Three Reds Mentioned in 'This Week in Prospects'

[Mario-Rijo]

Reid isn't my first choice but it was the only thing I could come up with that would work. I'm not a big fan of Bartlett or I'd say him.

I like Bartlett better than OCab and he might actually be available (probably in the offseason) but I wouldn't give up Alonso for him straight up. If they toss in Desmond Jennings or work out some other scenario I'd be all for a swap with TB. Alonso, Stubbs and Bailey in the offseason for Wade Davis, Bartlett and Jennings would be a sweet deal. They get a little more thunder we get some much needed top of the lineup help, wouldn't hurt our defense at all in fact with Bartlett improve it. Plus it would also free up a few bucks for TB to help re-sign Crawford perhaps.

2011

Jennings CF
Bartlett SS
Votto 1B
Rolen 3B
Bruce RF
BP 2B
Heisey LF
Hanny C

I like the looks of that lineup.

[TRF]

wait, Duran signed last year at age 16 right? Now he's turning 19?

the excerpt on Alonso completely left out his hamate injury.


meh. shoddy writing.

[dougdirt]

Do you hate up-the-middle depth? At this point, we're overvaluing Alonso.

I don't hate it, but I don't want to trade Yonder Alonso for a back up anything and that is exactly what I see Reid Brignac as to Zack Cozart.

[HokieRed]

The comment on Alonso is absurd and out of date. There's no comment about the injury and no recognition that recently he's been tearing it up. I hope the Reds do not trade him; it will be, IMHO, a mistake they'll regret. The kid can hit, he wasn't an overdraft, all he needs is time to get over the injury and the at-bats.

[GOYA]

wait, Duran signed last year at age 16 right? Now he's turning 19?

Duran is 18 and turns 19 on Sept 2nd.

[mth123]

Short sighted here IMO. Reid Brignac is a lefty bat who can play 2B, SS and 3B. Assumimg Cozart is the guy (and I think he is), Brignac would be a lefty understudy for a splitty 2B who needs more days off against RHP, an unproven SS who has some split issues himself and an aging and gimpy 3B who needs frequent time off now and it will only be moreso as he ages. I don't think Brignac is redundant at all and would be far more valuable than a guy who just has no place to play. A guy like Brignac getting about 400 ABs at all three spots (and maybe in LF as a partner with Heisey as well) is one of the things that this team needs.

I'd deal Alonso for Brignac 100 times out of 100. There is a pretty high bar at 1B and, if Alonso falls just a little short, he's a dime a dozen guy and I'm not sure that makes him the trade chip that we may all hope he is.

[TRF]

Duran is 18 and turns 19 on Sept 2nd.

I'm old.

Duran signed in 2008 at age 16. there was a strange loophole that allowed the Reds to sign him a bit earlier than other teams thought possible. I was sure he turned 16 in 2008.

[dougdirt]

Short sighted here IMO. Reid Brignac is a lefty bat who can play 2B, SS and 3B. Assumimg Cozart is the guy (and I think he is), Brignac would be a lefty understudy for a splitty 2B who needs more days off against RHP, an unproven SS who has some split issues himself and an aging and gimpy 3B who needs frequent time off now and it will only be moreso as he ages. I don't think Brignac is redundant at all and would be far more valuable than a guy who just has no place to play. A guy like Brignac getting about 400 ABs at all three spots (and maybe in LF as a partner with Heisey as well) is one of the things that this team needs.

I'd deal Alonso for Brignac 100 times out of 100. There is a pretty high bar at 1B and, if Alonso falls just a little short, he's a dime a dozen guy and I'm not sure that makes him the trade chip that we may all hope he is.

Brignac isn't going to play 3B other than as a back up. He just won't hit enough for it.

It isn't about keeping Alonso, its about filling a different spot than finding a back up.

[Kiss the Baby00]

a cpl weeks ago we were thinking about trading alonso for cliff lee. now we want to deal him for a weak hitting middle infielder...

