Bullpen help on the way
Krivsky’s old Minneapolis buddy Eddie Guardado has been acquired (along with cash to defray his $6.5M contract) for Travis Chick.
Guardado, age 35, has a 5.48 ERA, 1.74 WHIP in 23 IP this year (22K, 11 BB). He lost the closer’s role, and has been setting up for some dude named Putz.
Chick, 21, came over with Germano in the Randa deal. He had a 4.61 ERA for Chattanooga.
I’ll have to take a closer look at Guardado, to see if it looks like he’s done. The K- and BB-rates are still solid, so there’s hope. At least this is something, right? Things couldn’t keep going the way they have been.
July 6th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Man, am I ever sorry that it took Travis Chick to acquire Guardado. I surely hope, at the least, that his entire contract (more or less) will be covered by Seattle.
July 6th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
It was. He’ll be gone next year.
July 6th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
Nice to see a front office that’s not afraid to make changes as required. This move won’t win the division, but it certainly can’t hurt. Chick’s a marginal prospect, at best, and I don’t think Rafael Soriano or Joel Zumaya are going to come available any time soon.
July 6th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
I’m glad Krivsky finally made a move. I’m sure it won’t be the only one in the next couple of weeks, but it’s a start. I guess “Love” Shack will be optioned back to jAAAil to make room for him?
July 6th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I can’t say this move is going to be a big help. His last ten appearances don’t look like anything to write home about.
Eddie Guardado
July 6th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
This has the potential to be a solid pick-up if a change of scenery does Guardado any good. It certainly couldn’t make the bullpen any worse. I’m shocked though that no one has mentioned that Guardado qualifies as a “Krivsky guy.”
July 6th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
I’m not so sure about Guardado. Being in Portland, OR, I listen to the Seattle games and that guy has had a propensity to give up the long ball this year - and thats been in Safeco Field. Lost his closers role and been primarily used as a situaltion left hander and is shakey at best. Sure its a change of scenery, but GABP may not be the best scene for this guy.
If this is a start to some serious changes, that’s great, but IMHO it is not even close to a solution.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
there seems to be good and bad to this deal. The good is that after a disasterous april (8.31 ERA, 10/7 k/bb 2.30 whip) he’s rebounded to respectability through may, june, and july (3.77 ERA, 12/4 k/bb 1.4 whip).
the bad is that as abner pointed out, he’s a fairly severe flyball pitcher moving to a bad flyball park. His career g/f is around .55 and he’s already given up 8 HR this year at a rate of 3.13/9.
i think this was partly motivated by the shack situation, and in that light i’m greatful. I didn’t want to have bo a man down, but certainly didn’t want shack to pitch. So this gives us a nice way to shove him out the back door.
Hopefully the change of leagues will offset the Gabp effect to some degree and we can hope for more of his last couple months as opposed to april.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
whoa, more news from marc’s blog. they’ve already optioned shack down and called up gossling to take his place. A move will be made tomorrow to make room for guardado.
i guess the most likely scenario would be that gossling goes back and it’s just a one day move so we’re not short handed, but it at least leaves the possibility of us dumping someone else tomorrow.
Gossling is 4 - 4 with a 4.15 ERA over 65 IP at AAA this year. He’s got 50 k’s and a 1.51 whip and has given up 6 HRs.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
GodlyCynic, I mentioned the Krivsky-Guardado connection in the first four words of this post.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
DFA STORMY!
July 6th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
I read that Scott Williamson is on the trading block. He still figues as one of the more puzzling “cost-cutting” trades (along with Reitsma) of the previous regime.
July 6th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Don’t forget we got some cash from the Mariners, too, which indicates that Krivsky is ready to buy some more. Williamson would be a good pick up.
How many more days will Stormy don the wishbone C?
July 6th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
How’s Williamson’s elbow? That’s been the killer to what was going to be a really good career.
July 6th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Puzzling cost-cutting move? Williamson was traded for Phil Dumatrait & Ty Pelland. Both are legit starting pitcher prospects, and both are in most of the ‘top 10 prospects’ lists for the Reds.
Less than a year after being traded, Williamson blew out his elbow again, had another Tommy John ligament-replacement (When he performed the surgery, Kremchek was quoted as saying, “I couldn’t believe what I saw. It looked like a grenade had gone off in there”), and has thrown 20, 28, and 14 innings for Boston, Boston, and the Cubs from 2003-2005. It was a good trade then and it looks even better today.
