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Thread: Can the Reds attract free agents?

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    Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Not that we do a ton of shopping, but I just wanted everyone's thoughts on this. The Reds seem to be a solid franchise again, and have shown they are willing to reward their guys (Votto Phillips) that play well. I wonder if we will get to the point where one of the top players wants to play in Cincy. At one point we got the best player in the game at the time (Grifffey), and I know he had his ties to the Reds before wanting to play here. What do you guys think?


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    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Top free agents, absolutely not. First there is the whole money thing. We blew our cash (I don't mean blew it in a bad way, but more so that we spent it) on Joey Votto. The Reds, in the current structure of MLB, aren't going to be able to spend $20M on two different players. The market is simply too small for them and if they do get to the point where they can, the top guys will be making more than that and it still won't matter. The Reds just won't be able to compete with the top market teams for the top end guys. The revenue simply isn't going to be there for it.

    Now mid-teir guys? Maybe that is more likely, but I still think it is something in the not so close future. The Reds have a lot of money tied up in guys over the next few years.

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    Tony Cloninger (07-07-2013)

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    WE can absolutely attract FA's, but likely can't afford them.

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    Tom Servo (07-07-2013)

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    I agree with Doug. 99% of top tier free agents go to whichever team offers them the most money and the Reds almost certainly will be out bid in those situations by teams with greater resources.
    "Hey...Dad. Wanna Have A Catch?" Kevin Costner in "Field Of Dreams."

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    Bullpen or whatever RedEye's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Unlikely that they can now, for all the reasons Doug cites above. Still, I think it is kinda cool rooting for this franchise right now. Obviously, that's because they are winning, but also because they are doing it with mostly players they have developed themselves. I'd much rather see Homer and Jay grow up to win than to see a FA hired gun come in and win. Maybe I'm just weird that way...

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    joshua (07-07-2013)

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    Five Tool Fool jojo's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    I think Walt has established the MO for the Reds.

    Have a strong farm system, lock up your stars that make it, add top tier talent through leveraging your farm via trades, and augment the 25 man roster through acquisition of second tier free agents.
    "This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Nobody on here knows what the Reds can spend or can't spend. It's all conjecture.

    If a situation ever came up when the Reds thought it was essential to do so, it's possible they could bid for a top free agent. We really don't know.

    Right now, they seem focused on signing their own players, selectively, plus trades and second tier free agents.

    Choo will be an interesting case at the end of this season, when he will be a free agent. I doubt the Reds will sign him, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

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    Big Red Machine RedsBaron's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Quote Originally Posted by RedEye View Post
    Unlikely that they can now, for all the reasons Doug cites above. Still, I think it is kinda cool rooting for this franchise right now. Obviously, that's because they are winning, but also because they are doing it with mostly players they have developed themselves. I'd much rather see Homer and Jay grow up to win than to see a FA hired gun come in and win. Maybe I'm just weird that way...
    You are not weird, or, if you are, so am I.
    If the only way to win was to do so through the expensive free agent route, I would of course take it, but that isn't my preference. One of the many things I liked about the 1975-76 and the 1990 Reds was that the team featured players who had been with the Reds for several seasons, who had been developed by the Reds, and who as a fan you thought you somewhat knew.
    "Hey...Dad. Wanna Have A Catch?" Kevin Costner in "Field Of Dreams."

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    As others have said, the Reds don't have the finances to compete actively in the FA market. And, frankly, that's fine, because most clubs that sign long/expensive deals with free agents have buyer's remorse more often than not.

    On a somewhat related note, I think I've raised this issue before, but in the coming years, one or more of our players - Bailey, Latos, Cueto, Chapman - is going to get a huge deal from someone else and the Reds are not going to want to or be able to match it. Who's the last player like that: someone we developed into a star and then left for more money in the free agency market?

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    joshua (07-07-2013)

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kc61 View Post
    Nobody on here knows what the Reds can spend or can't spend. It's all conjecture.

    If a situation ever came up when the Reds thought it was essential to do so, it's possible they could bid for a top free agent. We really don't know.

    Right now, they seem focused on signing their own players, selectively, plus trades and second tier free agents.

    Choo will be an interesting case at the end of this season, when he will be a free agent. I doubt the Reds will sign him, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
    It's not totally conjecture. There are a lot of known facts that inform what's available to spend. We know, for example, last year's payroll; we have a general sense from ownership that its willing to spend in payroll what it brings in as revenue; we have a general sense of where attendance is likely to be next year; we know the amount of future payroll obligations at this moment. All of that suggests that the Reds would not be material players for other teams' free agents.

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    I don't recall who the last player was that the Reds developed who left via free agency but I remember the first: Don Gullett.
    "Hey...Dad. Wanna Have A Catch?" Kevin Costner in "Field Of Dreams."

  17. #12
    Bullpen or whatever RedEye's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    I think Adam Dunn was the closest the Reds have had recently to a player they developed leaving for free agency. Instead, Walt dealt him for a decent reliever and a few spare parts.

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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Quote Originally Posted by muethibp View Post
    It's not totally conjecture. There are a lot of known facts that inform what's available to spend. We know, for example, last year's payroll; we have a general sense from ownership that its willing to spend in payroll what it brings in as revenue; we have a general sense of where attendance is likely to be next year; we know the amount of future payroll obligations at this moment. All of that suggests that the Reds would not be material players for other teams' free agents.
    The public's sense of what ownership is willing/able to spend has proven, in the past, to be wildly inaccurate.

    The public has no idea whether or not ownership would or could afford a major free agent if it became essential for the team's success.

    Nobody ever suggested that the Reds could give Votto his contract. And once they did, so many folks said no way they would pay Phillips.

    We can fairly surmise that the Reds are not the Yankees. But to say that the Reds are not able to sign a major free agent is conjecture.

    Would major free agents want to play with the Reds? Answer is that some probably would, some probably wouldn't, assuming the Reds had an interest.
    Last edited by Kc61; 07-07-2013 at 09:58 AM.

  19. #14
    nothing more than a fan Always Red's Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    I'd have to think there are some pitchers out there, maybe even guys with proven track records but coming off injury, who would love to work with Bryan Price. On the other hand, they'd have to pitch half the time at GABP, so maybe those two cancel each other out?
    sorry we're boring

  20. #15
    Flash the leather! _Sir_Charles_'s Avatar
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    Re: Can the Reds attract free agents?

    Jojo summed it up perfectly IMO. Exactly what they can do easily and also what they will most likely do.


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