I'd go after the Ace pitcher because we have guys on the roster who could "emerge" as that hitter behind Votto, such as Bruce.
But the only way to be sure is to sign or trade for a hitter.
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That's where I'm at also. Would have to believe Bruce could provide protection for Votto this year. And there's probably a left field platoon in the organization that would be productive (Gomes/Nix, or Heisey/Fransisco/Alonzo).
But I'd rather have Greinke than continue to hope for Homer or Volquez or Cueto to step into the ACE level.
I go LF/Bat as we have pitching, people just refuse to see the talent we have. We didn't lose to the Phils do to pitching...we lost because we didn't score.
Again the pitching is there, the depth is there, there is NO reason to waste player trades on something we don't need. We have NO LF, how can you say it's more important to add depth to a position, when we have 0 depth or talent in LF? Our pitching is just fine...:)
Not trying to be rude here but the Reds have only 1 guy who has pitched 200+ Innings in ONE Season on the Roster...
Now Cueto pitched 185 Innings last year and has been in the 170+ each of the past 3 seasons but that is it...
I Love the Reds pitching... Love it!
Leake and Wood are going to be awesome through a FULL Season... but they are young.
You would be nieve to go in banking on all the young pitchers giving the team 200+ innings each...
In my Humble Opinion... The Reds need one more Starter who has consistantly Pitched 200+ Innings...
So if Greinke is available... they need to trade for him... He is under contract for 2 years and would give the Reds a guaranteed 400 Innings PLUS from their top two Starters...
I think Wood and especially Leake will be able to consistantly throw 200+ Innings... So lets be clear on that. I just would prefer another "Quality" pitcher in the rotation who can be counted on for 32-34 Starts & 200+ Innings...
Why? What did you see during the season or in the playoffs that leads you to believe our starting pitching staff isn't deep enough and talented enough to carry us to another division title? Who cares if they throw 200+ innings, what does that have to do with anything? We have incredible depth to cover that. As I said earlier, if you watched the playoff series with Philly, our pitching is not why we didn't win, it was horrible D and no hitting. Fix the D, add more hitting and we will be fine.
Quick question. Do the Reds have a pitcher that can match Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Adam Wainwright, or CC Sabathia in game 1 of a playoff series? In my opinion it is crucial to have at least one balls to the wall Ace on your staff if teams are going to advance anywhere in the playoffs. The Reds right now seem to be built to win in the regular season but will still have trouble winning in a playoff series.
BRM, it is also sort of a chicken and the egg sort of thing when you are talking about not hitting in the playoffs. Was it because all of a sudden the best offense in the National League couldn't hit or was it the fact that you went up against pitching that can shut down a lineup on a nightly basis? I can tell you this, a lot of hitters forget how to hit when they face Halladay, Wainwright, and Lincecum.
Hondo, I don't know how there is any other way to explain that the Reds do not have a pitcher where I can say when the Cards play them I think to myself "Well that is probably going to be a loss".
It's not an issue of depth. The Reds have TONS of depth. The question is if they have the one guy at the top of the rotation.
I wouldn't be opposed to trading to get a guy like that, I'm just not sure who it is. I don't think I put Grienke in that category. I also think there are 3 or 4 guys on the staffs now that COULD develop into that guy in the next year or two so I question how big a price I'd be willing to pay to find that guy.
This is absolutely true of the current Reds. Maybe one of Cueto, Wood, Chapman, etc develop into an elite ACE, but the way things stand right now we're going to be looking at a bunch of division titles with 1st round exits in the next 5 years. Please understand that I'm not really complaining about that. It sure as heck beats the last decade, but to believe the current structure of the Reds is set to make a world series run is probably unrealistic.
Agreed, we dont have that "near certain win" pitcher yet. I do see Leake and Wood possibly, as well as Chapman simpy with his stuff. I like Cueto and Volquez, when they are on they are really good. However, and I dont have anything to back this up but my own thoughts/observations, I dont think either of them has the mental make up to calm themselves down, dig deep, and keep it together let alone take it to the next level when they arent on or things get rough.
Look at another reply in here...
The Phillies beat the Reds down because of Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt...
That is 3 #1's, and I am stretching Hamels into a Number 1...
The Reds Bronson Arroyo is a great Innings eater and a great guy with the younger pitchers because he never gets wound up about "bad starts" etc...
But this team needs an ACE. A guy to shut down the other team... My point is this...
Arroyo 215.2 IP
Cueto 185.2 IP
Leake 138.1 IP
Bailey 109 IP
Wood 102.2 IP (100 Innings @ AAA also)
I think the Reds should start a new trend and go to a 6 man starting rotation.
Arroyo, Cueto, Bailey, Leake, Wood, Volquez.
Not kidding.
Teams used to have 4 man rotations. Then it went to 5 man rotations. Why not 6? We have the power. We have the technology. We can rebuild him..........da na na na........The Six Million Dollar Man........uh, but I digress. We have the pitchers to do it. And if one gets injured we have Maloney and LeCure in the minors to fill in. Even Chapman if needed.
It would lower the innings pitched and wear and tear on those arms.