Ok guys, I’m not usually a fan of proposing made up trades with no real validity and this is my first post so I know I don’t have a whole lotta credibility here, but after thinking about some of the chips we have, I got an itch to try my hand at improving the team and wanted to know your reactions. I tried to look at the deals from opposing teams perspectives, and thus, I think all of them are deals the Reds could conceivably make (in some cases, perhaps, they could get even more). Anyway here it goes, let me know what you think:
Trade 3B Edwin Encarnacion to the Twins for MR Juan Rincon
Explanation: Twins need some offense, Reds need bullpen help. May seem like a lot to give up but good relief pitching is hard to find as we know.
Trade LF Adam Dunn to the Angels for SS Erick Aybar, SP Ervin Santana and MR JC Romero
Explanation: The Angels are desperate for a bat and Santana’s name has been floating around. With Kendrick, Wood, Cabrera and Izturis, the Angels can afford to move Aybar. I would push for Kendrick or Wood, but again I was going for realism. Romero, another former Twin reliever, would seem like a guy Kriv would jump on and having a bad year, perhaps could be thrown in. Maybe doesn’t seem like the ideal package for Dunn, but in my mind, if you can get Santana, a potential 10 year top of the rotation guy, its worth it.
Trade OF BJ Szymanski to the Cubs for MR Scott Williamson
Explanation: Williamson’s been making some comments lately. Cubs probably looking for some youth, though it may be naive to think they’d help a division rival. I’d sweeten the pot a little if necessary, but wouldn’t go overboard.
Trade SS Felipe Lopez to the White Sox for SP Brandon McCarthy
Explanation: This might be a stretch as well, but if possible, it would be a shrewd move to take advantage of the White Sox glut of SP and lack of a quality SS, and with Aybar on board, the soon to be expensive Lopez becomes expendable.
Note: This next trade is in fact the first trade I would make (because most of the others probably would have to be offseason deals) and would do it immediately if agreed to. I put it last, because it is probably the least realistic from the Reds perspective (although I do believe the Dodgers would seriously consider it) and wanted to build up to it, so it made more sense.
Trade SP Bronson Arroyo to the Dodgers for MR Jonathan Broxton and 3B Andy Laroche
Explanation: Not much SP out there. The NL West is there for the taking, so the Dodgers would probably be willing to pay for a guy whose been one of the best in baseball thus far. Broxton is a future closer (something the Reds need more than starters at this point) and Laroche replaces Encarnacion as the 3B of the future. I know it would be very hard from a PR standpoint for Kriv to move Bronson at all let alone while we're very much alive, but his value will never be higher and quite frankly, I don’t think he’s this good.
2007 Reds
Lineup
2B Brandon Phillips
SS Erick Aybar
CF Ken Griffey jr.
RF Austin Kearns
1B Joey Votto
LF Chris Denorfia
3B Andy Laroche
C David Ross
Bench
Util Ryan Freel (could beat out Denorfia)
1B Scott Hatteberg (re-signed as bench/insurance for Votto)
IF Rey Olmedo
C Javier Valentin (get rid of Larue anyway I could)
OF Best 4th OF/PH type I can get
Staff
SP Ervin Santana
SP Aaron Harang
SP Brandon McCarthy
SP Homer Bailey
SP Elizardo Ramirez
LRP Matt Belisle
LHMR J.C Romero
LHMR2 Brian Shackelford
RHMR Scott Williamson
RHMR2 Todd Coffey
SU Jonathan Broxton
CP Juan Rincón
Summary: Maybe the lineup isn’t what it has been, but its young and talented. The defense is much improved with Edwin gone and Aybar replacing Lopez at short. The real key is the pitching. I feel the Reds go from one of the worst staffs in the game a year ago to one of the best young staffs around. We have 3 potential aces and a potential dominant future closer, plus proven (and still pretty young) commodities in Harang and Rincon. All in all, I know this will never happen, but I don’t think I’m crazy in thinking each individual move would be doable from the other team’s perspective and thinking that the Reds would greatly benefit if this was the team next year.