reds get taveras

[Slyder]

Taveras is an upgrade over Patterson and if Willy sucks, Dickerson would be right there waiting to take over. This doesn't hurt the Reds at all. Not in the field or in the checkbook.

Just wait and see. I dont trust Duhhhsty as far as I can throw him and trust me I cant throw a sack of potatoes very far. *Awaits the excuses for Tavares from Duhhsty as Tavares repeats his career norms (IE any year but 07) Just like he made excuses for Patterson*

Much like the Hernandez move, this is the type of signing you make in Febraury when/if Dickerson and Bruce are both hurt. Tavares adds NOTHING that Norris Hopper couldnt do. Its a waste of resources and excuse for not bringing in a LF since Dickerson can play there now.

[love_that_reefer]

Taveras adds experience and has shown he can actually hit MLB pitching. Hopper hasn't. Its not the ideal signing for the Reds but it isn't as bad as some of you think. I dealt with Dusty along time and he usually learns from his mistakes year by year or at least he did in SF. Problem was it would take him a whole season to figure it out.

[Slyder]

Taveras adds experience and has shown he can actually hit MLB pitching. Hopper hasn't. Its not the ideal signing for the Reds but it isn't as bad as some of you think. I dealt with Dusty along time and he usually learns from his mistakes year by year or at least he did in SF. Problem was it would take him a whole season to figure it out.

In "full seasons" Tavares has hit .291, .278, and .251. He has 60 CAREER DOUBLES. Dunn almost had as many walks in 1 season as Tavares had in his entire freaking career. His sole asset is bunting and bloops, he's going from a place where you would think he'd have a career year with the size of the outfield just blooping balls all over... Why cant that just be Norris Hopper and save whatever money and go after Burrell or go back to the White Sox about Dye, or the Yanks for Nady/Swisher, or any NUMBER of LFs still on the market. You have practically the same guy in Hopper why waste the roster spot NOW for a guy who was being looked at mostly as a 5th of.

Taveras happy to play for Baker

I've heard from plenty of guys about how good it is to play for Dusty," Taveras said. "You know he is in charge and he lets you do what you do best. And I'm told he never has any problems with his players. I'm really looking forward to playing for the Reds and for Dusty Baker.

That tells me that Duhhhsty's reputation of black holes batting leadoff and making excuses for said speedsters preceeds him.

I would rather deal with Norris Hopper in the OF than to wait for Duhhhsty to yet again realize a player sucks. I don't have the fancy sabrmetrics stats (nor do I understand them to spout them here) but youre playing in a small ballpark with a guy who cant slug Dunn's weight is a detriment and relys on beating out bunts and ground balls at a ridiculous rate to inflate his value.

I know I should be more patient with Walt but his quotes lead me to believe he's just as incompetant as Duhhsty. If its just he's old school thats fine but Tavares has the definition of 3 awful seasons and his "ceiling" is barely average on even OPS (which is basic enough to understand). Plus you traded Freel who could have been that 4th of and platooned with Dickerson. Any penny beyond the minimum they are paying Tavares is a wasted dollar. You could call up most of the OFs from AAA and gotten what Tavares is going to bring you or *shock* even better.

If I'm speaking to the choir just let me know and ill reign in my posts if anyone sees it differently please, please, please give me any reason to hold out hope we'll be (offensively) better than last year.

[Doppelgänger]

I dont trust Duhhhsty as far as I can throw him.

Well, with your bad knee Ed you shouldn't throw anybody.

[love_that_reefer]

HA, sorry. I can't say that the Reds offense will be better than last year's but don't see it being that worse. Phillips, Votto, Bruce and Encarnacion will still be there and the addition of Ramon Hernandez will help the offense. Taveras is better and younger than Hopper so that's why you have "waste" a roster spot on him. One thing I have been wrong on was saying Hopper has never shown he can hit at the ML level. He has so I was wrong there. If the Reds do get Dye, the offense will be better than last year's. Without him, it will be close.

