Reds sign Craig Wilson

by ken on Feb 9, 2008 3:34 PM EST

From the Fay. Didn't see this coming, but it's not surprising that they're inviting a RHB to camp that can play 1B. He hasn't been good lately. Still, that came in a small number of PAs, he's only 31, and he hits lefties (916 career OPS). He's worth a flier.

300 character filler: he's caught some early in his career; maybe he negates the need for a third C.

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mmm more wilson-phillips options

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 9, 2008 3:43 PM EST 0 recs

They've aged better than Craig

by ken on Feb 9, 2008 4:05 PM EST up 0 recs

wow

they've still got it. except carnie... she's not fooling me.

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 9, 2008 4:13 PM EST up 0 recs

Vacuousness the name be Vanity

"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 9, 2008 5:20 PM EST up 0 recs

no way dude

now carnie's the hot one. daaaang.

is it April yet?

by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 9, 2008 9:09 PM EST up 0 recs

3-4 sacrifice

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on Feb 9, 2008 10:58 PM EST up 0 recs

where's bubbafan?

surely she has an opinion on this former yankee

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 9, 2008 3:44 PM EST 0 recs

I like him

But you've probably seen more of him, since most of his career was spent with the division rival Pirates.

Craig Wilson didn't play well for the Yankees, and he was truly awful last year for Chicago. But there's a reason. He had a chronic shoulder injury. He finally had surgery for it in June. I forget the name for it. The relatively minor kind, where they just go in and scrape it out. (I think that's the same kind Bubba had last July in Cincinnati.)

Wilson was supposed to be ready to play by September, but of course, no team was interested after he'd been out all season.

I don't think this means they're planning to trade Votto. The one who should be worried is probably Andy Phillips. Wilson, if he makes the team, will likely be the replacement for Conine/Cantu: the righty bat off the bench and possibly platoon half at 1B.

By all accounts, he's a really nice guy. We didn't get to know him very well in NY, but the Pittsburgh fans loved him. He and his wife did a lot of community work and stuff.

In short, I think this is a good signing. Wilson could be a real bargain if he bounces back from the surgery to anything like his old self. He was traded to the Yanks, partly because the Bucs expected him to get $5 or 6 million on the free agent market. The Reds signed him to a minor league deal, so I doubt they're paying much.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 9, 2008 4:56 PM EST up 0 recs

Well

I wanted him last year instead of Conine, but it turns out neither was a good option. He's definitely not a bad player to take a chance on because he's been very good against lefties for most of his career. Hopefully he's still got something left in the tank.

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Feb 9, 2008 3:48 PM EST 0 recs

Another option too

would be Kevin Mench (has he signed anywhere yet?). He kills lefties, and if he can't play first, maybe they could put him in LF and put Dunn at 1B?

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Feb 9, 2008 3:50 PM EST up 0 recs

Mench...

I don't think he has signed yet. The Yankees are interested according to a 2/4 post on mlbtraderumors.com.

I'd like for the Reds to have him but I don't know where he'd fit...especially with the Craig Wilson signing.

by Snake the Jake on Feb 9, 2008 4:36 PM EST up 0 recs

And hopefully he's still got the mullet.

The Reds need more mullets if they want to truly represent the Tri-State area.

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

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 9, 2008 7:24 PM EST up 0 recs

The Yankees...

...made him cut his hair short and shave.

However, he's had plenty of time to re-grow it.

Though if he ends up in Louisville, he'll have to conform to Yankee-like grooming standards.

FWIW, Craig Wilson was a favorite among female fans who didn't know much about baseball. They thought he was the cutest guy on the team. Except for maybe Carl Pavano.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 9, 2008 7:56 PM EST up 0 recs

You mean C. Piddy?

Check out his musings.

http://www.dicegay.com/

by Brendanukkah on Feb 9, 2008 10:29 PM EST up 0 recs

His musings remind me of my son's musings,

When he was 14. Core Dude !

"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 10, 2008 7:16 PM EST up 0 recs

That's the thing about professional athletes.

They don't really ever have to enter their late teens if they don't want to.

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

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 10, 2008 10:15 PM EST up 0 recs

Fifteen forever!

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

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 10, 2008 10:18 PM EST up 0 recs

I like it.

At 31, Wilson's not a geezer terribly far removed from being productive. He has a legitimate chance to bounce back and be successful. I like his versatility, he has some pop and has been strong against LHPs.

Is this signing an indication that a Votto trade is on the horizon or is that reading too much into it?

