Reds one of two teams pursuing Gerald Laird

[KoryMac5]

Salty's defense is about on caliber with Javy's, teams run on him any chance they get. I would look at the free agent pool to see if there is a catcher coming on the market next year that can handle this young staff. I definitely don't want someone back there that will set their growth back.

[nate]

Originally Posted by HokieRed

I'd send them Volquez back for a certain outfielder they have.

I think Milton Bradley's a FA after this season.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by nate

I think Milton Bradley's a FA after this season.

What's funny is Josh Hamilton gets all the press but he hasn't even been the best outfielder on that team - that honor belongs to Milton Bradley and it's not even close. Bradley has an OPS over .100 points higher than Josh Hamilton and may be the front runner for MVP right now IMO.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

No thanks. I'll take Volquez over an outfielder who is an average player at best away from home.

Hamilton is a considerably better player than that. Is he as gooas as the home version? No, but the road stats are just as misleading. His OPS+ is right around Adam Dunn, and I think that's a pretty good ballpark for where he is right now. That's pretty good production out of CF.

That said, I feel more comfortable with Volquez for a few reasons. Firstly, Hamilton's history makes it difficult to predict how long his shelf life will be. He could crash and burn a lot earlier than his age suggests. And secondly, I think he's a long term right fielder, not centre fielder. If we plan on keeping Dunn, and I hope that we do, Hamilton is not a fabulous fit for the Reds with Bruce entrenched in right for the next decade +. I know for sure that a pitcher of Volquez' magnitude will always be a great fit.

At face value, we're still talking about two very good players, and I don't see any evidence suggesting one player has been anything but marginally more valuable than the other. It's a pretty close race in total value IMO.

[Raisor]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

What's funny is Josh Hamilton gets all the press but he hasn't even been the best outfielder on that team - that honor belongs to Milton Bradley and it's not even close. Bradley has an OPS over .100 points higher than Josh Hamilton and may be the front runner for MVP right now IMO.

Bradley's only played 18 games in the OF this year, which means he won't win the MVP (fair or unfairly)

[edabbs44]

I can't fathom Cincy "buying" anyone right now. Buy one of the younger catchers, if anyone.

[corkedbat]

I'd do Bailey for Ramierez

[mbgrayson]

From the Rangers MLB.COM site:

The Reds also covet Laird, but aren't willing to give up their top young Minor League pitchers. At least 20 teams have asked about at least one of the four Rangers catchers.

[Jpup]

Teagarden is the prize, but Laird is a good 2nd choice.

[OnBaseMachine]

I found this on a Rangers blog:

Today's proposal: Would you offer Gerald Laird or Jarrod Saltalamacchia (their choice) and Omar Poveda to Cincinnati for Homer Bailey?

Does this make any sense? Read on to find out ...

• Why it might make some sense: Think of this as a duplication of the Josh Hamilton-Edinson Volquez deal, but with the teams having different needs. The Reds believe they can contend in 2009 and their farm system entered the year one of the few ranked higher than the Rangers, but catching is a weakness. Though Cincinnati spent is No. 1 on C Devin Mesoraco in 2007, he's at low Class A and high school-drafted catchers usually take a significant amount of time to develop. The Reds are using a journeyman duo of Paul Bako and David Ross there right now and they have checked in on Laird. Bailey was recently called back to the majors, but, after three years atop the Reds' organization ranking, he hasn't lived up to expectations. Laird would be under control for two more years; Salty for even longer than that. The Rangers have depth at catcher and could afford to trade either one. The Rangers absolutely must have pitching if they hope to contend next year. Bailey spent three years atop the Reds' prospect rankings, but he hasn't lived up to expectations. He's pitched better in two starts since being recalled from the minors, but is still 0-3 with a 6.29 ERA and he's fallen behind Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto in the Reds' pecking order.

• Why it might not: Bailey is 22 and has been projected as a potential No. 1 starter for the last three seasons. Though he's 4-5 with a 5.94 ERA in 14 major league starts (including last year), he is merely a pup. If he develops next year and Cincinnati has a young starting trio of Volquez, Cueto and Bailey to anchor their rotation, along with the veteran Aaron Harang, they might just have the best rotation in the NL. They could afford to put Johnny Bench back there (and he'll be 61 next season) and still contend.

A win-win trade? Something that needs a bit of tweaking? Am I abso-flippin'-lutely nuts? You are on the clock.

Reading some of the Rangers' fans comments, they would trade Salty and a decent pitching prospect in Poveda for Homer in a heartbeat. I would too. I still like Homer but I'd deal him for Salty and Poveda and not look back. This deal would give us a good young catcher and a raw 20-year old power arm.

[Jpup]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

I found this on a Rangers blog:



Reading some of the Rangers' fans comments, they would trade Salty and a decent pitching prospect in Poveda for Homer in a heartbeat. I would too. I still like Homer but I'd deal him for Salty and Poveda and not look back. This deal would give us a good young catcher and a raw 20-year old power arm.

except Salty can't catch. right?

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by Jpup

except Salty can't catch. right?

I went back and looked at his scouting report on Baseball America from 2006 and it says his defense was considered suspect coming out of high school but he's worked hard on his defense and it's gotten better. It also says he has a strong arm and quick release, which enabled him to thrown out 36% of the runners in 2006. It does say he still needs some work on his footwork. With time he can probably develop into an average to slightly above average catcher with a good stick.

[mbgrayson]

From Baseball Prospectus:

If there's something goofy, it's having to call up Teagarden already because of Jarrod Saltalamacchia's unhappy combination of a bum groin and an infection that laid him out over the break. Max Ramirez is up as well, so the Rangers have all three of their premium catching prospects up at once, with veteran Gerald Laird unavailable to provide the veteran insurance he's supposed to represent because he's still out with a sore hamstring. It makes for an interesting situation in which all of them will have had some exposure this season, and perhaps generate that much more freedom of action for Jon Daniels to entertain offers for any one of them, and that on top of the potential to swap out Laird's last two years of arbitration eligibility while those aren't especially expensive, potentially raising his value to a needy contender.

[RedlegJake]

I'd rather the Reds call up Hanigan than acquire Laird. Trading for marginal upgrades won't help this team unless the acquisition is coupled with another trade sending Ross out for a part that can actually be of use. Laird/Hanigan would be a little better defensively and offensively than Ross/Bako. If Ross brought someone useful - even a role player - from the Fish, then Laird could make sense depending on which young pitcher he cost us. I'd rather spend more and snag Ramirez, though.

[corkedbat]

Originally Posted by RedlegJake

I'd rather the Reds call up Hanigan than acquire Laird. Trading for marginal upgrades won't help this team unless the acquisition is coupled with another trade sending Ross out for a part that can actually be of use. Laird/Hanigan would be a little better defensively and offensively than Ross/Bako. If Ross brought someone useful - even a role player - from the Fish, then Laird could make sense depending on which young pitcher he cost us. I'd rather spend more and snag Ramirez, though.

I'd want Teagarden or Ramierez for Homer