Kyle Lohse

by Blue on Apr 15, 2007 7:41 PM EDT

Funny thing about this guy. This is his walk year, and Scott Boras is his agent. If he has any kind of a decent season, you've got to figure that, at his age, he's going to be looking for a 5-year deal. Any way the Reds give him one? Should they?

And if they let him go, how many draft picks would we get? Any way he could be a Type-A free agent?

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Nothing bothers me more...

Than players having their best seasons in contract years...

Even if he wins the Cy Young this season, I wouldn't give this guy a 5 year deal...

We're wanted men, we'll strike again...but first let's have a beer!

by chandrathan on Apr 15, 2007 7:50 PM EDT reply actions

I wouldn't give any pitcher a 5 year deal

Let alone a guy with 1 decent season. I'd offer him the standard 3 year $30m, take it or leave it, if he ends up being average to above average this year. Anything north of a 4.50 ERA, I'd let him walk.

by teb7 on Apr 15, 2007 7:53 PM EDT reply actions

He could easily get Gil Meche money.

by Geki on Apr 15, 2007 8:28 PM EDT reply actions

if todays umpire

called all of his games, he would be a 20 game winner.

GO REDS!

by ewquinn on Apr 15, 2007 8:52 PM EDT reply actions

Hey JD, there's something wrong...

..with this "Kyle Lohse" diary. Somehow the words "Cy Young" ended up in here.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 15, 2007 9:07 PM EDT reply actions

walk year

He'll most certainly walk, and will make a ton of money somewhere else. Then he'll never live up to the contract that someone else gives him, and we'll get better production out of one of our young arms.

Some folks out there, most notably sportstalk callers and C. Trent commenters, will cry that the inability to re-sign Lohse is the death knell of the Reds, but I tend to believe that not wasting $12mil per on the Lohse's of the world is EXACTLY the kind of move Krivsky should make.

by bobestes on Apr 15, 2007 10:44 PM EDT reply actions

Lohse

He'll come back to reality soon. He can't keep this up.

by Brian B on Apr 15, 2007 10:50 PM EDT reply actions

i think quinn is dead on

Kyle had a great game, but that ump was calling the low strike (and many others) all day. Coincidence that the Cubs also had 13 Ks? Let me emphasize again, though: Kyle had a sensational game.

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.

by boobs on Apr 15, 2007 10:56 PM EDT reply actions

I completely agree

and I'm extremely excited about the pitching staff right now including Lohse, but at the same time i feel like we're winning with smoke and mirrors. It might just be due to our hisotical reliance on offense over pitching but I just don't know how many of these games we win in the long run. But never the less I'm enjoing the ride.

by OURob on Apr 15, 2007 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Let him walk

Get a good year out of him and let some other saps overpay for him at season's end.

The Reds have Harang locked into a real sweet deal. Arroyo has a good contract. And Bailey is on the wayley.

No reason to get Boras-ed long term with an unknown commodity.

Sweaterpants ought to spend money on a right-handed bat this off season.

Lohse might even be tradable if some cash-flush team is looking for a rent-a-player mid-season, even if the Reds are still contending. It's possible if Belisle is lights out and Bailey is destroying AAA, that Lohse becomes dispensible for the right offer. Saarloos could be a fifth starter for a few months until the playoffs.

Actually, I'm writing all this while not having looked at Lohse's contract since last season. Salt it down for now.

The scene begins with darkness and the profound sound of shaving.

by Man Mountain on Apr 16, 2007 12:46 AM EDT reply actions

I've always kind of liked the guy...

If I could get him for 3 years and decent money, I'd do it. After this year we'll be blessedly rid of Milton and next year having Baily with Harang and Arroyo (and maybe Belisle), Lohse isn't a bad number 5 starter. In our small market, I'd take him for several years at a decent market price.

Upstate New Yorker, life-long Reds fan.

by NYRed on Apr 16, 2007 7:45 AM EDT reply actions

Inconsistent

One of the key phrases above is "Scott Boras client". Lohse is gonna walk, unless he feels a mancrush for Krivsky for helping revitalize his career. I doubt it, however.

Great to see a career game from Lohse Sun. If he finishes with an era under 4.50 it will be a good season for him, and he'll get Meche money.

Milton's contract falls off the books after this season, and Junior's(minus deferment) is after '08 isnt it?

Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care...

by obc on Apr 16, 2007 8:14 AM EDT reply actions

Contracts

The Reds ledger is clear after 2008 except for Harang, Arroyo, Gonzalez, and a couple players who will be in arbitration. There are a couple of players with options for 2009, including Junior, but none of them are players that are that attractive this year, not to mention 2 years from now.