I believe that trade was made by Brad Kullman, part of the committee that took over just before the trade deadline after Bowden was fired.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Oh man, Chris, that’s why you never skip the first four words. My apologies.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
It’s puzzling that it was initially labeled as cost cutting as he was a young middle reliever. The Reds may have gotten good talent for him, but putting him on the block in the first place for money reasons is still bizarre.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
Williamson was making 1.6 million and it was likely that he was going to command 3+. At that point in time the Reds couldn’t afford that, other players were due for arb deals.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
I’m a big Mariners fan also, having lived out there for a few years and I’m not so sure this is a good deal. I have liked Chick and believe he could be a good starter in the future. The flip side is we need relief help yesterday. I have thought for sometime that GUardado might be done. He lost the closers role earlier this year. I would have rather gotten Soriano, but I’m sure the price would have been higher. At least he will be off the books for next year.
July 7th, 2006 at 12:52 am
[...] Odds and EndsThe Reds got Everyday Eddie Guardado from the Mariners. I know the Reds need bullpen help but I mean, come on. This isn’t really help. [...]
July 7th, 2006 at 1:09 am
[...] Odds and Ends The Reds got Everyday Eddie Guardado from the Mariners. I know the Reds need bullpen help but I mean, come on. This isn’t really help. [...]
July 7th, 2006 at 5:59 am
Just taking away his first outing of the year chops a run off his ERA.
July 7th, 2006 at 9:04 am
I’m not recommeding this, but I started think. If the Reds DFA’d or otherwise released their entire bullpen, how much of an negative effect would that have?
1. Weathers is way past his prime and its doubtful he’ll ever be a serviceable pitcher again.
2. Coffey, although he’s done well at times, is a borderline ML pitcher. Things could go either way with him at this point.
3. He’s been bothered by injuries but I think the same thing could be said about Matt Belisle.
4. Standridge is very borderline. I think his entire career will be bouncing back and forth from AAA.
5. Estaban Yan is much like Weathers. His best days are behind him.
6. Merker is still serviceable. He could slide into that left handed specialist, there to get one batter out, role and last a few more years.
7. Mays has got nothing. Long relief with him spells slow death for everyone else.
8. I’ll hold judgement on Guardado. I appreciate K making a move to stop the bleeding, but I’m concerned that it might end up being the same situation as Weathers and Yan.
My point is, if the Reds sent everyone in that bullpen packing, how back would it hurt them? Financially, there might be a severe hit. On the field though, I doubt the team would be any worse off if they brought up the AA squad’s bullpen. Its that bad! How did anyone think that the team could get through the season depending on Weathers, White, Hammond et al?
July 7th, 2006 at 9:45 am
Dear Mr Krivsky:
Please let the acquisition of Eddie Guardado mean the end of Joe Mays reign of terror as a member of the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff. The team will not need a 5th starter until Saturday, July 22nd, and by that time, Brandon Claussen will have completed a rehab assignment. If Brandon faces any setbacks in his rehabilitation, Justin Germano, Matt Belisle, or Chad Dotson would be suitable 5th starters. Thank you very much for your time, and everything you’ve done so far this year for our favorite baseball team.
–Cincinnati Reds fans
July 7th, 2006 at 9:50 am
Chick used to be a good prospect in the low minors, lost his luster in the upper minors, though he’s still young enough to rebound. His chances in the majors are completely up in the air.
So, they traded a crapshoot prospect for Guardado. Has some great seasons from 2001-2005. Whether this season’s poor performance is a fluke or a sign that he’s lost it, I guess we’ll find out soon enough. The lower K-rate in 2005 concerns me, especially since it’s still lower in 2006 and he’s given up a lot more hits compared to past years. Also given up a lot of homers, which has been the only weakness in his numbers the previous 6 years.
Very few sellers out there, so taking a shot on a guy like this is a good approach…I just hope Guardado’s got something left in the tank to help out the Reds this year.
July 7th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Hey this is my first time blogging, But if Dontre Willis is on the trading block, and we all know Mark Redmen of the royals will be. What could the reds really offer those two teams. Both want young prospects or a young arm/hitter. The Reds don’t really have any stud prospects of other teams that would be interested in both of those two pitchers as well.
Detroit and the Yankees are looking for a left handed power hitter and the reds have two good ones in griffey and dunn. The problem is if we get rid of one or both who would play outfield and give us a left handed home run threat in the line up? So i’m not sure if we can get a stud arm in here so i hope Eddie Guardado does turn it around in the NL because he may just be the best player we get with trades.