Bob Miller Chat transcript

[GOYA]

bob_miller:
11:02 am Hello everyone. Thanks for stopping by today. Its been a tough last 2 weeks for the Reds. Lets get started with the first question.


kmarchal10:
11:02 am When will Scott Rolen be back?


bob_miller:
11:05 am Maybe as early as tonight. Initial reports were no concussion. Re-examine when he gets in today.


redsman19:
11:05 am Do you think we should trade Joey Votto for a right-handed power hitter?


bob_miller:
11:06 am No. Votto is a left handed power bat who is only going to get better and better.


hannahmoo:
11:07 am What do you think Scott Rolen will bring to the ball club?


bob_miller:
11:08 am Veteran leadership, plus plus defense, run producing offense and someone else who has won a World Series ring and knows what it takes to get there.


redsin4:
11:09 am What are the club's expectations of Wladimir Balentien, and what is his contract status?


bob_miller:
11:10 am Balentien is a young player with tremendous potential. His minor league numbers were excellent. He contract s under our control for 5 more years.


saintvic:
11:11 am Any chance of a BIG trade in August again?


bob_miller:
11:11 am Certainly. We'll see who clears waivers/gets claimed and who we can claim


msmith05:
11:14 am Is it acceptable to see this team quit?


bob_miller:
11:16 am No, and I don't think they have. We battled back twice yesterday.


RedsFan1970:
11:22 am How close are we to signing our first two draft picks? Would we see Leake in action if he is signed soon?


bob_miller:
11:29 am We feel comfortable that we will get both signed before the 8/17 deadline. Both will pitch in the minors once signed.


ethanator9:
11:29 am How are the Reds going to have money to pay for Rolen next year?


bob_miller:
11:31 am The reports on the amount owed Rolen floating around is incorrect. While I'm not at liberty to say what the amount is, we are not responsible for some of it.


BrownSheep:
11:31 am Mr. Miller, what is your opinion of the hype surrounding the trade deadline?


bob_miller:
11:32 am Its good for the game and gets people talking around the water cooler, but there will still be lots of moves in August. 8/31 is an important date because if you get a player by then he is eligible to be on your playoff roster. So many players that clear waivers over the next 4 weeks will be traded even though the trade "deadline" was 7/31.


LifelongRedsFan:
11:33 am Why did we trade a decent pitching prospect (Robert Manuel) for an outfielder who has struggles at the Major League level and who had been designated for assignment?


bob_miller:
11:34 am Balentien has had success in the minors just like Manuel has. Neither has proved themselves in the majors yet. Desiganted for assignment is a rocedural matter. We got Brandon Phillips after he was designated for assignment in 2006. That worked out ok.


bob_miller:
11:35 am Sorry I have fat fingers typing today.


RedsFan1970:
11:36 am What are your thoughts on instant replay on close plays at the plate? Follow-up if yes: Should managers get a set number of challenges?


bob_miller:
11:37 am It would be interesting to see the red flag like in the NFL come flying out of the dugout every now and then. I think instant replay started with baby steps and will expand in the future. How fast, I don't know.


rprprprprp:
11:39 am What's the long-term solution at SS?


bob_miller:
11:41 am Could be Cozart or Frazier (both at AA) or Valaika (AAA) or Janish. Or someone we get in a trade.


Hubcap1963:
11:41 am How are Jay Bruce and Ramon Hernandez recouperating?


bob_miller:
11:42 am Hopefully both will go on rehab sometime this month.


redsdevil:
11:42 am Todd Frazier has been all over the field lately, where do you guys see him long-term?


bob_miller:
11:43 am The great thing with Todd is he can play just about anywhere in the infield plus LF. He'll be able to slot in wherever we need him.


ethanator9:
11:44 am Will Votto get a contract extention in the offseason or anytime soon?


bob_miller:
11:44 am Thankfully, we have Joey under control for 4 more years.


muhawks88:
11:45 am How does the trade availability vary by minor leaguer? For example Yonder was not eligible to be traded this year, correct?


bob_miller:
11:47 am You can not be traded until one year from when you first signed. Yonder signed 8/15 last year. If you are a minor leaguer on the 40-man roster the rules are different than if you are a minor leaguer not on the 40-man. Non 40-man players can be traded at anytime (after the one year rule).


