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This season is effectively over. It pains me to type those words, but it’s true. The Reds still have a chance at .500, and I hope they get there. They also have a chance to catch the Cardinals, and I really hope that happens.
After a great 2010, the Reds kinda sat on their hands during the off-season. I think we’re all agreed that they can’t do that again this off-season. The team has to improve.
So…what should GM Walt Jocketty (assuming he’s still employed by the Reds) do to improve this team before Opening Day 2012. Let’s hear some specifics…
Hire a new manager, one that is more in tune with modern approaches to baseball and the needs of younger players. Joe Madden?
Sports Illustrated published a poll of players that listed Maddon (my current favorite) as the manager they’d most like to play for, followed by Terry Francona, a couple other guys, and Dusty Baker. I could see that, actually. I’m sure he’s a great guy to play for, but I do feel like he’s worn out his welcome here. I’m getting a definite siege mentality from him lately. (Actually, I suspect it’s gonna be a Jocketty-or-Baker decision that Castellini’s gotta make this offseason, and I’d prefer to keep the GM, whom I still trust despite his inaction these last 12 months; also, good organizations don’t change GMs every couple of years).
Beyond that, they’ve got to trade some of the surplus depth among Alonso, Frazier, Valaika, Wood, Francisco, Grandal and either Sappelt or Heisey before they totally lose their value. You’ve got to think that three of those guys would bring back a real upgrade in LF, especially if the Reds were willing to add some salary. I guess they could consider dealing Votto, but that doesn’t make any sense unless the Rays would be willing to part with David Price + prospects or Shields + Zobrist or something crazy like that. Otherwise, I just don’t see where you’d get real value for him, because most contending teams are so set at 1B that Prince Fielder could very well wind up back in Milwaukee.
Of course, they’ve got to put Chapman in the rotation. Right???
Right.
Unless we figure out how to do a pretty major trade, we’ll be pretty limited in terms of FA moves. I’d do the following:
Prepare Chapman as a starter.
Pick up the option on Phillips.
Make Meso the main catcher, offer Monie arb, then trade him if he accepts.
Figure out whether Yonder can play third. If he can, have him take 35-40% of the starts for Rolen. If not, try to package him for a MLB ready prospect on the left side of the infield. If you can’t do that, stick him in LF and hold your nose.
Providing Yonder isn’t there, let Heisey and Sappelt fight it out for LF, with Heisey likely winning out. I’d wager if you give him a full season, he’ll come around and give you a league average 2 WAR season.
With the little flexibility in payroll that you have, try and figure out a solution at shortstop for the next 2-3 years. Free agents in their late 30s do not count. Omar Infante will be 31, can probably put up a 1.5-2 WAR season, likely within price range.
Last season we were lucky. This season we’ve been unlucky. I’m not convinced that we’re a much worse team. We don’t have the resources to make major changes, so improvement is going to have to come from within. If we can get Meso and Yonder in the lineup, that’ll help. If Chapman becomes an effective starter, that’ll help. If we spend what we have available prudently, we should be able to parlay that into a few wins. I’m of the opinion that the true talent level of this team is around 86-87 wins, about the same as last year. I think it’s entirely possible to improve that to around 89-90, and hope fortune is a bit kinder.
Here’s a few questions I’d like to pose to the Redleg Nation community. Some of them are opinion based questions and some of them are fact based ones.
1) Could the Reds justify starting Yonder Alonso in LF based on the fact that he will probably produce a lot more runs than he’s likely to give up with sub-par defensive play? It seems other teams make that choice (see the Cardinals and Lance Berkman).
2) How much cash do the Reds save by not resigning Ramon Hernandez? Francisco Cordero? Would they be worth resigning for less money or should the team let them go?
3) Is Bronson Arroyo signed beyond 2011? If so, for how much? If not, how much does the team save by not resigning him?
4) What is Scott Rolen’s contract situation? Is he signed beyond 2011?
