Updated "rate the front office" poll

[Brutus]

C'mon, teachers. Get out your ink pens and grade Jocketty's paper.

[savafan]

I'm giving him an A both for effort, and the sheer excitement factor of it all. If the results don't work out the way we all hope, it won't be for lack of effort.

[reds44]

The offseason still ain't over, folks. There's at least one more bat coming. Maybe two. Neither will be expensive, but there's still at least one more move to come.

[Brutus]

I'm giving him an A both for effort, and the sheer excitement factor of it all. If the results don't work out the way we all hope, it won't be for lack of effort.

Agreed. Jocketty acquired a potential ace under the club's control for four seasons, arguably the best bullpen arm in the league the last two seasons and they opened up the checkbook for a great closer. They got creative and they also spent money. I love it.

[Brutus]

The offseason still ain't over, folks. There's at least one more bat coming. Maybe two. Neither will be expensive, but there's still at least one more move to come.

Cespedes would be icing on an already sweet cake, but I'm resigned to Cody Ross or Ryan Ludwick and I'm OK with that.

[AtomicDumpling]

I give Jocketty an A grade for finding excellent players that will improve the team.
I give Jocketty an A grade for only trading away players that were not integral to the success of the team.
I give Jocketty a D grade for his negotiating skills. He paid absolute top dollar to obtain Latos, Marshall and Madson. He spent a huge amount of resources (prospects and money) to obtain those guys.

I voted him a B grade overall because he brought in stellar, exciting players but yikes he paid through the nose.

I can't help but think that maybe a more savvy GM might have 1.) Obtained even more or better talent for the vast resources he spent or 2.) Obtained the same talent while spending fewer resources.

[corkedbat]

- I'm giving them an A- for everything so far.

- They get an A by adding a decent bat to the LF mix

- They get an A+ if the can find a way to add Cespedes

[wlf WV]

I voted B reluctantly,he has surpassed my expectations.

1.Because I wanted another starter.

2.I also agree with Atomic that Jocketty paid through the nose,specifically for Marshall.( I think Wood,Sappelt, Hamilton ,plus would have been reasonable for Garza ).A better target in my opinion,but who knows what Walt proposed?

I believe he did buy right,but he paid Manufacturer's suggested retail and a buyer's premium on Marshall.I do think he beat the market with Madson.

I think the reasoning was to make as certain as possible 2012,buying players with "guarantees".It is also why I think there is little possibility of signing Cespedes,unless he's a "toy" Bob really wants.

[redsmetz]

My "A" vote is a low A and I could have dropped slightly down to a B+, but I think he edges up into the A level.

I think last off-season, the club was still wanting to see exactly what they had in various prospects. We've seen the potential in Maz and Cozart and they look as though they can make the jump to the major league level. Alonso acquited himself well and Grandal repeated what we'd been seeing in his first year here. They, along with Wood, brought needed parts for this club. No question, they were all steep prices, but it's improved this club considerably. Ultimately, I think, last off-season didn't allow us to show the value we had in these prospects. Nor did it allow us to sort out which parts could be moved.

Adding to my "bad timing" theory was last season's trade deadline. It was a week or so too early. I don't have the time to lay out more on that as it's time for me to get out for my morning walk, but I'll try to extrapolate on that a bit more later this morning.

[edabbs44]

I give Jocketty an A grade for finding excellent players that will improve the team.
I give Jocketty an A grade for only trading away players that were not integral to the success of the team.
I give Jocketty a D grade for his negotiating skills. He paid absolute top dollar to obtain Latos, Marshall and Madson. He spent a huge amount of resources (prospects and money) to obtain those guys.

I voted him a B grade overall because he brought in stellar, exciting players but yikes he paid through the nose.

I can't help but think that maybe a more savvy GM might have 1.) Obtained even more or better talent for the vast resources he spent or 2.) Obtained the same talent while spending fewer resources.

I really disagree with the cost. I have lost no sleep on the price for Marshall. Madson on a one year is very nice. Latos has a big number but
getting someone like him, at his stage, is going to cost a lot.

Latos is the only one, IMO, where an argument can be made.

[redsmetz]

Just to expand on my earlier comment. Basically, we were fairly close still a week away from the deadline. On 7/24, we stood at 50-51, three games back behind what was on that day essentially a 3-way tie for 1st - MIL, PGH & STL (cf http://www.baseball-reference.com/ga...ate=2011-07-24). The end began rather quickly from there - we were swept in four games by the Mets, but went on to sweep the Giants in a three game series.

A week later, standing at 53-55, but Milwaukee got hot and we were then 6.5 games back when the deadline arrived. At that point, we could have been sellers, but basically the chips we've used this summer weren't the sort of chips you move at that time. And there was no amount of buying that could have staved off the finish we had. Clearly, our core wasn't going to move because we'd be sacrificing the future we're presently standing at.

I do stand by my belief that the 2010-2011 was unfortunate timing given where our prospects stood at that point. I'm hoping historically that 2011 was this club's 1971. We'll see.

Good work this off-season, most definitely.

[Vottomatic]

Jocketty is sneaky. All we were hearing was Cordero or Kerry Wood. Then this happens. Same with Latos. Really no one predicted it. All the talk was about Shields and some other pitchers, and then bam! they trade for Latos.

Love it. I hope more is to come.

[RedsManRick]

Madson was a coup. That said, I wonder if he still should have pulled the trigger on the Marshall deal in light of being able to land Madson. And what happens next year?

[lollipopcurve]

Madson was a coup. That said, I wonder if he still should have pulled the trigger on the Marshall deal in light of being able to land Madson. And what happens next year?

I doubt he knew, at the time the Marshall trade was made, that Madson's market would evolve into what it did (it happened prior to Bailey being traded to Oakland).

On what lies beyond 2012 -- I have the same question -- but you're either all-in or you're not, right?

I give A. Probably not the approach I would have preferred, based on my own tastes, but the execution of their strategy has been superb. This is a front office that knows what it's doing.

[mdccclxix]

Madson was a coup. That said, I wonder if he still should have pulled the trigger on the Marshall deal in light of being able to land Madson. And what happens next year?

It's a fair question, but in general the trend for contending teams has been load up on bullpen guys to the gills. I like that the Reds can finish in the top 5 in MLB with this bullpen. If Ondrusek has to go to AAA you know its alright because we've got that extra arm to bring into the mid season mix if arms are getting worn out.

I still have a concern that the Reds starting staff may not shorten the games as much as a dominant staff will by often going into the 8th inning. Latos, Cueto, Bailey, and Leake have not shown a long track record of doing this. Arroyo is a wild card, but if he gets up around 215 innings, that will be awesome.

From here it's about providing balance in the lineup so that there are less options for opponents to shut the Reds down. Finding just one bat that can mash RHP is important. Personally, I think the Rolen/Francisco combo could be more potent than many believe. I think as many as 30 HR could come from 3b next year. Maybe that does the trick, along with some good platoon work by Dusty in CF and LF. Ludwick could be the RHB at cleanup vs RHP, but they may go with Bruce there like they were trying last year.

Anyway, I give Walt a solid A. I'll miss Wood, but he's been upgraded for certainty and another year in AAA will not help his career. I'll also miss Boxberger, as beyond 2012 the closer role, and the bullpen in general, is undefined and he would have been a solid piece to hold on to. Schematically that is the one piece that might sting in 2013. I'll have an eye on all the pieces that have been traded, like some, but I wonder how much so if the Reds are winning 95 games in 2012. I'm fired up. I've already got season tickets, but am thinking about going to more than the package I've got!