From the ORG: Your turn to GM, in 3 moves...

[BLEEDS]

OK, here's the drill. Since Walt won't do anything, it's your turn. You have three moves to improve the Reds, and by improve, I mean do whatever you would do if you were the GM to improve the future outlook. You can blow it up or go for it, you can target 2010 or 2100. But first, there are a few rules of the game:

1. You can only make 3 moves. A trade counts as 1 move. A FA signing counts as 1 move.
2. Castellini, Jocketty, and Dusty are in place. Don't waste one of your moves discussing them.
3. You cannot add more than $10MM per year to the current payroll.
4. You cannot add contracts that have more than $50MM total left on the deal.
5. You cannot trade for any of the prospects that BA listed as "Untouchable."
6. Try to be as realistic as possible in any proposed trades, assessing the counterparty's needs and motives as best you can. (For instance, you cannot ship $50MM to the Pirates, attempt to trade Brandon Phillips to the Phillies, etc.)


I'll post mine later tonight...

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[thorn]

Ok, lets try for 2010.

1. Sign FA Maicer Izturis.
2. Trade for Halladay
3. Don't let (By any Means Necessary) Tavares, Harriston, Gonzo, Gomes, Nix, Hernandez, Weathers, Rhodes, Burton and Lincoln anywhere near this team next year.

[mikemo14]

Move 1 Trade Harang to the Angels for Brandon Wood and another prospect

Move 2 Trade David Weathers to Colorado for prospects 15 mill Savings for 2

Move 3 Off Season Sign Matt Holiday 4 yrs 60 mil.

2010 Lineup CF Heisey
rf Bruce
2b Phillips
1b Votto
LF Holliday
3b Encarnacion
ss Wood
C Hanigan

Rotation Arroyo,Cueto, Bailey or Owings,Volquez&T Wood

[BoilerBC11]

1. Trade Arroyo + Weathers for Phil Hughes
2. Trade Harang + Rhodes + Yonder for Matt Kemp + Dee Gordon
3. Trade B level prospect for Marcus Scutaro

2010 Line-Up
Kemp
Scutaro
Votto
Phillips
Bruce
EdE
Dickenson
Hanigan

SP
Cueto
Volquez
Hughes
Bailey
Wood

RP
Roenicke
Fisher
Stewart
Bray
Herrera
Jukich
Cordero

[Redsnake]

1. Clear payroll

2. Clear more payroll

3. Clear even more payroll

[BLEEDS]

1. Harang for Kemp (LAD) + fodder on both sides.
If any deal makes the most sense it's this one. We can afford to let Harang go for a CF of the future. It's excess for both sides, expendable. We also cut some payroll.
You can bat Kemp anywhere in the lineup from 1st to 6th, even Dusty can't mess this up. He's speedy so could lead off, he's sporting a .385 OBP this year, he's also OPS-ing near .900. I'd probably bat him cleanup for now, but he can go anywhere 1-4 in my book.

2. Alonso, Stubbs/Heisey, Wood for Halladay (TOR).
With some money free'd up from Harang for Kemp, we can make this trade work. Giving up Alonso is a no-brainer. As I said, he is redundant with Votto battling for a batting title, above everyone's expectations. We have enough 1b/3b type prospects to get rid of our #1 pick from last year. Stubbs/Heisey are expendable with Kemp in house. Halladay COULD sign an extension too, seems like a possibility if we make a playoff run before 2010 runs out. If not, I'm good with the 2 draft picks after he turns down arbitration after 2010.

3. Arroyo for Escobar (Atl)
With Halladay, Arroyo for a SS of the future is an easy move to make. I think Atlanta is looking for a proven innings eater since to keep pace with the Phillies moves. They can't stand pat and they are looking to move Escobar. He has a career OBP above .370, this is the kind of SS you bat 2nd dude.


So now we've got a CF and SS. Still a gaping hole in LF, but I slide Dickerson over there for now since we have enough OF offense with Kemp and eventually Bruce, we can afford to not get a Big Bopper - plus I'm out of moves. Jay Bruce comes back in 2010 and we have a REAL OF lineup with speed, power and Defense. And we are solid up the middle for D and Offense.

2009 lineup:
LF Dickerson
SS Escobar
1B Votto
CF Kemp
2B BP
3B EE
C Hanigan
RF Gomes/Nix/JHJ/Taveras/Sep call-up

Rotation:
Halladay
Cueto
Bailey
Owings
Volquez

Yeah the rotation is questionable until Volquez gets back, but the addition of Kemp and Escobar will help TREMENDOUSLY on offense. We can make a run with that lineup possibly, and if Volquez comes back healthy, you never know.


