Egg on your face trades

[registerthis]

The Griffey trade.

I drunk the Kool-Aid after the '99 season and was convinced that Junior was the magic potion this team needed to storm to the WS. I ignored all of the red flags the pitching staff had thrown up, figuring there was no reason they couldn't duplicate their success from '99. Well, the team didn't completely tank, but they didn't come within sniffing distance of the WS, and, well...you all know the story of the last 5 years.

[Rojo]

I thought Ryan Dempster was the young ace the Reds needed to anchor the rotation for years to come.

That's mine as well. I contend that if Dempster had worked out Bowden would still be here.

[Razor Shines]

Ryan and I have always been Reds fans, even when we were with the Jays.

So you've been reading the board for years but didn't decide to join until this month?

[Johnny Footstool]

So you've been reading the board for years but didn't decide to join until this month?

It took him a while to find his way out of Freel's cerebellum.

[JohnnyAlmaraz]

Ryan and I have always been Reds fans, even when we were with the Jays.

See, this is why I made sure to have Tim get this guy in here. I knew I'd be getting two for the price of one in a good way, not like the one time when our old GM picked up a midget and Mr. Parking Space for that surly-but-scrappy guy Whatshisname.

[REDREAD]

Ironically, I was against trading Dessens for Lopez. I knew Dessens wasn't an ace, but I didn't want to give him up for a "project" that I thought would wash out.

Would've never guessed that in a few years, I'd be one of the relative few that liked Felipe after he was traded It is interesting how everyone loved Felipe last year, and many have turned on him this year, particularly after the trade. Last year, Felipe was the EdE, he was the poor matyr who was benched at the expense of Aurillia .

[oregonred]

Ironically, I was against trading Dessens for Lopez. I knew Dessens wasn't an ace, but I didn't want to give him up for a "project" that I thought would wash out.

Would've never guessed that in a few years, I'd be one of the relative few that liked Felipe after he was traded It is interesting how everyone loved Felipe last year, and many have turned on him this year, particularly after the trade. Last year, Felipe was the EdE, he was the poor matyr who was benched at the expense of Aurillia .

No he wasn't. Lopez had 580ABs last year and played in 148 games

Mark me down for the Junior trade. I thought the attendance bump alone from having the best star in the game would boost the franchise from small to mid-market and keep the club competitive on the revenue side (it did in 2000 at the gate then the injuries...). I also liked the Dempster move given how desperatley the frnachise needed a young power arm with potential.

I was also ok with the O'Neill trade at the time even though he was one of my favs. Roberto Kelly looked like a stud. Big O'Neill had become pretty inconsistent as the Reds had a couple crummy years after the '90 WS and I never thought he'd take off in NY.

[Farney]

So you've been reading the board for years but didn't decide to join until this month?

I was told to keep quiet for a while. Ryan didnt want anybody to think he was crazy or anything!

[Ron Madden]

"The Trade" certinally prompted strong reactions. SS being acquired has prompted some to begin questioning whether Kriv is competent and should be our GM. Some even bashed the WMP for BA trade and predicted doom and gloom, especially in concert with acquiring Hatteburg.

What trade/player move were you adament was going to be a huge flop and set the franchise back 100 years only to be proven wrong?

OR

What trade/player move did you think was going to rocket the Reds to 10 straight world series championships only to end up being a complete bust?

We've all been wrong about player moves before. Although the numbers said it was a horrible move, the history said it was a horrible move and your gut said it was a horrible move it somehow worked out for the best.

Which moves have left you with egg on your face?

PS: This is meant to be a thread where we laugh at ourselves and our mistakes for our own enjoyment. It will require you to admit you were wrong about something. Good luck and God Speed.

A certain percentage of any fanbase is going to disagree with moves made by the front office every now and then. Over time every deal will define it's self good or bad.


Baseball Fans will always enjoy sharing their beliefs and debating them with other fans. I think it's a good thing whenever fans can discuss any and all matters concerning a team they all love.

We all have our opinions and we all have the right to be wrong now and then.

So far it seems I was wrong about the Wily Mo / Bronson trade. At the time I thought Pena could have brought us more in return. I like being wrong about deals that turn out helping the Reds.

What breaks my heart is being right about the ones that hurt the team.

[RedsBaron]

I too was very happy when the Reds acquired Junior and Dempster.
Like a number of older fans I can recall having questions when Bob Howsam made the Lee May and others for Joe Morgan and others trade. By that time though, Howsam had already made a number of great trades, having previously acquired Bobby Tolan, Alex Johnson, Clay Carroll among others, so I gave Howsam the benefit of the doubt when he traded away the Big Bopper.
I did like the Vada Pinson for Bobby Tolan trade when it was made. I knew a little bit about Tolan. That trade was a good one for the Reds.
I thought at the time that the trade of Hal McRae to the Royals was a good move--wow, was I wrong.
I was shocked by the Tony Perez trade to the Expos. I didn't like....no, I hated that trade at the time, and that time I was right!
I didn't like any of the moves Dick Wagner made after 1981, when Foster, Griffey, Knight, et al departed-again I was right.
I can recall being concerned that perhaps the Reds had traded away the wrong young shortstop when they traded Kurt Stillwell, leaving the Reds with Barry Larkin. I was a wee bit wrong there.
I liked the trade for Danny Jackson. I can't recall having strong feelings one way or the other when the Reds acquired Jose Rijo (a great move) or when they traded away Paul O'Neill (a horrible move).

[jpurdy]

When I heard that the Reds had traded Tony Perez and Will McEnaney For Woody Fryman and Dale Murray I think I may have cried. They traded the heart and soul of the team and got nothing much in return. Of course, we all know what kind of respect Tony got when he came back as a manager. I was at the first game the Expos played at Riverfront after the trade and Tony got a well deserved standing ovation.

[mth123]

I thought Ray Knight for Cesar Cedeno would be a good deal.

I thought Dennys Reyes would be the 2nd coming of Fernando.

[George Anderson]

I thought the acquisition of Alex Trevino along with Greg Harris and Jim Kern for George Foster was a great trade!! But at the time I was 12 so I didnt know to much!!