the future Reds could look something like that:Originally Posted by thorn
1B Votto
2B Phillips
SS Player acquired by trading Alonso
3B EE in 2010 with Frazier taking over in 2011
RF Bruce
CF Stubbs/Dickerson
LF Heisey/Dickerson
C Hanigan
the future Reds could look something like that:
1B Votto
2B Phillips
SS Player acquired by trading Alonso
3B EE in 2010 with Frazier taking over in 2011
RF Bruce
CF Stubbs/Dickerson
LF Heisey/Dickerson
C Hanigan
.
The lack of respect that Zack Cozart gets around here is crazy. I honestly have him in the same conversation with Heisey and Stubbs right now when ranking the Reds 4-6 prospects.
i too like Cozart. if he was one level ahead of where he is we could pencil him in at SS for 2010. however i would expect him to play in AAA next year.
the problem is we have a big hole at SS for the rest of this year and next.
Doug, you know a lot about the Reds prospects. what do you think his ETA is for the major league team?
.
Seems pretty short sighted to trade Alonso for a SS if we have an in house option hitting well at the AA level. The Reds are going nowhere this year so the fact that we have a hole at SS in 2009 means very little. As for 2010, if its down to an Alex Gonzalez type (past his prime 'defensive' minded SS who isn't all that great defensively and who can't be counted on offensively) and Cozart, I would absolutely 100% go with Cozart. I think his ETA is really going to depend on things that we simply can't know. I think he should get a call to AAA in August and if he performs well there, Cincinnati in September for a taste. Ideally that could put him on track for 2010 in April if he performs. However that doesn't mean the Reds are going to do it that way.
We need a shortstop and ideally a leftfielder. Those are the only problems I see that need to be addressed. I'm just not sure there's a true shortstop that's available and worth Alonso. I want to see how Cozart does the rest of the year. If he's ready to help split the job between him and Janish or an ok FA. A Cozart that's ready and a good FA bat for left (and a trade of Arroyo) and I'm happy.
Personally, I don't think we should go after any FA for the forseeable future, I'd rather trade surplus prospects and veterans who perfrom at an "Average" pace but get paid for much more, for position of need prospects, namely pitching. I don't think we can have too many pitchers of quality, either in the majors or minors. Players like Harang, Aroyo, EE were "Good Enough" at one time, now not so much, we should be replacing them in hopes of finding the next "Votto", players who are great no matter the price. With a well stacked minors "Good Enough" players are just not good enough anymore.
p.s. I agree with Doug about Cozart. Besides, with Valika, Sutton and Janish, we can "Hold" the position down next year if need be.
Last edited by thorn; 07-15-2009 at 07:43 PM.
I don't think it's a lack of respect but more a thought of let's not pin our SS hopes on just 1 guy who "might" be able to get the job done anytime in the so-so distant future. Frankly I'm getting extremely tired of waiting for every position to be filled via the minors before we get serious about competing, let's get serious about competing and yesterday. What if Cozart doesn't pan out, or maybe just has an unfortunate accident in the near future that keeps him out for an extended period of time? Do we just sit on the timetable like we keep doing with everyone else or do we make another move to fill the position?
The Reds F.O. needs to make a concerted effort and extremely soon to make this roster one that can compete very soon, this has been old.
"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."
--Woody Hayes
If the Reds want to go out and get a legit SS of MLB caliber, then lets go for it. However if the Reds are going to go out and spend 5 million per year on another questionable shortstop, then what is the point?
Now as for Cozart and maybe being an answer... well thats just chance the Reds are going to have to take if they aren't willing to spend 10 million a year on a shortstop and well, the odds aren't good that they are going to be doing that anytime soon. Cozart has shown at a relatively high level in the minors that he has strong plate discipline, no glaring offensive weakness and that he is a good glove man.
If we really want to compete in 2010 we'll need at least one player that's a safe bet to help the offense and the easiest positions to do that are short and left (with Dickerson ideally in center). We could just use internal options for both spots but it's far from a given that we'd get the kind of production we need to give the offense a boost.
All three of those players (Harang, Arroyo, & EE) are locked up though 2010 with 2011 options for Harang/Arroyo. We may be able to deal one of the pitchers but we probably can't afford to get rid of the other two just yet.
Thanks! Doubt he's big enough to turn into a Bay, but a Victorino or McLouth would be nice.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein
I doubt Frazier is that far long away from the majors
According to Cot's, these are the free agents available after this season:
Shortstops
Orlando Cabrera OAK
Bobby Crosby OAK
Adam Everett DET
Alex Gonzalez * CIN
Khalil Greene STL
John McDonald TOR
Marco Scutaro TOR
Miguel Tejada HOU
Jack Wilson * PIT
Tejada can still hit, but isn't a good SS. Scutaro is having a career year. Not much else.
I was wait and see on Cozart due to his bat being questioned but his production has been a surprise this year.
I noticed he has already committed 17 errors this season at ss, compared to only 11 total last season. Any explanation for this other than a poor sample? Is he having throwing difficulties?
The field in Carolina, at best, sucks.
Steve Smitherman, another Futures Game participant
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...itherman.shtml
Hugs, smiling, and interactive Twitter accounts, don't mean winning baseball. Until this community understands that we are cursed to relive the madness.
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