Tidbits from Bill Bavasi

[OnBaseMachine]

Bill Bavasi held a Q&A at Wright State University last night and Hal McCoy posted the highlights on his blog. Among the interesting things he said: Janish is the starter at SS, he sees Chapman staying in the bullpen (ugh!), and Jocketty and the Reds really like Yonder Alonso.

Check it out at the link below.

“Janish will be our starting shortstop and whatever Paul can’t handle we have Renteria to step in. We’ll see where it goes, but Renteria is a real good safety net and we may ask him to play some second base as a backup.”

http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs...cxtype=feedbot

[Marc D]

With first baseman Joey Votto signing a three-year contract, some folks believe the Reds will trade No. 1 draft pick/first baseman Yonder Alonso. Bavasi says no. “We won’t trade him,” he said. “We’ve tried him in the outfield and he gets to ball he should get to, but he doesn’t have the speed to make the great plays. But we can’t move him. He is exactly the kind of player Walt loves - he hits the ball hard, puts the ball in play, doesn’t strike out. I’m not so sure it would do him any good to sit on the bench this year so he’ll probably go back (to Class AAA Louisville) and play and work. He won’t be kept just to pinch-hit because it is tough for a kid to learn to do that.”

Only one guy can play 1B in 2012.

It will be interesting to look back in a couple of years and see if this was a conscious effort from the FO to build up YA's trade value or if it was a clear message they were resigned to moving Votto.

[RedsManRick]

Only one guy can play 1B in 2012.

It will be interesting to look back in a couple of years and see if this was a conscious effort from the FO to build up YA's trade value or if it was a clear message they were resigned to moving Votto.

Yeah, that's one of those times when I really wish the journalist would follow up with "So the plan is to let Yonder rot on the vine?"

[pedro]

Yeah, that's one of those times when I really wish the journalist would follow up with "So the plan is to let Yonder rot on the vine?"

I don't think it's fair to claim say sending Yonder to AAA is letting him "rot on the vine". A good year at AAA would do wonders for his trade value or allow the Reds a lot more comfort should they decide to trade Votto.

Should we be having this conversation this time next, then yeah...but as for now, not so much.

[RedsManRick]

I don't think it's fair to claim say sending Yonder to AAA is letting him "rot on the vine". A good year at AAA would do wonders for his trade value or allow the Reds a lot more comfort should they decide to trade Votto.

Should we be having this conversation this time next, then yeah...but as for now, not so much.

I read Bavasi's comments to be more about a general philosophy of simply not trading him as opposed to not trading him right now. I suppose that was my interpretation.

[Brutus]

I read Bavasi's comments to be more about a general philosophy of simply not trading him as opposed to not trading him right now. I suppose that was my interpretation.

It's also possible that the Reds are still purposely playing up the, "we won't trade him" angle to keep any leverage they can if they do entertain offers.

Being in a position where they have no use for Alonso makes it sound like the club should be eager to throw him in a deal. This allows them to hold serve in trade negotiations a bit better.

[TheNext44]

Yeah, that's one of those times when I really wish the journalist would follow up with "So the plan is to let Yonder rot on the vine?"

NM.

[Caveat Emperor]

There was talk after last season that flame-throwing Aroldis Chapman would be part of the starting rotation this season, but Bavasi says it probably won’t happen - and may never happen.

“A decision has not been made, but I think it is going to be impossible to get him out of the bullpen,” said Bavasi. “You build your pitching staff from the back to the front - if we can shut you down in the eighth and ninth innings, you aren’t going to beat us.

“Aroldis is killing people out of the bullpen and we’re OK with with what we have for starters,” Bavasi added. “And Arolidis is not going to be able to throw 105 miles an hour as a starter.”

I'm sure C.C. Sabathia would be an amazing setup guy too, that doesn't make the idea of using someone as talented as him in such a role any less moronic.

They're literally just wasting the best pitching talent to join the organization in the last 20 years. I simply don't understand it, and I don't think I ever will. If Chapman's ceiling as a professional is a bullpen guy, the scouts who advocated signing him should be out of a job yesterday.

