Hamilton trade

[FreelFanatic]

Because of lack of internet at my house, I thought I'd start this to see what RedsZoners are thinking, rather than go through 100's of posts. I'm option three.

[Degenerate39]

I was just about to make a poll like this. I say yes I like it.

[Vada Pinson Fan]

Not trying to cop-out but I think it is a wait and see deal. Clearly Josh is the more established player than the two we acquired. I do hold out hope that Edinson Volquez will be either flipped to Baltimore in a deal involving Bedard or be a welcomed addition for years to come with the starting rotation of youngsters- Bailey, Cueto, Volquez, Maloney and our top two of Harang and Arroyo not to mention Belisle. Even at this point the Reds pitching is better in both the starting and relieving departments.

[reds1869]

We have an excess of talent in the outfield and a lack on the pitching staff. You have to trade value to get value, and that's what we did. Hamilton may never again produce like he did last season, so I agree with this deal. We got a good young pitcher who will help this team in years to come and a potential middle reliever for down the road. I can't see any real problem other than losing I player I really enjoyed watching.

[GoReds33]

I like the deal. I can't do the wait and see option. Trades aren't about that. You take the risk, and don't look back. If it fails, you build with what you have.

[gedred69]

As someone stated on another thread, other GMs that WK talked to, beat the non-durable drum on Hamilton. We had placed too high a value on Hamilton---myself included. I think WK made a decent trade, a bona fide prospect for a guy who is a stud granted, but only when he isn't injured. Reds have a lot of potential OF's or convertable IF getting closr to MLB ready. Hamilton was expendible.

[durl]

As much as I'll miss seeing Hamilton is a Reds uniform I've got to say that the Reds got what they needed out of the deal. As others have said, we have an abundance of outfielders and Volquez, on paper at least, looks very promising. He may provide what the Reds desperately need.

This is just one of the tough choices you've got to make as a GM.

[AmarilloRed]

We will have to wait and see what sort of 2008 seasons both players have until we can truly know.

[INRedsFan]

It looks like I am in the minority.........I don't like the trade. My main point is that I believe that Hamilton has the potential to be a future Hall of Fame player. I don't think you can make this determination in one season but he had a pretty good season last year for a rookie. I think the Reds should have given him at least one more year to determine his value. Having said that, I do understand that this is part of the business of baseball.

[hippie07]

Well, I chose "wait and see" not because of how the players perform next year, but because it all depends on the direction the team takes. We traded Hamilton, a stud, for a stud pitching **prospect** we needed pitching and had outfielders to trade, but we needed pitching that would improve our staff in 08, we already have Bailey and Cueto to be a shot in the arm of the 09 rotation (which I think Volquez is more of a 09 aide).

I'm not sure that Volquez will improve the stature of the 08 pitching staff all that much... I see him as being "inconsisently good" ... possibly similar to what we saw from Lohse last year???

We ended up trading Hamilton for a pitching 'spect who is not going to provide consistent help to our staff in 08.... still this trade provided pitching depth in our system... which is definitely good, but we still need reliable pitching in 08 - so I'm "waiting to see" if the Reds acquire through trade or FA signing a solid #3/4 type guy to eat innings and fall back on when the young guys struggle... if that happens then I'm totally satisfied w/ the trade.

Our SP staff now is:
1: Harang
3: Arroyo
4: Belisle
Promising young prospects who may be #1's in the future but currently pitch like #5's: Bailey, Cueto, Volquez.

It's not a bad staff, but its a staff that's relying on alotta youth and alotta maybe's ... and it makes me uncomfortable (for 08, though I'm much happier about the future). A 1-year signing like Livan would suit me just fine.... maybe even a injury-rehabber like Prior... but something along those lines is needed, IMO, to help me get pumped for the 08 season.

[NeilHamburger]

How in the hell is wait and see an option? You either make the trade in the present time or you don't make it at all, it's not like you could trade Hamilton with a clause that states the reds have a right to undue the trade in september if they wish.

[captainmorgan07]

very good trade we used our strength which was extra outfielders to get a weakness which was pitching. For chrimney sakes everybody wants more pitching around here and when we get a pitcher ppl don't like it. We got hamilton for next to nothing anything we get for him is a plus for us. I wish the kid all the luck though he was a favorite when he was here.