Reds Offseason Thread

[The D.O.Z.]

Farmer was set to make like 5.5 million this upcoming season. No way Cardinal Bob was going to pay that when they can trade him for cheap bullpen help and pick up a cheaper, slightly younger option. My question is does this make Barrero the everyday guy for the year to showcase his skills? That’s a LOT of strikeouts if so. Or do they make a trade for a rental until one of their top SS prospects is ML ready? Will there be any AFFORDABLE options in FA? I do applaud the pitching acquisition, his bp numbers look good. Didn’t fare well as a starter.

[guyofthetiger]

Sorry to see Kyle Farmer move on but maybe he will be on a contender. Who really wants to be on the Reds team?

[samhain]

(11-19-2022, 01:39 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Farmer was set to make like 5.5 million this upcoming season. No way Cardinal Bob was going to pay that when they can trade him for cheap bullpen help and pick up a cheaper, slightly younger option. My question is does this make Barrero the everyday guy for the year to showcase his skills? That’s a LOT of strikeouts if so. Or do they make a trade for a rental until one of their top SS prospects is ML ready? Will there be any AFFORDABLE options in FA? I do applaud the pitching acquisition, his bp numbers look good. Didn’t fare well as a starter.

I'd guess Barrero gets every chance to show he can be the shortstop.  If he's demonstrably bad for a month or 2, Newman is the fallback.  At that point, it's just a matter of when De la Cruz is ready to make the jump.  If Barrero does happen to look competent, then they have to make decisions on some guys at the upper levels of the farm.  DO they stay at short or do they become outfielders?  

I hope Barrero can run with it.  He still had the injury to justify his struggles last year.  An offseason of recovery and work, perhaps he can fulfill some of the potential everyone was excited about a year ago.  If not, then there's an embarrassment of riches at the SS position that are close to ready.

With Farmer out of the picture, Steer can take over at 3rd.  That's not a bad thing IMO.  

This ownership seems fine with aborting any hope to be competitive in 2023 before the calendar year even starts.  That's the message I'm getting.  The only way they compete is if the three young starters take big steps forward and carry them.  

The only players I think they should sign are relievers and perhaps an inning-eating starter.  When the record is in the toilet around midseason, they'll want to be able to run some guys out there to keep the young arms from getting worn out for no reason.  I wouldn't mind an outfielder, either, but I doubt we see any of significance.

[The D.O.Z.]

(11-20-2022, 11:22 AM)samhain Wrote: I'd guess Barrero gets every chance to show he can be the shortstop.  If he's demonstrably bad for a month or 2, Newman is the fallback.  At that point, it's just a matter of when De la Cruz is ready to make the jump.  If Barrero does happen to look competent, then they have to make decisions on some guys at the upper levels of the farm.  DO they stay at short or do they become outfielders?  

I hope Barrero can run with it.  He still had the injury to justify his struggles last year.  An offseason of recovery and work, perhaps he can fulfill some of the potential everyone was excited about a year ago.  If not, then there's an embarrassment of riches at the SS position that are close to ready.

With Farmer out of the picture, Steer can take over at 3rd.  That's not a bad thing IMO.  

This ownership seems fine with aborting any hope to be competitive in 2023 before the calendar year even starts.  That's the message I'm getting.  The only way they compete is if the three young starters take big steps forward and carry them.  

The only players I think they should sign are relievers and perhaps an inning-eating starter.  When the record is in the toilet around midseason, they'll want to be able to run some guys out there to keep the young arms from getting worn out for no reason.  I wouldn't mind an outfielder, either, but I doubt we see any of significance.

I actually see Steer as the everyday Utility guy, with India moving back to third, where his defense will play better post-shift era. Newman projects more as a 2b and I would use Steer as my new Farmer, he can play a lot of spots and get daily ABs. But that all hinges on Barrero succeeding at SS. I give him some leeway due to that hamate injury but I feel his strikeouts were due to bad plate discipline (he regressed a lot) more than physically struggling. Maybe he was in his head too much? I hope he succeeds but I’m glad we have some decent options on the horizon!

[TecmoBengals]

Aquino signs to play in Japan.

[BFritz21]

Reds just signed Luke Maile to a one year deal at catcher!

He's 31 and went to my high school! He's a great kid!

[guyofthetiger]

(11-28-2022, 09:46 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Reds just signed Luke Maile to a one year deal at catcher!

He's 31 and went to my high school! He's a great kid!

I heard he went to Cov Catholic. And now he's back home. Hope he does well.

[BFritz21]

(12-01-2022, 02:28 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: I heard he went to Cov Catholic. And now he's back home. Hope he does well.

Yeah.

His old man coached me in basketball (might have been his grandpa, and he was the varsity assistant my freshman year and then at summer open gyms going into sophomore year when the wreck happened).

[samhain]

(11-20-2022, 02:47 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: I actually see Steer as the everyday Utility guy, with India moving back to third, where his defense will play better post-shift era. Newman projects more as a 2b and I would use Steer as my new Farmer, he can play a lot of spots and get daily ABs. But that all hinges on Barrero succeeding at SS. I give him some leeway due to that hamate injury but I feel his strikeouts were due to bad plate discipline (he regressed a lot) more than physically struggling. Maybe he was in his head too much? I hope he succeeds but I’m glad we have some decent options on the horizon!