[love_that_reefer]

Ferris Bueller reference. I like it!! rep+. Ed Rooney!!

[Kingdom]

Hey, Willy's .296 slugging is, in fact, an upgrade over Patterson's .238 OBP.

Way to go Jockety.

[Slyder]

Hey, Willy's .296 slugging is, in fact, an upgrade over Patterson's .238 OBP.

Way to go Jockety.

And yet you could go with Dickerson and be an upgrade over BOTH of them. And you could possibly add Patterson AND Tavares' Slug together and not get Dickersons.

[Kingdom]

You could add both and probably come up short of Zambrano or Sabathia.

[redsrbetter]

If the comparison (which is being made absolutely everywhere) is that Taveras is much like Patterson, we are doomed. And everyone knows it.

Honestly guys, the problem isn't the possible too much money going to the guy. The problem isn't even having a guy like Taveras on the big league roster. He could be of value. But not as the answer to the void in the outfield. All of us are in fear of this being the significant outfield signing this offseason. And we have valid reason to share that fear. Reading Jocketty's words on this have made me very worried that this will indeed be a different team than we have seen in Cincinnati for a long time. And if the plan is to just watch the team mature in 2009, then say so. Don't try and trick the fans into an illusion that we will contend. Bottom line, the front office simply has not got it done. Whether is be because Castellini is having economic issues like many CEOs, or if it is Jocketty receiving the same answer from every GM and agent in baseball ("No"), when seeking a fitting trade or free agent acquisition.

But the fear is all over Reds nation my friends.

[Slyder]

If the comparison (which is being made absolutely everywhere) is that Taveras is much like Patterson, we are doomed. And everyone knows it.

Honestly guys, the problem isn't the possible too much money going to the guy. The problem isn't even having a guy like Taveras on the big league roster. He could be of value. But not as the answer to the void in the outfield. All of us are in fear of this being the significant outfield signing this offseason. And we have valid reason to share that fear. Reading Jocketty's words on this have made me very worried that this will indeed be a different team than we have seen in Cincinnati for a long time. And if the plan is to just watch the team mature in 2009, then say so. Don't try and trick the fans into an illusion that we will contend. Bottom line, the front office simply has not got it done. Whether is be because Castellini is having economic issues like many CEOs, or if it is Jocketty receiving the same answer from every GM and agent in baseball ("No"), when seeking a fitting trade or free agent acquisition.

But the fear is all over Reds nation my friends.

Why panic and bring in a guy who you know is going to be below average when you dont know what Stubbs, Dickerson, etc can do? Let alone give him a 2nd year. I think Cast panicked here. Theres still ofs who could hold down the fort on the market (JH Jr, Baldelli, heck even could give Sosa a st invite, among others) and theyd outproduce Tavares. You know the ceiling of Tavares, that should give you even more reason not to sign him now, if this were Feb and we still had depth problems fine.

[love_that_reefer]

From my understanding, Taveras was going to get a second year anyway because of his lack of service.

[Slyder]

Taveras nets $6.25 million from Reds : All Things Rockies Colorado

We now know how much he's making. Could Dickerson/Stubbs CF really be that bad? We could probably get Baldelli a guy with some actual upside left for that money. You give him 1 year then go to arby with him. Now its guarenteed and the Reds have no recourse when Tavares comes in and is his usual self.

This year= $2.25 mil
Next year=$4 mil.

[redsrbetter]

I'm done complaining about it. Its not good for my health. Hopefully we can get JH Jr to finalize the roster. Afterall, we did need production to come in. What better means than Willy T and Hairston? Surely, these are much better options than any other as far as an RBI producer goes.

[Slyder]

Just a little tidbit. Philly just signed Marcus Giles Marcus Giles - Colorado Rockies - MLB - Yahoo! Sports career ops .782 (.621 last year) and got a MLC worth $600k .