All of the indicators point to a likely trade of Larue.
At this stage, it's questionable if David Ross can replace Jason day-in and day-out, on a sustained basis, for a full season. But Ross has demonstrated he can be productive in a supporting role, providing plus defense with some power and promise on offense.
If you ask me, he's a more logical tango partner with Valentin than with Larue. It's not only a matter of salaries and the lefty-righty thing, but also a question of competitive balance. If Valentin and Ross are our catchers, Narron can use them as he sees fit, and mix and match them to play the odds, going with the hot hand on occasion.
But with Larue entering into the equation, you get more distractions -- seniority, salary, pecking order possibly overriding the manager's flexibility to call the shots as he sees them. Also, Ross looks more like an underrated carbon copy of Larue than Valentin.
Larue isn't dead wood. He's a proven veteran, who has worked hard and clearly earned his status as the Reds' reigning No. 1 catcher. But if he can be dealt to shore up our pitching or snag us a 1B prospect like Ryan Shealy, we shouldn't be surprised or cringe if Krivsky pulls the trigger on a trade.
Arroyo is making less than Larue this season. If we can acquire one more starting pitcher of Arroyo's caliber, we stand a good chance of continuing to challenge for the NL Central crown come July. That's saying a lot, considering the fierce level of competition in our division.
I'd miss Larue. He's not Johnny Bench, but he's as dependable and dynamic a player as our system has produced over the past decade. But if he has to go to transform us from doormat to contender status, then so be it.
The tandem of Valentin and Ross may or may not achieve what Larue can accomplish singlehandedly, but they don't look too shabby. I doubt they would be an embarrassment. They might actually be a pleasant surprise. Regardless, if our pitching gets racheted up a notch so it's closer to being on par with our offense, we're better off in the short and long term.