I think India should move to the OF.  This team has nothing in the outfield and India is just an okay 2nd baseman.  He had a lot of unforced errors last year.  They have enough infielders in the system now to take that spot.  By the time they are competitive again, India will serve them better out there.  

[TecmoBengals]

Reds made a series of moves:

- Signed Curt Casali - to a one-year deal, he's back to catch.
- Signed Wil Myers, presumably to play the OF.
- Cut Moustakas.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

Finally did something. Not bad so far. Myers can hit and I always liked Casali. He fit in well here.

[samhain]

Myers is a borderline starter/4th outfielder on a decent roster. Here he's top dog.

I like Casali better than Luke Maile. Maile is not good and Casali, at the least is good at handling a pitching staff.

Moose was an overpay for this team. This team has to overpay for guys like Moose, because they suck for long stretches and it costs money to convince players to come here. This scenario will repeat itself with the continued cheapness and stupidity of the front office. When the time comes, they will want to sign a significant free agent and they will overpay because Cincinnati is now a baseball sinkhole. They'll cut bat as with Moustakas, lose millions, and with those millions also lost the ability to retain/aquire good players.

When will dumbass Bob figure it out? Owning a good baseball team is expensive. Probably too expensive to someone punching at his half-stepper billionaire weight. You know what's even more expensive? Being a sucky owner that pays washed and overrated players to decline/not play baseball. The Reds will always have to participate in this cycle so long as lining Bob's pockets is the only goal.

Any owner that cannot afford a floor of 150mil in payroll should be purged from the league in humiliating fashion. People like Bob harm the integrity of the sport in significant ways. Baseball should make an example of this prick and others like him. If they don't, they will continue to fall far behind football and basketball as the most popular and profitable American sports. By the time they are done, Soccer and MMA with pass them as well. All due to greedy players and stupid owners.

[*bengalfan74*]

(12-23-2022, 01:52 PM)samhain Wrote: Myers is a borderline starter/4th outfielder on a decent roster.  Here he's top dog.  

I like Casali better than Luke Maile.  Maile is not good and Casali, at the least is good at handling a pitching staff.  

Moose was an overpay for this team.  This team has to overpay for guys like Moose, because they suck for long stretches and it costs money to convince players to come here.  This scenario will repeat itself with the continued cheapness and stupidity of the front office.  When the time comes, they will want to sign a significant free agent and they will overpay because Cincinnati is now a baseball sinkhole.  They'll cut bat as with Moustakas, lose millions, and with those millions also lost the ability to retain/aquire good players.

When will dumbass Bob figure it out?  Owning a good baseball team is expensive.  Probably too expensive to someone punching at his half-stepper billionaire weight.  You know what's even more expensive?  Being a sucky owner that pays washed and overrated players to decline/not play baseball.  The Reds will always have to participate in this cycle so long as lining Bob's pockets is the only goal.

Any owner that cannot afford a floor of 150mil in payroll should be purged from the league in humiliating fashion.  People like Bob harm the integrity of the sport in significant ways.  Baseball should make an example of this prick and others like him.  If they don't, they will continue to fall far behind football and basketball as the most popular and profitable American sports.  By the time they are done, Soccer and MMA with pass them as well.  All due to greedy players and stupid owners.

I have to agree with most of that. On a scale of 1-10 on how much do I believe the Reds have any chance of contending under Bob I'd go with -4

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

The Padres, Marlins and Reds are vying for free-agent righty Johnny Cueto, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. as per MLB.com

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

The Reds signed Luke Weaver to a 1 year $2,000,000 contract and DFA'd Matt Reynolds. If Reynolds clears waivers, the Reds want to make him a non-roster training camp invitee.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

LOL

David Bell keeps signing utility players like him. They're vital and important for a strong team but Bell wants to fill his roster with bench players.

The Reds have reached an agreement with veteran utility player Chad Pinder on a Minor League contract, a source told MLB.com on Monday. When the deal is completed, Pinder will receive an invitation to big league camp as a non-roster player.

The club has not confirmed the agreement.

Pinder, who will be 31 on Opening Day March 29, spent his first seven big league seasons with the A's. A second-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, Pinder has a .242/.294/.417 career slash line (.711 OPS).

A right-handed hitter, Pinder has 62 home runs in 553 games.

[cinci4life]

(01-31-2023, 01:31 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: LOL

David Bell keeps signing utility players like him. 

Umm what? He's not the one signing players to the team.

[TecmoBengals]

Krall keeps signing trash utility players like Bell.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(01-31-2023, 02:09 AM)cinci4life Wrote: Umm what? He's not the one signing players to the team.

(01-31-2023, 10:00 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Krall keeps signing trash utility players like Bell.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure the manager does have a say in who they sign or what they're looking for in a player. This type of signing is what Bell's been all about since he's been here.

[*bengalfan74*]

(01-31-2023, 01:31 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: LOL

David Bell keeps signing utility players like him. They're vital and important for a strong team but Bell wants to fill his roster with bench players.

The Reds have reached an agreement with veteran utility player Chad Pinder on a Minor League contract, a source told MLB.com on Monday. When the deal is completed, Pinder will receive an invitation to big league camp as a non-roster player.

The club has not confirmed the agreement.

Pinder, who will be 31 on Opening Day March 29, spent his first seven big league seasons with the A's. A second-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, Pinder has a .242/.294/.417 career slash line (.711 OPS).

A right-handed hitter, Pinder has 62 home runs in 553 games.

Oh goodie