Rich Hill

[jojo]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

Doubtful he'll accept, espcially with Boras as his agent.

(I quoted ya but this isn't directed at you but rather just a little rant before morning coffee)

Well the Reds should be planning to spend market rates long term at first base so they can move their cheap first baseman (whom they control for another half decade) to left because, well, left field and first base are the two hardest positions in baseball to find guys who can play there....

/end of rant

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by reds44

Hill throws two pitches, and one of them is a fastball in the upper 80s. He can't locate that top three pitch in all of baseball. Both Arroyo and Hill rely on offspeed pitches, and Arroyo has more of them and locates them better. They throw about equally hard.

Advantage: Arroyo

Who exactly is "anyone who knows baseball" anyways? The Cubs have a starting rotation that is already suspect, and they just shipped Hill out of town. I guess Pinella, Rothschild, and Hendry don't know baseball either.

Um, that's a difference in command, not stuff. I think you need to consult a baseball adviser.

Since the beginning of last season, here are their numbers (including the numbers that earned Hill a demotion):

Arroyo: 4.56 ERA, 6.89 K/9
Hill: 3.95 ERA 8.30 K/9

Even if they had the same contract situations, I'd take Hill everyday of the week. When Arroyo is three years older and making over $10 MM for the next 3 years, and Hill is left-handed, once again it is a no-brainer. I think you may be the only person on the board who doesn't realize this.

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by jojo

(I quoted ya but this isn't directed at you but rather just a little rant before morning coffee)

Well the Reds should be planning to spend market rates long term at first base so they can move their cheap first baseman (whom they control for another half decade) to left because, well, left field and first base are the two hardest positions in baseball to find guys who can play there....

/end of rant

I can definitely see the argument against making a run at Teixeira, but let me ask you this: Exactly what positions would the Reds have to fill over the next half decade? CF and C would be the only two positions that we wouldn't have completely locked up over that time-span, and it is clear with this lineup construction that the Reds would be looking for defense-first guys at each position, which are not that hard to find at all. So I ask you again, what (and who) exactly would you need all the extra payflex for?

[*BaseClogger*]

Yeah, Hill's got great stuff. But he's not available (except on my fantasy team! ...

Originally Posted by jojo

(I quoted ya but this isn't directed at you but rather just a little rant before morning coffee)

Well the Reds should be planning to spend market rates long term at first base so they can move their cheap first baseman (whom they control for another half decade) to left because, well, left field and first base are the two hardest positions in baseball to find guys who can play there....

/end of rant

I laughed.

[RedlegJake]

Rich Hill is a lefty Arroyo. 3 years younger, much cheaper for now. Those are his advantages. Lefty, cheaper, younger. Those are pretty strong advantages. That said I don't see the Cubs giving him up, especially within the division. There have been threads about the uselessness of the no intra division trades idea but it's a fact of life in baseball. The Astros-Reds-Cards-Brewers & Pirates are the lasts teams the Cubs would consider trading Hill to.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Benihana

I can definitely see the argument against making a run at Teixeira, but let me ask you this: Exactly what positions would the Reds have to fill over the next half decade? CF and C would be the only two positions that we wouldn't have completely locked up over that time-span, and it is clear with this lineup construction that the Reds would be looking for defense-first guys at each position, which are not that hard to find at all. So I ask you again, what (and who) exactly would you need all the extra payflex for?

Who said anything about payflex? Efficiency and intelligence aren't "payflex" and frankly shouldn't be dismissed as pejoratives.

So I ask you again, when did paying more than is necessary become a sign of a well run franchise?

[fearofpopvol1]

Originally Posted by jojo

(I quoted ya but this isn't directed at you but rather just a little rant before morning coffee)

Well the Reds should be planning to spend market rates long term at first base so they can move their cheap first baseman (whom they control for another half decade) to left because, well, left field and first base are the two hardest positions in baseball to find guys who can play there....

/end of rant

I'm actually for getting Tex. He's good defensively, he's a switch hitter (with the right side being his natural side) and it's clear the Reds need another bat. I think if you can move Dunn, the money saved from resigning Dunn long-term could be spent on signing Tex. I know the Reds will have to pay more, but Tex > Dunn.

[flyer85]

Lou has never had much patience with the young guys. I'm guessing Lieber will move into the rotation.

[*BaseClogger*]

LTC's for 1B that have already served their six year service time are almost always a bad idea IMO...

[fearofpopvol1]

Originally Posted by *BaseClogger*

LTC's for 1B that have already served their six year service time are almost always a bad idea IMO...

Tex is still pretty young and in his prime. He's improved every year. It boils down to how many years. Boras/Tex probably wants 7-8 years, which is too steep.

[*BaseClogger*]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

Tex is still pretty young and in his prime. He's improved every year. It boils down to how many years. Boras/Tex probably wants 7-8 years, which is too steep.

Well yeah, I'd do it to if it were a four year contract. But it won't...

[boognish]

Originally Posted by flyer85

Lou has never had much patience with the young guys. I'm guessing Lieber will move into the rotation.

Does anyone know if there has been an announcement?

Lieber has been the primary long relief man and even given the Cubs' taxed bullpen--owing to the control problems of Hill--Sean Marshall has found getting innings to be tough going; they are using him as a LOOGY (10 appearances, 5.1 IP). I tend to agree with Flyer that Lou will go with the veteran who never walks anyone in this situation.

[OnBaseMachine]

Lieber is starting Wednesday vs the Reds.

Lieber vs Volquez.

[boognish]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Lieber is starting Wednesday vs the Reds.

Lieber vs Volquez.

Rarely will a Reds fan say this with a straight face, but I was actually hoping for the young lefty in this situation. I was at the game where the Reds managed only a hit and a walk against Lieber in his return from injury last April 20, and though his career splits don't bear it out as my mind does, he always seems to mow down the Reds' hitters.

The Reds did come back to win the game I am referring to in the tenth after a Scott Hatteberg HR tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the ninth.

[OnBaseMachine]

I was at a Lieber start in Cincy a couple years ago when he carried a perfect game into the 7th inning before Dunn singled to break it up.

btw boog, please stop attending games. The Reds are 6-27 when you attend? Wow.