5) Should the team extend Brandon Phillips to a long term deal?
By the way, I would rather try to win a championship over the next 2 years with Votto than push winning further off into the future by trading him now.
http://www.redlegnation.com/reds_2011_sal.htm
@beroader:
1. Depends on how bad Alonso is in LF. If he is just Jonny Gomes bad then he could be worth it. If he is as bad as he has looked in his four games so far this year, then no.
2. Mesoraco. Hernandez for free? No thanks. Mesoraco.
3. Arroyo signed for $12m in 2012 and $11.5m in 2013.
4. Rolen signed for $8+m in 2012, last year of his contract.
[Easy authoritative source to find contract status: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/cincinnati-reds_24.html
5. No on the long term deal for BP. I’d pick up his 2012 option and then see how 2012 goes.
1) I don’t think so but then, the problem is we don’t know how bad Alonso really is out there. His AAA numbers don’t really indicate he’d hit at a good enough clip to do so. He’s looked impressive but is it good enough to be an absolute butcher in the field?
2) Both should be let go. Ramon because Mesoraco is ready + Grandal is moving up to AAA. Coco because his performance isn’t good enough to justify his salary and is trending down. He really shouldn’t make anymore than an average to below average setup man anymore.
3) Bronson’s deal is complicated, but he is signed through 2013, with at least $15 million in deferrals which immediately become payable if traded (and I think released). Not a great situation.
4) Scott has 1 year left @ $6.5 million
5) It depends. Anything more than three years is too long. I think Jason’s article does a great job of analyzing his contract situation. The option for next year is almost 100% mandatory, however.
@beroader: I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. The Reds can increase their liklihood of winning next year without Votto. I think trading Votto for stud prospects is a terrible move but a trade for an established star(s) that better fits the Reds’ needs is a completely viable option.
@beroader:
1) We should have a pretty good indication of that after the rest of this season. Problem is, we won’t. Alonso is too busy riding the pine, taking grounders at 3rd and looking really good every time he walks to the plate to actually see how bad he would be in left. If I knew who was really running this team, I would say fire him immediately.
2) Hernandez should be watching Mesoraco play now. I don’t really see him being signed elsewhere if the Reds offer him arbitration, which means we would be forced to keep him at a higher salary, almost forcing a trade of Hanigan (or letting Mesoraco rot in AAA for another season, which wouldn’t surprise me). Jocketty blew it on this one. Cordero: no. Just, no. (Even if that does set Chapman at closer, which would be yet another waste.)
3) Jocketty blew this one, too. He should have spent the first month of the season on the DL getting his strength back, and shouldn’t have been extended at that price anyway.
4) No one should be surprised that Rolen has looked 46 instead of 36 this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if his pride talked him into retiring if he doesn’t feel like he’s 20 again during spring training.
5) Pick up the option, extend him for 2, maybe 3 more seasons. After that, probably not a good idea.
What is the Reds 2012 starting defensive lineup?
1) Does Rolen play next year or retire? If so is he the starter and who is his backup? Yonder? Who among the other 3rd basemen is traded?
2) Does Cozart start the season as the SS coming off his injury? Is Renteria retained for another season as a stop gap for Cozart? Does Janish stay in the majors? Do the Reds do something crazy like chase Reyes (no, I have never previously participated in a Reyes rumor)?
3) Does Valaikia make the bigs in place of Janish?
4) Do the Reds pull the trigger on a titanic Votto/Bautista trade?
5) Does Phillip’s option being picked up make Coco’s completely unrealistic?
I’d like an established RH bat behind Votto, probably in LF. Probably Alonso is the principle to any deal that would bring such a bat. Stubbs, Heisey, Mesoraco, even Rolen could be that guy, but since the Reds are in a window of opportunity right now, I don’t think they can wait for the development of young players in this case, or simply hope that Rolen remains healthy. That way, improvement by Stubbs, development by Mesoraco and Heisey, and health by Rolen are extra advantages, not the lynchpin to the lineup.