We Are ... Marshall!

by Thundering Turtle on Feb 9, 2008 3:58 PM EST 0 recs

I hadn't thought about that

until reading some of the comments at Fay's blog. I really hope this doesn't mean anything that drastic. Fay agrees.

by ken on Feb 9, 2008 4:03 PM EST up 0 recs

Oh Shit.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this is that batshit insane offer on The Fay's blog about Cueto AND Votto going to Oakland for Blanton. Sweaterpants can't be that fucking stupid, can he? Please tell me he can't.

"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 9, 2008 4:02 PM EST 0 recs

no way wayner is stupid enough

to trade cueto and votto for blanton. although, he IS stupid enough to think a hatteberg/wilson platoon would work. and he IS desperate enough to do something drastic. and i am confused and apprehensive enough to believe anything could happen.

is it April yet?

by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 9, 2008 9:21 PM EST 0 recs

i am against this...

...and any other move that takes playing time away from Juan Castro.

"Sure, I'd like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball, but that's just not the way it works." -Hank Hill

by jacob brumfield on Feb 9, 2008 10:31 PM EST 0 recs

dude, Castro is not the preferred nomenclature

Casto, please

Superbike World Championship is the worldwide superbike championship.

by Man Mountain on Feb 11, 2008 2:51 PM EST up 0 recs

'Remember When' is the lowest form of conversation

Fun from the way-back machine! This is from the I-can't-believe-the-Reds-signed-Conine/Why-not-Craig-Wilson thread. Remember the guy who wouldn't stop citing counting stats for players with different degrees of playing time?
http://www.redreporter.com/comments/2006/12/21/153056/42/65#65
My favorite part is when he refuses to say he would "hug" me online because, you know, that's totally gay. If you're out there Dave, much love to you.

While I was looking I stumbled across this, the I-graduated-from-UC-Law-And-You-Will-Respect-My-Opinion Guy.

If you think [Brendan] Harris, who has sucked at each opportunity with the Cubs, Expos and Reds, would produce more than Conine, you're blind, drunk and stupid.

Final score: G OPS+ WS VORP $ Harris 137 .286/.343/.434 106 13 25.2 386k Conine 101 .254/.317/.383 78 5 -0.3 2M

by Red Menace on Feb 9, 2008 11:17 PM EST 0 recs

Yes, all very illuminating...

But how do you measure "Veteran Presence"?

This unverifiable, unmeasurable quantity has clouded the minds of baseball GM's, field managers, coaches and simple-minded sports reporters since time immemoriable.

"Veteran Presence". Conine had it, Harris didn't. And that trumps all the statistics that measure what a player really does.
"Veteran Presence" = "knows how to play the game the right way".

Whatever.

It's why the Reds have Stanton, are giving Mercker a tryout, haven't cut loose Castro, are bringing in Paul Bako to Spring Training and on, and on, and on.....

It's fracking ridiculous.

STOP TALKING ABOUT OPTIONS! YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HOW THEY WORK. -Geki

by Lonesome George on Feb 10, 2008 11:33 AM EST up 0 recs

Very annoying, the both of them...

But anyone whose comment results in a posting of a picture of the Iraqi Information Minister is truly special.

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on Feb 10, 2008 5:17 PM EST up 0 recs

you're not blind, air ya?

Superbike World Championship is the worldwide superbike championship.

by Man Mountain on Feb 11, 2008 2:50 PM EST up 0 recs

As far as Wilson catching...

If I'm not mistaken, didn't Hatteberg catch early in his career as well?

Reds: WS Champs 2008... and every year after...

by crolfer on Feb 10, 2008 5:53 PM EST 0 recs

Yes.

Hatteberg primarily was a catcher, with a little 3B and DH thrown in for six years with the Red Sox before he went to Oakland and became a 1B/DH type. He wasn't a good catcher -- lots of passed balls and such and his bat didn't make up for those deficiencies.

We Are ... Marshall!

by Thundering Turtle on Feb 10, 2008 6:03 PM EST up 0 recs

Plus

His arm is shot. He's pretty much said that he couldn't be a catcher ever again because of the throws.

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Feb 10, 2008 8:43 PM EST up 0 recs

I am a little worried about the positions

available off the bench. Having two guys on the bench who are exclusively first basemen kinda limits the defensive options.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 10, 2008 6:23 PM EST 0 recs

Craig Wilson...

...can play corner outfielder as well as 1B.

