Harang done for the season

[Providence A's]

Reds' Aaron Harang Out For Season After Appendectomy -- MLB FanHouse

Right-hander Aaron Harang's season is over for the Cincinnati Reds, as the team announced he underwent an emergency appendectomy Saturday night.

Harang, 31, went 6-14 despite a not-as-awful 4.21 ERA, thanks to the third-worst run support in the National League. He leads the NL in losses and hits allowed (186 in 162 1/3 innings). He won just one of his final 16 starts, going 1-10 with a 4.78 ERA.

They activated Rolen from the DL. I wonder if they'll try to move him again in the off-season. He'll make $10.5 mil next year with an option for the following year. I think they'll have some trouble moving that contract unless someone is going on a spending spree.

[missionhockey21]

God I hope not. Harang is much better than the W-L record would indicate (but you know how I feel about that statistic) and most of his other numbers have been inflated due to a really bad stretch.

I think if anything he'll come back better than he was this year as he has been among the most abused pitchers in the NL in over-usage and this time off should be a welcomed break for him. Considering the market and the Reds depth, they would be fools to trade him if they want to even entertain the thought of competing next season.

Get better Aaron!

[Providence A's]

Fay seems to think they should rebuild because "there are too many holes and not enough $$$ to fix them.

Cincinnati.com | Cincinnati Cincinnati Reds | The Cincinnati Enquirer

thoughts on that line of thinking?

[Slyder]

Its been that way for years. But the Reds FO is afraid of chasing off the fans with a long rebuild. So every year they sign a couple vets in hoping the stars align and guess what, it never does.

And judging by the attendance from the last few games...

They're chasing off the fans in massive numbers.

I wish I could lay claim to this but I cant...

Our rotation: Arroyo, Lehr, and bring plenty of beer.

[missionhockey21]

If the Reds wanted to rebuild, than they shouldn't have traded for Rolen and his $10 mil salary (by trading away three young players, two at the MLB level.) The Reds are a gigantic question mark next year. Who knows what Jay Bruce will return, if Homer Bailey continues to improve, etc. If healthy and they add a legimate SS (or move Phillips to SS and acquire a 2B) and a power bat in the OF, I think they could compete in the Central.

If they did want to rebuild, then it would need to be full out rebuild mode. Trade Phillips, Cordero, Harang, Arroyo, Rolen, etc. The contracts could be hard to move, but if they went into 2010 and 2011 with a bare minimum payroll and let some cash accumulate, then they could make their splash when some more of the young talent like Alonso is ready.

Either compete and acquire the additional parts through trade, or tear it down and let it burn. The Reds usually take the option in the middle, which does neither the competing or the rebuilding, and I suspect that might happen again.

[Providence A's]

sorry Mission, but it appears they're going to try to contend in 2010 (with a tweener team again as you alluded to).

Cincinnati.com | Cincinnati Cincinnati Reds | The Cincinnati Enquirer

For good or ill, the Reds decided to go for it in 2010. They added Scott Rolen. They kept Arroyo, Harang and Cordero. I’m not sure if there was ever any interest in Cordero, but teams definitely inquired about Arroyo and Harang.

So do the Reds have a chance to make a run next season? I’ll go with a firm maybe.

It will depend on how the young players develop. Adding Rolen’s salary took away all of the flexibility the Reds had in their payroll. They’d have to move one of the aforementioned veteran pitchers in the offseason to open money to pursue free agents. That’s probably not going to happen.

Again, when the Reds got Rolen, it was a clear signal that CEO Bob Castellini thought the Reds were a short-term fix from contending in 2010.

I don't understand why a team would want to be a middle-of-the-pack type team. They're not bad, but they can't honestly think they will be there in the end...can they?

[missionhockey21]

It's to a point of being stubborn really. Rather thanadmit that the current roster isn't constructed to compete unless the stars and the moon align, the Reds would rather continue this facade. It's not impossible for this team to be a .500 team or even flirt with competing, but serious contention would take significant luck the way the current roster is constructed and we know how well relying on luck has worked.

[Doppelgänger]

I like Bob's idea of committing to trying to win, but to this point he is just blindly chasing that dream with the Rolen trade. I'm sure we will flip Frazier now for a fading old piece of the puzzle since we have our 3B.