Pondering the future of the roster

[Vottomatic]

I know we're in the hunt this year, and I'm excited about it. But I also want to be in the hunt for years to come.

I've read some speculation on the Sun Deck and more on the Minor Leagues forum about Votto possibly moving to LF next year to accomodate Yonder Alonso, who after an atrocious start probably due to coming back from injury, has turned it on in a huge way the last month+. Could Alonso be the quality bat that could fit the 5-hole behind Rolen and maybe bat 4th when Rolen sits? If Alonso could hit around .300 with some modest power, it would be a deadly middle order.

I've also made up my mind and I prefer Heisey over Stubbs in CF. I also love the idea of batting Heisey second in the order. He bunts often, has decent speed, and does all the little things.

So here's my adjustments for next year so far:

2B Phillips
CF Heisey
LF Votto
3B Rolen
1B Alonso
RF Bruce
SS OCab/Janish
C Hanigan/Hernandez

I'm fine with an OCab/Janish situation. I'd like to see Janish backup 2B and 3B more often. I think his bat is good enough to play more. And defensively he's topnotch. I'm not a big OCab fan, but I read repeatedly about his leadership impact on the team, so I give in.

Pitching:
Let Harang walk and give him the $2M buyout.
Pick up Arroyo's option. I hope the Reds don't go the money saving route in regards to this decision and just buy him out. He has probably put up his best season ever this year and continues to go 210+ IP every year it seems. His WHIP and hits per innings pitched are very good this year. And he spares our bullpen most of the time.
The other 4 spots are Cueto, Volquez, Leake, and Wood's to lose.
I'm fully expecting and hoping they trade Bailey in the offseason. The problem will arise in the '12 season when they don't re-sign Arroyo and then we need another quality starting pitcher in the rotation. This might play into keeping Bailey and buying out Arroyo after this season. But I hope not. I'd rather re-sign Arroyo for '12 and beyond. But the $$$ might not be there with so many young guys coming due in arbitration.
Poor Maloney. He seems destined to be a triple A insurance policy for when our major league starters go down with injury. It just doesn't seem fair to him.
I wish we could trade/unload Cordero. You never know 'til you get there, but Logan Ondrusek is looking like the closer of the future that Todd Coffey and Nick Masset were never able to secure.
The acquisitions of Isringhausen and Springer make me wonder if Walt won't actively pursue salary relief in the offseason in the form of trading Cordero and sending some money along to split the last year of salary. If the Reds sent like $4M or a little more along with him in trade, I think some bigger market team in need of a proven closer would take him. Just my $.02 cents.

My projected '11 team:
OFers: Votto, Heisey, Bruce, Dickerson, Gomes - 5 players
Catchers: Hanigan, Hernandez, Miller (Minors) - 2 players
1B: Alonso, backups Votto - 1 player
2B: Phillips, backups Janish - 2 players
SS: OCab, Janish - 1 player
3B: Rolen, backup Francisco - 2 players
13 total position players. I think Rolen will need more time off next year and Francisco has nothing left to prove in the minors and gives us a LHed power bat who can spell Rolen for about 40+ games or PH off the bench.

12 pitchers:
SP - Arroyo
SP - Cueto
SP - Volquez
SP - Leake
SP - Wood

CL - Ondrusek
RP - Rhodes
RP - Masset
RP - Smith
RP - Bray
RP - Springer or other
RP - Isringhausen or other

Possibly use free agency to bolster the bullpen depending on how Springer and Isringhausen do the rest of this season. Also, Jose Arrendondo should be back recovering from TJ surgery. He was very dominant before his injury.

It sucks letting Cairo go after such a productive season he's had for us this year.

[ian_madden]

Chapman? I'm told he is pretty good.

[mlh1981]

Yeah, Chapman has to be in that equation somewhere. Those guys will just have to push themselves, as there is nothing wrong with a little "friendly competition."

This is certainly a far cry from when we were counting on the likes of Kyle Lohse, Eric Milton, and Jimmy Haynes.......

[Kiko]

Possibly the reigning MVP moving to a new position to allow a rookie to play first? I'll be surprised if Votto moves to LF. Not that Votto wouldn't do it but would you ask him to do that for a guy who hasn't even had a major league AB? I would have to value Alonso more as a player than Votto to do that and I don't.

[redsfan_12]

Agreed. Put Alonso in Left. If he can't do it, find someone who can. Votto needs to stay at 1st IMO

[vottofan4life]

I'll predict 3 things for next season:

1. Coco Cordero will not be the closer of this team/ He'll be shipped off to either Minnesota, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta, Seattle, or Texas.. Our future closer might already be on the team in Ondrusek or I can see us going after Papelbon in a blockbuster trade maybe getting Ellsbury and Lowrie too.

2. Joey Votto is and will be our First Baseman.

3. Half these players are gonna be free agents like Hernandez, Springer, Izzy, Cabrera, Arroyo, Rhodes and the only ones i'd consider bringing back is Cabrera but not as a starter, Arroyo but we'd have to do the buyout thing and sign him to a different deal, and Rhodes because he has been the real heart of the bullpen not Cordero.

One last prediction just because I can.---Devin Mesoraco Starting Catcher on Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds

[bshall2105]

Possibly the reigning MVP moving to a new position to allow a rookie to play first? I'll be surprised if Votto moves to LF. Not that Votto wouldn't do it but would you ask him to do that for a guy who hasn't even had a major league AB? I would have to value Alonso more as a player than Votto to do that and I don't.

