Josh Fogg To The Reds

And Fogg for one-year, $1 million? That's fine.

It seems like Volquez is destined to start the season in the bullpen.  Cueto might be a September callup at this point.  The pitching battles in spring training are going to be very interesting.  Do these new guys have something still in the tank?  Are the rookies truly ready for the Show?  And if they are, can they overcome Dusty's perceived veteran bias?  Also, I'm pretty sure Affeldt was told he was going to be a starter for us, so it would be kind of a slap to him if he's put in the 'pen and Fogg is moved to the rotation.

In all, I'm bullish on this signing.  If nothing else, it gives us a lot of depth, although I would love to see us flip some of these veterans for other parts while letting our young pitchers get a chance to cut their teeth in the bigs.

And hey, these guys (Fogg and Affeldt) were in the World Series last year.  That's got to count for something, right?  Right?

The last time this happened, it marked the Red Sox winning the World Series for the first time in 86 years.

Josh Fogg is going to lead the Reds to the promised land!

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

MOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

or do you think fogg will be the santos this year?
Long relief/spot starter

Most of his numbers (and most of his better numbers) were amassed in 2003 and 2004.

So there's that.

And FWIW, he's got comparable serviceable numbers pitching in Wrigley.

Also- he had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow following the 2006 season.

I'm ok with having extra starters.  Hopefully the Reds contend this year.  I don't want Dusty reverting to his "prior" ways and let Bailey, Volquez and Cueto throw their arms off.

I don't mind the thought of the youngsters getting some more seasoning at Louisville. If the Reds fall out of contention, Fogg likely is a guy they can trade in a manner similar to what they did with Lohse last year.

It's not like Fogg is Joe Mays....ah, the glory days!

I will state for the record, however, that I think these "veteran" signings will block the young guns all season.

 I read Johnnie B Baker's comments posted above concerning Fogg's "big game" ability "down the stretch" to provide cover for him blocking the prospects that Reds fans have been clamoring for.

At this point, it's nearly a certainty that we won't see Cueto until the summer and probable that the reds will be the No Homers when they break camp.

(btw, FVA is owning this thread '87 Hogan style)

I've seen some people complain that Krivsky hasn't fully comitted to winning now or winning in 3 years, but it could be worse.  I'd venture to say that the Kearns and Co. for Majewski and Co. was a move to lose now and lose in the future.  

What kind of trade value might he have?

"The offseason didn't go like a lot of free agents planned," Fogg said

See: Kyle Lohse

Remember at the end of last year how much money people thought these guys would get?  

But with camps now open, I wonder what it would take to get Lohse, who would be much better as a #4 than either of these guys (actually, he's a pretty good #3)?  Wouldn't $5 or 6M for him actually be better than $4M combined for Affeldt and Fogg?

Way to go and welcome (although you've been here so...)

Loose the hounds!! Glory is upon us Reds fans, Glory!

I keep banging on this because I don't understand the thinking... have had several people, on the blog and e-mail, tell me that I shouldnt look at a pitcher's W-L record when determining what kind of a player he is. In essence, wins and losses don't tell the story.

Uh, yes they do.

What's the point in playing, if not to win? Is it to lose, but to argue that I pitched well, they just didnt get me any runs? Do clubs win championships this way? The fact that J. Blanton has 42 wins in the last 3 years is somehow diminished, because he doesnt pitch as well on the road as he does at home. The notion that Blanton was 7-5 at home and 7-5 on the road last year is lost on some people.

This is when statistics get in the way of truth. Winning is winning. Give me 14-10 over 9-15. I don't care what any of the guy's other numbers say. The only number that matters is the W.

It's not about Blanton anymore. The Reds don't seem interested in winning this year -- it's more of a test-drive for next year, to see how the kids do -- it's about the thinking of those who would argue every stat but the only stat that counts.

It's utter morons like this in the media that drive the Reds futility, and it's the people like this that have the least willingness to change. Until we oust people like Daugherty from positions of power in the media, the Reds will continue to respond to what they believe the fanbase wants them to do, which is typically what the talking heads tell them. Paul Daugherty is why we have Dusty Baker as our manager. Paul Daugherty is why we signed Josh Fogg and are looking at the likes of Kenny Lofton. Paul Daugherty is why this team hasn't had a winning season in what's nearing in on a decade. I hate Paul Daugherty. I hate Paul Daugherty.

Which pitcher would you rather have:

Pitcher A: 13-20, 3.90 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
Pitcher B: 16-13 5.20 ERA, 1.51 WHIP

If you go with Pitcher B because of the wins, you just selected Ramon Ortiz (2003) over Steve Carlton (1973).

Red Reporter's resident** stat geeks might find it interesting that his PECOTA post is his new indie site's least commented-upon.

(** Can one truly be a resident of Red Reporter if one resides in one's mother's basement?)

General manager Wayne Krivsky, mining the bottom of the free-agent market, secured left-hander Jeremy Affeldt with a one-year, $3 million contract and right-hander Josh Fogg with a one-year, $1 million deal.

"There was no real strategy. It's just the way things played out," Krivsky says. "We're looking for quality guys to bring in at any point during the off-season. Whether it's December, late February or March, it doesn't really matter."

Affeldt, 28, and Fogg, 31, aren't Koufax and Drysdale, but they're major-league pitchers. In fact, both could end up in the Reds rotation, which features only two proven starters, Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo.

Yet, Affeldt and Fogg are guaranteed only 1/12th of what the Mariners will pay right-hander Carlos Silva over the next four years.

Affeldt, coming off a breakthrough season as a reliever, began the off-season looking for a four-year, $16 million contract, according to sources. Fogg, a winner of 10 or more games in five of the past six seasons, was believed to be seeking a three-year, $21 million deal.

The Reds landed a pair of bargains. Affeldt and Fogg got nowhere near $37 million combined.

"Because as soon as I go to this field, I'm missing what's happening on that field," Baker said. "Then you run back and forth and you're missing stuff in between. I want to see as much as I can. I can see who's doing BP fooling around. I love my sunglasses, because I can look this way and be looking back that way."

PLUS THEY MAKE ME LOOK REALLY REALLY COOL.

Somebody please make him stop talking. Please.