ETA -- And if the Reds do believe he's not starting material, they should be actively shopping him to a team that will overpay on the belief that he can be a starter, IMO.

ETA pt. 2 -- And if you needed further reason to believe Bavasi doesn't know his head from a hole in the wall, it's the comment "you build a pitching staff from the back to the front." Oh, right. And here I was laboring under this mindless delusion that the reason why teams succeeded was dominant starting pitching. How stupid of me to think that the Phillies have been destroying the NL because of guys like Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay when -- surprise -- it was really Brad Lidge all along.

[camisadelgolf]

I really wouldn't mind seeing Yonder Alonso stealing the first base job from Joey Votto. People act like it's almost an impossibility for Alonso to take up Votto's roster spot down the line, but here are a couple things to keep in mind:
1.) Price. Joey Votto is likely going to be making $20MM+ per season once he hits 2014. Ouch. Yonder Alonso? He'll probably be making the league minimum as a 26-year-old so long as Votto keeps blocking him from joining the roster.
2.) People were never all that high on Votto. He was always seen as someone who would possibly become a little above average as a first baseman, but he was never seen as the superstar he is quickly becoming. Well, the first part could be said for Yonder Alonso, too. People will be quick to cite Alonso's minor league numbers, but if you look at what each player did in AAA at the same age, their stats are very similar. Not only that, but Alonso didn't have the luxury of playing professional baseball for five years prior to appearing in AAA. Injuries have also likely played more of a role in any noticeable deficiencies in his production.

All in all, I'm willing to not trade Alonso if he's going to put up good numbers at a less than 5% of the cost of Joey Votto. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but you can keep Alonso in 2013 and trade Votto going into his walk year to fill holes elsewhere.

[TheNext44]

I'm sure C.C. Sabathia would be an amazing setup guy too, that doesn't make the idea of using someone as talented as him in such a role any less moronic.

They're literally just wasting the best pitching talent to join the organization in the last 20 years. I simply don't understand it, and I don't think I ever will. If Chapman's ceiling as a professional is a bullpen guy, the scouts who advocated signing him should be out of a job yesterday.

ETA -- And if the Reds do believe he's not starting material, they should be actively shopping him to a team that will overpay on the belief that he can be a starter, IMO.

ETA pt. 2 -- And if you needed further reason to believe Bavasi doesn't know his head from a hole in the wall, it's the comment "you build a pitching staff from the back to the front." Oh, right. And here I was laboring under this mindless delusion that the reason why teams succeeded was dominant starting pitching. How stupid of me to think that the Phillies have been destroying the NL because of guys like Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay when -- surprise -- it was really Brad Lidge all along.

My only hope with that comment is that it is Bavasi speaking for himself, and not for the team. Just for the record, Jocketty's Cardinals never really built their pitching staff "from the back forward" Their pens were loaded with cheap vets and youngsters, and anchored by veteran closers.

[dougdirt]

Re: Alonso

It says to me that the Reds might still look at him in left field. I think that is certainly a good idea, because his bat is going to play and after Dunn and Gomes out there, it seems the Reds are willing to take a defensive hit over in left.

[Scrap Irony]

If the Reds are willing to live with Alonso in LF, that's only good news, IMO. More options (especially LH guys) are always nice.

[mth123]

Re: Alonso

It says to me that the Reds might still look at him in left field. I think that is certainly a good idea, because his bat is going to play and after Dunn and Gomes out there, it seems the Reds are willing to take a defensive hit over in left.

I hope that is what it means. They sure acted a lot differently in 2010.

[OnBaseMachine]

If the Reds permanently stick Chapman in the bullpen without even giving him a chance to start it will be one of the dumbest decisions I've ever seen a baseball team make. That's just way too much talent to waste in the bullpen without at least giving him a chance at starting. I'm hoping that's just Bavasi talking and not Walt.

[VR]

Perhaps he's just enhancing his perceived value on the market by labeling him untradeable. Good move.