After the Choo deal

[Kc61]

Outfield looks set to me. Ludwick, Choo, Bruce, Heisey, Paul. Maybe add a depth guy who can play CF, but this unit looks set.

Infield is Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Frazier, Donald. One more guy needed. The only lefty bat is Joey, so I'd guess the last guy hits lefty. Maybe Hannahan. Maybe Burriss.

Catcher is set with Hanigan and Mes.

Starting pitching also seems set with main four plus new addition Chapman.

Bullpen seems more unsettled. Broxton, Marshall, Hoover, Lecure, Simon probably locks. Leaves two spots open. Arredondo? Leake? Cingrani? New guy?

So it's a utility infielder and possibly a new reliever. Possibly AAA depth guys. Anything more this off-season would seem to be a longshot.

[VR]

Originally Posted by Kc61

Outfield looks set to me. Ludwick, Choo, Bruce, Heisey, Paul. Maybe add a depth guy who can play CF, but this unit looks set.

Infield is Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Frazier, Donald. One more guy needed. The only lefty bat is Joey, so I'd guess the last guy hits lefty. Maybe Hannahan. Maybe Burriss.

Catcher is set with Hanigan and Mes.

Starting pitching also seems set with main four plus new addition Chapman.

Bullpen seems more unsettled. Broxton, Marshall, Hoover, Lecure, Simon probably locks. Leaves two spots open. Arredondo? Leake? Cingrani? New guy?

So it's a utility infielder and possibly a new reliever. Possibly AAA depth guys. Anything more this off-season would seem to be a longshot.

A few short years ago middle relief and pinch hitters were the only sure things on the team, they lacked starting pitching, middle of the lineup, and anyone that could play defense.

Refreshing reminder of how good it is to be a Reds fan these days.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by VR

A few short years ago middle relief and pinch hitters were the only sure things on the team, they lacked starting pitching, middle of the lineup, and anyone that could play defense.

Refreshing reminder of how good it is to be a Reds fan these days.

And it's not like those are glaring weaknesses.

I'd say, one more guy off the bench. (Anything on the Hannrahan situation? I've seen nothing but the initial one tweet by the Minny guy.) Also, a lefty specialist, ala Dennys Reyes (not necessarily him).

[DGullett35]

I think Cingrani gets a spot in the pen. We need the 2nd lefty with Chapman going to the rotation. The tribe did give us 3.5 mil so maybe we can do something with that as far as Hannahan or a lefty reliever

[Kc61]

Only real mystery I see on this club right now is Mike Leake's role.

I just don't see him going to AAA at this stage.

Wonder. Will Chapman really start? Is there room for Leake as a long man in the pen?

Is it possible that Leake or another starter still gets traded, maybe for prospects?

Just seems odd to me that there is no real role for Mike on the team. He had a bad year, but you'd still figure there's a spot for him someplace on the team.

[powersackers]

Originally Posted by Kc61

Only real mystery I see on this club right now is Mike Leake's role.

I just don't see him going to AAA at this stage.

Wonder. Will Chapman really start? Is there room for Leake as a long man in the pen?

Is it possible that Leake or another starter still gets traded, maybe for prospects?

Just seems odd to me that there is no real role for Mike on the team. He had a bad year, but you'd still figure there's a spot for him someplace on the team.

Leake is SP depth. I wouldn't trade him. Who's our depth without him?

[Brutus]

Arroyo is coming off the books next year. No reason to trade Leake with CF and LF both filled.

I really think Leake will either be shipped to AAA to start the year if Chapman is in the rotation, or if they intend to delay Chapman's start until May to stretch him out to the end of the season, then Leake will start in the rotation and be moved to middle-relief.

[membengal]

I still am in the camp that thinks Cingrani is headed to AAA to keep working as a starting pitcher.

[buckeyenut]

The thing that strikes me is how little we could legitimately do to actually upgrade, now or in the future, at this point.

