I'm Bored, so I am going to shake up this team

[redsrbetter]

Please do not read too deep into this, I just wanted to see how badly I can make this team look. I have been listening to so many idiots on the radio talking about bringing in players for virtually nothing. Its my turn to be an idiot:

Baker knows Bonds, and nobody else wants him, so we offer him a contract for 1 year. (Oh no! Another lefty). Bonds would have to play 1B. He simply cannot move anymore. He brings in a big time bat (hopefully) and far less defense than Votto.

Votto moves to LF. He has played there plenty in the minors. And that leaves Dunner. Well, you know I have a deal on the table with him. We trade him and cash to the Rays for their first overall pick in the 2008 draft. We make plans to draft Pedro Alvarez.

Pedro is a stud 3B in Vanderbilt. Yet we have so much depth at that position in the minor leagues. Nothing like depth though, right? It will work itself out.

Next, I do trade Griffey to Seattle for their first round pick as well.

Hatteberg gets traded for any double A pitcher that has a bit of upside.
Fogg is traded to Washington for Wily Mo Pena.
Patterson and Ross are DFA.

I call it a season and call up Bruce and Bailey to furnish them for next season.

Your 2009 Reds:
Lineup:
CF Freel
SS Keppinger
1B Bonds
LF Votto
3B Encarnacion
2B Phillips
RF Bruce
C Bako

Rotation:
Harang
Volquez
Cueto
Bailey
Thompson

Top spects:
Alvarez
Frazier
Stubbs
Waring
Francisco
Maloney
Wood
Mesoraco
other 2 '08 first round picks

Yeah, whatever.

[brewersfan19]

It is fun to dream, isn't it? I love to do the same thing with the Brewers. A tweak here and a tweak there. Fun stuff!!!

[redsfan28]

I don't want any part of Bonds. He's old, broken down, and everyone pretty much hates him.

Junior to Seattle makes the most sense. Dunn to the Rays can't happen because they won't spend the money on him and any deal involving him would probably require a new contract. Dunn to Houston or Texas would make some sense.

Bruce and Bailey need to be up here. Everyone talks about Bruce and his K to BB ratio being bad, but I doubt its going to get any better in AAA. Bailey has nothing else to learn in AAA.

Corey Patterson needs to be gone and soon. He has no purpose on this roster! Also, David Ross needs to get dealt or DFAed like you said.

Matt Belisle needs to go back to the bully. Its either that or he's the infamous AAAA player.

I'd rather have Votto at 1B.

Other than that, the season is pretty much done right now.

[Slyder]

Theres no way I go after Bonds. He's Ken Griffey part duex that can still produce (when he gets on the field). No way do I move Votto to LF short of Pujols, Fielder, premier type 1b came in. Theres a bunch of vets who couldnt possibly be a long term plan for the Reds at this point (granted some are in areas that theres no help coming in the immediate future).

Heres my plan for the rest of the year (enter the Arizona philosophy of young guys everywhere):
1 Trade Griffey to whoever is willing to pay the most of the contract for a couple mid ceiling relief spects or maybe a high risk/reward type to see if we cant find a late bloomer.
2 With that open spot on the roster Call up Jay Bruce. I don't care if it speeds up his getting expensive thats going to happer regardless get him here so he can see MLB pitching.
3 DFA Javy Valentin= The roster just cannot support the waste of the roster spot on a pinch hitter that doesnt have a position and can't run. If you can get something for him thats great if not oh well.
4 With that roster spot: Andy Phillips. Right handed bat does more to balance the bench. Done well at AAA, 30-31 clears the way for Francisco or another spect to get at bats at Louisville.
5 Hatte isnt happy and I can't blame him. Do whatever it takes to get him somewhere that he can at least have a shot at playing semi often. He was great for us but Votto is the future and present.
6 With that roster spot call up Chris Dickerson, if you want a defensive CF out there you might as well get a young guy who might actually learn how to hit.
7 Outsource the lineup construction to someone who understands OBP isn't bad and understands maximizing your assets.
8 Trade Fogg or Belisle put the other in the pen as long relief, for a couple mid level spects.
9 Call up Homer Bailey (again with the youngsters everywhere, it worked for Detroit).
10 Trade Weathers. He has value as everyone is looking for pitching, might hurt in the short term but you might be able to get real value from a setup man in this market.
11 Call up Justin Lehr (not exactly a prospect but you might as well give him a shot to see if he could be part of the near future until Maloney or another pitcher is ready).
12 Ultimatum to Dunn that we need to see more from him (and put him in a situation to get it going)
Lineup:
SS Kepp
LF Dunn
3b EdE
1b Votto
2b Phillips
RF Bruce
CF Dickerson/Catcher Du jour
Catcher du jour/ Dare I go to the dark side and say the PITCHER?!?!
Pitcher/CF Freel/Dickerson

Bench:
1b Andy Phillips
Ut Jerry Hairston Jr
Ca Paul Bako/David Ross
CF Corey Patterson (until Dickerson shows what he can do)
OF Chris Dickerson/UT Ryan Freel

Rotation:
1 Aaron Harang
2 Edison Volquez
3 Bronson Arroyo
4 Let Johnny Cueto work some more.
5 Homer Bailey

Bullpen:
CL Francisco Cordero
Loogy Belisle or Fogg/Lehr
Setup: Jeremy Affeldt/Jared Burton
Middle Relief: Lehr/ Bill Bray/Fogg or Belisle/Lincoln

When Mercker comes back let him pitch (demote Lincoln) some and see if, like Weathers, can fetch some value. He can't be in the long term plans so if we're not going to win this year then might as well try and get something for him.

[ljshorty89]

If you read the first sentence of his post, he said he wanted to see how BAD he could make the team look...

[Slyder]

If you read the first sentence of his post, he said he wanted to see how BAD he could make the team look...

Yes I saw he said "bad". I'm tired of being bad. I want to see some competant baseball out of cincy before I have kids or nieces and nephews learning to play.

[ljshorty89]

I can only imagine how it is. I watched the Mets from 2001-2004 though. It must be painful. It'll turn around eventually.

[Slyder]

I can only imagine how it is. I watched the Mets from 2001-2004 though. It must be painful. It'll turn around eventually.

I keep telling myself that but it seems like this owner, while willing to spend more money, is as clueless as Mr. Chiquita Banana was.

[ljshorty89]

Well, to be fair, I used to say similar things about Fred Wilpon, but he has been so much better of late. The key for us was to get rid of Steve Phillips/Jim Duquette. Maybe you guys are closer than you realize. I know we were...

[Kingdom]

He's Ken Griffey part duex that can still produce

It's hard to really compare the two, aside from being older and unable to play 150 games. There's prolly going to be a solid market for Junior.

[Slyder]

It's hard to really compare the two, aside from being older and unable to play 150 games. There's prolly going to be a solid market for Junior.

Both have no knees and no speed any more. Both are old. If there was a market for Junior, he'd probably be gone already.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Would rather DFA Valentin than Ross. I like David's offensive game more and his defense/game-calling are far superior.

[DMBZeppelin]

Step 1. Fire Dusty Baker

[CincyRedsFan30]

Ahh, Dusty bashing. There's something refreshing and new. And supported by his career won-lost percentage.

[rockin500]

Step 1. Fire Dusty Baker

dusty isnt the problem. the lack of parts is the problem on that reds team.