Fay talks with Jocketty

[Jerry Narron]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...cincinnati.com


I talked to Walt Jocketty for the first time in a couple of days. Not a lot of news to report.

"Right now, the most important thing we're working on is trying to get our two arbitration cases resolved," he said. "We're making good progress. We'd like to get them settled even before we exchange numbers."

Edwin Encarnacion and David Weathers filed for arbitration. Jocketty said in both cases the Reds are talking one-year deals at this point.

As far as free agents, Jocketty said the Reds are looking at adding bench players at this point.

As for Bobby Abreu?

"I talked to his agent," Jocketty said. "I don't think there's going to be a fit."

Ben Sheets and Oliver Perez, two guys who would fit nicely into the Reds rotation, remain available as well. The Reds are unlikely to take a chance on either.

"Probably not," Jocketty said. "They're still looking for big dollar contracts."

Jocketty said the free agents market is as quiet as it appears to be.

"Talking to other teams, everyone's waiting," he said. "Times are tight with the economy. Everybody's being very cautious. Things have been slow with season-ticket and advertising renewals."

Those big dollar demands could change as spring training nears.


Some things never change.

[AccordinglyReds]

I'd like to sign Edwin to a longer contract if financially beneficial.

[fewfirstchoice]

Boy! are the Reds going to be terrible this year. If you thought they were bad the last couple years just wait until 09 starts. If our owner didnt come out and say he wanted to win now (and suppose to have proved it by firing WK and hiring Walt as the GM) I could live with a bad team this year. But bob has came out numerous times saying he wants to win now. He fired sa capable GM in WK and hired his friend Walt. This was suppose to prove to the Reds fan bas ehe was serious but all its done is amke the Reds worse. Walt has hurt the team so far and lied(yes lied) about getting a right handed run producing LF. Walt has had many chances (Dye, Burrell, Baldelli, and now Abreu even thought hes a lefty) to get a run producer and has failed. I thought he was brought in to get things like this done. I for one think it was a bad move for Bob to say he wated to win now when he clearly isnt going to spend the money or prospects to do so. Then to fire WK and hire Walt, what a joke. If I were WK i would look to file a wrongful termination lawsuit. He did nothing to get fired and the only reason why a lesser GM in Walt was brought in was because he and Bob are friends. Bob if you really want to win spend some money and trade some prospects and let us Red fans have something to cheerabout please.

[redsfandan]

Originally Posted by Jerry Narron

...
As for Bobby Abreu?

"I talked to his agent," Jocketty said. "I don't think there's going to be a fit."

...

"Talking to other teams, everyone's waiting," he said. "Times are tight with the economy. Everybody's being very cautious. Things have been slow with season-ticket and advertising renewals."

Those big dollar demands could change as spring training nears.

To me it sounds like they want to send a message to Abreu that he has to understand that he'll have to be realistic about his demands. No one will pay close to what he made last season in this market.

[Newman4]

The Ben Sheets comment is disappointing. I thought his asking price could fall into the Reds hands. I hope Walt is bluffing.

[TheNext44]

Originally Posted by Newman4

The Ben Sheets comment is disappointing. I thought his asking price could fall into the Reds hands. I hope Walt is bluffing.

Walt made a strong statement earlier that he thought the rotation was fine and he liked the #5 candidates. He said there was no need to spend limited resources on starting pitching. It was awhile ago, so I don't have the link, but that was almost exactly what he said.

You can agree or disagree with that, but he made it clear that the Reds were not going to spend money on a starting pitcher.

[Ghosts of 1990]

And why would Jocketty be in any hurry to compete?

I was thinking about this tonight. If he signs no one, tells ownership this is a building year and the real compete years are 2010 and 2011, then he's sitting comfortable for a while isn't he? No big signing can make him look bad and the closest time he can face pressure is mid 2010.

[Newman4]

Originally Posted by TheNext44

Walt made a strong statement earlier that he thought the rotation was fine and he liked the #5 candidates. He said there was no need to spend limited resources on starting pitching. It was awhile ago, so I don't have the link, but that was almost exactly what he said.

You can agree or disagree with that, but he made it clear that the Reds were not going to spend money on a starting pitcher.

I think the rotation is fine as it is as well. However, I think signing Sheets makes Arroyo, for example, expendable and thus open to acquire the RH bat, maybe a SS even, plus save $$$ possibly.