Why? If you want to get you're best lineup on the field something has to give. Votto is an MVP canidate for his bat, not his glove. If he was Gold Glove caliber I would understand not wanting to move him, but he's just an average first baseman. Votto in left and Alonso at first is much better than Alonso in left and Votto at first.

[huber14]

One last prediction just because I can.---Devin Mesoraco Starting Catcher on Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds

What year? Definitely not next year

[Vottomatic]

I'll predict 3 things for next season:

1. Coco Cordero will not be the closer of this team/ He'll be shipped off to either Minnesota, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta, Seattle, or Texas.. Our future closer might already be on the team in Ondrusek or I can see us going after Papelbon in a blockbuster trade maybe getting Ellsbury and Lowrie too.

I don't think they trade for any closer. I believe Reds management will do Closer by committee, if Ondrusek doesn't work out, until they're forced to trade for a true closer.

2. Joey Votto is and will be our First Baseman.

Obviously my username says it all about how I feel about Votto. But I'd rather have Votto in LF than Alonso. I'm not a big Alonso fan. It bugs me that defensively, he really can only play 1B. Votto is more athletic and more versatile than Alonso. So I'd feel far more comfortable with Joey moving to LF than moving Alonso. But if Alonso's bat is the real deal and can help this team, get him in the lineup at his most comfortable position. One side note: Votto wouldn't be going up against Pujols for All Star votes and would stand a far better chance of getting voted in by playing LF.

3. Half these players are gonna be free agents like Hernandez, Springer, Izzy, Cabrera, Arroyo, Rhodes and the only ones i'd consider bringing back is Cabrera but not as a starter, Arroyo but we'd have to do the buyout thing and sign him to a different deal, and Rhodes because he has been the real heart of the bullpen not Cordero.

The Reds have a team option on Arroyo for next year at the same price. They will certainly exercise it unless they are just in a definite cost cutting mode, which will upset me if they do not exercise it for $$$ reasons.

The Reds also have a team option on Hernandez for '11. They will certainly exercise that option for one more year. Hernandez, I think, will turn 36 during the '11 season. I'm sure management is hoping Mesoraco will be ready for the majors to split time with Hanigan in '12.

Cabrera is also signed for '11.

Rhodes will be a FA, but I think everyone is certainly hoping he'll be back. This town loves him.

One last prediction just because I can.---Devin Mesoraco Starting Catcher on Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds

I think he's definitely ATLEAST another season away. He's not even in triple A yet. That's why they signed Hernandez through '11.

One last note: I did forget about Chapman in the bullpen next season. But that's why I said "or other" on Isringhausen and Springer. Cut me some slack........my thread starting post was at 3 a.m........

[cinreds21]

If Hanigan keeps it up he may be the opening day starter with Mes in the wings. He won't be the starter come April. He's had a great season and is in the running for Reds minor league player of the year but he is still at least a half a season away.

[Kiko]

Why? If you want to get you're best lineup on the field something has to give. Votto is an MVP canidate for his bat, not his glove. If he was Gold Glove caliber I would understand not wanting to move him, but he's just an average first baseman. Votto in left and Alonso at first is much better than Alonso in left and Votto at first.

Votto has had 3 full seasons in the Majors at 1B and has improved his defense every year. The Reds need to sign Votto to a long term contract and keep him at first. Jocketty is not going to ask him to move to LF for an unproven rookie. It is absurd. Neither one is suited for LF, therefore the Reds should trade Alonso for the best player they can get that is not a first baseman.

[sivman17]

Votto has had 3 full seasons in the Majors at 1B and has improved his defense every year. The Reds need to sign Votto to a long term contract and keep him at first. Jocketty is not going to ask him to move to LF for an unproven rookie. It is absurd. Neither one is suited for LF, therefore the Reds should trade Alonso for the best player they can get that is not a first baseman.

Agreed. I don't see any chance of him moving to LF. It's unfair to him. He is possibly the MVP of the league. Why would we want to mess with his game?

[bshall2105]

Agreed. I don't see any chance of him moving to LF. It's unfair to him. He is possibly the MVP of the league. Why would we want to mess with his game?

How does moving him to left affect his hitting? It's not unfair to him if he agrees to do it. If he wants the best lineup on the field next year moving to left could be an option.

[sivman17]

How does moving him to left affect his hitting? It's not unfair to him if he agrees to do it. If he wants the best lineup on the field next year moving to left could be an option.

I don't know if it would affect his hitting, but I don't think you ask him to move to LF. Votto has really improved his fielding in the last couple years and now he would have to start over from scratch in LF.

Could you imagine the Cards even considering asking Pujols to move to LF? It would never happen. Votto is our Pujols. We don't tell him what to do. We let him do what he wants.

[Vottomatic]

I don't know if it would affect his hitting, but I don't think you ask him to move to LF. Votto has really improved his fielding in the last couple years and now he would have to start over from scratch in LF.

Could you imagine the Cards even considering asking Pujols to move to LF? It would never happen. Votto is our Pujols. We don't tell him what to do. We let him do what he wants.

You're kidding right?

Votto is more athletic than Pujols. Pujols is a big man. Votto isn't.

Weird analysis by you.