Reds Make Offers To Hairston, Weathers

[Will M]

Reds Make Offers To Hairston, Weathers
By Tim Dierkes MLB Trade Rumors [October 21 at 1:01pm CST]
According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds made contract offers to David Weathers and Jerry Hairston Jr. Both are eligible for free agency. Weathers would probably serve as the seventh inning guy, while Hairston might handle center field duties. Weathers seems to profile as a Type B free agent, while Hairston is neither A nor B.

Fay believes GM Walt Jocketty will also attempt to re-sign relievers Mike Lincoln and Jeremy Affeldt. Affeldt had pretty big demands at the outset of the last offseason (four or five years), but ended up signing for one year.

[BRM]

This is from Fay's blog. I know OBM is holding out hope for Fogg and Valentin being offered contracts.

Walt Jocketty is reluctant to name the names of all of free agents on the current roster the Reds are talking to, but he confirmed that the club has made proposals to David Weathers and Jerry Hairston Jr.

"We're waiting to hear back from their agents," he said.

Weathers, 38, was a key part of the bullpen last year. He went 4-6 with 3.25 ERA in 72 games. Hairston, 32, hit .326 with a .384 on-base percentage. He stole 15 bases in 18 tries. The team played exceeding well with him in the leadoff spot. But he struggled with injuries throughout the second half.

The Reds ended the year with nine free agents on the roster. Jocketty has ruled out bringing back Corey Patterson and all but ruled out bringing back Paul Bako. Kent Mercker is going to retire. That leaves Javy Valentin, Mike Lincoln, Jeremy Affeldt and Josh Fogg. My guess is Reds will make offers to Lincoln and Afffeldt as well.

Jocketty, by the way, is in Arizona watching the Arizona Fall League. He doesn't plan to go to the World Series.

[WMR]

Resisting the urge to bring back Valentin will show me a lot.

[OnBaseMachine]

Forget Weathers, use that money to resign Affeldt.

[BRM]

Resisting the urge to bring back Valentin will show me a lot.

The Reds need his versatility, dude. He can play C, 1B AND 3B. You just can't replace that.

[LoganBuck]

Forget Weathers, use that money to resign Affeldt.

+1

[WMR]

The Reds need his versatility, dude. He can play C, 1B AND 3B. You just can't replace that.

:runawaycr

[OnBaseMachine]

Check out this brilliant post someone made on that blog:

I personally don't feel that we need a shortstop. Jeff Keppinger is good if not spectacular fielder and will hit MUCH better than Alex Gonzalez.

He must watch a different Jeff Keppinger than the rest of us.

[BRM]

Another poster on his blog said he could live with a Hanigan/Valentin platoon in '09. Oh, the horror.

[dougdirt]

Another poster on his blog said he could live with a Hanigan/Valentin platoon in '09. Oh, the horror.

I could live with a Hanigan/someone else platoon in 2009, as long as that guy isn't Valentin/Bako. Hanigan is a fine catcher for the short term especially. He has defense and his bat isn't bad. Give him 120 starts there and find someone else for the other 40.

[OnBaseMachine]

Another poster on his blog said he could live with a Hanigan/Valentin platoon in '09. Oh, the horror.

That would be a heckuva defensive team. Valentin behind the plate, Kepp at shortstop...maybe we can can reacquire Ross and put him in center?

[BRM]

I could live with a Hanigan/someone else platoon in 2009, as long as that guy isn't Valentin/Bako. Hanigan is a fine catcher for the short term especially. He has defense and his bat isn't bad. Give him 120 starts there and find someone else for the other 40.

I agree. I wouldn't mind going into the season with Hanigan as the RH-hitting piece of the catching tandem. Just stay away from Javy as the other piece.

[BRM]

That would be a heckuva defensive team. Valentin behind the plate, Kepp at shortstop...maybe we can can reacquire Ross and put him in center?

Another poster wants Burrell in LF with Hairston in CF. EE at 3B, Kepp at SS, Javy behind the dish. What a sweet defense.

[WMR]

Another poster wants Burrell in LF with Hairston in CF. EE at 3B, Kepp at SS, Javy behind the dish. What a sweet defense.

[Ltlabner]

The team won games when Harriston played ergo he "knows how to win" and is key to continued success.