As for the OF:
1) Does Heisey have a place on the team as a 3/4 outfielder next year? Sappelt?
2) Is Stubbs the long term CF?
3) Who else in the minors will push to break into the OF group for 2012?
4) Is Bruce the only guy on this team whose contract, position, etc are an absolute certainty?
5) Does the 2012 lead off hitter come from this group or elsewhere?
@jrob45601: I just can’t say Jocketty blew anything until he actually blows it.
Ramon is on waivers and the Giants, as a 2nd place team and in desparate need of offense, are needier than they were at the trade deadline. I don’t see a whole heck of a lot more competition for Ramon except from teams that have better records. I like how things are falling. The Giants will give more now than they ever would have at the deadline.
Arroyo’s contract at the beginning of the season looked like the worst idea since the Hamilton trade but I think he proves us wrong the rest of this year and next. He may need to spend the offseason working on a better pitch for lefties though.
Move 1: Do not even think about resigning Co-Co, we have better options and need the monies.
Move 2: Call the Dodgers and ask they what would it take to get Matt Kemp. I would think maybe Yonder/Bailey and that Grandel kid would do it. If it means we over pay a bit you do it.
Move 3: If the Dodgers won’t budge, call the Fish and ask them what it would take to get Stanton and maybe even their SS, although he really has some issues to deal with.
Move 4: Bring in a new hitting coach
Move 5: Have a sit down with Rolen, explain to him he is no longer a starter, he is basically your bench guy, whom I gotta think could play some 1st if needed.
Move 6: Promote the catcher from AAA and have him and Hanigan be your tandem next year
@brm7675: Move 3: volquez for Hanley R? haha, trade of the disappointments?
This is not hard.
We all know Dusty needs to go, if for no other reason than having the majors’ leader in strikeouts leading off 90% of the time. What is the Reds’ record with Stubbs NOT hitting leadoff? I’d like to see it.
Now, we also have seen that many of the young guns can really HIT. It’s time to go with the youngsters. With Dusty gone, loyalty will be reduced and someone can take an objective look at this roster.
Why is everyone such a Stubbs fan? How long will you patient fans wait for him to make consistent contact? How many rallies has he killed this year with a K? Between Heisey, Alonso, Sappelt, CF and LF can be held down. Yes, I know we are giving up defense, but we will gain it in offense.
Trade Stubbs and Hernandez and get rid of Renteria and Janish. Start Mr. Chapman and voila! We have a winner!
It’s time for the Frazier-Cozart-Sappelt-Heisey-Alonso era to begin!
Here’s another question to ponder:
I’m going to assume that Johnny Cueto is in next year’s rotation next year. I think that’s probably a safe bet.
What do you do with the below remaining pitchers? Choices are Start, Move/Leave in Bullpen, Place in AAA, Trade, or Release/Non-Tender?
Bronson Arroyo
Aroldis Chapman
Homer Bailey
Mike Leake
Edinson Volquez
Dontrelle Willis
Travis Wood
Bronson will be the #2 guy coming out of spring
Chapman will be the closer next year
Homer will be #3 out of spring
Leake will be #4
EV will be #5
Wood will be in AAA and Dontrel will be with another team.
The biggest question of all for next year is probably
Who hits leadoff?
I thought it would be Sappelt, but he has looked overmatched and way too impatient. With his minor league numbers, I was really surprised at this. Maybe he just needs more time to adjust to the majors. If so, he can’t do it hitting leadoff next season. This team still doesn’t really have anyone ready to fill that role.
@beroader: I have thought a lot about this.
Ideal rotation:
1. Cueto
2. Volquez
3. Bailey
4. Arroyo
5. Chapman
Realistic but optimistic rotation:
1. Cueto
2. Bailey
3. Arroyo
4. Leake
5. Volquez (with Chapman to start in AAA if someone falters)
#6 Man: Wood
Odd Man Out: Willis (offer to resign him for decent money and a couple years in the bullpen if he is cool with it!)
