The Best of the "Second-Tier": Lilly, Padilla, Wolf, Meche

[Rex Argos]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...t&lid=tab5pos2

This is a clip from a Jerry Crasnick article on ESPN. He interviewed a few GM's about their opinions on a variety of hot stove topics. I've attached their thoughts on a few options that the Reds (and every other team) have to consider.

6. Which "second tier" starter do you like best: Adam Eaton, Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, Vicente Padilla or Randy Wolf?

Responses: Lilly 8, Padilla 6, Wolf 3, Meche 1, Eaton 1 and one undecided.

"They all have their little hickies, don't they?" one NL GM said.

Of course they do. That's why they'll have to muddle along with three- and four-year deals in the mere $24 million to $40 million range.

Wolf is still 17 months removed from Tommy John surgery, but he proved he could pitch well in a bandbox in Philadelphia. A Wolf supporter called him "a baseball player who just happens to pitch."

Eaton and Meche are talented guys who've never put it together, for an assortment of reasons. Eaton has yet to stay healthy enough to pitch 200 innings in a season, and Meche projects an outward passivity that doesn't match his above-average stuff.

Then there's Padilla, whose reported alcohol problems and loner personality make people wonder just what makes him tick. He's a career 66-61, but his 15-10 record in Texas could be a springboard to the next level.

"I like Padilla," a scout said. "He has the best stuff of the bunch. He's a mean son of a gun. He's willing to pitch inside, and he had very good success last year in a hitters' park in the American League."

An AL East executive chose Lilly on a hunch that he's going to break through and win 18 games one of these years. Lilly's fastball can hit the low 90s when he's right, and his curveball can be a knockout pitch. He just doesn't bring it to the park as consistently as, say, Zito.

"He's not a touchy-feely lefty," a Lilly backer said. "He's a four-pitch guy with legitimate stuff. Consistency is the only missing piece for him. When he's right, you know you have a chance against the Red Sox or Yankees. When he's not, Kansas City has a chance, too. He makes you scratch your head."

Teams have experienced so many multiyear disasters in the Russ Ortiz-Carl Pavano mode, any starter who can stay healthy and win 12-14 games with a sub 4.50 ERA is considered a decent investment. Lilly wins out as the safest, if not the flashiest, choice in the group.

If you were going to rank these guys, how would you rank them?

[Highlifeman21]

Adam Eaton, Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, Vicente Padilla or Randy Wolf?

Eh. Worst of the best, best of the worst....

Padilla, Wolf, Lilly, Meche, Eaton.... That's my order.

All will be horribly overpaid, and priced out of our range.

[Tigs]

I prefer we end up with none of these guys.

If I had to pick one, I'd take Lily.

All of these guys have Eric Milton written all over them. Overpaid and aging pitchers with lack of talent.

[Mario-Rijo]

If all are healthy and we can assume they would stay that way relatively speaking. Then my List looks like this.

1st To Worst:
Wolf, Padilla, Lilly, Meche, Eaton

If we must take past injury into consideration.

Lilly, Padilla, Meche, Wolf, Eaton

[Rojo]

Padilla.

[Joseph]

Rumors of the moment:

Wolf resigns with Philly.

Meche to the Cubs.

Both as early as tomorrow.

[edabbs44]

Give me Lilly or give me death.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

1st To Worst:
Wolf, Padilla, Lilly, Meche, Eaton

That's my order too. But Eaton and Meche would be in the next tier with Ohka, Suppan and Armas. Meche maybe lower.

[vaticanplum]

I have a feeling that Padilla is going to go for a fortune. Not that the others won't, but I think he will surprise with the contract he signs.

[Spring~Fields]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I have a feeling that Padilla is going to go for a fortune. Not that the others won't, but I think he will surprise with the contract he signs.

I can't find it now but I thought that I read where he was expected to want a 40 million dollar contract over 4 years.

[marcshoe]

I've heard the rumor about the money Padilla's looking for elsewhere. Man, 10 million a year. And yet you have to wonder if the salary structure is accelerating to the point this off-season that, by the time we're through, that won't seem as much like overpaying....

but it's still ten million a year.

I don't like Meche or Eaton, and I figure Lilly won't be cheap either.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by Highlifeman21

All will be horribly overpaid, and priced out of our range.

that seems the safe bet.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Give me Lilly or give me death.

I'm betting Lilliy gets 4 yrs and $40M

[Topcat]

Simple for me Eaton and Padilla but knowing the cost for them? I pass and realize money saved now is better spent when a contending Red's are close. For god's sake 8 million a year for what a Eric Milton part deaux . Sorry the cash can be spent better than that.

[crazybob60]

1st To Worst:
Lilly, Wolf, Eaton, Padilla, Meche

I would take the order above although I have heard that Meche is pretty much going to the Cubbies, well I shouldn't say pretty much, but that is what I heard on the radio yesterday, but take that for what its worth and isn't Eaton pretty much narrowed it down to 2-3 clubs, none of which are the Reds? If we got both Lilly and Wolf, I would say that that would be pretty nice, not as nice as a Zito or Schmidt but those are just dreams on my pillow.