India Trade Imminent?

[samhain]

Lots of rumors flying around about India to KC for Brady Singer, a starting pitcher that the Reds have shown interest in before. No idea How likely it is, but a few things I've read say a some form of this exchange will probably materialize in the next week.

I wouldn't hate it, I guess. If we brought in Singer and retain Martinez (highly likely at this point), there will be a good bit of starting pitching depth on the roster going into 2025.

I like India, but he's a player without a position. He's utility guy on a team that's loaded with utility guys. I'm beginning to thing that he and Steer are nearly the same player.

While this kind of move would help, they still need a corner OF. Any offseason that does not include adding a corner OF is a failure of epic proportions. How many times do they need to be shown that the OF isn't just a dumping ground for stray infielders?

[*bengalfan74*]

India is just an average batter, doesn't have great speed, and is a below average fielder. Like you say he's more of a utility man than a starter.

I'm not gonna be upset if he's traded.

[TecmoBengals]

Looks like an even trade if it were to happen: average hitter for an average pitcher. Singer isn't anything to get excited about, but the way pitchers get injured today it doesn't hurt to add another arm to the rotation.

[Goalpost]

To follow up on Martinez, the Reds offered him a 1 year 21 million dollar deal. He will likely sign by tomorrow.

[samhain]

(11-18-2024, 10:16 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Looks like an even trade if it were to happen: average hitter for an average pitcher. Singer isn't anything to get excited about, but the way pitchers get injured today it doesn't hurt to add another arm to the rotation.

Yeah any less than 6 or 7 starters isn't enough these days.  Another arm would also potentially them to spend the time they needed to develop Lowder and Burns.  

[grampahol]

I'm glad tthey have Martinez back in the fold another year, but in doggy years he's 238 years old. 

[samhain]

(11-19-2024, 08:08 PM)grampahol Wrote: I'm glad tthey have Martinez back in the fold another year, but in doggy years he's 238 years old. 

I think they did the right thing in keeping him.  H'es betting on himself, so he'll be motivated. 

The only way I'm mad about this is if it's their only serious signing.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

*Sees talk about India getting traded.*

[samhain]

(11-20-2024, 09:11 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: *Sees talk about India getting traded.*

Starting to look that way.  How bout some Candelario to the A's rumors?  That do anything for you?

[Nicomo Cosca]

Well it finally happened.

The #Reds have acquired RHP Brady Singer from the Royals in exchange for IF Jonathan India and OF Joey Wiemer.

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 23, 2024

[*psychdoctor*]

Good trade. Reds need depth pitching.

[CJD]

(11-22-2024, 09:47 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Well it finally happened.

The #Reds have acquired RHP Brady Singer from the Royals in exchange for IF Jonathan India and OF Joey Wiemer.

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 23, 2024

I think this is a good trade. Singer is not a top of the rotation arm, but India wasn't an elite hitter or fielder. We traded a solid player for a solid player that filled needs for both teams.

Wiemer being added to the deal doesn't feel like a huge loss. We needed outfielders bad last year, and he still couldn't make an impact. Maybe he learns to hit and becomes a decent player down the line, but he's now going to his 3rd team in less than a year. That typically means the player has major flaws that coaches feel they need to move him before his value falls to zero.

I will miss India because he was the leader on our team in 2023 and 2024, but the young guys are healthy and ready to step up I think.

Singer is a player I think the Royals are selling high on, so I want to temper my expectations of him. He outperformed his underlying statistics. His expected ERA was almost an entire run higher than his actual ERA, 4.65 vs 3.71), but he's about league average in strikeouts, walk rate, exit velocity, whiff rate, and barrel rate. The one thing I really like about his profile is he is 79th percentile in ground ball rate, nearly 50% of his balls in play were grounders. That'll play well in GABP. 

But, by far, his biggest strength is the fact that he has been what modern baseball considers an innings eater. In his last 3 seasons, he has exceeded 150 IP, with a career high 179.2 IP in 2024. That was good for 22nd highest in the majors last season. He also made 32 starts, tied for 9th in MLB last year. We haven't had a pitcher go over 150.1 IP since 2021 with Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle and Wade Miley. 

Singer, even if he's just a 4.00 ERA Pitcher, will be a stabilizing force for a rotation that has one legitimate star, and then a bunch of young guys that could explode or struggle down the stretch. Every 5th day, you'll know you're likely getting a start that won't make the game unwinnable before the 3rd inning (which, sadly enough, is an improvement from 2024).

We'll see what other moves they make to improve the offense going forward. Because with this, along with Martinez signing his qualifying offer, I think our rotation is set. They may add one or two bullpen arms down the stretch, but the majority of the off season should now be going towards finding a reliable every day right handed bat for the outfield and a solid back up catcher. If they can find some good depth on the bench as well, more power to them.

[Goalpost]

Can't have enough pitching. That said, I enjoyed India's style and competitive juice he played with.

[*ochocincos*]

I think this is a win for the Reds.

When I saw Wiemer added, I was like, "WHO?!"

India is an ok starting 2B but really more of a quality utility backup.
Singer is a solid SP who has pitched 27+ games each season the last 4 years.
He'll be a middle-to-end-of-rotation dude who should be durable and reliable, which is what the Reds needed badly.

Lodolo may be better than Singer when healthy, but Lodolo isn't reliable.
We don't know enough about Rhett Lowder, but I like what I saw in limited action.

Greene, Abbott, and Martinez are locks for the rotation and a solid 3.
With Singer, the Reds can allow Lodolo and Lowder to compete for the last spot and the other be a long reliever unless/until an injury occurs.

What I also like about this plan is this gives Lowder a full season to develop and let us get confidence going into 2026 if he can be a reliable quality arm such that they could be ok letting Martinez walk after this season.

[StoneTheCrow]

(11-23-2024, 04:17 AM)Goalpost Wrote: Can't have enough pitching. That said, I enjoyed India's style and competitive juice he played with.

[TecmoBengals]

Singer will added needed depth to the rotation. Today's game requires 7+ starting pitchers to keep a rotation going all season.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-23-2024, 04:17 AM)Goalpost Wrote: Can't have enough pitching.  That said, I enjoyed India's style and competitive juice he played with.

Agree on both points

I liked India's style and leadership as well. But at the end of the day his abilities just weren't all that. 

Good luck to him.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

We're going to be about a week into the season, both Marte and Espinal will be starting because inevitably someone will get hurt in spring training, and some people will be surprised our offense is so bad.

Just don't really get it. We need offense and harsh reality is India despite being a slightly above league average player, was our 3rd best player on offense last year.

I also heavily question how Singer will do in GABP. He's given up >41% hard hit balls each of the last 3 years, and still had league average HR/9 despite playing in a ballpark that's considered the 4th hardest to hit HRs in.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-23-2024, 01:30 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: We're going to be about a week into the season, both Marte and Espinal will be starting because inevitably someone will get hurt in spring training, and some people will be surprised our offense is so bad.

Just don't really get it. We need offense and harsh reality is India despite being a slightly above league average player, was our 3rd best player on offense last year.

I also heavily question how Singer will do in GABP. He's given up >41% hard hit balls each of the last 3 years, and still had league average HR/9 despite playing in a ballpark that's considered the 4th hardest to hit HRs in.

I'm not sure how much being the 3rd best offensive player on a just near awful offense moves the needle?

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(11-24-2024, 01:53 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'm not sure how much being the 3rd best offensive player on a just near awful offense moves the needle?

They made room for McLain and picked up a pitcher that's better than Ashcraft.

That's an upgrade.