@jrob45601: Reyes tops the list but he is cost prohibitive.
Kemp has stupendous OBP and speed but would be wasted at the top of a lineup.
Ramirez, H was mentioned who could be a steal or a bust.
A darkhorse could be J. Ellsbury if the Reds go all in on a contract for him and are willing to give him CF. With a lesser darkhorse being Cameron Maybin.
Likely candidate: Coco Crisp for 3-4 mill and a year
or
@rightsaidred: sorry, or Jaun Pierre
@rightsaidred:
If its Crisp, Pierre, or the like, just stick with whatever we already have. I really like Ellsbury, but I’m doubtful that the Red Sox would let him go. This is really something that teams need to do a better job of developing, cause it is very hard to find one on the market.
@Bill Lack:
That’s a helpful link. I’m guessing they’ll let Francisco Cordero walk which will free up $12 million. But that money will simply be eaten up by other players’ escalating salaries.
There’s nothing on the position player free agent market worth considering other than Jose Reyes, and we know that’s not happening. There’s nothing on the pitching free agent market worth considering other than C.J. Wilson.
Realistically, the Reds aren’t going to sign a free agent that upgrades the team. Upgrading the team will have to occur via a trade, which requires analyzing what players could be pried away from their respective teams. We’d be looking for upgrades at SS, LF or CF depending on whether Stubbs stays put or is shifted to LF, and SP.
Looking through the WAR leaderboard on Fangraphs, I can identify maybe a dozen of pitchers who could both upgrade our rotation and be potentially available – Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Chad Billingsley, Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, John Danks, Michael Pineda, Scott Baker, James Shields & Bud Norris.
Doing the same for SS is worthless. The only two options would be Hanley Ramirez or Ben Zobrist.
Looking at LF/CF, Zobrist can also play LF. Other targets would include: Brett Gardner, Matt Kemp, Alex Gordon, Chase Headley and B.J. Upton.
If I were in Jocketty’s shoes, I sign C.J. Wilson. I then look to plug the SS and OF holes via trade. I’d target Zobrist and Kemp.
Sadly, that won’t happen due to the Rolen/Arroyo extensions eating up the Reds payroll.
Sorry this doesn’t address the posted question, but it’s fun (if you’re a Cincy sports fan): http://local.cincinnati.com/quiz/quiz.aspx?qid=254
@Vottoeroticism:
Good post, and probably pretty close to accurate with the way things are looking right now. I’m concerned about Wilson as an injury risk, so I personally would stay away from him. Being the best starter on the free agent market will drive the price out of our range most likely anyhow.
The other interesting name you listed is Upton. There has been a lot of talk about him being available, as well as the vast talent he obviously has. But he reminds me a lot of Stubbs.
I was advocating targeting Kemp via trade last offseason. He had seemingly fallen out of favor with Torre, but Mattingly has gotten pretty good results out of him. With their financial issues, its hard to say what they might do or who they might make available.
I just took a peak at the free agent list for this winter and it is sad, sad, sad (unless you’re after an MVP first baseman). Any improvement would almost have to come internally or through trade.
One thing no one has brought up: Fielder and Pujols are almost certainly gone after this year. There is no way Berkman has the same season he’s had this year. Meanwhile, the Reds, who have a run-differential in line with that of the Cards and the Brewers, figure to lose no major producers. This might be a rare instance where standing pat helps because the other primary rivals figures might get worse.
That said, I’d look at trades for any of the problem positions (3rd, LF, and SS).
What would it take to get Kemp? Stubbs/Alonso/Fransisco/Grandal/Heisey Leake/Wood/Bailey? What combo would be attractive? A lineup with Votto Kemp and Bruce in the middle would be scary good. Would we have to part with Votto? Would it be worth it?