However, I think either Votto or Hatteberg is likely to be traded. Doesn't seem to make sense to keep both on the roster.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 10, 2008 6:47 PM EST up 0 recs

i think it makes plenty of sense

with guys like freel and keppinger (and yes, even castro), we can afford to have a few guys with defensive limitations. hatte's bat is solidly above average and makes for easily the best lefty pinch hitter for us. ideally, he'll be kept around until early july when a contender is hurting for a 1B. or even better, he sticks around and is a key bench player for a reds playoff push. wilson/phillips will obviously not both be with this team come april, if even either of them. having both votto and hatteberg is not a crippling redundancy. here's me taking a shot at projecting the bench:

hatteberg
valentin
keppinger
freel
castro

either hopper or bruce will start in AAA. i dont see 5 outfielders breaking camp. hopefully wayner realizes that keppinger makes castro redundant and just cuts him loose. i dont see it happening. castro or no, this bench is solid. without hatteberg, we are painfully right-handed from the bench.

is it April yet?

by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 10, 2008 7:54 PM EST up 0 recs

This takes me back to the days

when the Reds had Eddie Perez, Sean Casey, Paul Konurko, and Dimitri Young. I thought they were going to put for first bases in the new stadium.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 10, 2008 8:38 PM EST up 0 recs

My guess

Bruce will start in Louisville, but be called up in June, like Homer was last year. For clock reasons.

And I wonder what they will do about CF. Bruce, definitely, when he's called up. But in the meantime...Freel will need a backup. And I don't think Griffey is it. Unless the Reds sign a CFer (still a possibility), I think Hopper stays with the big club.

Agree that Castro should be cut. His defense isn't really better than Keppinger's any more. But I kinda doubt it will happen.

I wonder if Wilson can opt out if he doesn't make the big club? If he shows them anything in spring training, they might keep him and send Keppinger back to Louisville. (He still has options, doesn't he?)

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 10, 2008 8:57 PM EST up 0 recs

They can't cut

The Slick-Fielding Juan Castro!

He fields so slickly! Who else could so slickly field? The slickness of his fielding is so slick!

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on Feb 10, 2008 9:17 PM EST up 0 recs

Clarification please....

...Castro will likely start the season on the DL? Is this right?

If so, is it true a player on the DL cannot be released??
Again, If so, is there an amount of time a player must be with a team following a stint on the DL before he can be cut??

"Sure, I'd like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball, but that's just not the way it works." -Hank Hill

by jacob brumfield on Feb 10, 2008 10:26 PM EST up 0 recs

Dunno

Last I heard, he thought he would be ready for spring training.

Perhaps he was being overly optimistic. But position players usually recover from TJ surgery a lot faster than pitchers do.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 10, 2008 10:40 PM EST up 0 recs

but can players on the DL be cut?

and are they guaranteed rehab/playing time?

"Sure, I'd like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball, but that's just not the way it works." -Hank Hill

by jacob brumfield on Feb 11, 2008 10:47 AM EST up 0 recs

A player who is on the D.L. cannot be cut

but as soon as he is activated from the DL after the minimum 15 or 60 days, he can be DFA'ed, or optioned just like any other player on the 40 man roster.

Fun fact: Baseball went on strike while Johhny Bench was on the DL, and because he was on the DL, he continued to be paid throughout the strike.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 11, 2008 1:45 PM EST up 0 recs

also if the Red's wanted to cut him

they could cut him before placing him on the D.L. Teams are allowed to release injured players. If they really don't want Castro he would be released. If he isn't ready, but Cincinnati wants to keep Castro, they can place him on the DL on a day in late march, i think maybe a week before the season starts, meaning he would only need to miss a week of the regular season before becoming eligible. They did that last year with Milton, and started the season with a 4 man rotation, and Milton made his debut on the first Sunday of the season, the first time a 5th starter was necessary, and he wouldn't be allowed to participate in any Grape Fruit league games during the final week of Spring Training.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 11, 2008 2:54 PM EST up 0 recs

JB hopes to"play the game the right way"

..in part by evidently ignoring stolen base percentages.

From MLB.com:

MLB.com: What do you need to work on?

Bruce: Being patient at the plate. I need to cut down on my strikeouts and not be afraid to take a walk. I think that will come with experience and at-bats for sure. In my first-full year at Dayton, I stole 19 bases. This past year, I didn't steal very many because I got a little timid when I got to Double-A and Triple-A. I hate the feeling of getting thrown out. It's something I need to get out of my head and I plan to focus on that because I think that I can steal bases and it can be part of my game. I don't think I'll ever be a basestealer, but I can steal bases for sure. Whether I can steal 30 or not, who knows? I can definitely help my team and my game by stealing. I need to work on that a lot, too.

