FA's to be

[Mario-Rijo]

you can have Linbrink... I dont think A-Rod will realistically sign in Cincinnati.

I don't think much of Linebrink but unfortunately he is actually one of the better names on the list. At GABP he would likely be a nightmare waiting to happen.


Only Cordero and Rivera are good options IMO, at least from a pitching standpoint. Everyone else are guys who have major questions, although a few could have some worth. And even Cordero has at times shown to be undependable (mainly as a Ranger). Any Japanese pitchers making themselves available would be worth looking into.

[brewersfan19]

It is important to stay realistic. Wish lists for players are ok to dream about, but even a higher payroll does not mean the Yankees or Red Sox payroll.. I honestly cant see Rivera or even Cordero going to Cincy either. Not saying that it cant happen, cause anything is possible I suppose, but from past experiences for wishing for high priced players, and then my team does not land those player(s) is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

The Reds should start building up their farm system and picking up young players/prospects that are cheaper and go with that mold. It seems to be the direction many smaller market teams are heading. (i.e.-ROckies, Diamondbacks, and Brewers in the NK alone.)

[CincyRedsFan30]

If the team has to overpay for some average talent, so be it, as long as Castellini is willing to continue to do that beyond this coming season.

It's time for a full change in culture, one way or the other.

What the plan seems to involve is a focus on signing some more expensive vets and players who might actually have talent (depends which ones they target) as opposed to vets who are "filler" before our prospects arrive (hopefully).

So basically the change seems to be going from a mediocre "wait and hope" for prospects one to a let's win now and also build those prospects in as (and if) they're ready down the line.

Let's just hope they execute this properly, because with the right moves, I think they can (through trades and even a couple FA moves).

For the record, though it might not tie DIRECTLY to the player payroll, it looks like Dusty is now the second highest paid manager in MLB. Yeah, we are talking about the modern day Cincinnati Reds here.

Let that absorb.

[redsrbetter]

All excellent points man. There is no absolute way to argue either of our points unless we knew exactly where Krivsky's head is at. I guess I don't have a problem with going young and seeing what these guys can do. But if Krivsky were thinking that way, then Bruce, Votto, and Bailey would all be up with the big club right now. Unless he is stupid. I have argued that he is in some points, I think this is one of them. But again, I am not sure what he is thinking. Here are the possibilities:

A) He is still trying to win this year. Dumbest thinking of a baseball executive this season if this were true. I will give him enough credit account for a brain in his head which would disprove this kind of brainless thinking. Despite the PR garbage they throw out there, he and RCast both know the season is over.

B) He may seriously think he is stunting the growth process with his big prospects if he were to call them up early. But to use your example, Rijo; Braun, Upton, Duncan, Lincecum, Miller, Chamberlain, Hughes, Young and Pedroia have all come out with a bang. Likely only Upton was favored on the top prospects list over Bruce and not many on that list were favored over Votto either. And other than Hughes, all the sucessful pitchers on the list were not as highly touted as Bailey this year. Maybe we have overrated prospects (which the numbers absolutely deny this thinking). or Krivsky is just being too patient.

C) If option A is too far fetched, then we have to conclude that option B is the answer or else option C is the only alternative. So what is option C? Option C means Krivsky is absolutely too ignorant to be a general manager as he doesn't see a valid reason in getting young talent the opportunity to make their mistakes now and for the rest of this season. Why wait until next season for Bruce to start sucking it up for us early. Let him take his lumps now. Same goes for Votto and Bailey. Call up those guys even before the September callups. I would be willing to bet that 3 weeks from now we are all going to be calling for Krivsky's head because Bruce will not be given the opportunity to come up.

The team today should look like this:

C Ross
1B Votto (DFA Conine, now we will get nothing for him, thanks Krivsky)
2B Phillips
3B Encarnacion (He needs to play almost everyday for the rest of the season)
SS Gonzalez
LF Dunn
CF Hamilton
RF Bruce (Griffey should have been traded, but I can understand it being hard to find a suitor)

Rotation:
Harang
Arroyo
Belisle
Bailey
Livingston (Possibly Cueto by September)

Pen:
Weathers
Burton
Coutlangus
McBeth
Salmon
Majewski
Bray

Bench:
Griffey
Hatteberg
Valentin
Hopper
Cantu

Now, it looks real dumb to put Griffey on the bench. And it makes it harder to showcase his ability to finish the season strong. It also makes it hard to sell the fans on his getting to the 600 plateau. He doesn't deserve to be on the bench either. So, for those reasons, he will not be. But, if you are a smart GM and a smart field manager, you get the future ready for the future. You play Bruce and Votto and Hamilton extensively. You never let them sit, you don't platoon them. You play them. Let them get their sucking it up out of the way while we want to lose games. This is the only way I see fit for us to have these young guys prepared for next season.

So what will reality tell us? Right now, Krivsky is stealing productivity from these player's hands. As we speak they should have been in the Reds lineup today. What makes us think things will be any different 1 week from now, two weeks from now, or even into September? I caution myself from expecting anything from Krivsky anymore other than the occasional surprise.

We are going to watch Griffey come close to 600 this year and that will be great. But our team will be full of youngsters next year that have no clue how to perform to their level in the major leagues and will be expected to take the place of seasoned vets that couldn't get it done themselves.

We are going to watch Harang bid for a Cy Young and get not a single vote for the second year in a row. And that will be it. In September, we will be lucky to see Votto or Bailey come up and the possibility is swaying toward the lesser degree of their callup. Bruce? Out of the question. Mark it down.

Oh yeah, we are also going to see EdE and Hamilton catching a lot of pine time for reasons that cannot and will not be understood.

Not to toot my own horn, but look how predictable Krivsky has become. I was spot on here.

As Rijo and I have discussed and as brewersfan has mentioned in here, we will not sign big names.

Yes, it is intriguing that B Cast is ready to spend money. But we still have a nobody's business GM. I am a little excited, but sure could use a bit more hope on this.

Free agents are few and far between in talent this year and we have so many holes to fill.

[Mario-Rijo]

I've updated the list with recent signings and have also added a few names of interest.

[redsrbetter]

Feels like a lot of the guys we should be interested are going fast. I didn't expect anything more than what we have seen so far and do not expect to see anything happen on the free agent or trade front until a few weeks after the winter meetings.

Then again, remembering how quickly Gonzo was signed last offseason, we may see a middle realiever picked up soon. Again, I would bet on Jeremy Affeldt. He would be the typical signing and the one we are all going to have to vest our interest in.

[Mario-Rijo]

Bump!