You have two real veterans on the roster in Ludwick and Arroyo. Everyone else is young or in their prime. You have two key free agents after 2013 in Arroyo and Choo and you have replacements (Leake and Hamilton) lined up for both. You have kids in the minors ready to step in for almost any hole and enough talent down there that if something major goes wrong, you can trade to fill a hole. And because of shrewd dealings, you likely have a payroll that has wiggle room at the deadline.

The only thing I can look at this team and say isn't ideal is the fact you don't have quite as much power in the 4 spot as I'd like to see. But that is nitpicking as Ludwick is more than servicable. We are talking the only real upgrade possibility being Ludwick to someone like Stanton or Frazier to Wright. But again, that is a conversation if you have the money of the Yankees, not the Reds.

This team has no holes I can see, for the first time since the BRM. I think it is going to be a fun year.

Since we are talking about backups, has anyone seen any word on what Rolen decided? Could he be our 25th man, backing up 1B/3B/LF (utilizing Frazier's flexibility)?

You also didn't mention Masset. Is he still on our payroll? Could he have an inside shot at the MR spot you had open?

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by membengal

I still am in the camp that thinks Cingrani is headed to AAA to keep working as a starting pitcher.

That's what I think too. Leake will be in the pen as the long man and to provide depth to the rotation. He will get his fair share of starts. They will be careful with Chapman not to extend him out much and will probbaly push back some of his starts if he looks to be tiring.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by buckeyenut

You also didn't mention Masset. Is he still on our payroll? Could he have an inside shot at the MR spot you had open?

Masset's going into the 2nd year of his two year deal, $3.1M with some performance bonuses, some of which are perhaps attainable, but not likely and they're modest dollar amounts; one to do with Games Finished and another for appearances over the life of the contract that he could conceivably make, although it's not likely given that he missed all of last year. Interestingly, that appearance clause is for 77 games and I wonder whether his six games at Louisville last year might count in that total. Still, it's only $50K, so not an onerous issue.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Originally Posted by DGullett35

I think Cingrani gets a spot in the pen. We need the 2nd lefty with Chapman going to the rotation. The tribe did give us 3.5 mil so maybe we can do something with that as far as Hannahan or a lefty reliever

FWIW, that 3.5 million is going towards Choo I'd assume. He's due for an arbitration raise this season and I think that's supposed to cover that difference.

[Always Red]

Rolen has not said for sure if he is retiring or not.

What happens if he says he wants back in, and how do the Reds handle that? Scott is smart enough to see that this team is a winner; he might want to go out on top, even if in a part time role.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Originally Posted by Kc61

Outfield looks set to me. Ludwick, Choo, Bruce, Heisey, Paul. Maybe add a depth guy who can play CF, but this unit looks set.

Infield is Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Frazier, Donald. One more guy needed. The only lefty bat is Joey, so I'd guess the last guy hits lefty. Maybe Hannahan. Maybe Burriss.

Catcher is set with Hanigan and Mes.

Starting pitching also seems set with main four plus new addition Chapman.

Bullpen seems more unsettled. Broxton, Marshall, Hoover, Lecure, Simon probably locks. Leaves two spots open. Arredondo? Leake? Cingrani? New guy?

So it's a utility infielder and possibly a new reliever. Possibly AAA depth guys. Anything more this off-season would seem to be a longshot.

I'd say you've nailed it with a couple exceptions. I'd say they'll definitely get Hannahan and Rolen will retire. Burriss will be in AAA. The 2 missing spots in the bullpen will be Arredondo and Massett. Both Leake and Cingrani will be in the AAA rotation. That extra LHRP people are wanting...I think that's essentially going to be Arredondo due to his odd splits. Just tossin in my 2 cents.

[JaxRed]

Originally Posted by membengal

I still am in the camp that thinks Cingrani is headed to AAA to keep working as a starting pitcher.

As am I