Freel traded for Ramon Hernandez

[wally post]

If he matches last year's stats - is there anyone on the rangers who we could have received for the same? No. Good trade that fills a need - Freel was blocking and I wish him well in Baltimore. The prospects?... it would've been more with anyone else. Dude speaks Spanish and has caught some pretty good pitchers.

[corkedbat]

Reds strength these days is in the minor leaguers, the prospects, so I'd expect them to play a big role in any trades this off season. Reds don't have a lot of major league talent to trade.

I've said for a year now that the Reds improving farm system will start to pay dividends, not just in therms of funneling talent to the big club, but in adding chips to trade for needs.

I think that today is just the beginning and it will only get better over the next couple of seasons.

[corkedbat]

Like I said before, it is a good deal for both sides. No longterm commitment moneywise yet it solidifies the position.

So Walt, about that righthanded hitter for the middle of the order......

One year, Big Money for Manny

[oneupper]

I like this deal. Freel is a nice guy and all, but an absolute disaster on the basepaths, which many times negated his relatively good OBP.
Freel was injured for most of 2008 and 2007. I would not be surprised if he spent a good chunk of 2009 on the DL. He was a liability and a costly one at that, after he got that ill-advised extension in early 2007.

Ramon Hernandez is an emotional guy who was MVP of the 2006 Caribbean Series. He's a fellow Venezuelan, so I guess I'm a bit biased. According the numbers he should contribute. He can play a little 1B, too so he can spell Votto once in a while.

This move makes the team better...but we still have Dusty.

[fearofpopvol1]

I seriously doubt Turner or Waring turn into anything. At some point, you're going to have to give up some youngsters to get major league players.

[backbencher]

I agree with most everything else you posted, but I just wanted to note that this really is Jocketty's first acquistion. He got filler for Jr. and two arms dealing with injury/recovery for Dunn.

Hernandez is the first guy he's acquired you can confidently assume will get a regular gig.

Given the cash outlays, I'd count Alonso, and perhaps the Caribbean kids, as acquisitions. It's too early to assess them, of course.

I'd also suggest that the trades of Dunn and Griffey are looking solid in hindsight. No major acquisitions, but subsequent events seem to be confirming that WJ got the best available value.

[Will M]

I've said for a year now that the Reds improving farm system will start to pay dividends, not just in therms of funneling talent to the big club, but in adding chips to trade for needs.

I think that today is just the beginning and it will only get better over the next couple of seasons.

Bingo!

Lets say a solid catcher was on the free agent market. The Reds have to pay top dollar and go several years. This way we can deal from the depth we have in the minors and not be saddled with a potential albtaross (think guys like Milton, Zito, etc).

The guys we traded may make the bigs or be nothing. in the old days they would have been top 10 prospects for the Reds. Now they aren't in the top 20.

[REDREAD]

pretty amazing. we get rid of Freel and improve the team at the same time. and we didn't really lose any key prospects.

Yes, so far the offseason has been very good. The only possible misstep might've been offering Weathers arb, but maybe that will end up being good too.

Excellent trade by Walt. Great to get something useful for Freel. Amazing he could move the contract at all.

[WVPacman]

Somebody help me out here I hav'nt watched a Baltimore game since Ripken retired.Who is this Ramon Hernandez player? From the few pages that I have read on here he seems to be a decent player but bad defensivly.I seen he is spanish and we all know he will put up some numbers at GABP but do you think the main reason we got him was for the young pitchers we have.

Oh and can he call a game good,and keep the pitcher calm??

[REDREAD]

OK, how excited should I be here?

Last year, Hernandez hit .257 with 15 HR and 65 RBI. He threw out less than 20% of runners attempting to steal. For $8 mill? He's a .263 lifetime hitter with a .326 OBP.

Look at it this way, with Freel being shed and 1 million from Baltimore, it only adds 3 million to next year's payroll. It solves the catching problem for next year for only 3 million. Plus, Freel's roster spot might be available for someone more useful.

[Rounding Third]

Are they only giving us $1MM? I thought they were giving $3MM?

[REDREAD]

The Reds didn't spend any extra money to get Hernandez, the O's made up the difference.

Wow.. that makes it a totally excellent trade. Dump Freel and get Hernandez and don't bump the payroll at all? Excellent.

Freel is battling injuries, I question how many at bats they are really going to get out of him. IMO, Freel is more likely to decline (he's been declining).

Classic Jocketty move of picking up a pretty talented "troublemaker" and hoping the scenery change will work wonders.

I'm excited now. I can't wait to see what Walt will do next. I like the message that the Reds are going to improve the team as they wait for more youngsters to arrive. Maybe the Reds will be tolerable to watch next year.

[HeatherC1212]

It has been SO amusing for me to go back and forth reading the Orioles board and this board all afternoon and evening today. I don't know which group of fans is happier, LOL Orioles fans are thrilled to get rid of Ramon and his contract (even though the O's are covering a bit of that contract) as well as to get some prospects for their depleted farm system. Most Reds fans seem to be happy that we now have a catcher who can actually hit a little and to be rid of Freel's big contract. As a fan of both teams, I'm feeling pretty content for the most part because it seems like this is going to be one of those rare trades that works well for everyone. It was nice to read some comments from both GMs about Ramon needing a change of scenery because I feel the exact same way and hope that he does well for us next year. He's a pretty good guy and I think he'll enjoy playing in the NL against some new teams. It will be quite different for him to look at his new division and see the Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Astros, and Pirates and to not see the beast that is the AL East division of the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and TB Rays. That could be a shock to his system, LOL

Yeah, this has been a crazy day and quite a contrast on the two boards, LOL

[BCubb2003]

Yeah, this has been a crazy day and quite a contrast on the two boards, LOL

As somebody else said, do the Orioles fans know about Farney?

[REDREAD]

Wayne Krivsky joined our organization as a special assistant. He comes with a great deal of information about that franchise. He and obviously our doctors and trainers certified to where Ryan was physically. I talked to Ryan today, as did Dave Trembley, and he said he's running 100 percent, feels good, ready to go, our doctors vetted his condition and are comfortable that he's ready to go, and we're delighted and excited about having him."

I wonder if Wayne just got Majed again

I just find it hard to believe that Freel is really 100% at this point. Freel would say he's 100% right after a leg amuptation.