Free Agent signings....

[texasdave]

My thoughts are as a smaller market team, you take 500k fliers rather than going an extra year or overpaying for a $6-7M guy.

I'm not saying sign him, guarantee a roster spot and slot him in the leadoff spot. I'm saying bring him to spring training and if he doesn't work out, no harm done

As a general rule, I would agree that smaller market teams have to take 500K fliers on players. In this case I would disagree for two reasons. Firstly, I don't think Figgins is the player you want to take a flyer on. Over the past two seasons, I don't feel he has shown any major-league level skills offensively or in the field. Secondly, if a small-market team is at the cusp of grabbing the brass ring they should proceed accordingly and shell out a little extra. That window is not staying open indefinitely. I know that is easy for me to say since it is not my money. I just think it would be wise.

[MoneyInTheBank]

As a general rule, I would agree that smaller market teams have to take 500K fliers on players. In this case I would disagree for two reasons. Firstly, I don't think Figgins is the player you want to take a flyer on. Over the past two seasons, I don't feel he has shown any major-league level skills offensively or in the field. Secondly, if a small-market team is at the cusp of grabbing the brass ring they should proceed accordingly and shell out a little extra. That window is not staying open indefinitely. I know that is easy for me to say since it is not my money. I just think it would be wise.

Again, I'm not saying, sign Figgins, slot him in the starting lineup and consider your offseason complete. There is absolutely no reason his 500k should be the difference between signing another player. He has been terrible the last 2 seasons no doubt, but if you bring him in and he's even 3/4 of what he once was, which was a great player, doesn't he help you in your goal for that brass ring? I'd rather take a flyer on a "has been" like Figgins than a "never was" like Emmanuel Burris or Wilson Valdez.

[HometownHero]

As a general rule, I would agree that smaller market teams have to take 500K fliers on players. In this case I would disagree for two reasons. Firstly, I don't think Figgins is the player you want to take a flyer on. Over the past two seasons, I don't feel he has shown any major-league level skills offensively or in the field. Secondly, if a small-market team is at the cusp of grabbing the brass ring they should proceed accordingly and shell out a little extra. That window is not staying open indefinitely. I know that is easy for me to say since it is not my money. I just think it would be wise.

Figgins is the perfect player a team like us should be taking shots on. We have limited funds to spend and spent almost 2M on Cairo and Valdez last year for worst years than Figgins at his low point without any legit upside. Get him for 500K and even if he sucks we're still ahead of last year and if he sees any kind of bounce back you have a steal and open up 1M+ to spend elsewhere.

[Red Raindog]

Or Dusty not to play him?

heh -- I must have been asleep to not ponder that!

[HometownHero]

Russell Martin signs with Pirates for 2 years 17M total, Pittsburgh threw out the fewest percentage in the majors last year.

[Redlegs Homer]

Russell Martin signs with Pirates for 2 years 17M total, Pittsburgh threw out the fewest percentage in the majors last year.

Good signing. Martin won't wow anyone with his batting average or OBP but for a catcher they are fine and he is wonderful defensively and can hit for power.

[HometownHero]

Good signing. Martin won't wow anyone with his batting average or OBP but for a catcher they are fine and he is wonderful defensively and can hit for power.

His OBP is good for how low his BA is, He walked 53 times last year in 485 PA that walk total would rank 3rd on the 2012 Reds and Pirates. The last two years in NY he hit just .224 but managed a .317 OBP. The Reds this year hit .251 as a team with just a .315 OBP even with .474 from Votto while the Pirates hit .243 with a terrible .304 OBP.

[Salukifan2]

And the cardinals respond to cincy's Choo trade by moving skip Shumaker to the Dodgers.......lol.

Player in return for schumaker has not yet been announced. There was some mention of skip for Dee gordon during the meetings. That could be the one.

[50YrRedsFan]

Josh Hamilton signs with the .......ANGELS. 5 years, 125 million. We get the Angels to open the season..Oh BOY.

[50YrRedsFan]

Ryan Dempster signs with the Red Sox. 2 year 26 million