Quote Originally Posted by Kc61 View Post
There is no difference. The situation with Chapman and Hamilton are the same. They are stars. People want to see them. They will be Reds regardless of position, of team need, of other prospects, whatever.

That's why the Reds gave Joey $225 million. They see him as an anchor, a star, an attraction. His baseball skills are great, but this Reds management wants revenue. It wants fan interest. That revenue will ultimately breed baseball success.
The Reds gave Joey Votto that money because he is one of the best players in baseball. Not because he is an attraction.

Right now, Chapman is a reliever. He has control problems, we don't know if he will be a great starter.

But he is a star. The Reds will find a role for him. He will be here as long as he can throw missiles and he wants to stay.
Chapman is a star reliever, not because the fans love him, but because he is a dominant reliever.

If there are better prospects than Hamilton, they will change his position. Billy could easily wind up in LF. They want him to run. They think he will attract fans, interest, and revenue and they are probably correct.
What happens if there are better players everywhere on the field that he plays? You implied earlier that Hamilton would still get the edge because the fans want to see him. I am saying that they wouldn't still play him if he wasn't the best fit.