One Name

[Dan]

I didn't think this was realistic until a couple days ago:

Giancarlo Stanton

[Bumstead]

Michael Bourn

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by Kc61

LF, on the other hand, is empty right now with Ludwick as a FA. I'd think the "bigger" signing should be a LFer, where there is no Billy Hamilton on the horizon.
.

I agree. Right now, the biggest hole is in LF.
If we do nothing.. We've got Heisey and Paul out there.
That means BP back in the cleanup slot, which creates a hole in the top of the lineup..

No one on the board is a fan of Stubbs right now, but if we get a decent LF (or 3b that can hit in the middle of the lineup) we could survive having Stubbs in CF until Billy is ready. I think we are going to see Billy up on the club at some point in 2013.. The club is going to want to give him a chance.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by M2

Fowler or Span can always shift to LF when Hamilton is ready. The guy who must be replaced immediately is Stubbs. The offense the Reds are getting from CF is a full-blown crisis and completely unacceptable for a team that should be contending for a World Series title. Upgrading that position this winter has got to be the top priority.

As Ludwick demonstrated last season, LF can be filled with discount options (and don't overlook Paul and Heisey, who could be part of a mix-and-match situation). If the Reds make a major deal for a guy like Justin Upton, that's fine, but they still have to address CF even if they do that.

That's why a Fowler or Span would make some sense: short-term solution in CF, long-term in LF.

Quick point on Frazier at 3B (from your previous post) - he only got 96 games at the position in the minors. It was one of the poorer developmental decisions the organization has made in recent years. Frazier was always going to make it and 3B was the position he was most likely to play. Now he's in the majors and still learning the position. I suspect he's got upside with the glove. It's just a matter of getting his reps in.

Don't agree with some of this: I don't think you pay for a CFer like Span or Fowler only to move them to LF in a year. Neither is the righty power hitter the Reds need for LF. Neither will be happy in LF as opposed to CF.

Also don't agree that LF can be manned through a cut rate acquisition. Reds did get lucky with Ludwick, but I hate to go to the scrap heap for starting players. Reds will need somebody real in LF, maybe Ludwick, maybe a trade, but it likely will cost money or prospects.

Xman and Heisey are ok for the bench, but not regular LFers. I've already said that I don't like Heisey's plate approach and would try to trade him for value.

While I would support the Reds' use of Frazier in the minors for various reasons, I agree that he can improve defensively with more time. I have no problem with him at third next year, unless it makes more sense to play him in LF.

[M2]

Don't care which side of the plate the Reds LF hits from. With Frazier, Phillips, Cozart and Mes/Hanigan, the team has plenty of RH bats in the lineup.

[powersackers]

Anybodythatwecansignortradeforthatputsdrewstubbson thebench

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by powersackers

Anybodythatwecansignortradeforthatputsdrewstubbson thebench

yeahwhathesaid

[cincrazy]

Can DeJesus still play center? Or is he a train wreck there?

[SidneySlicker]

Justin Upton

[Ghosts of 1990]

Willingham

[Mario-Rijo]

After some heavy consideration for CF, Chase Headley is the guy I think fills the most needs for us.

A switch hitter, gets on base, hits for power, runs pretty well and is still only 28 (29 in May). And most importantly a very sound defender at 3B perhaps the most overlooked issue going forward, the Pitchers are gonna miss Rolen down there. Isn't prohibitive dollars wise (though it would be ideal to offer him a LTC). He is a better overall fit than virtually any LF we could get (3B being tougher to obtain) and we can keep Frazier out there who I love as a player but is still no sure thing at 3B.

Only con is he would cost a pretty penny in prospects/players. But a Leake led package would have a fair shot of procuring his services IMO. Perhaps we could even get Will Venable tossed in to split time/take over CF.

Leake, Cingrani, Gregorious & Heisey for the 2 of them seems a fair deal. Then sign yet another former Padre to backup at SS (Bartlett). Sorry I got a bit carried away but the one name here is Headley, everything else is just a follow up plan.