Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

redsfan4445 · 11-29-2007, 06:40 AM

per Denver Post paper:

he left-handed Ray King went 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA last season with the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. Even though he held left-handers to a .187 average in 75 at-bats, interest has been mild this winter, in part, over weight concerns. King, however, has dropped from 264 at season's end to 245 pounds by coaching youth football, AAU basketball and helping out with his son's competitive travel baseball team. The market for left-handed relievers is expected to accelerate once free agent Ron Mahay signs. The Rockies' showed initial interest in Mahay, but cooled when learning that he wanted a three-year deal. -- Denver Post

Always Red · 11-29-2007, 07:14 AM

Well, if he's lost 20 pounds (by coaching?? don't professional athletes EXERCISE?) and Wayne wants to throw him against a wall to see if he sticks, he'll have a better chance of sticking at the lower weight....

No thanks. We already have Mike Stanton in the large lefty LOOGY role. (I know Stanton's not strictly a LOOGY, but I couldn't help myself...)

redsmetz · 11-29-2007, 08:52 AM

I was curious about King's history with us. I see we drafted him and ultimately traded him as a minor leaguer (along with Chad Fox, another minor leaguer who became short lived ML pitcher) for Mike Kelly. And then I looked at Kelly and wondered why we gave up two pitching prospects for a 4th outfielder. Decent return on him though - we traded Kelly to Tampa Bay to get back Dmitri Young (who we'd just gotten from St. Louis a week earlier) - presumably a pre-arranged trade to keep Young with us. I'd forgotten that.

Anyway, I wouldn't be adverse to offering King a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, particularly if we can move Stanton's contract.

REDREAD · 11-29-2007, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I was curious about King's history with us. I see we drafted him and ultimately traded him as a minor leaguer (along with Chad Fox, another minor leaguer who became short lived ML pitcher) for Mike Kelly. And then I looked at Kelly and wondered why we gave up two pitching prospects for a 4th outfielder. Decent return on him though - we traded Kelly to Tampa Bay to get back Dmitri Young (who we'd just gotten from St. Louis a week earlier) - presumably a pre-arranged trade to keep Young with us. I'd forgotten that.

Anyway, I wouldn't be adverse to offering King a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, particularly if we can move Stanton's contract.

As I remember, Mike Kelley was a formerly highly thought of prospect that never really put it together. I think the Reds were rolling the dice that he'd somehow put it together in Cincy. In other words, I think Kelley was veiwed as a potential starter.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think we picked up Kelley before DYoung.

redsmetz · 11-29-2007, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDREAD

As I remember, Mike Kelley was a formerly highly thought of prospect that never really put it together. I think the Reds were rolling the dice that he'd somehow put it together in Cincy. In other words, I think Kelley was veiwed as a potential starter.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think we picked up Kelley before DYoung.

Yes, we picked up Kelly just before the 1996 season. He played for us for two seasons and then was traded to Tampa Bay on November 11, 1997 for a PTBNL. We acquired Dmitri Young on November 10, 1997 (for Jeff Brantley - don't ask my father-in-law about this - he's still ticked). Tampa Bay then selected Young in the expansion draft and he became the PTBNL on November 18th, the day of the draft. Complicated, yes - I can't remember the specifics as to why this came down like this. Perhaps we were afraid we'd lose Young to Arizona, but I can't remember.

Kelly (just one "e", BTW) was a #1 pick for the Braves in 1991.

mth123 · 11-29-2007, 09:19 AM

Kelly was a highly touted 5 tool talent who was supposed to be a big time player. He was one of Jimbo's 5 tool fetish guys that he grabbed after initial disappointment same as Regiie Taylor and the Ruebens - Rivera and Matteo. The Reds should be on the phone with Jimbo right now dangling Drew Stubbs IMO.

Chip R · 11-29-2007, 09:44 AM

Wow! He's down to 245. You're a rail, Ray. You're wasting away, dude.

RedsManRick · 11-29-2007, 10:34 AM

At least if he's playing for us he is less likely to sit on the shoulders of our best hitters.

camisadelgolf · 11-29-2007, 12:40 PM

If he wants to lose weight, he should just get addicted to crack. It worked for Josh Hamilton, anyway.

RedsManRick · 11-29-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

If he wants to lose weight, he should just get addicted to crack. It worked for Josh Hamilton, anyway.

Ummmm.... Josh Hamilton was 300 pounds? This sounds like something I'd expect from a Cubs fan, not from one of our own.

camisadelgolf · 11-29-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

Ummmm.... Josh Hamilton was 300 pounds? This sounds like something I'd expect from a Cubs fan, not from one of our own.

Josh Hamilton lost a lot of weight due to drug use. I'm not actually condoning drug use, but people feel like it's okay to make fun of those with food addictions, so what difference does it make if you reference a drug addiction?

I'm not wishing harm on anyone, and Josh Hamilton seems to have recovered (and for that, I'm very happy for him). Ray King apparently has a weight problem, and I wish better health for him, too.