....

[mth123]

a cpl weeks ago we were thinking about trading alonso for cliff lee. now we want to deal him for a weak hitting middle infielder...

....

For two months of Lee as a part of a package with guys like Wood and Heisey. For 5 seasons of Brignac straight up.

A lefty bat that can play 2B, 3b and ss for a low cost would be huge for the Reds. Its also no given that Cozart will be the guy in 2011. Brignac, Janish and Cozart would provide enough alternatives to forego a pricey vet. Alonso isn't going to bring anything better straight up. I think its very questionable that the Rays would do that deal in spite of needing a backfill for Carlos Pena who likely walks after the year.

Brignac is currently at .279/.333/.425/.758 (a 106 OPS+) while playing in the AL east. A move to the NL central and GABP should give those numbers quite a boost. I don't think its a given that Cozart is the better player. but I like them both quite a bit. Cozart has been pretty splitty since hitting the upper minors. Against LHP his OPS in 2010 and 2009 has been .862 both seasons. Against RHP, Cozart put an OPS of .720 in 2009 and .745 in 2010. A lefty hitting guy who can also spell the splitty Phillips and give Rolen a rest would be quite valuable and its something the Reds don't have. Since the team already has the HR, OBP and Slg leader playing 1B, I don't see Alonso having much value at the major league level for the Reds or getting enough AB at the major league level to boost his trade stock much higher. The Reds could hold him for another year at AAA and hope for some monster numbers to boost his stock, but if the plan is to deal him now or in the off-season, he won't bring much more unless packaged with some other highly valued guys.

[HokieRed]

I see no point in trading Alonso until the Reds have a long term contract of some kind in place with Joey Votto, and I think that possibility becomes slimmer every day. I know lots of RZ members think Votto can be signed on for some 5 year deal favorable to the Reds, but I think that undervalues him. This will probably be dismissed with laughter as well, but I think Alonso is just now beginning to show why the best solution to the LF problem for 2011 may still be to move Joey Votto there.

[camisadelgolf]

Brignac isn't going to play 3B other than as a back up. He just won't hit enough for it.

It isn't about keeping Alonso, its about filling a different spot than finding a back up.

Brignac is good enough to start for a lot of teams. Yonder Alonso profiles as a starter who, thanks to Joey Votto, would play the role of backup. The Reds already have Todd Frazier and Danny Dorn for that role, however. Trading Alonso for Brignac (plus more, hopefully) would be a move that switches the depth from corner infield to middle infield. It may only be shuffling deck chairs, but to continue with that stupid metaphor, it would be switching to a deck chair with a better view.

[HokieRed]

IMHO, all talk of trading Yonder Alonso before Joey Votto signs a longer term deal (assuming he does so, which I doubt) is premature.

[dougdirt]

Brignac is good enough to start for a lot of teams. Yonder Alonso profiles as a starter who, thanks to Joey Votto, would play the role of backup. The Reds already have Todd Frazier and Danny Dorn for that role, however. Trading Alonso for Brignac (plus more, hopefully) would be a move that switches the depth from corner infield to middle infield. It may only be shuffling deck chairs, but to continue with that stupid metaphor, it would be switching to a deck chair with a better view.

I get where you are coming from, but I would rather just go another route. See if Alonso can land you a left fielder for 2011 this offseason. I just see Brignac as a back up on the Reds. I don't think he is better than Cozart and he certainly isn't better than Phillips.

I also wonder why the Rays would trade Brignac at this point. He seems to be their best option at 2B.

[camisadelgolf]

I also wonder why the Rays would trade Brignac at this point. He seems to be their best option at 2B.

I'm sure the Rays are in no hurry to deal Brignac, but they have a desperate need at first base. Carlos Pena won't be around much longer, and they have no one in the pipeline at first base. Meanwhile, put Matt Joyce in right field with Sean Rodriguez or Ben Zobrist at second base.