With Votto
Sappelt/Heisey
DAT DUDE
Votto
Kemp
Bruce
Mesoraco
Frazier
Cozart
Thoughts?
1. Joey Votto is a truly great player, so while I know there is some (limited) Money-ballish sentiment to trade him at maximum value, why trade a Hall-of-Famer in his prime for who-knows-what. Extend him, if possible.
2. Move Chapman into the rotation. There are always a couple of guys each year (this year, Joel Hanrahan and Sergio Santos) who come out of nowhere to rack up a bunch of saves. Don’t waste Chapman in the preposterous Closer Role.
3. Cozart plays short, and (naturally) hits second.
4. Make a decision on Yonder Alonso. I think he is more hopeless than we know in left field, but maybe he’ll learn. If he can, stick with him. If not, bundle him with some our other guys (like Volquez) and get something good from the Marlins, who will likely overpay for him.
5. The strikeouts are too much for me on Stubbs at his age. I’d use Heisey or Sappelt, and trade Stubbs for a young arm.
Lots of good stuff here but only one person that I noticed has mentioned the pen aside from closer.
Everybody loves to say these middle and set up arms are a dime a dozen and easy to come by. That may be true but if the Reds don’t come up with two or three of them for 2012, whatever they do otherwise will be largely a waste of time and effort.
Just go back and do game by game looks since the AllStar break. The Reds are most likely ahead of the Cardinals right now if the 7th and 8th inning pitchers hadn’t blown leads and ties with regularity.
Except for a team on an historic run (the Brewers), that means for all the other stuff that went down all year the Reds would likely be right in middle of an NL Central race.
In other words, Walt and Dusty were actually not that wrong. The team did largely come together late. It is just that the pen went south or, as a closer look at the numbers might suggest, stayed south.
@OhioJim: I did not mean to infer fixing the pen is all they need to do, just that it needs to be very near the top of the list….
@OhioJim: I agree completely. I think the only free agent signings that NEED to be made this offseason are in the bullpen.
@OhioJim: It’s not so much that bullpen arms are a dime a dozen, it’s that they are really inconsistent from year to year. So someone who was good this year might be very bad next year and vice versa. They throw so few innings that almost anything can happen.
This, absolutely. Think how good Arthur Rhodes was for us and he was so bad this year that TX has cut him.
We get a legit LF and SS and there will be no need to worry about the bullpen.
Maybe ot to make the playoffs but they’d get a big hunk taken out of their backsides in the playoffs with a mediocre to weak pen.
@Jason Linden: I think we have seen quite enough of Nick Massett being consistently inconsistent, alternately very good then very bad all within same seasons, to know the team needs to move on from him despite his supposed “stuff”. I am also close to putting Bray into the same category.
I will accept what you say about sample size for purpose of purely statistical analysis and suggest that this is one area where there is probably as much to be learned about a guy by looking into his eyes for that “line backer mentality” as there is from the numbers.
Not sure Art Rhodes is a very good example here. At the end of the season last year he was looking old and crippled; and, that is how he pitched this year. The Rangers may have looked more at the numbers and less at the films and seasonal progression.
1) Evaluate Scott Rolen’s health and usefulness going forward. The lineup as it’s constructed right now is counting on him as a cleanup hitter if he can’t do that for 110 games next year then actions (trade/FA) need to be taken to find a viable middle of order bat.
2) Evaluate Francisco, Alonso, and Frazier’s position with the team going forward. If they will be on the major league club next year that is fine but having them in AAA is a waste of their careers and their value. One of them can be the solution at 3B, whether it be the 1/3 of games Rolen doesn’t play or as the starter. I don’t feel that Yonder is a viable candidate for LF because he lacks the instincts and the athletic ability to play the position. That was the difference with Gomes, he was a terrible fielder but was athletic enough to make up for some of the screwups.
