob.

blanton just aint that good. his ERA in pitcher-friendly oakland is around 4.00. put that in GABP and he's probably just a tad better than league average. i dont think he's worth a prospect like cueto. not for this team anyway.

is it April yet?

by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 1, 2008 8:04 PM EST reply actions

Pass on Blanton

Career Home ERA - 3.55
Career Road ERA - 4.66

"Karma - there it was. The meaning of life, straight from Carson Daly's lips to my morphine-laced ears." -Earl Hickey

by BLee2525 on Feb 2, 2008 11:19 AM EST up reply actions

Did you not hear?

Hamilton was traded right before christmas, in one of the stupidest deals ive ever seen.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us" -1 John 4:10

by shortstopv2 on Feb 1, 2008 11:39 PM EST reply actions

o and i forgot

"Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us" -1 John 4:10

by shortstopv2 on Feb 1, 2008 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

Bag it, shortstop.

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

Super ideas

Brad Lidge was traded this winter for Michael Bourn and a fringe 3B prospect, which is substantially less value than Votto. Also, Griffey is a 10-5 guy, meaning that he has a full no-trade.

by ken on Feb 2, 2008 12:23 AM EST reply actions

i applaud the effort with this diary

but I dont really agree with the results. wayne did a much better job.

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Feb 2, 2008 12:24 AM EST reply actions

here, here (or hear, hear)

...can't recall which one was deemed to be correct a few diaries ago

by jacob brumfield on Feb 2, 2008 2:08 AM EST up reply actions

Heer,Heer

"Men are ruled,this minute by the clock, by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. G.K. Chesterton 1917

by Madville on Feb 2, 2008 10:44 AM EST up reply actions

Where?

by ctnyc on Feb 3, 2008 3:22 PM EST up reply actions

your transactions would decimate this teams future

Votto is important. Who knows how long Dunn will be in Cincinnati. Cueto and Bailey are both great pitching prospects, I would like to see them take the number 1 and 2 spots of the rotation for many years. I think the relievers you want are too high priced. With Corderro this team is better off signing a cheap yet good relief pitcher. There are plenty of them. Lidge is scary, because I just can't trust him right now, he is a head case and who knows how much further it will go.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 2, 2008 12:46 AM EST reply actions

No rookie no matter how talented, should be

guaranteed a spot on the 25. You got to earn it. So far Homer hasn't quite had the 'breakout' we are all waiting for - he may be passed up by Cueto... Votto showed more than Homer in his brief stint w/the Reds. Why trade him? Results are what really matter, not upside, or someday he'll be great - not when you get to the show.

"Men are ruled,this minute by the clock, by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. G.K. Chesterton 1917

by Madville on Feb 2, 2008 10:48 AM EST reply actions

Bailey had a good september too

He had an ERA of 3.71, a WHIP of 1.24, his strike out rate was better too, 6.88, I still think that is going to go up as he gains better command of his secondary pitches. In his starts prior to September his BB rate was 6.67, that feel all the way down to 3.71, which can be acceptable if his K rate improves a little bit more, and he doesn't give up many hits.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 2, 2008 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

Bear in mind...

..that Bailey's "September" consisted of three starts of fewer than six innings each. One of the starts was a nice enough 3-hit/1-walk/3-strikout effort against the sad, sorry and timid San Fransisco Giants with Bonds out of the lineup.

Just sayin'.

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 1:56 PM EST up reply actions