RedsManRick · 11-29-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

Josh Hamilton lost a lot of weight due to drug use. I'm not actually condoning drug use, but people feel like it's okay to make fun of those with food addictions, so what difference does it make if you reference a drug addiction?

I'm not wishing harm on anyone, and Josh Hamilton seems to have recovered (and for that, I'm very happy for him). Ray King apparently has a weight problem, and I wish better health for him, too.

While I fully appreciate that struggles with weight and food should be taken seriously, I think equating it with crack in a real context is hardly appropriate, or at least fair.

In any case, I don't think we need Ray King.

RedlegJake · 11-29-2007, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

In any case, I don't think we need Ray King.

Ditto. Besides, once most of the signings and trades are done King will get an offer somewhere. He'll be one of the first of this winter's "scrap pickings".

Tom Servo · 11-29-2007, 07:38 PM

FWIW, Ray King has one of my favorite Dugout names: raking_leaves

11-29-2007, 07:14 AM	#2
Always Red nothing more than a fan Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,971	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! Well, if he's lost 20 pounds (by coaching?? don't professional athletes EXERCISE?) and Wayne wants to throw him against a wall to see if he sticks, he'll have a better chance of sticking at the lower weight.... No thanks. We already have Mike Stanton in the large lefty LOOGY role. (I know Stanton's not strictly a LOOGY, but I couldn't help myself...)

11-29-2007, 08:52 AM	#3
redsmetz Redsmetz Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Winton Place Posts: 10,450	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! I was curious about King's history with us. I see we drafted him and ultimately traded him as a minor leaguer (along with Chad Fox, another minor leaguer who became short lived ML pitcher) for Mike Kelly. And then I looked at Kelly and wondered why we gave up two pitching prospects for a 4th outfielder. Decent return on him though - we traded Kelly to Tampa Bay to get back Dmitri Young (who we'd just gotten from St. Louis a week earlier) - presumably a pre-arranged trade to keep Young with us. I'd forgotten that. Anyway, I wouldn't be adverse to offering King a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, particularly if we can move Stanton's contract. __________________ “In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.” - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field" The Baseball Emporium - Books & Things, that's Rallyonion.com The Baseball Bookstore http://tsc-sales.com/ http://tscsales.blogspot.com/ http://silverscreenbooks.com/

11-29-2007, 09:19 AM	#6
mth123 The Big Dog Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 12,681	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! Kelly was a highly touted 5 tool talent who was supposed to be a big time player. He was one of Jimbo's 5 tool fetish guys that he grabbed after initial disappointment same as Regiie Taylor and the Ruebens - Rivera and Matteo. The Reds should be on the phone with Jimbo right now dangling Drew Stubbs IMO. __________________ "All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it." --BABE RUTH Having better players makes "the right time" or "the big hit" happen a lot more often. PLUS PLUS

11-29-2007, 09:44 AM	#7
Chip R Rally Onion! Join Date: May 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 33,216	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! Wow! He's down to 245. You're a rail, Ray. You're wasting away, dude. __________________ The Rally Onion wants 150 fans before Opening Day. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rally-...24872650873160

11-29-2007, 10:34 AM	#8
RedsManRick Stat Wanker Hodiernus Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 14,915	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! At least if he's playing for us he is less likely to sit on the shoulders of our best hitters. __________________ Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

11-29-2007, 06:40 AM	#1
redsfan4445 Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 2,732	Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! per Denver Post paper: he left-handed Ray King went 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA last season with the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. Even though he held left-handers to a .187 average in 75 at-bats, interest has been mild this winter, in part, over weight concerns. King, however, has dropped from 264 at season's end to 245 pounds by coaching youth football, AAU basketball and helping out with his son's competitive travel baseball team. The market for left-handed relievers is expected to accelerate once free agent Ron Mahay signs. The Rockies' showed initial interest in Mahay, but cooled when learning that he wanted a three-year deal. -- Denver Post

11-29-2007, 12:40 PM	#9
camisadelgolf Vampire Weekend @Bernie's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 11,311	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! If he wants to lose weight, he should just get addicted to crack. It worked for Josh Hamilton, anyway. __________________ Get MLBtraderumors Reds updates on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reds-R...33794710005587 http://i.imgur.com/1bCKpaH.jpg

11-29-2007, 07:38 PM	#14
Tom Servo thirsty and miserable Join Date: May 2006 Location: NJ/NY Posts: 5,397	Re: Ray King as help? he has lost weight!! FWIW, Ray King has one of my favorite Dugout names: raking_leaves __________________ "Since I've been with the Reds in 1989, we've never had a farm system this loaded," Bowden said. "If we were the New York Yankees and had unlimited dollars, we could have traded for Colon, (Jeff) Weaver, Rolen, (Cliff) Floyd, (Kenny) Rogers and Finley and gotten them all -- and still held onto our top five prospects. That's an amazing statement."

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