Trade Idea Revisited: Alex Rios for Johnny Cueto

[Edd Roush]

So, I know I don't usually post whacky trade ideas like Krusty, but I was just thinking today, would I trade one of your young starters for a better than average CF who can play defense and lead off?

I came to the conclusion that, yes I would, because if the Reds were to trade a young gun like Cueto, Bailey or Volquez for Alex Rios, we would still have two young, potential elite pitchers while adding a potentially elite, right handed hitting, speedy centerfielder that we as Reds fans would crave. I bring up the Jays because there was a rumor going around the Winter Meetings that they had offered Alex Rios to the Giants for Tim Lincecum. Obviously, Bailey, Volquez and Cueto aren't considered on the same echelon as Lincecum, but the Giants turned down that trade for a reason.

If the Reds traded for Rios, it would give the Reds a 2008 line-up of

Rios
Dunn
Phillips
Griffey
EdE
Votto
Gonzalez
Ross
Pitcher

which in itself helps to boost the line-up and fill a major void at the beginning of the line-up.

But, the thing I figured out is it gives Krivsky some lee-way heading into 2009. Krivsky isn't forced to over pay for Dunn (even though I don't think that's possible, but that's a whole other thread) and he isn't forced to retain Griffey for 2009 if they can't get Dunn to commit long-term and he doesn't like the other options for RF.

It could give the Reds a potential out field of Dunn-Rios-Bruce in 2009 and they don't have to count on Stubbs chance to progress after an ugly first half to 2007.

I think I would do this trade in a heart beat. Give yourself another right handed bat and kill a few birds with one stone.

So, the question I want you to vote on is, would you trade Cueto, Bailey OR Volquez for Alex Rios

[smoke6]

No, because we need pitchers not outfielders.

[GoReds33]

Sorry Jim Bowden, we don't need more outfielders. I do wish we did need outfielders though. It would be cool to have Rios in the lineup, he has tremendous pure power. Besides, they wouldn't take just Cueto.

[kbrake]

Rios for Volquez???? You would have to be out of your mind to pass on that.

[757690]

Rios is not a great leadoff hitter. He is more of a middle lineup guy. He has a career .338 OBP, and a high of .358 last year. If I am going to trade one of the top three pitching prospects for a lead off hitter, he needs to have close to a .400 OBP.

The Reds do need a RH bat however, but not if EE and Phillips both reach their potential. There is a better use for one of those three.

[Bigredfan#1]

Are you sure he can play CF, Wells is the Jay's CFer.

[AmarilloRed]

I would do it for Edison Volquez. You can see an outfield of Dunn and Bruce in 2009, but that will still lead us one starting outfielder short. Alex Rios hade some pop, hits for a good average, and would give us better defense than Ken Griffey Jr.

[REDblooded]

are you guys kidding? Rios for Cueto is a no-brainer.

[AmarilloRed]

are you guys kidding? Rios for Cueto is a no-brainer.

Rios is a solid outfielder, but Cueto seems to be a top of the rotation starter. I would hesitate to make that trade.

[Edd Roush]

Rios is a solid outfielder, but Cueto seems to be a top of the rotation starter. I would hesitate to make that trade.

Some very good points being made in this thread. The thing about a Rios for Cueto trade is, that it would be a trade of a guy who has proven something in the bigs for a guy who hasn't proven anything.

I sort of like how Krivsky is stockpiling these arms, but if we can't re-up Dunn for '09 and beyond, we could be lacking a lot of offense. Rios seems to be a guy who could lead-off while young and be moved down in the order if that's how his bat progressed.

I didn't realize how low his OBP was for his major league career. I suppose he wouldn't be the prototypical lead-off man that I thought he was, but I just can't see Dusty leading off Votto like he probably should.

[UPRedsFan]

Absolutely not. If Krivsky would have traded Hamilton for Rios people would be upset about that because of Hamilton's potential. No way he'll turn around and trade one of the big 3 pitchers for Rios. Like someone else said, we need pitching not outfielders.

[Dracodave]

If I was Toronto I do this in heartbeat, turn around and laugh. Stockpile young arms for now, wait to see who pans out and how well they do, then build the offense you know you can build. It's alot harder to build a pitching staff than a batting line up..expecially if you are Cincinnati.

[ChatterRed]

I would do it.

I'm looking ahead when KGJ is gone. I am also concerned with being predominantly lefthanded. Rios would instantly improve the OF defense; give us another solid RH bat (average); give us another solid RH bat (power); we would have control of him for another 2 years.

An outfield of Dunn (LF), Bruce (CF) and Rios (RF) would be very, very solid, if Bruce turns out to be everything he's hyped to be. And then you could look at the infield and see another solid lineup overall with EE, Gonzalez, Phillips, Votto, Keppinger (sub)..........I see alot of potential in that lineup.

If you traded for Rios, Bruce stays in the minors this season until KGJ gets injured.

[AmarilloRed]

Some very good points being made in this thread. The thing about a Rios for Cueto trade is, that it would be a trade of a guy who has proven something in the bigs for a guy who hasn't proven anything.

I sort of like how Krivsky is stockpiling these arms, but if we can't re-up Dunn for '09 and beyond, we could be lacking a lot of offense. Rios seems to be a guy who could lead-off while young and be moved down in the order if that's how his bat progressed.

I didn't realize how low his OBP was for his major league career. I suppose he wouldn't be the prototypical lead-off man that I thought he was, but I just can't see Dusty leading off Votto like he probably should.

You can't prove anything if you haven't been in the bigs. Cueto has been successful at every minor league level he has pitched at, and it is a lot hard to find a top pitching prospect than it is an outfielder. Cueto may not end up being an ace pitcher, but we could find a Rios in our own minor league system.

[REDblooded]

Absolutely not. If Krivsky would have traded Hamilton for Rios people would be upset about that because of Hamilton's potential. No way he'll turn around and trade one of the big 3 pitchers for Rios. Like someone else said, we need pitching not outfielders.

umm. no. If Krivsky would've traded one of our many LH bats for an equal RH bat, I don't think there would've been an outcry at all.....at least from baseball fans with a bit of sense.