3) Lineup construction. This is 100% on Dusty, but it is getting to the point where Walt needs to step in. According to baseball-reference the two lowest OBP’s for the Reds batting order this year have come from the #2 hole and the #4 hole. Votto has had a near MVP type season with absolutely nothing directly around him. As I see it the lineup next year should be as follows if no roster moves are made:
Phillips
Cozart
Votto
Rolen
Bruce
Stubbs
Heisey
Mesoraco/Hanigan
I love Brandon Phillips but he should not be batting cleanup. His swing tends to get very Mo Vaughn like when he is batting 4th.
4) Aroldis Chapman needs to be a starter yesterday. He is completely under utilized in his current role and would be miscast as a closer. Starting rotation next year with current assets:
Cueto
Arroyo
Volquez
Bailey
Chapman
That leaves Mike Leake and Travis Wood as the odd men out. I think you could put Leake instead of Bailey in the rotation and wouldn’t be upset about it but I have more of an attachment to Bailey. I think Volquez can still be a viable closer. History has shown that pitchers typically take a full 2 years to recover completely from TJ surgery and Volquez is just now getting to that point.
5) Bullpen. I don’t know who the closer is but I don’t think he is currently on the major league roster. Whether that be a free agent or someone from the minors is yet to be seen.
6) Trade candidates. Depending on how the roster overall is evaluated these are the players I feel are viable trade candidates in order to improve the major league club: Alonso, Francisco, Frazier, Heisey, Grandal, Wood, Bailey, Leake. I believe they should use some combination of those players to acquire a front line starter and a legitimate every day left fielder.
Realistically I expect none of these things to happen. The starting lineup and rotation will look very similar to what they are now. However if Chapman is not a SP next year and they are still trying to use Yonder Alonso in LF I will view the off season as a disappointment.
Rant over.
Great stuff folks, I’ve been reading for awhile and not posting yet had to jump in on the conversation. The Reds have great depth and need to upgrade the lineup through trades with hopefully the Rays etal. Stubbs is an enigma yet IF the light goes on holy $%#^. Chapman has to start next year and hopefully will include a rotation of
Cueto
Shields
Willis (Dontrelle has the same agent as Bruce so there might be cordial talks & what team revived his career?)
Bailey/Leake
Chapman
Living in San Fran for 13 years, I truly love Dusty Baker as there is no other manager who has the “coolness” of Dusty. Its dripping off of him yet he has not managed well this year- his use of Arroyo is tragic for both Arroyo and the Reds. So what to do with some other parts- Arroyo in the pen? Volquez in the pen?
There is so much potential and we really haven’t spoken about Brucey? Thanks for reading hope it contributes
Regarding Stubbs and some here wanting to seemingly dump him. Despite all his issues this year hitting/K’s, but in case its not been noticed, only one non-red player in the National League currently has scored more runs than him and that is Ryan Braun at 90 runs vs Stubbs 84. Votto is 2nd in the NL at 87. So Stubbs is somehow doing enough right in his 2nd full season to have a shot at leading the league in runs scored. Add in his plus glove on D, it better be a heck of a trade because of the potential he has if able to harness his ability.
Future moves:
SS – A big wrench in these speculation plans is the arm injury to Cozart and how it affects his hitting, if at all. This may be the move made by Walt unless Cozart is able to show progress somehow.
3B – I doubt Rolen walks away from his contract (Cots has him at $6.5M), but Reds will need to find a platoon caddy with him, and probably one of the young guys, Frazier or Francisco. Reds did not like Votto at 3B though in very limited time in the minors and he is much more athletic than Yonder, so I dont buy Dusty’s BS.
So that leaves for improvement
LF – Lewis should not start another game for Reds. Yonder and Sappelt and Heisey to fight it out for position for next year. Unless a trade is made to fill this spot with more “proven” run-producer bat or 2/3 these guys are moved in a big trade for an established starting pitcher. Again Reds orgnazational dithering has complicated and mucked up the decision by not having Chapman learn to be a starter.
