Steve Phillips: Fix My Team (Reds Edition)

[Scrap Irony]

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/16/s...am-reds/#cntnt

Pretty much the same thing as many have said:

Moves
1. Wants to platoon Gomes and Fred Lewis.
2. Wants Bartlett, or, failing that, to deal for Boston's extra SS (either Scutaro or Lowrie).
3. Wants to add a LOOGY, a la Rhodes, to help bridge gap between Chapman (as 6 and 7 inning middle reliever) and Cordero, to shorten games.

Likes
Claims there are no big deals needed, as youth is better served to blossom as is.
Likes the starting staff, especially the depth and youth.
Praises the Bruce deal and wishes to lock up Votto and Stubbs as well.

Dislikes
Paul Janish as starter at SS
Jonny Gomes by himself in LF

[camisadelgolf]

It feels so odd for me to agree with an outsider. Unless someone has something invested in the team, they're usually off-base about a team's needs, so I'm really impressed by Phillips here. Anyway, I'd like to see a better player than Lewis in left field, but if that's the direction the Reds go, I won't be too bothered by it. After all, the Reds had the best offense in the NL while running Gomes out there everyday, so it's not like a big bopper in left is exactly needed. And we know Bartlett isn't coming over, but I'd be very happy with the acquisition of Scutaro as long as the price isn't too steep.

[Homer Bailey]

Steve Phillips for GM!

[bucksfan2]

Phillips is a train wreck. I listen to him from time to time on Mad Dog Radio in the morning and while sometimes he makes good points I often end up scratching my head and wondering how he became a MLB GM.

That said I really can't disagree with anything he said. I don't really like the Fred Lewis target, don't think he fits well in this bandbox ball park. But I do think it shows that outside of RedsZone people aren't too confident in Janish.

I do wonder if smaller type deals will stat to get made as ST approaches.

[dfs]

Phillips is a train wreck. ...

That said I really can't disagree with anything he said.

Yeah. That worries me too.

[Mario-Rijo]

Phillips is a train wreck. I listen to him from time to time on Mad Dog Radio in the morning and while sometimes he makes good points I often end up scratching my head and wondering how he became a MLB GM.

That said I really can't disagree with anything he said. I don't really like the Fred Lewis target, don't think he fits well in this bandbox ball park. But I do think it shows that outside of RedsZone people aren't too confident in Janish.

I do wonder if smaller type deals will stat to get made as ST approaches.

How exactly does that make him a negative, he isn't a pitcher? The kid is exactly what we need in a LHH for the OF. A guy who is a solid defender, has the athleticism to play all 3 spots, has some pop, has some speed, has some reasonable discipline, makes decent contact. I don't see a problem with anything Phillips said which I agree does surprise me, except I would rather platoon Lewis with Heisey.

[Orenda]

I'm all for a left field platoon on paper, but this team will still be managed by the same guy that let Gomes OPS 705 versus RHP in 375 plate appearances last season.

Considering Gomes defense I don't see why it would ever make sense to play him against right handers unless he had a track record of success against a guy.

[RedsManRick]

Phillips wants to add something like $15M is payroll without adding a ton of production.

With Chapman and Bray, why add Fuentes at something like $4-5M minimum? Heck, Jesse Crain just got 3/13 from the White Sox.

Dan Wheeler is one of the most extreme flyball pitchers in baseball. Does that really make sense in GABP? Is he really much of an upgrade over Logan Ondrusek or Jordan Smith?

Bartlett or Scutaro -- giving up talent to take on a big chunk of salary?

Fred Lewis as a LH 5th OF? For a few million bucks, ok I guess. I'd rather just give Dorn a chance, but I know that's not going to happen.

I know Phillips only has ~5 minutes in these things, but they just aren't rooted in reality. If he's going to ignore financial limitations, why not just go all out? Things like this sit in a weird space of putting a fair amount of thought in to it but not going far enough for it to really be realistic.

Spending a lot of money on marginal upgrades? There's a reason you're a commentator and not a GM, Steve.

