One Closer off the board

[Wally Mo Pena]

farnsworth and simpson are actually really similar pitchers stuff-wise, but simpson doesn't keep his head lodged where the sun don't shine, so i'll take my chances with simpson. need i remind people that he gave up one run in the fall league this year, the same league that everyone was saying was so hitting heavy!

dude throws 97 and has good movement. How many pitches does rivera use? He may have had bad control at one point, but does that brand him for the rest of his career? Are we willing to believe that someone may actually improve their control at some point or not? Give me Power! Give me Simpson! that is all.

[missionhockey21]

He may have had bad control at one point, but does that brand him for the rest of his career? Are we willing to believe that someone may actually improve their control at some point or not? Give me Power! Give me Simpson! that is all.

That's not what I am saying at all Wally. Just that given his age and lack of MLB success, I am leary of him to tell the truth. Of course he can find his control, I just dont want to get too hyped about this guy til I can see what he does up here. Assuming we have cash to spend, I would be much more comfortable in bringing in a pitcher with some success at the MLB level (I know with Farnsworth he just had a big year in his career, but still) and if we're overstocked, that wont hurt either. I want Simpson to get a legit shot because I have heard of his potential and if he (or Coffey) steps up, we can always deal the reliever we signed to close out games for us. Although that in itself is a bit of pipe dream and I think the closers spot will be a pretty much wide open competition come this spring with Weathers as the favorite.

[Wally Mo Pena]

agreed on the closers spot being up for grabs. and i'm mostly just hyping simpson cause i think it's fun, but i would like to see him get a shot in the pen, we haven't had a real power arm in a while. belisle i guess is the closest. that said, in this closers market, i don't think the reds need to spend a bunch on farnsworth (who i hate) when we have so many potential backend pitchers.

our pen should look something like:

wagner/coffey/simpson - closer and set up
shakleford/weathers/merker - set up middle relief
and one of hancock/belisle/wilson/hudson/milton who isn't in the rotation as LR

it's putting a lot on the young guys, but that's what this team needs to do in my opinion. If those three guys at the back perform well, and it's a big if, the reds could be scary. I can see the nasty boys redux posters already. Simpson the new dibble? Wagner the new Randal K? Coffey the new Charlton? I can dream can't I?

[Geki Ace]

Big if? It's a big no chance at happening. Simpson is never going to amount to anything at a major league level. He's not some 21-year-old prospect. He's a 28-year-old guy who couldn't make it to the majors in the ROCKIES system. He has nothing but a fastball, his control is horrendous, and a nice month playing against AA talent in the fall league doesn't change that. While Farnsworth doesn't have impeccable control, it's not awful, and he makes up for it by being unhittable. The insane strikeout rates are great. The small number of homers kicks ass. The G/F ratio is solid. Oh, and he kicks ass. He's really pretty much a low-risk/high-reward signing. Even if he didn't do to well, I guarantee there'll be a team or five searching for an arm like his at the trading deadline and they'll be willing to pay for his contract and give us a decent prospect or two in return. Farnsworth is an ideal closer for at least this year, and if Wagner can't stay healthy or doesn't play up to his potential, he could go beyond that. As I've said, unless Coffey's splitter is amazing, he's going to be useless because he's so hittable. We don't have the players to have an actual major league closer right now, and Farnsworth or Gordon would give us that.

[Wally Mo Pena]

people get so crazy about having super young prospects. 21!? who cares if he's not 21? The only difference with developing a 21 yr old reliever and a 28 yr old reliever is that when the 21 yr old is in his prime around 28, he'll be on a different team. your signature on the board in fact promotes a player who has had a big impact on the reds and spent 8 years in the minors, ryan freel. If this guy simpson put it together, i'm not going to write him off just because of his age.

ESPNs scouting report on simpson says: Hard-throwing Strikeout Reliever. Has The Arm Velocity And Pitches To Be A Successful Ml Middleman. It lists him with a plus 4 seam and 2 seam fastball and an average slider.

How much scouting have you done on him? did you know that his career k/9 is over 10? did you know that his career whip is 1.68? That's terrible. But his whip with the reds was 1.20, and with the AFL it was 1.04. I'm at least open to the possibility that he has figured something out, and will be at least what ESPN's scouts think he will be.

To me good is good, regardless of age. If you can be excited about kevin howard or chris denorfia, you can be excited about allan simpson.

[Wally Mo Pena]

also, talk about focusing on one good season, calling kyle farnsworth "unhittable" is rediculous. His whip in the majors is 1.39, his whip in the minors was 1.38. 8.40 h/9 is hardly unhittable. 1.3 hr/9 also isn't that great.

[Geki Ace]

Farnsworth put up a 1.01 WHIP last year and was, as I said, pretty much unhittable. Why do you think Simpson has put it together after 6.2 poor innings with the Reds and a good AFL season? Really, for as dominant as he supposedly was in the AFL, that 1.04 WHIP is kinda disappointing. It shows that his control still wasn't all that great, and I'm finding it impossible to get excited about this guy.

And the fact that he's 28 does matter. A 21-year-old with bad control has time to improve that. A 28-year-old with bad control doesn't, and judging by Simpson's career, I doubt he suddenly figured out how to control his pitches after "great" tutelage from the Reds pitching coaches.

[Wally Mo Pena]

well you're claiming your boy farnsy figured the same thing out in one season, and he's a year older.

[Geki Ace]

Farnsworth had good seasons before this year. He was very good in 2003 and 2001. Simpson hasn't shown the ability to do anything at a major league level.

[Geki Ace]

Well, Wally, it's being reported that the Yankees landed Farnsworth for three years at 17 million, with a bonus million if he becomes closer at any time. I'm sure that'll make you very happy.

[Wally Mo Pena]

hey, i get your points man, i do. He would have been an upgrade for the reds for sure. I just happen to hate the guy because he tackled paul wilson in the batters box. He always seemed too hittable to me, which is why he's changed teams so many times recently.

From a general manager point of view, i don't think the reds need him as much as they need other parts, but i think you were right that he would have probably retained his value, and could have been dealt at some point. You can't sign prospects, and sometimes you have to go about it this way. Signing him would have been adding value to the team.

[Geki Ace]

I happen to like the guy because he tackled Paul Wilson in the batter's box.

That, and because of the Dugouts that he stars in on www.wordupthome.com. That = Hilarity.