2010

LF Dickerson
SS Escobar
1B Votto
CF Kemp
RF Bruce
2B BP
3B EE
C Hanigan

Now THAT'S a lineup that can compete with anyone!!

Rotation:
Halladay
Volquez
Cueto
Leake
Bailey/Owings

Micah Owings to the bullpen, assuming Bailey pitches like his first two starts back up this year, or he gets the 5th starter and Bailey throws 96-98 MPH out of the pen.

I think Leake is good enough to start next season, I see no reason why he couldn't. If Bailey and Owings both pitch so good, then he stays at AAA, good problem to have.

We also have Owings/Bailey/EE as trading options for 2010 and beyond. They either step up and/or get pushed by others looking to take their spots. Heisey, Frazier, Wood, et al are going to be knocking on the door. We can make additional moves with those guys, or let certain guys walk (no names but his initials are EE) if we are so inclined.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[fewfirstchoice]

Roenicke and Stubbs for Rios(Tor.) and about 1/3 of the money hes owed.

Arroyo and Wood for Escobar(Atl.) or B. Wood(LAA) and 1 other minor leaguer

Harang and Heisey for Hughes and M. Cabera(sp)

C- Hannigan
1B- Votto
2B- Phillips
3B- EE
SS- Escobar
LF- M. Cabera
CF- Rios
RF- Bruce

1) Cueto
2) Volquez
3) Hughes
4) Bailey
5) FA signing

Cl- Cordero
L- Rhodes
L- Bray
R- Burton
R- Masset
R- Fisher
R- Owings

1) Escobar or B. Wood
2) Phillips
3) Votto
4) Rios
5) EE
6) Bruce
7) M. Cabera
8) Hannigan

Thats a good team from top to bottom and the payroll would work with this team.

[lidspinner]

OK, I usually like to read and not join in these kinds of posts....but why not, I am sick of this team and I am about 2 years from encouraging my kids to root for another team....(that was a joke)

Move #1: Trade Harang+yonder+EdE.......for Matt Kemp and Hector Luna... This move gets payroll off the books short term and gives us a OF for the future and gives us a young 3rd baseman with tons of potential.....cant be no worse at 3rd than we are now plus we can develope someone else at 3rd as long as Luna can hang......OF gets better, offense gets better, pitching takes a small step backwards because maloney will have to replace Harang for now.

Move #2: Trade Coco to Toronto..........for Marco Scutaro ...Not sure how this works out financially but this gets us out of coco's contract and gives them much needed bullpen help(not even real sure how bad their pen is) and solidifies our SS spot for awhile and gives Nick Masset and a few others the chance to prove they can close.

Move #3: addition by subtraction.....take your pick but there are about 3 guys still left that I would send down or not re-sign or just plain send them packing. Getting rid of those 3 along with an OF of

LF: Gomes/Nix/Stubbs
CF: Kemp/Stubbs
RF: Bruce/CDickerson/Heisy

and an Infield of

1st: Votto
2nd:Bphil
SS: marco
3rd: Luna
C: Hannigan

and a starting rotation of

Volquez
cueto
Bailey
Bronson
Owings


Obviously this is what I would do with my only 3 moves.....in the offseason I would make a few more moves with a emphasis on Starting Pitching....Grabbing a Roy Halladay and paying him big money should be our number 1 concern. Basically we are getting a SS+CF'er that are for sure starters.....a 3rd baseman that is no worse than we have now......we lose bullpen help....that would be a great base to start the offseason with.....Lets face it....we could trade teams with the Dodgers right now and we are not going to make the playoffs....the Cards just made there team a TON better and are ready for the stretch......and with Dusty at the helm, he would have trouble with that team.....

[will5979]

ok imagine for a sec. I'm JockItch or whatever his name is...

1. Get rid of everyone except Votto, Bruce, Phillips, Hanigan, all starting pitchers but Harang, and the bullpen. Dusty stays manager too btw, give him the players and watch what he can do.

2. Trade for a solid leadoff man, someone who can play SS with some offense, and a power hitting 3B. No matter what it costs.

3. Sign the best arm on the FA market this winter no matter the cost.

I have said this since the Reds refused to capilize on some success on 95 and let Ron Gant go, YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE CHECK BOOK TO WIN IN MLB.