Put me in the camp of people who would like Walt to make an impact move at SS or LF, but is THRILLED that he's not doing stuff just for the sake of activity and being able to say he tried to improve the team. If you're going to play that rounding out the roster game, there's no reason to do it in December. First mover advantage, if there was such a thing in this market, is gone. Take your time, only make a move if it really makes us a better team. The core isn't going anywhere and there's no move that requires a rush at this point.

[RED VAN HOT]

Phillips does not consider Heisey. I suspect that a good spring gives Heisey the starting job over Gomes. After all, he has only 226 ML PA's. IMO, he is a better alternative than a 30 year old Lewis. Moreover, Heisey hits RHP very well, better than the left hand hitting Lewis. A LH hitting OF is needed, but would prefer a pinch hitter with some punch. If Edmonds cannot be talked out of retirement, try Dorn.

The Reds are not finished making moves at SS. Either they must obtain someone to backup Janish or start over him. I think Cozart will get a long look this spring. If he looks solid, he may get the starting job with Janish in the more familiar utility role. If the Reds did not feel comfortable with a Janish/Cozart competition for the position, they would have retained Cabrera. Until then, I don't see the Reds investing in much more than an insurance policy, not unlike the moves they have made in the past.

[Griffey012]

Lewis would be a good acquisition, looking at his career starts I was plenty surprised at his OBP over the years. He would definitely fill the lead-off void for likely a cheap price.

[Edskin]

"Steve Phillips: Fix My Team"

Uh, no thanks

[bucksfan2]

Phillips does not consider Heisey. I suspect that a good spring gives Heisey the starting job over Gomes. After all, he has only 226 ML PA's. IMO, he is a better alternative than a 30 year old Lewis. Moreover, Heisey hits RHP very well, better than the left hand hitting Lewis. A LH hitting OF is needed, but would prefer a pinch hitter with some punch. If Edmonds cannot be talked out of retirement, try Dorn.

The Reds are not finished making moves at SS. Either they must obtain someone to backup Janish or start over him. I think Cozart will get a long look this spring. If he looks solid, he may get the starting job with Janish in the more familiar utility role. If the Reds did not feel comfortable with a Janish/Cozart competition for the position, they would have retained Cabrera. Until then, I don't see the Reds investing in much more than an insurance policy, not unlike the moves they have made in the past.

I suspect that a bad spring and Heisey becomes another journeyman 5th OF type who has trouble latching on with an organization for an extended period of time.

[Griffey012]

I am not a Steve Phillips fan, but I get the feeling some people are being pretty harsh on his assessment. Obviously he is not going to know the Reds full roster situation as well as us die-hard Reds fans. I am sure he does not know we have Arredondo to jump in to a right handed bullpen role this season, as many people on the boards here have probably forgotten about. Being an MLB analyst he is likely forced to spend a majority of his time on the big market teams, and much less on the other 15 teams in the MLB. Overall, he did a pretty accurate job, outside of acquiring Bartlett or Scutaro, because we don't need to take on the salary for a marginal upgrade. He was also spot on in seeing the potential value in Stubbs as he mentioned looking at locking him up long term.

Nobody knows what Fuentes is going to get on the open market, but we could definitely use a veteran loogy in the pen, I am sure Phillips would not condone signing a loogy for 3-5 million a year, regardless of how dumb he may seem on TV. He also mentioned targeting Lowrie on the Red Sox to fill the hole at SS which would be a cheap and logical target.

Was his assessment perfect? No
Was it terrible? Also a no
Overall it was pretty fair.

[bucksfan2]

As for the Bartlett or Scutaro their contracts would add salary to the Reds payroll. But that doesn't stop the Reds from getting their current team to chip in cash to help cover the salary.

[Ron Madden]

As for the Bartlett or Scutaro their contracts would add salary to the Reds payroll. But that doesn't stop the Reds from getting their current team to chip in cash to help cover the salary.

I for one hope Walt steers clear of Bartlett and Scutaro.