I think it's premature to start thinking about signing Lohse up long-term. It's only been 3 starts, not even 10% of the season. He's likely to slip up some here and there, and if he doesn't, then he's going to be expensive. Like some have expressed, I shy away from guys that over-perform their career levels in a walk year. Let somebody else overspend on them.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Yellow

by Slyde on Apr 16, 2007 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions

I've now heard it mentioned twice..

..that the winter of '07-'08 is going to be a huge free agent signing bonanza. Does anyone know who (besides our boys Milton and Lohse) might be available to go with Arroyo, Harang, and Bailey?

Gimme any names no matter how far off the Reds' radar their salary expectations might take them.

(However, let's leave the Red Sox-Yankee-Astros 14 game starter out of the conversation.)

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Here is the list

of starting pitcher who might be available after this season (according to mlb4u.com):



Player           Current Team            Age   Option?

Tony Armas       Pittsburgh Pirates       28  

Pedro Astacio    Washington Nationals     37  

Kris Benson      Baltimore Orioles        32  

Paul Byrd        Cleveland Indians        36     T

Shawn Chacon     Pittsburgh Pirates       29  

Matt Clement     Boston Red Sox           32  

Bartolo Colon    Los Angeles Angels       33  

Scott Elarton    Kansas City Royals       31  

Josh Fogg        Colorado Rockies         30  

Freddy Garcia    Philadelphia Phillies    30  

Livan Hernandez  Arizona Diamondbacks     32  

Jason Jennings   Houston Astros           28  

Jason Johnson    Seibu Lions              33  

Brian Lawrence   Colorado Rockies         30     T

Kyle Lohse       Cincinnati Reds          28  

Rodrigo Lopez    Colorado Rockies         31  

Greg Maddux      San Diego Padres         41    T/P

Joe Mays         Los Angeles Dodgers      31  

Wade Miller      Chicago Cubs             30  

Brian Moehler    Houston Astros           35  

Tomo Ohka        Toronto Blue Jays        31  

Ramon Ortiz      Minnesota Twins          33  

Russ Ortiz       San Francisco Giants     32  

Chan Ho Park     New York Mets            33  

Sidney Ponson    Minnesota Twins          30  

Curt Schilling   Boston Red Sox           40  

Aaron Sele       New York Mets            36  

Naoyuki Shimizu  Chiba Lotte Marines      31  

Carlos Silva     Minnesota Twins          27  

John Smoltz      Atlanta Braves           39  

John Thomson     Toronto Blue Jays        33  

Brett Tomko      Los Angeles Dodgers      34  

Steve Trachsel   Baltimore Orioles        36     T

Koji Uehara      Yomiuri Giants           32  

Tim Wakefield    Boston Red Sox           40     T

John Wasdin      Pittsburgh Pirates       34  

Jeff Weaver      Seattle Mariners         30  

Kip Wells        St. Louis Cardinals      29  

Paul Wilson      Cincinnati Reds          34  

Jamey Wright     Texas Rangers            32  

Jaret Wright     Baltimore Orioles        31  

Carlos Zambrano  Chicago Cubs             26  

Victor Zambrano  Toronto Blue Jays        31  

Jeremy Affeldt   Colorado Rockies         27  

Mark Buerhle     Chicago White Sox        28  

Bruce Chen       Texas Rangers            29  

Shawn Estes      San Diego Padres         34  

Casey Fossum     Tampa Bay Devil Rays     29    

Tom Glavine      New York Mets            41     P

Eric Milton      Cincinnati Reds          31  

Odalis Perez     Kansas City Royals       29  

Andy Pettitte    New York Yankees         34     P

Mark Redman      Atlanta Braves           33  

Kenny Rogers     Detroit Tigers           42  

Glendon Rusch    Chicago Cubs             32  

David Wells      San Diego Padres         43  

Randy Wolf       Los Angeles Dodgers      30     T

2007 Reds Threat Level is Yellow

by Slyde on Apr 16, 2007 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Damn

Your list is longer than mine.

by ken on Apr 16, 2007 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

was that

list envy?

by Caleb on Apr 16, 2007 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks! I took a quick look..

and the glass is half empty Reds fan in me sees Mark Redman as our #4 and Carlos Silva invited to camp to battle Belisle for the #5.
Let me see what the glass is half full sees on te list.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I say

don't extend/sign anyone else. Call up the entire Louisville roster and spend the entire 09' budget on Santana. :))

"Sometimes life kicks you in the teeth, kids.....even when you're eating cake"- obc

by sukr on Apr 16, 2007 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions

there aren't too many

attractive names on that list. the ones that are will be around 40 years old.

here's hoping to cueto or dumatrait stepping it up to the next level...

regardless of who the fifth man is, if what we've seen so far is the real belisle, the top four in the rotation will make it one of the top rotations in baseball.

