Reds Sign Harang to 4-year Deal

[westofyou]

Creating a culture that makes a guy want to sign and stay where he is comfortable instead of chase the dollar and dreams elsewhere was a facet of baseball business that was exactly not being used to its fullest extent in Cincinnati.

Perhaps that's changed since the regime has changed, or perhaps it's just the luck of the draw.

[dsmith421]

If the Reds tread water this year I think they'll have an easier time attracting a decent FA or two next offseason.

That's an interesting take, but the problem is that there's still a pretty good chance the Reds totally tank (as in, to the tune of 90+ losses), which I suspect would hurt their '08 FA chances as much as anything. Also, a lot of these cosmetic signings are players like Cormier, Stanton, etc. who are owed money in 2008 and unlikely to offer anything of value to a contending ballclub.

[pedro]

That's an interesting take, but the problem is that there's still a pretty good chance the Reds totally tank (as in, to the tune of 90+ losses), which I suspect would hurt their '08 FA chances as much as anything. Also, a lot of these cosmetic signings are players like Cormier, Stanton, etc. who are owed money in 2008 and unlikely to offer anything of value to a contending ballclub.

I just don't see them losing 90 games. The central is just too weak for that to happen. They'll win between 75-80 games IMO.

[15fan]

Or, maybe, just maybe, he would have been tempted to spend $18M of that $23M that he squandered on dreck to sign Zito and give the Reds the dominant starting staff in the division (or league). (shrug) Rem

Did someone say "Zito"?

On June 7, 2006, a crazy poster suggested putting anything & everything up to get Zito for the remainder of the year.

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...highlight=Zito

Zito's numbers for June - September 2006: 154.2 IP, 160 H, 4.07 ERA.

The 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals edged out the Reds by 3.5 games.

Would 3.5 months of Barry Zito in Cincinnati been enough to change the outcomes of 4 games to put the Reds in the 2006 post-season?

[westofyou]

Would 3.5 months of Barry Zito in Cincinnati been enough to change the outcomes of 4 games to put the Reds in the 2006 post-season?

Perhaps, but then again I'd bet my house that he'd have walked and signed on the coast.

Barry Zito is a real west coast guy, a grade A flake as well, plus a FB pitcher, and a guy who needs Cincinnati like a stick in the eye.

[Caveat Emperor]

That's an interesting take, but the problem is that there's still a pretty good chance the Reds totally tank (as in, to the tune of 90+ losses), which I suspect would hurt their '08 FA chances as much as anything.

It gets lost in the shuffle, but a rotation that features Harang, Arroyo and 3 days of crap is still about on par with half the NL Central.

[pedro]

Did someone say "Zito"?

On June 7, 2006, a crazy poster suggested putting anything & everything up to get Zito for the remainder of the year.

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...highlight=Zito

Zito's numbers for June - September 2006: 154.2 IP, 160 H, 4.07 ERA.

The 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals edged out the Reds by 3.5 games.

Would 3.5 months of Barry Zito in Cincinnati been enough to change the outcomes of 4 games to put the Reds in the 2006 post-season?

perhaps, but at what cost? even with zito (or w/out "the trade" for that matter) I have a hard time the Reds would have done anything meaningful in the playoffs.

[15fan]

Perhaps, but then again I'd bet my house that he'd have walked and signed on the coast.

That's fine. If the Reds acquired him and he walked, I'd take the comp picks in 2007. And the > .500 record. And the division title. And the post-season experience for the likes of Brandon Phillips, Adam Dunn, Ed E, etc.

If nothing else, it would have been a small price to pay so that we didn't have to see Jim Edmonds and Tony LaRussa as WS champs. :runawaycr and most especially...

[Redsland]

I think one thing that may be lost in the shuffle here is that the Harang signing, while smart, does not directly improve the Cincinnati ballclub either this year or next. We still have the same top-heavy, no-depth starting rotation...

True, but here's what Wayne said about his rotation yesterday:

“That’s a good two-fifths (of a rotation),” Krivsky said. “(Kyle) Lohse and (Eric) Milton have to step up and whoever wins the fifth spot.

“But those two guys at the top is a good start.”

He basically comes right out and says that Milton (and Loshe) are not "good." On the plus side, that hopefully means that he's looking for better options to replace them with.

On the down side, you have to wonder why he offered arbitration to a guy who isn't, to paraphrase, "one-fifth of a good rotation."

[pedro]

That's some encouraging candor from wayne. thanks for sharing.

[edabbs44]

That's some encouraging candor from wayne. thanks for sharing.

Hey, at least the bullpen is fixed.

[BRM]

Hey, at least the bullpen is fixed.

[pedro]

Hey, at least the bullpen is fixed.

It's better than it was, though not as good as it needs to be.

[BRM]

It's better than it was, though not as good as it needs to be.

I can go along with that.

[edabbs44]

It's better than it was, though not as good as it needs to be.

Without a doubt better. My doubt is should so much attention been paid to that area when WK is admitting that only 2/5 of the rotation is set?