Kyle Lohse
 

Reports are that Kyle Lohse is bringing down his contract demands, maybe to 9 a year for 4 years. I wonder if anybody thinks a $36 million for four years for Lohse would be worth while for the Reds. According to Dougdirt's stats posted a while back on the redsminorleagues.com site, Lohse was almost a perfect league average #3 last year. He'd strengthen the rotation for 2008 and give us some time to evaluate Bailey, Cueto, Maloney, Volquez (and any others). If the young uns get good enough by 2009 or 2010, Lohse could be moved. If they get really good, Lohse could provide insurance while we move Arroyo. He'd also open up the possibility of a move of Belisle. 2008: Harang, Arroyo, Lohse, Belisle, one of Bailey, Volquez, Cueto, Maloney etc. (or more if they prove up to the task). Best possible scenario for 2009: Harang, Bailey, Cueto, Volquez, Maloney, with Lohse, Arroyo, and Belisle all available to be moved. It's likely that wouldn't quite be possible, but we might well be able to move 1 or 2 of those 3.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

no no no no no. been there done that and we sure aint going back to kyle lohse.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Which one of the free agent possibilities would you rather have than Lohse--Lieber, Livan, Tomko, Benson? Lohse would make us better in 2008 and be someone we could move as early as 2009, unless we decided to move somebody else because of flexibility Lohse would give us. Assuming we make no other deal for a pitcher, does Lohse make us more or less likely to win the Central in 2008?

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Lohse doesn't make us better. I think Bailey and Volquez can do better for less money. The problem with Lohse is he's inconsistent. He's six and an occasional seven innings of good baseball or he's three or four innings of God awful baseball. I'd rather have Livan, who will probably be cheaper than Lohse. I don't like signing any of those SP to more than a one year deal with a second option year.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Mlbtraderumors.com recently suggested it could be 3 years, 36 million dollars. It might be better to sign an available Sp free agent in 2009, as there will be better starting pitchers available then.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

i would rather have a cheap weakness than an expensive one, and then you could carry that money into next offseason and hope there is actually someone worth dropping it on. there is no way i would just give it away because there is no one better right now.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

I alway thought Loshe was underrated. He has a lot of talent, and is a very good pitcher when he's on. He's worth about $7 mill a year I guess to a team like the Reds. But I'm sure he can and will get more from elsewhere. Without looking, at his stats and age I'm guessing he is starting to hit his peak years. I won't be surprised if he has a really good 4-5 years ahead of him.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

NO, does the name Eric Milton ring any bells? Signing Lohse for that money would be similar.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Would love Lohse at $10M/1 yr, but no way would I do that rate for three years. I think he's a candidate for some motivation problems once he gets a big contract.

He would certainly make us better though, thinking Bailey and Volquez are better than him right now is crazy IMO. Lohse is the best FA starter out there.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Didnt we think that going into last year, and what came of that? I think it is in both parties best interests to avoid this one. I would hope we wouldnt consider him, and I would hope after his season here last year, his pride wouldnt allow him to come back.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

It seems like I hear that every year. Do you have any reason to think that? Or are you just saying that because it couldn't possibly be worse than this year's crop of free agent pitchers?

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Both

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

In the 200 or so innings he pitched as a Red, Lohse had a 4.58 ERA. If whoever the Reds add for the rotation in 08 pitches as well as Lohse did last year, I'd be pretty happy. Especially if that guy didn't cost us any of the big four to acquire. Yes he is going to be overpriced but Kyle Lohse is not a bad pitcher.

Re: Kyle Lohse
 

Bah, I can handle not having him back again. He's so inconsistent. Is he better than any of the other rotation fodder that's being discussed? I don't know really, and that's part of the problem at that level. But whatever he makes, it's going to be too much. He's just in the right place at the right time.