[redsfandan]

Originally Posted by Newman4

I think the rotation is fine as it is as well. However, I think signing Sheets makes Arroyo, for example, expendable and thus open to acquire the RH bat, maybe a SS even, plus save $$$ possibly.

I've seen posts like this (here and in the torg) where someone throws out the idea of the Reds trading Arroyo for someone like Nady and then the Reds signing Sheets.

But why would the yankees (or any team) trade for Arroyo when they can just sign Sheets themselves instead?

Sheets is the better pitcher, he'll likely be cheaper over the next two years, and Nady/Swisher/etc can be dealt for something else where there isn't a better FA option.

I just don't see an advantage for another team to trade for Arroyo at this point.

[CesarGeronimo]

Originally Posted by redsfandan

I've seen posts like this (here and in the torg) where someone throws out the idea of the Reds trading Arroyo for someone like Nady and then the Reds signing Sheets.

But why would the yankees (or any team) trade for Arroyo when they can just sign Sheets themselves instead?

Sheets is the better pitcher, he'll likely be cheaper over the next two years, and Nady/Swisher/etc can be dealt for something else where there isn't a better FA option.

I just don't see an advantage for another team to trade for Arroyo at this point.

One reason a team might trade for Arroyo rather than signing Sheets is to get rid of the salary of the player they're trading. A team can get Arroyo without spending any money if the player it trades has a salary that matches Arroyo's, whereas as signing Sheets increases the team's expenditures by whatever amount he signs for.

[ChatterRed]

Originally Posted by Newman4

The Ben Sheets comment is disappointing. I thought his asking price could fall into the Reds hands. I hope Walt is bluffing.

Sheets is too injury prone for me. Anything more than a few million for each of 2 years with some heavy incentives that he could make some real dough, would be all I would do.

2 years $5 million or $6 million +

$$$ for making 30 starts +
$$$ for an e.r.a. under 4.25 +
$$$ for 15+ wins +
$$$ for Cy Young Award +

Incentives is the way to go with Sheets.

[redsfandan]

Originally Posted by CesarGeronimo

One reason a team might trade for Arroyo rather than signing Sheets is to get rid of the salary of the player they're trading. A team can get Arroyo without spending any money if the player it trades has a salary that matches Arroyo's, whereas as signing Sheets increases the team's expenditures by whatever amount he signs for.

I understand teams swapping big contracts so they don't have to add to their payroll. But does anyone think the yankees would care that much about adding to their payroll if they want a player?

[Captain Hook]

If you believe what you here out of the Yankees then the reason they want to get rid of Nady/Swisher is to free up some $$$$$ so they can sign a pitcher.If they get a pitcher in a trade then they accomplished what they set out for.

[redsfandan]

The question is does anyone believe that. I've heard that they want to watch how much they spend. But let's be realistic. They're still the yankees and what this offseason has shown is that they still won't let money get in the way of acquiring a player they want. I think they're more concerned about the health of posada & mo rivera anyway. Maybe they'll swap Nady/Swisher for someone if either of those two are out for an extended amount of time. But I think they're done with their rotation.

[jnwohio]

Originally Posted by redsfandan

I've seen posts like this (here and in the torg) where someone throws out the idea of the Reds trading Arroyo for someone like Nady and then the Reds signing Sheets.

But why would the yankees (or any team) trade for Arroyo when they can just sign Sheets themselves instead?

Sheets is the better pitcher, he'll likely be cheaper over the next two years, and Nady/Swisher/etc can be dealt for something else where there isn't a better FA option.

I just don't see an advantage for another team to trade for Arroyo at this point.

Arroyo takes the ball every 5th day and gives his team (with a few exceptions) enough innings to keep the pressure off of the bullpen. In the end he had a pretty good season last year which makes him what, 2 for 3 in a Reds uniform? Sheets is more dazzling when he is at the top of his game but he doen't eat innings like Arroyo because he just flat misses too many starts. In fact he misses so many you have to carry an extra starter somewhere in your org just to keep his spot covered. I guess it is testimony to how good he is when healthy that the Brewers were able to do that and for the most part prosper.

The biggest upside to signing Sheets or Oliver Perez might be that it would end the search for a 5th starter and instantly make several guys legitimate trade bait. And also, with an established solid 5th starter they might reconsider locking Micah Owings in as a pitcher and turn him loose in left field to solve that problem. But then considering what I just wrote in the first paragraph I guess they would have to keep Bailey or Maloney or Ramirez or Thompson ready to fill for Sheets.....