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on Apr 16, 2007 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions

as it is right now

we are third in pitching in all of baseball.

i know it's early. it's just kind of weird to say that.

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on Apr 16, 2007 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I was wondering where they ranked.

Who's ahead of them? Who in the NL is comparable? Who in the Central?

And if you take out Saturday's seventh inning (BA, JC and VS) they might have the best numbers in baseball.

Of course if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass a-hoppin'.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the link.

I didn't see it at first. Everything in world right now has a Cincinnati Red tint to it (6-3 in the division!) so please forgive me for missing the bright red link.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

That inning

I think 6 runs were unearned in that inning, so actually it wouldn't change the ERA at all.

Here is some other good news:
The Reds are 3rd in K/9 and 2nd in BB/9. They are doing pretty well at not giving up home runs too, but once the weather warms up, that will likely change. However, if they can keep their strikeouts up and their walks down, the home runs won't hurt so bad.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Yellow

by Slyde on Apr 16, 2007 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

oops

replied to the wrong "This"

2007 Reds Threat Level is Yellow

by Slyde on Apr 16, 2007 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Gotcha.

Is everything in your world a nice warm shade of Cincinnati Red as well?

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the link.

I didn't see it at first. Everything in world right now has a Cincinnati Red tint to it (6-3 in the division!) so please forgive me for missing the bright red link.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

The thing I like about that link

Is we have played 30 more innings than the # 1 team, and 20 more innings than the number 2 team.

So of all teams of at least 95 IP, we are #1 overall.

Find me on MySpace- http://www.myspace.com/mixfmkyle

by MixFMKyle on Apr 16, 2007 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

You're right about the list.

The more I looked at it the more I thought, "Don't want him and I really don't want him for three years." It's amazing how many guys aged 35+ are going to get 3 (or four?) year contracts going into '08.

And my University of Phoenix Online economics degree tells me that with that many aging pitchers available the "smart" teams going for the younger starters will bid against each other jacking up prices (and contract lengths) to the point where the term "Gil Meche money" may forever be replaced by "Jason Jennings contract."

As for Belisle, we'll know a lot more about who is and who he might be once we tally this season's August and September numbers (He's not exactly built like your average MLB horse and he's got a history of back trouble.) My assumption is that at best he's our fifth starter for a couple of years. (I don't know anything about his contract.)

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions

I see that Joe Mays is available.

Sweaterpants could sign him to go with Silva and Redman.

Don't mind me...just thinking positive and pitching to contact, that's all...

by Paul Householder on Apr 16, 2007 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Upcoming FAs

From this list:
Big Z
Smoltz
Buehrle
Freddy Garcia
The Gambler
Jason Jennings
Uehara (Tokyo Giants; will be a FA unlike Daisuke, so no posting fee required)

It is premature to talk about what Lohse will do this winter. I'm just hoping for a good '07. Even if he walks, we get a draft pick.

by ken on Apr 16, 2007 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

You're right.

Hell, it's premature to talk about what Lhs will do on Friday.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually..

..if he goes 12-11 with a 4.50 ERA (a big "if") whover said "Gil Meche money" might be dead on.

But my non-prediction about Friday still stands.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on Apr 16, 2007 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Will we even need a FA Pitcher next year?

Barring major injury we will still have:

Harang
Arroyo
Belisle
Those that could compete next year:

Bailey
Dumatrait
Saarlos
Livingston
Ramirez

Maybe the only thing I think we could use is a Lefty starter.

Find me on MySpace- http://www.myspace.com/mixfmkyle

by MixFMKyle on Apr 16, 2007 11:43 AM EDT reply actions

It's probably a good time

to trade Dunn for a starter.

by Red Menace on Apr 16, 2007 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

That would be the boost

this offense needs. The Reds haven't won anything since Dunn has been here anyway.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Yellow

by Slyde on Apr 16, 2007 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah.

And he strikes out too much also.

Don't mind me...just thinking positive and pitching to contact, that's all...

by Paul Householder on Apr 16, 2007 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Reds undefeated

with Dunn out of the lineup this year.

Coincidence?

Hawdly

The scene begins with darkness and the profound sound of shaving.

by Man Mountain on Apr 16, 2007 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions

IT'S MICHAEL!

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on Apr 16, 2007 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions

umpire affect

By the way yesterday's umpire, Doug Eddings, loves to punch people out. In the past five years he's been first among umpires in K/BB three times, and second twice.

Angels fans maintain www.firedougeddings.com because of that AJ Pierzynski incident in the 2005 playoffs. I must say there are some hotties on that site.

by Red Menace on Apr 16, 2007 4:44 PM EDT reply actions