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

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 10, 2008 10:35 PM EST 0 recs

Nooooo!

Superbike World Championship is the worldwide superbike championship.

by Man Mountain on Feb 11, 2008 2:49 PM EST up 0 recs

THREADJACK

I'm the world's biggest Amy Winehouse fan, but I'm not sure what to make of her Grammy performance.

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 10, 2008 11:08 PM EST 0 recs

yeah i know

she looked even more smacked out than usual.

also, did anyone have jerry lee lewis in the death pool?

is it April yet?

by Charlie Scrabbles on Feb 10, 2008 11:17 PM EST up 0 recs

i was just thinking that

i had no clue he was still alive. he looks like he's 128 years old.

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 10, 2008 11:25 PM EST up 0 recs

No you're confusing him with Keith Richards.

Jerry's only 106.

"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 11, 2008 9:54 AM EST up 0 recs

did you see the strings

that pulled his arm up and down on that piano??? they must have dug him up to sit him on that piano bench. fogerty and little richard, who i'm convinced is just a robot made of plastic, were rocking it out and you could barely see lewis' fingers moving on that piano.

the whole grammies were a geriatric party.

2008 NL Central Champs!

by Daedalus on Feb 11, 2008 3:58 PM EST up 0 recs

"Hall of Fame, bitches."

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

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 11, 2008 5:29 PM EST up 0 recs

yours is blurry

2008 NL Central Champs!

by Daedalus on Feb 11, 2008 7:19 PM EST up 0 recs

Not blurry

Just brought to you in Jerry Lee Vision (tm).

by Brendanukkah on Feb 11, 2008 8:35 PM EST up 0 recs

Jerry's finest song:

'What's Made Milwaukee Famous, Has Made A Loser Out of Me.'

"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 12, 2008 11:12 AM EST up 0 recs

Images of an imploding Cordero flood my mind

Thanks Madville. Now I need a drink.

by Brendanukkah on Feb 12, 2008 11:23 AM EST up 0 recs

Now that you need one

it will justify the two that you've already had to get the morning started, right?

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Feb 12, 2008 11:25 AM EST up 0 recs

I have Jerry Lewis

and I'm proud of it.

by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Feb 11, 2008 9:58 AM EST up 0 recs

So has Bendan's mom

"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 13, 2008 7:54 PM EST up 0 recs

You want to cop to that?

Okay.....

by Brendanukkah on Feb 10, 2008 11:20 PM EST up 0 recs

to what?

being a winehouse fan?

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 10, 2008 11:26 PM EST up 0 recs

Yes

And the world's biggest to boot.

Dunno, I can't get excited about her at all. Yes, she's preferable to most pop sensations, but I've never been wowed.

by Brendanukkah on Feb 11, 2008 9:32 AM EST up 0 recs

Also...

Herbie Hancock 4eva, bitches!!!!!!!!1

by Brendanukkah on Feb 11, 2008 12:01 PM EST up 0 recs

that's cool

personally, i don't get why everyone doesnt get excited about her. i've never been wowed by her live performances, but her studio work (especially rehab) is the best singing i've ever heard. also, she's the first singer i've ever liked.

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 11, 2008 12:56 PM EST up 0 recs

Do you like her like her

or do you just like her?

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Feb 11, 2008 1:15 PM EST up 0 recs

I agree

She has a great voice, but it just doesn't seem like her voice. You hear her songs and think of something/someone else. Extreme karaoke or something.

Like the Darkness, maybe?

(FWIW, I really still like that first Darkness record, but I understand the refridgeration arguments)

Superbike World Championship is the worldwide superbike championship.

by Man Mountain on Feb 11, 2008 2:42 PM EST up 0 recs

'think of something/someone else'

it's definitely not her voice. she was born in london in 1983 and she sings as if she were born in detroit in 1943. it's certainly a form of imitation, but i couldnt care less. even though she's really just doing a series of impressions, they're better than the originals. i'd rather hear her do other people than the other people do themselves.

speaking of karaoke, though, that's the first thing i thought of after her performance last night. not extreme karaoke, more like eighth-beer karaoke.

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 11, 2008 2:59 PM EST up 0 recs