Rotoworld predicts Reds will sign Braden Looper

[TRF]

Can the Reds afford this? sure. Should they? Absolutely not.

The rotation is fine, and there is depth at both AAA and AA. for the #5 spot.

The only concerns this team has are...

1. Who plays SS? AGon? BP? Does Valaika surprise out of ST?
2. Who plays LF? A FA? does Dorn or Henry grab the position in ST? does it go to one of the many SuperSubs? (Freel, Hairston)
3. Is Dickerson for real, and if not how far does his offense fall?

In my mind EE is the 3B until he isn't, all else is speculation. Hoping for Alonso or Frazier at this point is wishful thinking, they are 2010 bound.

[REDREAD]

Here's a twist. What if Looper was willing to accept a one year deal with a club option for a 2nd year. Maybe that's not realistic, but that's probably the most favorable deal for the Reds.

Would you sign him then?

[pahster]

Here's a twist. What if Looper was willing to accept a one year deal with a club option for a 2nd year. Maybe that's not realistic, but that's probably the most favorable deal for the Reds.

Would you sign him then?

Probably not. He's redundant.

[Falls City Beer]

Is St. Louis' park really a pitcher's park? I realize it's played as a slight HR suppresser so far. But I don't know--probably a little early to declare it one way or another.

And really, 25 HR in 200 IP is better than Harang's rate, by a long shot.

He could help, no question, but I don't like the prices being thrown around. So I'd be compelled to say no. But continue looking for the starter they absolutely, positively need.

[Jpup]

The thing about Looper is that if you sign him and he goes south, Dave Duncan isn't around to fix him.

If the Reds sign Looper, they may not have the cash to sign Javy too. We should be appalled that Javy wasn't the first priority this offseason.

[BRM]

If the Reds sign Looper, they may not have the cash to sign Javy too. We should be appalled that Javy wasn't the first priority this offseason.

Chip is appalled. He's considering not attending any games in '09 if Javy isn't brought back.

[Chip R]

Chip is appalled. He's considering not attending any games in '09 if Javy isn't brought back.

I'm holding my breath till Walt re-signs him.

[Johnny Footstool]

Looper would be a good pickup.

Reds need pitchers with ground ball tendencies. Looper has a good ground ball rate. I'd prefer Lowe, but at the right price, Looper would fill out this rotation nicely for the next couple of years.

The gaping defensive holes at SS and 3B say otherwise.

Right now, the Reds need strikeout pitchers. A pitch-to-contact type like Looper won't help unless the Reds can find some defense.

[Kc61]

The gaping defensive holes at SS and 3B say otherwise.

Right now, the Reds need strikeout pitchers. A pitch-to-contact type like Looper won't help unless the Reds can find some defense.

Right now, given the defense, the Reds need pitchers who strike out 27 guys per game.

But assuming that they get some better defenders, the team needs another ground ball pitching starter. The ballpark is just too much of a home run paradise for so many fly ball pitchers.

[Chip R]

Dave Williams was a ground ball pitcher too.

[TRF]

And really, 25 HR in 200 IP is better than Harang's rate, by a long shot.

Too bad that's the only thing better. The question is, is he an upgrade over what the Reds have in house. 1-4, no. #5? I say Looper is just as much a ? as any of the Reds in-house candidates. Plus he comes with a big pricetag.


pass on my part.

[Falls City Beer]

Too bad that's the only thing better. The question is, is he an upgrade over what the Reds have in house. 1-4, no. #5? I say Looper is just as much a ? as any of the Reds in-house candidates. Plus he comes with a big pricetag.


pass on my part.

He's better than the 2008 version of Harang or Arroyo. Will he be better than the 2009 versions? I don't know. But I guarantee that he's infinitely better than any in-house candidate for the #5 spot.

But yeah, money's the sticking point, obviously.

[Roy Tucker]

The trouble is, the Reds have gotten ERAs of 6.5-8.0 out of their 5th starter over the past few years. I'd be decent with trimming that from the horribly stinks of 6.5-8.0 to merely bad of say, 5.0.

Sometimes you just need to be pragmatic. Although, I think this was the reasoning behind Josh Fogg.

[OnBaseMachine]

One awful start in Toronto is all that kept Arroyo from having an average to above average ERA this past season. It's also unfair to compare Harang and Looper in 2008 because of Harang's injury. Harang is clearly a better pitcher than Looper when healthy. Oh, and I would take Ramon Ramirez or Micah Owings over Looper for the 5th spot in the rotation.

[Falls City Beer]

One awful start in Toronto is all that kept Arroyo from having an average to above average ERA this past season. It's also unfair to compare Harang and Looper in 2008 because of Harang's injury. Harang is clearly a better pitcher than Looper when healthy. Oh, and I would take Ramon Ramirez or Micah Owings over Looper for the 5th spot in the rotation.

Micah Owings is sort of interesting, I guess, but he also comes with major injury risk. And Ramirez is too much like Ramirez, Elizardo for my tastes.