It's definitely better than Van Poppel, Padilla, Reidling, and whatever other soft tossing scrub we had in there last season
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It's definitely better than Van Poppel, Padilla, Reidling, and whatever other soft tossing scrub we had in there last season
I'm starting to get a little excited, just with the fact that the reds are doing SOMETHING! However I'm a little disapointed. Last week I sent in my season ticket non-renewal notice and now I'm kind of regretting it. Oh well, I guess it's too late now.
Well, I think you still go to arb with Reidling.. He can't possibly get that much of a raise. If he stinks in spring training, the Reds are only on the hook for something like 20% of his salary if they cut him. I can't see Reidling getting more than a million (if that, probably less).
Reidling has been good up until the second part of last year (Remember that first month or so when everyone was clamoring for him to be closer ;) )
It's worth a 100-200k risk to bring him to spring training and see if he's recovered (that's all he'd cost if cut in spring training). Foolish to nontender him, IMO.
Also, only Graves and Weathers should be locks for the team (due to their contracts). Everyone else should have to earn a spot. For example, if Acevado/Valentine stinks it up in spring training, I have no problem with cutting them. I think most of the other candidates still have options, so make them earn their slot.
I am not sure if this matters, but Ben Webber was one of the BIG post-season heros of the 2002 Angel World Champs. I like these signings, although I see Weathers as way over the hill and only useful when you are already down 12-0 in the 4th inning.....in other words, I would bring him in just ahead of your 5th outfielder to pitch.
Bingo.Quote:
Originally Posted by FrenchD1
As folks down at corporate decide how to close the years end budget this sort of "press" actually comes into play on how said bucks could be spent.
As do a couple of grey goose and tonics, but I digress.
A bullpen of Acevedo, Weber, Wagner, Valentine, Weathers and Graves is much better than the slop they ran out there last year.
Two 35-year-old relievers. We'll see how much either one has left.
I like Weber. He's twitchy. Of course so was Josias Manzanillo.
They both have a track record of pitching well in 2001-2003, certainly better than Todd Jones had going in to 2004. Weathers was down a little and Weber was awful in 2004.Quote:
Originally Posted by M2
Seeing them rebound to a 2003 type performance is not an unreasonable expectation.
AGREED: Keep in mind that Acevedo's bullpen ERA is still 0.00 if I remember correctly.Quote:
Originally Posted by redsfan30
so where's the lefty?Quote:
Originally Posted by redsfan30
This won't exactly be a "stuff" bullpen, but it's a little more serviceable than what they had last year.
The real question I have is how capable can these two be at bouncing back and pitching consecutive days on a routine basis.
I'm also interested in seeing where Coffey and Shackleford fit into this now crowded situation. I want at least one of them with the big club, preferably Coffey. That guy's going to be a stud. But then again, maybe M2's wish that the younger guys get a chance to have a fair amount of success at the higher levels before they move on is coming to fruition.
We shall see what we shall see.
Just need Mercker for the lefty and it won't be to bad. I can see the Reds carring 12 pitchers next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by redsfan30
Weber's unusual form will be a novelty in the NL- that should help him keep NL hitters off balance.
We also are less dependent on Wagner setting up than we were going into last year
Honestly, I'm not sure what a reasonable expectation is for either one. I haven't looked that deeply into the matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by flyer85
Weber was injured last year so that may or may not have a spillover effect. If he's 100% and still in possession of his former repertoire, his sinker could be an effective pitch in "the world's smallest rainforest."
As wheels noted, neither of these guys is blessed with great stuff. Pitchers like that can go fast. The Reds have been very good about finding relievers under rocks in the past, but in the JimBo regime the focus was on collecting younger guys with big arms. The DanO regime seems to prefer older guys with pitchability (baseball's code for "a certain je ne sais quoi"). The DanO model seems more susceptible to backfiring, at least that's my take. IMO, the Reds would do well to get a solid year out of one of these guys. If both deliver that's gravy. If neither deliver it's time to reconsider the model.