The GMs are all in Nashville taking in a show at the Grand Ole Opry and using the intermission to discuss possible deals. Last year, the Reds used the Winter Meetings to re-sign David Weathers and sign Mike Stanton. This season, let's hope that their moves are more productive.
Some possible items on the agenda:
- Starting pitching. By my count, the current 40-man roster holds 6 starting pitchers (Harang, Arroyo, Bailey, Belisle, Livingston, and Richie Gardner). Livingston won't be healthy by Opening Day and Gardner didn't appear to be ready for the big show based on 13 starts in Louisville last year where he put up a 5.71 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Johnny Cueto and Matt Maloney are two players not on the 40-man roster who could fill the fifth spot, but I would guess that Krivsky is working his mojo to get someone with some Major League experience. There's a decent chance that such a deal could happen this week.
- Crowded roster. Continuing to look at the 40-man roster, the Reds have 15 players who have a shot at making the roster as hitters right now. These 15 include Ross, Valentin, Hatteberg, Cantu, Votto, BP, Gonzalez, Keppinger, EdE, Dunn, Hamilton, Griffey, Hopper, Freel, and Castro. At least 2 of those players won't be on the Opening Day roster. Any guesses as to who is gone?
- More Bullpen help. I think we can reasonably estimate that these guys are in the pen next year: Cordero, Weathers, Burton, Bray, and Stanton. That leaves two spots for Coffey, Majewski, Salmon, Coutlangus, McBeth, or possibly someone else they might pick up. Of that group, Coffey is the only one guaranteed Major League money (about a million dollars), but none of them have showed enough that I would say than any are locks for next year.