Targets

[corkedbat]

I was bored and looking through rosters. Made a list of at least one or two targets for every team that I believe would improve this team. Only a handful are expensive, most wouldn't cost a lot of talent and most are already in the Show. Acquiring just about any of them would satisfy my disappointment in this offseason and improve the club.

NYY (OF) Billy Gardner (L)
BOS (3B) Will Middlebrooks (R) (or) (1B/OF) Mike Carp (L)
TBR (OF) Matt Joyce (L) (or) David Dejesus(L)
BAL (OF) Nick Markakis (L)
TOR (OF) Jose Bautista (R) (or) (OF) Colby Rasmus (L)

DET (3B/OF) Nick Castellanos (R)
CLE (3B) Lonnie Chisenhall (L) (or) (SS) Asdrbal Cabrera (B)
MIN (OF) Josh Willingham (OF)
CHW (OF) Alejandro De Aza (L)
KCR (UT) Emilio Bonafacio (B) (or) Jarrod Dyson (L) (or) (OF) Justin Maxwell (R)

OAK (SS) Jed Lowerie (B) (or) (OF) Josh Reddick (L)
CAA (2B) Howie Kendrick (R) (or) Colin Cowgill (R)
SEA (UT) Dusti Ackley (L) or (MI) Nick Franklin (B)
HOU (3B) Matt Dominguez (R)
TEX (OF) Leonys Martin (L) (or) (OF) Michael Choice (R) (or) (2B) Roughned Odor (L) (or) (SS) Luis Sardinas (B)

ATL (OF) Evan Gattis (R) (or) (OF) Joey Terdoslavich (B)
WSH (OF) Denard Span (L) (or) (IF) Danny Espinosa (B)
NYM (2B) Daniel Murphy (L) (or) (OF) Lucas Duda (L)
PHI (OF) Dominic Brown (L) (or) (3B) Mikel Franco (R)
MIA (OF) Giancarlo Stanton (R) (or) (OF) Christian Yelich (L)

STL (OF) Oscar Taveras (L)
PIT (OF) Gregory Polanco (L)
MIL (OF) Carlos Gomez (R)
CHC (OF) Justin Ruggiano (R) (or) (MI) Arismendy Alcantara (B)

ARI (OF) Gerardo Parra (L)
SFG (1B/OF) Brandon Belt (L) (or) (3B) Pablo Sandoval (B)
COL (IF) Josh Rutledge (R) (or) (OF) DJ LeMahieu (R)
SDP (3B) Chase Headley (L) (or) (OF) Will Venable (L)
LAD (OF) Matt Kemp (L) (or) (OF) Andy Either (R) (or) (OF) Scott van Slyke (R) (or) (OF) Joc Pedersen (L)

[CySeymour]

Detroit won't trade Castellanos and St. Louis won't trade Taveras. Those are two of those teams top prospects so they would come with a very steep price. But, I like what you did here. Good overview of who the Reds could target. Good work.

[corkedbat]

Detroit won't trade Castellanos and St. Louis won't trade Taveras. Those are two of those teams top prospects so they would come with a very steep price. But, I like what you did here. Good overview of who the Reds could target. Good work.

I wouldn't expect any of the NL Central opponents to deal with the Reds (the Bucs usre ain't dealing us Polanco either), but I included at least one guy from every team.

[chicoruiz]

Actually, if I were going to target a guy from the Cards, futile though it would be, it would be Jon Jay. With Carpenter, Craig, and Bourjos as starters and Taveras arriving soon, he might be available to someone.

Not the Reds,probably....

[NeilHamburger]

If you believe he can play CF I really like Andre Either as a target. Problem is you probably have to move money someplace else.

[corkedbat]

If you believe he can play CF I really like Andre Either as a target. Problem is you probably have to move money someplace else.

If the Reds dealt for Ethier, I would say that some combination of Phillips, Bailey, Chapman, Ludwick, Broxton, Marshall, etc. headed to the Dodgers and cash heading toward the Reds to make the deal near salary-neutral.

Something like this (not necessarily Ethier) could be worked out, but the Reds FO does not seem inclined to do anything like that.

[Big Klu]

I have never understood the RedsZone love for Josh Willingham, juxtaposed as it often is with a near-universal loathing for Ryan Ludwick, when in fact they are nearly identical players. (They're even the same age.)

I guess it really is true about the grass being greener...

[Salukifan2]

I have never understood the RedsZone love for Josh Willingham, juxtaposed as it often is with a near-universal loathing for Ryan Ludwick, when in fact they are nearly identical players. (They're even the same age.)

I guess it really is true about the grass being greener...

Willingham career ops is like 40 points higher

[Wonderful Monds]

Willingham career ops is like 40 points higher

Without a major shoulder injury

[Big Klu]

Without a major shoulder injury

So he had no excuse for his OPS dropping nearly 200 points.

[OGB]

I have never understood the RedsZone love for Josh Willingham, juxtaposed as it often is with a near-universal loathing for Ryan Ludwick, when in fact they are nearly identical players. (They're even the same age.)

I guess it really is true about the grass being greener...

Not even close, really. I've never really been on the trade for Willingham jalopy, but in a recent thread I posited that this might be a great buy low scenario where you can get a guy headed for a bounce back year for pennies on the dollar.

Corked bat pointed out how Josh rushed back from knee surgery and it hurt his numbers, but lets take a closer look. Despite an anemic 208 BA last year, he still got on base at a 342 clip which would have been third best on the Reds roster.

Additionally, Ludwick has 3 career season where he has OPS'd over 800 when he had 300 ABs or more. Willingham has OPS'd over 800 every season he's had over 100 ABs (except the previously mentioned 2013) which encompasses 2006-2012.*

Lastly--and granted, I cherry picked a bit when looking at advanced stats--he has a significantly better HR/FB ratio, which could play well in a stadium like Great American. Add that on to a guy who already has better power than Ludwick and I think you could expect 5-10 more HR.

*I actually meant PA not AB. Willingham had at least 416 PA in said seasons with the lowest OPS at 810. Every other year was at least 827 or better.

[Griffey012]

Who is this Jose Guillen character from Toronto?

Is it safe to assume you mean another former Red, EdE?

[corkedbat]

Who is this Jose Guillen character from Toronto?

Is it safe to assume you mean another former Red, EdE?

Jose Bautista - my bad

[corkedbat]

Willingham had a bad year after injuring his knee and trying to return to quickly. Even with his horrible numbers, he had pretty solid periphreals. Check out the five or six seasons before last and their comparison isn't even close (in JW's favor).

He's also costs $1.5M less this season.

[swaisuc]

Good stuff. I like either Rasmus or Dominic Brown as targets myself.