Bronson Arroyo questions offseason budget cutting

[Tom Servo]

Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo was apologetic when he returned my call after a few days. He had a good excuse -- he had been out on his boat sailing off of the Florida coast.

I was seeking to do a story on his reaction to the hot stove talk in recent weeks that the Reds might have to slash payroll and move players like himself. He's due to make $11 million in 2010.

"I really haven't paid any attention to it," Arroyo said. "I haven't been on Reds.com or ESPN.com to read it so I've been totally clueless. People tell me 'I've seen your name thrown around in trade talk.' Honestly, I'm not thinking about it. If I got traded before Opening Day, I'd be more surprised than when I was traded from Boston [to the Reds in March 2006]."

Always good for speaking his mind with originality, Arroyo's ignorance to the hot stove hoopla didn't mean he didn't have an opinion.

"In my mind, there was no reason to get [Scott] Rolen [in a July 31 trade] if we're turning around and moving guys without waiting to see what happens [during the season]," Arroyo said. "I think they'll give us four months to see if we can compete in the division. If we're not, we'll have a big scale back. For now, they seem committed to win."

One more quote:

"I know the budget is tight," Arroyo said. "But if you re-sign Ramon [Hernandez] for a year, why then go in the other direction? If we were saving, we could have easily had [Ryan] Hanigan catching 130 games next year."

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives..._the_talk.html

[Sea Ray]

I think he makes some good points. They're not going into firesale mode yet.

[BCubb2003]

I think he said what needed to be said, but it's still kind of funny. Ask a guy who hasn't been paying attention for his opinion, and he'll give it to you anyway.

[OnBaseMachine]

"In my mind, there was no reason to get [Scott] Rolen [in a July 31 trade] if we're turning around and moving guys without waiting to see what happens [during the season]," Arroyo said. "I think they'll give us four months to see if we can compete in the division. If we're not, we'll have a big scale back. For now, they seem committed to win."

I agree 100%. Why make that trade and then turnaround and dump salary just a few months later?

[edabbs44]

I agree 100%. Why make that trade and then turnaround and dump salary just a few months later?

Everyone is assuming that they are dumping salary. They haven't dumped anything yet.

[Reds4Life]

Bronson is correct. If they are dumping salary, the moves he mentioned make no sense at all.

[edabbs44]

The other thing is that "dumping salary", in this context, doesn't mean that they are going to get worse. If they were to deal Cordero, for example, does anyone see the team automatically becoming worse?

If played correctly, the big ticket guys could be dealt and replaced without a huge downtick in overall team performance.

[NJReds]

Bronson is correct. If they are dumping salary, the moves he mentioned make no sense at all.

I'd take it a step further. If they aren't adding salary, then the moves he mentioned don't make sense. If they're trying to win now, they need to fill holes, not stay with the status quo.

[Falls City Beer]

The moves made don't preclude shrinking the budget.

[RedsManRick]

I'd take it a step further. If they aren't adding salary, then the moves he mentioned don't make sense. If they're trying to win now, they need to fill holes, not stay with the status quo.

This is the definitely the point of contention. I happen to agree with Arroyo's supposition, but I think it's clear that Reds management believes this team can compete as the roster is currently constructed.

[paulrichjr]

Bronson is a smart dude. He is by far the most intelligent player on the stage every RedsFest that I have been to. That being said I'm not sure that Bronson knows that the smartest GM's in the world have their brains taken away when they come to Cincy. I think it's a curse that Marge put on them....maybe it was John Allen...

[Falls City Beer]

I actually often wonder if GMs like Castellini don't shrink the budget out of a kind of groupthink as opposed to some immediate exigency on the ground: "Well *this* guy's cutting back...err...umm; well, maybe WE should too!"

This opinion could probably be easily dismissed if it didn't happen all the time in every other avenue of business and economics. Convential wisdom almost always trumps reality.

[BRM]

This is the definitely the point of contention. I happen to agree with Arroyo's supposition, but I think it's clear that Reds management believes this team can compete as the roster is currently constructed.

Agreed. I don't think Walt is close to holding a firesale nor do I think anyone is claiming such. The issue is whether we agree on the team being ready to contend right now, assuming Walt stands pat. Because it does appear that the team is basically going to stand pat. Walt is likely looking to make an improvement or two on the fringes but no impact players are coming this way.

[nate]

Agreed. I don't think Walt is close to holding a firesale nor do I think anyone is claiming such. The issue is whether we agree on the team being ready to contend right now, assuming Walt stands pat. Because it does appear that the team is basically going to stand pat. Walt is likely looking to make an improvement or two on the fringes but no impact players are coming this way.

Yes.

I think they're marking time and trying to hang around just enough until the right amounts of luck, payflex and farm system maturation come about.

[macro]

"I really haven't paid any attention to it," Arroyo said. "I haven't been on Reds.com or ESPN.com to read it so I've been totally clueless.

Frankly, I'm offended that he didn't mention RedsZone as the best place to get news about the Reds.