A question from out in leftfield.....

[mth123]

Swisher was just traded for Wilson Betemit and Jeff Marquez. The market seems to have been established (its not like he's played a game to change his value since then) and would suggest that the Reds wouldn't have to deal a stud to get him. I think he's a reasonable target that should not require a centerpiece to acquire. I'd guess a couple of guys to re-inforce some weak areas on the Yankee roster would do it. David Weathers seems like the ideal choice since it addresses a yankee need, holds the Reds payroll to a reasonable number and the team has a number of candidates to backfill for the pen.

Seems like an old fashioned baseball trade where two teams deal excess pieces to address needs with the money (at least for 2009) being roughly equal. The Reds would only take on about $1 Million to this year's budget.

[OnBaseMachine]

5. Todd Frazier -- Subject of major lovefest on the minor league boards, but saw major production decrease with the promotion to high-A ball. He'll probably need at least 2 more years before he's ready for the majors, likely spending this year at A+/AA, 2010 at AAA and ready for a late-season 2010 callup. That is IF he manages to hit now that he's in more appropriate age-line after being older coming out of college.

Major lovefest on these boards? Yeah, and from scouts and minor league websites also.

The FSL is a very pitcher friendly league. And there is zero chance Frazier begins 2009 in High-A. He'll be in Double-A with a chance to reach Cincy in September. Frazier posted the 9th highest OPS in the FSL, and a few of the guys ahead of him were non-prospects. He also went on to post a .922 OPS in the pitcher friendly Hawaiian Winter League. Frazier is a much better prospect than you give him credit for.

[dougdirt]

4. Daniel Dorn -- Profiles to platoon-player.

Yeah, Dorn is the same guy who projects as a platoon player with a career Minor League OPS of .915 and his OPS in AA over the last year has been a .944 OPS guy with 29 HR, 57 walks and 107 K's in 495 PA. Yeah, he may not hit lefties all that well, but even with that, he has still absolutely crushed the baseball and projects to be 400+ PA of very good hitting in the majors. If he had Brandon Phillips platoon splits, I would be more concerned. He doesn't. He strikes out and walks at the exact same rate as he does against both type of pitchers and a career .333 OBP (with a .109 IsoD) against lefties.

[camisadelgolf]

Just playing devil's advocate, are you arguing Todd Frazier could net a very good major league player straight up (I know the definition of very good probably needs to be defined)?

That's not what I'm directly arguing, but I do think it is very possible.

[Vada Pinson Fan]

I think WJ is laying in the weeds, waiting to get a bargain on one of the name guys left out there. If the bargain isn't there, he goes with what he has.

We need the St. Louis version of Walt Jocketty to reappear a.s.a.p. and not the one "laying in the weeds, waiting to get a bargain...". I keep waiting for a solid Jocketty move and then get a window of opportunity from Selig to negotiate a longer contract with Jermaine Dye. Dye is the player that would inspire Brandon Phillips, Edwin Encarnacion, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce and hopefully Willy Taveras. We need a guy who knows how to win and consistently puts up substantial stats. Dye is the closest player out there, that I can think of that's also available, with an attitude redolent of Greg Vaughn that can get the best out of teammates.

Short of Dye, I'm in the Nady camp and not Steve Swisher's. I watched Swisher many, many times on WGN last year and it wasn't pretty and that's being kind. He looked totally lost and a quick exit from Chicago ensued. I wasn't a fan of Swisher's when he was with the A's. Then if Jocketty acquires him and you put him in a largely unfamiliar league, you've got a problem. Guys that have a down year where the bottom just about drops out scares the heck out me. Too many variables to what may have caused it. I would always go after the guy that hits his average plus or minus 10 or so points while providing the same consistency with RBI's and HR"s. Then I pay the price to acquire this kind of player. It takes the Reds management (historically since 1980-) too long to know what kind of player they have.

[Jpup]

Cordero is not going to New York. They have some guy named Mo and Cordero has a no trade clause.

[membengal]

Teams like the Yankees don't blink sometimes at paying that kind of coin for even a set-up guy.

Cordero would likely run, not walk, to waive his no-trade to pitch for a team as loaded as that one is.

I don't see either of those things being deal-breakers, should each team actually desire to try and work something out.

[blumj]

Teams like the Yankees don't blink sometimes at paying that kind of coin for even a set-up guy.

Cordero would likely run, not walk, to waive his no-trade to pitch for a team as loaded as that one is.

I don't see either of those things being deal-breakers, should each team actually desire to try and work something out.

Thing is, I can't see the Yankees having that desire. If they want a reliever, they can sign a free agent. If they're willing to trade prospects for something, they could go after Peavy and move Joba back to the pen. If they want to make room in the OF/DH, they could send cash with Matsui or take the best offer they can get for Nady. Why trade Swisher when it doesn't make their team better than things they can easily do without trading Swisher?

[jojo]

Yeah, Dorn is the same guy who projects as a platoon player with a career Minor League OPS of .915 and his OPS in AA over the last year has been a .944 OPS guy with 29 HR, 57 walks and 107 K's in 495 PA. Yeah, he may not hit lefties all that well, but even with that, he has still absolutely crushed the baseball and projects to be 400+ PA of very good hitting in the majors. If he had Brandon Phillips platoon splits, I would be more concerned. He doesn't. He strikes out and walks at the exact same rate as he does against both type of pitchers and a career .333 OBP (with a .109 IsoD) against lefties.

May not hit lefties all that well? I'd hate to see a guy who can't hit them at all.

All kidding aside, it's kind of hard for me to get excited about Dorn. Leftfielders who only do well from one side of the plate and aren't particularly useful defenders aren't rare gems. He's got alot to overcome IMHO in order to be an everyday player for a contending team.

[mth123]

Dorn will be Matt Stairs. That's valuable while its cheap.

[Big Klu]

Teams like the Yankees don't blink sometimes at paying that kind of coin for even a set-up guy.

Cordero would likely run, not walk, to waive his no-trade to pitch for a team as loaded as that one is.

I don't see either of those things being deal-breakers, should each team actually desire to try and work something out.

Cordero isn't going to waive his no-trade clause for anything except major coin--especially if he is going to a club where he won't be able to rack up the saves that would ensure a big payday for his next contract. If the Reds want to trade him, they are first going to have to give him a raise and/or an extension.

[mth123]

Cordero isn't going to waive his no-trade clause for anything except major coin--especially if he is going to a club where he won't be able to rack up the saves that would ensure a big payday for his next contract. If the Reds want to trade him, they are first going to have to give him a raise and/or an extension.

Exactly. Besides, Cordero might be pricey, but he's a clear head of the committee. Weathers is more replaceable.

[camisadelgolf]

Dorn will be Matt Stairs. That's valuable while its cheap.

That's valuable even when the player is well beyond arbitration years.