Clearly the biggest hole on the team right now is a big stick in LF. Here are three out-of-the-box, splashy solutions I would entertain to address this problem:
1. Trade for Justin Upton
I'll start with the least realistic yet most outside-the-box option. Justin Upton is owed $45MM through 2015, when he'll be a 27 year old free agent. While he is less than 10% to get traded, he has struggled immensely in 2012 and just got blasted publicly by his owner: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/0...rom-upton.html
Upton could plug immediately into the #2 or #4 hole (he hits RH) and juice this lineup for the next 3.5 years. Additionally, he'd be a plus-plus defender in LF. He would cost a bundle both in talent and dollars (although who knows where the limit is on payroll these days?). I'd offer any three prospects in the system for him- probably something like Hamilton, Corcino, and Gregorius, just to see if their front office is tempted to make a bold move given their owner's frustrations. Hamilton is Hamilton and Corcino would look nice along with Bauer, Bradley and Skaggs. Drew is clearly leaving town after this year so Gregorius could start for them as early as next year.
2. Trade for Carlos Quentin
The FA-to-be wouldn't cost much in dollars or long term commitments, and I hypothesized in another thread that something like Soto + Duran could get it done. The SD native could return to his hometown Padres this offseason, so it is unlikely the non-contending Pads would require much in a rental for his services. He's not a great defender but he's been on fire since getting activated from the DL 2 weeks ago. He also hits RH, so he would immediately become a powerful cleanup hitter for the Reds: he has jacked 5 HR in just 27 AB so far this year with Petco as his home field, so just imagine what he could do in GAB.
3. Sign Jorge Soler
OK so this doesn't do anything for the Reds this year. Or next year. But Soler is the premier type of talent that could be the LF on this team for a decade. Between Soler, Bruce, Lutz and Winker, the Reds wouldn't have to worry about another corner OF for at least a decade. It would surely be costly, but probably not as much as another international signing the Reds were willing to pay for- Aroldis Chapman, and he is looking more and more worth it by the day. Plus, this is the last opportunity for a small-market team like the Reds to really make an outlier splash with an amateur player, as the new spending cap goes into effect July 2 (and bids are due for Soler today). I'd really cringe if the Cubs get him, and they are reportedly the favorites to do so.
Thoughts?