This team is on a teeter-totter and gets in a streak where they win enough games to get close to contending and then hit a streak where they knock themselves right out of it. Jay Bruce isn't making contact. Joey Votto is suffering from dizziness and really doesn't have a timetable of returning. Edwin is still listed at weeks away from being ready with the likelyhood of a rehab assignment. Edison is trying to come back from back pain and now might be DL bound again after last nights departure. Harang had a deja-vu accurance his last outing that resembled a lot like last years meltdown. This team does however seem to overcome all this with timely hitting and amazing relief from the pen. These are some moves I make to put them over the hump prior to the deadline:
-Trade Homer Bailey, Chris Dickerson, Todd Frazier and Josh Roenicke To Oakland For Matt Holliday and Dallas Braden
-Sign Ben Sheets to an incentive based contract
These two moves makes this team a contender while yes adding payroll.. payroll we have which should be roughly about 10 million will no doubt put fans in seats and will pay for itself by adding these two All-Stars. Dallas Braden would be moved to Louisville. Holliday becomes that power hitting right handed bat that we sought for in the offseason and Sheets moves into the rotation in place of Owings. Owings then moves to the pen with Lincoln DFAd. Homer Bailey and Todd Frazier are the centerpieces of the deal and should be more then enough to get the deal done. The Reds would probably have to show that they are willing to contend to land Sheets so making a deal for Holliday and keeping the organizations top pieces intact might just do that. This line-up with a healthy Votto and Bruce mixed in with hot hitting Brandon Phillips and Ramon Hernadez could definatly be enough to put this team from third to first by seasons end. Picture this line-up and rotation:
Taveras
Phillips
Votto
Holliday
Bruce
Hernandez
Rosales/Encarnacion
Gonzalez
Harang
Volquez
Arroyo
Sheets
Cueto
Any thoughts?