Quote Originally Posted by _Sir_Charles_ View Post
I agree. But I'm sure the Reds would listen if a total package SS was available, not that one likely will be.



I know it wouldn't prevent us from getting a pen arm...but we'd have less chips to deal with after a Lee trade. And as for World Series contenders...I think we ARE one already. And trading away a promising young LEFT HANDED prospect like Wood only hurts our chances in furture years. I don't want a "one year and done" playoff run. Even if it gets us a world series ring. I want sustained success. That means not trading away lots of promising young prospects for a 2 month rental. If we had an abundance of left handed starting pitching prospects...sure (which is why I'm not that hesitant to deal Yonder...he's blocked and we have other candidates in the minors to step into his shoes too).



I think we should be able to get MORE than 2 months of lee for Wood & Yonder. But let's say we DO make that deal...what's the rotation for the last 2 months? Who gets sent down to the minors? Who gets sent to the pen? Who gets kicked OUT of the pen to make room for an ex-starter being added to the pen? How much of an improvement is Lee over say Volquez starting? 2 wins? 4 wins? 8 wins? Are 8 wins worth trading away Yonder and Wood? That's my line of thinking. Getting Lee doesn't assure us of a playoff spot or a WS berth and certainly not a title. I'm sure it'll improve our odds, but I think a solid pen arm would improve them MORE than Lee would.

Volquez is still an unknown, Leake has to be worked around to a point, Bailey is still hurt, Wood has one big league start to his name. The rotation is far from a finished product.

Trade for Lee and your rotation is:

Lee
Cueto
Arroyo
Harang
Leake/Volquez/Bailey


If they keep Leake's innings down, Volquez works out and Bailey comes back ready to go, that's a good problem to have. You sit Harang down and say "Aaron, you're getting older. You're not going to be here next year in all likelihood and you have no guarantees on the open market. Decent chance you end up on a crappy team for way less money. This is your chance to win a title. We need you in the pen more than the 4 man playoff rotation."Harang as the long man is an upgrade over Owings.

If they make the postseason and everyone is doing their jobs, someone gets left off the roster for each series. That's a call that would have to be made anyway, I'd rather have to make that call with Lee on the staff than without.