Reds Start By Adding Tanner Roark

[kevin]

This is a good pitcher to add. Better than any starters Reds have had. They need to add more, but getting Tanner Roark on Day 2 of Winter Meetings a Good Start. We all know Reds haven't had any pitching last few years, that's not even up for debate, the last place stats speak loud and clear.

[grampahol]

I'm wondering what was in it for the Nats trading for Rainy..24.xx era wasn't exactly a blockbuster for them other than cutting payroll.. Maybe someone will go insane and think they just have to have Homer.. at any cost.. Yeah...I kind of doubt that myself..
What would seem really crazy is if they can get the pitching staff they really need without sacrificing the solid prospects we've got in the minor leagues.. 

[kevin]

What is in it for Washington Nationals is Tanner Roark was entering last year of his contract. It is estimated he will be worth 10 million next December Free Agency. We have seen Reds trade good players they know they are losing anyway for prospects just to say they got somebody in a trade, hoping it works out like trading Dave Parker for an unknown Jose Rijo. Of course often these prospects never pan out, as we have seen with Reds. So Nationals in last year of contract were thinking of dumping him now or in July. Just as Reds dumped good players like Cueto, Dunn, Bruce, Phillips for prospects to lower payroll.

So that's whats in it for Washington. What is in it for Reds if let's say he is only here one year. First, the Reds need pitching NOW. Second, Sparky Anderson said give him players in the last year of their contracts and he will win the World Series every year. The idea that Roark will be pitching his rear end off to get that pay raise. So Reds could keep him in 2020 if they want to sign him longer, or they could pitch him one year and gone to help the Reds in 2019.

Now we saw Reds pay all of Brandon Phillips last year as he played for Braves for free. If Washington is still paying all or even part of Roarks contract, it's a good move for small market Cincy. Instead of paying a Phillips to play for Atlanta, get other teams to pay for players now with Reds. The Reds should take all the free or half price good players they can get. Gennett for example came in on the cheap. Reds should be looking high and low for good players on the cheap, because Reds are in dire need of good players, as many as they can get. The Reds added Jim Kaat, Buddy Bell, Bo Diaz, Danny Naegel, Tony Fernandez, Bronson Arroyo, Scooter Gennett without spending the Mega Bucks. AL All-Star Tony Fernandez was a perfect example of getting a player cheap in last year of his contract, the Reds got a good player short term for next to nothing in payroll.

The Reds need to make many more moves to get out of Last Place they have been stuck in.

[CJD]

We got a 1 year rental of a decent quality pitcher (albeit one that may not play as well in Cincinnati due to relatively low K rate and relatively high fly ball rate) in exchange for an Ariel Hernandez type pitcher (legitimately incredible stuff but absolutely no control to speak of, making his stuff irrelevant until he learns to hit the strike zone).

I like it. It's the relative equivalent of signing a free agent pitcher to a 1 year deal, which teams would often LOVE to do but can't because free agent pitchers are always looking for 3+ year deals even into their 30s (see: J.A. Happ for an example of this).

[Circleville Guy]

What I like to do with a trade is to go to the other teams message board. It seems that our new pitcher has battled with gaining weight the last couple of years, they believe that this has contributed to his declining numbers. I view this as a lateral move to keeping Harvey. Roark is probably a small upgrade to Harvey and should add 2-3 wins to last years staff. They’ve basically replaced a .500 pitcher with a .500 pitcher. I do like adding Roark but it doesn’t move the needle much. It should be the goal to become a 90 win team, they still need to add a number 1 and 2 starter plus a CF to reach that goal.