Bailey, Cueto, Arroyo, FreeAgent, Harang

[icehole3]

Harang belongs at no.5 at this point I'd like to see the Reds go after a pitcher similar to Arroyo, good stuff lots of quality innings so Harang can take over the 5th spot. Wolf would be perfect, who else a Davis or a Hudson???

Starting pitchers
Brandon Backe (32)
Cha Seung Baek (30)
Miguel Batista (39)
Erik Bedard (31) - Type B
Kris Benson (34)
Paul Byrd (39)
Daniel Cabrera (29)
Chris Capuano (31)
Aroldis Chapman (22)
Bartolo Colon (37)
Jose Contreras (38)
Doug Davis (34) - Type B
Justin Duchscherer (32) - Type B
Adam Eaton (32)
Shawn Estes (37)
Josh Fogg (33)
Jon Garland (30) - Type B
Tom Glavine (44)
Mike Hampton (37)
Rich Harden (28) - Type B
Mark Hendrickson (36)
Livan Hernandez (35)
Rich Hill (30)
Shawn Hill (29)
Tim Hudson (34) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Jennings (31)
Jason Johnson (36)
Randy Johnson (46) - Type B
John Lackey (31) - Type A
Braden Looper (35) - $6.5MM mutual option with possible buyout - Type B
Rodrigo Lopez (34)
Noah Lowry (29)
Jason Marquis (31) - Type B
Pedro Martinez (38)
Eric Milton (34)
Brett Myers (29)
Vicente Padilla (32) - Type B
Carl Pavano (34) - Type B
Brad Penny (32)
Odalis Perez (33)
Andy Pettitte (38) - Type B
Joel Pineiro (31) - Type B
Sidney Ponson (33)
Mark Prior (28)
Horacio Ramirez (30)
Jason Schmidt (37)
Ben Sheets (31)
John Smoltz (43)
Brad Thompson (28)
Brett Tomko (37)
Tim Wakefield (43) - perpetual $4MM club option - Type B
Jarrod Washburn (35)
Todd Wellemeyer (31)
Kip Wells (33)
Randy Wolf (33) - Type A

[JaxRed]

So you want to acquire a someone so the starter with the 2nd best ERA of starters can be moved to #5?

[PuffyPig]

Odds likely favour a better year from Harang than Arroyo.

And of course, labeling someone a #4 or a 35 means no difference in the rotation. They still start every 5th day, against the other teams' starters in random fashion.

And the Braves signed Hudson to a three year contract.

I think that Lackey is the only pitcher on the list that I'd rather have right now more than Harang. A few others are interesting, but have huge injury concerns.

[icehole3]

So you want to acquire a someone so the starter with the 2nd best ERA of starters can be moved to #5?

been feeling this way for a while now, he's the 5th best starter for my team, I know my opinion isnt worth nothing

[JaxRed]

Like Puffy says, after the first run thru of the rotation who's #1 and Who's #5 doesn't really matter.

You just want to be able to run 5 solid guys out there. For me we have Harang, Arroyo, Cueto and Bailey as locks. Maloney would be my presumed front runner for the number 5.
We will get Volquez back at the 1/2 or 2/3 point.

At some point, beyond those 5 you'll need some fill-ins. I'm okay with Ramirez, Wood, Klinker, Lehr as those guys.

I don't mind if they pick another Lehr type as long as we don't trade talent for him or give up draft picks.

I'm much more concerned about SS and catcher.

[dunner13]

I have heard reports that leake could be ready by june, one of the reasons he was drafted so high was that he is very polished and could pitch in the majors almost right away. If he has an impressive spring he could take the 5th spot.

[WebScorpion]

With the Reds severely limited budget, I'm sure their return on investment will be much greater in other (SS, C, LF) areas. Another starter is pretty far down on the list. Between Maloney, Lehr, Leake, Wood, and Owings, I'm sure we can find one serviceable starter. Unless it's like last year...we needed a left fielder, so they signed a bargain basement center fielder. This year we need a Shortstop, so the y probably WILL sign another starter worse than any of the five I just mentioned.

[Joseph]

Barring injury or trade Aaron Harang will be on the mound at GABP on opening day, not 5 days later.

[I(heart)Freel]

Barring injury or trade Aaron Harang will be on the mound at GABP on opening day, not 5 days later.

You know, I was just thinking about that the other day. Does Arroyo deserve the nod more for Opening Day 2010?

1. Had a better last season.
2. Been around a few years and hasn't gotten the honor yet.
3. Opening Day is on a Monday and bars in Mt Adams close early on Sunday nights.

[Caveat Emperor]

I imagine the fifth starter spot will be "filled" by bringing in two or three reclamation project arms on minor league deals w/ invites to training camp and letting them compete with Maloney, Owings, etc. for the last spot.

With the money being made by Cordero (12m), Harang (12.5m), Arroyo (11m), Rolen (11m), Phillips (6.75m), Taveras (4m), Rhodes (2m) and Lincoln (2m) I imagine the team is pretty close to payroll right now. That's over $61m in salary for those 8 players right there. Add in the $1m buyout for Hernandez, and it's roughly $62m Even if you figure payroll is stagnant (which it won't be -- all signs say it's going down), that leaves less than $11m to fill the other spots on the active roster.

Simply put, there isn't a budget to add a starter. In fact, I wouldn't be at all shocked if Arroyo or Harang got dealt and the team held open auditions for two rotation spots.

[Scrap Irony]

I also think it's extremely unlikely Cincinnati signs a top-tier FA starter. They'll look to the bargain bin to see who wants to resurrect a career against the likes of Maloney and Owings.

And, while I'd prefer the Reds to grab a John Lackey or Ben Sheets, a fifth starter of Matt Maloney's ilk certainly isn't as bad as year's past. Hell, in two or three years of the last decade, Maloney'd be the #2 starter.