Of course moving Dusty out the door would help get everyone on same page and remove some of the unknowns.
Also, given Walt’s stance on defense being so important, it makes me hard to believe Yonder and JuanF both are still with Reds next year. Maybe one of them, and to me Yonder is the odd man out with most trade value and best hitting tool. Should be an interesting lively off-season.
In either order:
1. New Manager
2. New Bullpen
1. Trade depth exactly as Travis said.
2. Get a starter who strikes guys out.
3. Make Chapman a starter.
4. Send Rolen on a free trip around the world that starts in April and finishes in November.
@Dave Lowenthal: Sorry, the starter who strikes guys out can’t walk 5 guys per 9 innings, so Volquez is disqualified. I’m thinking in the class of James Shields.
They should have traded Ramon and Coco. I got a feeling Ramon might be brought back.
SS- They will bring in another vet just to hedge, as Cozart is coming off injury and Janish is sadly just not a big league hitter.
Closer- It’s going to be Chapman. Hopefully he doesn’t go into Rick Wild Thing Vaughn mode once given the job.
Yonder- It looks like the guy could be a MLB ready hitter. I’d think he would do a heck of alot less damage playing out of position in Left than at 3rd. If you put him in left you got Heisey to match up to play defense. I don’t know if Alonso will hit for power (well he does play in GABP), but he seems patient and I could buy him hitting .285 with decent power and good OBP. If they can get that night in and out, that’s better that what we have been getting out of left.
Sappelt/Heisey- I don’t know, he hasn’t impressed me that much. Maybe it is first call up jitters, but the guy has been total swing first ask questions later so far. He’s also done a few funky spaced out plays defensively out in left. At this point, I’d lean Heisey over this guy, as I think you give Heisey 500 atbats, he will probably hit 25 home runs and his defense is pretty good.
Votto- It would be cool if the Reds could sign him up long term. It definitely wouldn’t be a Dusty move and being a star, he might tell them to where to go, but I would think with his athleticism he would be fine in left. YOu put him there and put Alonso at his natural position, I’d think that is the Reds best shot to get another bat in the lineup. Too logical, so it will never happen.
Stubbs – It will be interesting to see if he tails off or gets hot between here and the end of the year. He’s OK. I don’t think he will ever overcome being a strikeout artist, but I’d believe him being 10-15% better than done so far, which would put him maybe hitting 30 HRs.
Phillips- I think it is a no brainer to bring him back if possible. I don’t know about an extension and I think trying to get Votto signed pushes this off.
What are the pros and cons of grooming Volquez to be our closer? IMO, there’s no room for him in the rotation and with his “stuff”, maybe he could be dominant in short stints. I know most of his problems came in the first inning, which on the surface doesn’t translate well to the bullpen. But, maybe if his approach was different (i.e. go all out for one inning as opposed to trying to stretch yourself over 7 innings) he could have better results. What are your thoughts?
@RiverCity Redleg: I’m on board with making Volquez a closer. I’d probably be a little more on board with trading him. Another option at closer would be Homer Bailey, although I’m rooting for him still to be a starter. I’ll be shocked if they bring back Coco.
The Reds may want to look at a 6-man rotation next year. They’ve got a bunch of younger starters (Cueto, Bailey, Wood, Leake) who don’t necessarily need a lot of innings, plus Arroyo (ugh) and Willis (who I think is a needed breath of fresh air) who shouldn’t be hurt by an extra day’s rest. Guys will miss a turn every now and again for various injuries, but a general 6-man rotation might work, although I’d want Cueto to get 30 starts. I’ve given up on Volquez as a starter; WJ probably hasn’t.
@RiverCity Redleg: That idea ain’t half bad. Erratic with the ability to strike out any hitter in the league? That sounds like the start of a closer. It’s a big leap but his ‘stuff’ is probably better suited for it than anyone else on this team (excluding the Cuban Torch)