who is avaiable to help the 2009 offense?

[Will M]

Help me out. The Reds obviously need to add offense. I have been making a list of players who are either free agents or rumored to be available. So far I have:

1. Teixeira 1B (free agent) - wants huge bucks

2. Dunn LF (free agent) - don't see Walt bringing the Dunner back

3. Burrell LF (free agent) - similar player to Dunn

4. Ibanez LF (free agent) - Won't be back with the Ms

5. Abreu RF (free agent)

6. Baldelli CF (free agent) - a wild card. OPS+ of 127 in 20 games this year

7. Giles LF (possible free agent) - may not be reupped by the Padres

8. Matt Holliday LF - on the block. free agent after 2009.

9. Maglio Ordonez RF - rumored recently that he will be on the block. cost is ~$48M for 3 years.

10. Beltre 3B - Ms in rebuilding mode. free agent after 2009. My personal favorite to help the Reds.

11. JJ Hardy SS - may get pushed out by a rookie. Brew Crew wants pitching. IMO they would want Cueto not Homer, Maloney, etc.

12. Milton Bradley OF - I think he is a free agent. Comes with free baggage.

13. Melvin Mora 3B - always available. OPSing .835 this year

14. Garrett Atkins 3B - odd man out in Colorado. Pretty average hitter.

15. Since I'm starting to scrape bottom I'll stop here.

Anybody I missed that could help the 2009 team? Who are your top 1-2 choices of players to go after. Who do you think Walt will go after?

[Rojo]

Anybody I missed that could help the 2009 team?

You forgot to list managers.

[Johnny Footstool]

Of that list, Baldelli is the only one who is mildly interesting, but he's no sure thing by any stretch of the imagination. Plus, the Reds already have one free-swinging outfielder with a severe walk allergy.

Juan Rivera might be available on the cheaper side.

[reds44]

The key is going to be Walt getting help while sending Homer/Thompson/Maloney/Ramirez out rather then Cueto.

[PuffyPig]

Sign me up for Brian Giles in LF. Good OBA and power should come back in Cincy. I'm hoping he would sign a one year deal to pad (pun intended) his stats and get a better deal in 2010.

That's of course assuming that we can't get anyone better.

[OnBaseMachine]

I would love to have Brian Giles but he supposedly wants to stay on the west coast.

[PuffyPig]

I would love to have Brian Giles but he supposedly wants to stay on the west coast.

Tell him we'll move the team.

[schroomytunes]

Well I dont expect big names to surface in the offseason but these guys are intriguing to me.

1)Raul Ibanez-36yrs old left-handed bat, plays superb defense, has good OBPS, would be a good guy for us for 2-3 years.

2)Gabe Kapler-RH bat off the bench that can play all 3 outfield positions

3)Jeremy Affeldt-solid lefty for us out of the pen.

4)Dan Wheeler-gives us the right handed guy in the pen to take over where Weathers was.

5)Aaron Boone-RH bat off the bench that can play 1B/3B

25man team:
Starters:
1b-Votto/Boone
2b-BP
SS-Gonzo/Keppinger
3b-EE
C-Hanigan/Castillo
RF-Bruce/Kapler
CF-Dickerson/Freel
LF-Ibanez

Pitchers
1-Harang 2-Volquez 3-Cueto 4-Arroyo 5-Owings

Bullpen
1-Cordero 2-Burton 3-Wheeler 4-Bray 5-Affeldt 6-Masset 7-Roenicke

[RedLegSuperStar]

Ken Griffey Jr. not an option?

[Johnny Footstool]

Brian Giles? Raul Ibanez?

How about shooting for guys who aren't circling the drain?

[Kc61]

Trade Freel and two good prospects for Beltre.

Move EE to left field.

Acquire a catcher to split with Hanigan. Sign Pudge Rodgriguez or trade for somebody.

Either keep Janish or get another good defensive shortstop who can back AGon next year.

Get a good starting pitcher who throws ground balls. Derrick Lowe if he's available.

Make some good decisions on bullpen/bench.

Plan a pennant clinching party.

[Will M]

Trade Freel and two good prospects for Beltre.

Move EE to left field.

Acquire a catcher to split with Hanigan. Sign Pudge Rodgriguez or trade for somebody.

Either keep Janish or get another good defensive shortstop who can back AGon next year.

Get a good starting pitcher who throws ground balls. Derrick Lowe if he's available.

Make some good decisions on bullpen/bench.

Plan a pennant clinching party.

This is a great plan. Coincidentally it is the same as my plan ( minus the Pudge part. I am not a Pudge fan ). I have yet to hear anyone else come up with an offseason plan that beats it.

[Johnny Footstool]

Beltre just had ligament surgery in his thumb. And he'll be extremely expensive.

[*BaseClogger*]

Adam LaRoche, with Votto moving to LF...

[mth123]

Adam LaRoche, with Votto moving to LF...

Good plan and really helps the defense in the IF. If he can be had cheaply in a "take him off your hands so that Pearce can play" deal, its a good move. I wouldn't give up a bunch of valued stuff for him though. Maybe a suspect arm or two (Bray? Wood? Pelland?), some minor league guys at depth areas (Logan Parker? Justin Turner? Shaun Cumberland?) and/or a tweener or two (Jeff Keppinger? Chris Valaika?). Probably a guy from each category would be a good deal. More than that may be an overpayment. Maybe a better guy could be included if the team could get Ronny Paulino in the deal.

Whatever they do, I hope the don't blow all the resources on a LF or a 1B. The team has lots of bats on the way that really don't have the gloves to play anywhere but those spots anyway (Alonso, Dorn, probably Frazier, maybe Soto). If the Reds are going to empty the farm and open the vault to acquire somebody, I hope its a long term answer at SS - some one who can play the spot defensively and OPS in the .750 range or better. The current options really can't be counted on to do either.

After that need is filled, get a catcher and a mid-rotation innings guy, then worry about the corner spots (LF, 1B, 3B).