Didi Gregorius

[Sea Ray]

How do you know Walt didn't try that? But more importantly -- that seems like an overpay to me. Stephenson and Corcino are a lot to give up just to keep a SS who is already blocked by a solid major leaguer. I think people are overreacting to a few AB's by DiDi. He's not chopped liver, obviously -- but he's not this good either.

What does blocked by a major leaguer mean? You could make a case that every minor league player is blocked by a major leaguer. As of last Fall Cozart represented as weak a spot as we had in the starting lineup. There was much debate as to whether he was a starting SS in the big leagues.

Didi is much more athletic than Cozart, younger and hits LH (a plus). I don't think there's any debating that he was the more valuable player. If he wasn't then AR would have taken Cozart in the deal. The argument here is you have to give up something in order to get something

[RedEye]

What does blocked by a major leaguer mean? You could make a case that every minor league player is blocked by a major leaguer. As of last Fall Cozart represented as weak a spot as we had in the starting lineup. There was much debate as to whether he was a starting SS in the big leagues.

Didi is much more athletic than Cozart, younger and hits LH (a plus). I don't think there's any debating that he was the more valuable player. If he wasn't then AR would have taken Cozart in the deal. The argument here is you have to give up something in order to get something

I agree 100%. I suppose all I was trying to say was that the Reds had two possible SS -- one that had played a full ML season and one that was on the verge of the majors. Cozart may not be as good as DiDi will, but his presence is what made the Reds able to give up something. My bad for the awkward wording.

[Beltway]

I wish the Reds had hung on to Didi and not traded for Choo. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what Choo is doing here, but I think he's probably gone after this season and Didi could have been under team control for several more years. With the Votto contract, we need more players like Didi and fewer like Choo. That's economic reality for a mid market team like the Reds in 2013.

[Benihana]

I wish the Reds had hung on to Didi and not traded for Choo. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what Choo is doing here, but I think he's probably gone after this season and Didi could have been under team control for several more years. With the Votto contract, we need more players like Didi and fewer like Choo. That's economic reality for a mid market team like the Reds in 2013.

That's not the reality if you want a team like the Reds to contend for a Championship in 2013.

[oregonred]

I wish the Reds had hung on to Didi and not traded for Choo. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what Choo is doing here, but I think he's probably gone after this season and Didi could have been under team control for several more years. With the Votto contract, we need more players like Didi and fewer like Choo. That's economic reality for a mid market team like the Reds in 2013.

Well stated, Choo could put the Reds over the top in 2013, but you need some cheap parts in the 2014-2017 years to keep this staff somewhat togther. This is amplified by Didi's hot start in Arizona and Cozart's sub-par season so we'll see how it plays out over the next few years.

[Red Swagger]

Reds made a HUGE MISTAKE trading Gregorius, not even 23 years old. Cozart is as good is he's going to be, Didi has just scratched the surface. Bad move by the Reds, I like Choo, but Gregorius is valuable to this small market team. This team will regret that trade, just BC a player is blocked, DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO AUTOMATICALLY TRADE HIM. Cozart is awful.

C- Mes
1B- Votto-
2B- Phillips
3B- Frazier
SS- Gregorius
LF- ?
CF- B Hamilton
RF- Bruce

Every position is locked down or would have been except for LF and we have Erwin and Winker coming up. Acquiring Choo just made another hole on this franchise, SS.

[BluegrassRedleg]

Cozart is fine on a team with a legit lineup and has him in the 8 hole. Not this team in the 2 hole.

[Wonderful Monds]

Gregorious is having a good year, but its driven by a .371 BABIP. i.e., its not sustainable.

He may be good, but its too early to say anything about the Reds regretting trading him.

[Maker_84]

I wish the Reds had hung on to Didi and not traded for Choo. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what Choo is doing here, but I think he's probably gone after this season and Didi could have been under team control for several more years. With the Votto contract, we need more players like Didi and fewer like Choo. That's economic reality for a mid market team like the Reds in 2013.

i wish they would have switched Cozart for Gregorius and iw ould have been happy

[757690]

Simple math:

Difference between Choo and Stubbs far greater than the difference between Didi and Cozart.

And remember, Reds get a draft pick for Choo next season, so the trade for him will also help the Reds on the long term.

[Wonderful Monds]

i wish they would have switched Cozart for Gregorius and iw ould have been happy

Sure, and I wish we could trade Manny Parra for Yasiel Puig, but that wouldn't happen either.

[UK Reds Fan]

in 6 minor league season Didi put up a .697 OPS...he is having a fast start at Arizona but lets see if he even has a .750 OPS by years end.

[Beltway]

in 6 minor league season Didi put up a .697 OPS...he is having a fast start at Arizona but lets see if he even has a .750 OPS by years end.

Didi has gold glove potential and a higher offensive ceiling than Cozart. He'll never be a Tulo, but if he finishes this season with even a .700 OPS, I think the Dbacks would be happy.

I understand Jocketty's reasoning with the trade. It's just frustrating to see someone who spent so much time in the Reds farm system succeed for another team, especially at a premium position like SS. Right now, he's looking someone we'll seriously regret trading for the next 5-10 years.

[Vottomatic]

Didi has gold glove potential and a higher offensive ceiling than Cozart. He'll never be a Tulo, but if he finishes this season with even a .700 OPS, I think the Dbacks would be happy.

I understand Jocketty's reasoning with the trade. It's just frustrating to see someone who spent so much time in the Reds farm system succeed for another team, especially at a premium position like SS. Right now, he's looking someone we'll seriously regret trading for the next 5-10 years.

Meh. Gregorius will have to hit better than Cozart for him to end up being better. Cozart's glove is topnotch. He's definitely the best defensive SS we've had since Larkin.

[757690]

Didi has gold glove potential and a higher offensive ceiling than Cozart. He'll never be a Tulo, but if he finishes this season with even a .700 OPS, I think the Dbacks would be happy.

I understand Jocketty's reasoning with the trade. It's just frustrating to see someone who spent so much time in the Reds farm system succeed for another team, especially at a premium position like SS. Right now, he's looking someone we'll seriously regret trading for the next 5-10 years.

I love it when Reds farmhands do well with other teams. It just means that the Reds are so good at developing talent, that they can't keep them all. Having former Reds farmhands succeed with other teams is a good thing, especially when they were traded for such valuable players as Choo.