redsin4:
11:47 am Do you feel there are players within the organization who can play at the Major League level at SS, CF and LF for next season? If so, who are they?


bob_miller:
11:48 am I think Valaika/Frazier/Cozart can play in the infield and Stubbs/Heisey/Frazier in the outfield.


madman11:
11:49 am Do you think we'll see Travis Wood in September? Or give him a shot in ST next year?


bob_miller:
11:49 am I'm sure he will at least battle for a spot in spring training next year.


bob_miller:
11:51 am One final question....


muhawks88:
11:51 am Should we be surprised to see the Reds active post trade-deadline?


bob_miller:
11:51 am No. I believe we will be very active. Always takes two to tango though.....


bob_miller:
11:52 am Thanks everyone. See you next month when hopefully we'll be playing better.

[GIDP]

The great thing with Todd is he can play just about anywhere in the infield plus LF. He'll be able to slot in wherever we need him.

I wonder if this is that they think he can be a good player any where or if they think hes only a utility man.

[BRM]

redsin4:
11:47 am Do you feel there are players within the organization who can play at the Major League level at SS, CF and LF for next season? If so, who are they?

bob_miller:
11:48 am I think Valaika/Frazier/Cozart can play in the infield and Stubbs/Heisey/Frazier in the outfield.

It sure would be nice to see some of these guys get some time in Cincinnati this season. It's not like the Reds are running great talents out to those three positions every night.

[Edd Roush]

There were some very good questions asked. Too bad Bob Miller did not give any answers to them.

[Doc. Scott]

Originally Posted by Edd Roush

There were some very good questions asked. Too bad Bob Miller did not give any answers to them.

And compared to some of the previous chats he's done, this one saw him getting more straightforward.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by GIDP

The great thing with Todd is he can play just about anywhere in the infield plus LF. He'll be able to slot in wherever we need him.

I wonder if this is that they think he can be a good player any where or if they think hes only a utility man.

I didn't take it as they believe he is a utility player, but rather that they have him available where they need him. I know that could be the classic definition of a Utility Player, but I think in the context of the question asked, it was more an endorsement of Frazier's abilities. I acknowledge I could be wrong with that interpretation.

It once again indicated his confidence that the two top draft picks would be signed. I'm not exactly clear where they would play the later it gets, but it's not my problem to worry about. We could use a little PR boost though, so added a few more of these prized draftees would be nice.

It was also interesting that he said the reports "on the amount Rolen" are "incorrect," although he couldn't divulge that info.

Everything else was about what one expects from a venue such as this.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I didn't take it as they believe he is a utility player, but rather that they have him available where they need him. I know that could be the classic definition of a Utility Player, but I think in the context of the question asked, it was more an endorsement of Frazier's abilities. I acknowledge I could be wrong with that interpretation.

You would think that if he were very good at one position they would stick him there. Maybe let him play a different position from time to time but right now they seem to be wanting to turn him into a utility player. That's odd because I'm not sure any organization takes a player and makes them a utility player. Usually a guy is just versatile and plays at one spot in the minors then once he gets to the big leagues he becomes a utility player. But this may be best for him since the Reds and their fans seem to overvalue that type of player.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by Chip R

You would think that if he were very good at one position they would stick him there. Maybe let him play a different position from time to time but right now they seem to be wanting to turn him into a utility player. That's odd because I'm not sure any organization takes a player and makes them a utility player. Usually a guy is just versatile and plays at one spot in the minors then once he gets to the big leagues he becomes a utility player. But this may be best for him since the Reds and their fans seem to overvalue that type of player.

He might be a utility player when he breaks in. Then he could move to a permanent position when one opens up. Like if Rolen plays, say, two years after 2009 then Frazier takes over. Or if Phillips should get traded at some point.

[Kingspoint]

redsman19:
11:05 am Do you think we should trade Joey Votto for a right-handed power hitter?

Loved that question!

It goes right in sinc with the trading away of Roenicke and Stewart.

It even makes 10 times more sense.

[Kingspoint]

bob_miller:
11:10 am Balentien is a young player with tremendous potential. His minor league numbers were excellent. He contract s under our control for 5 more years.

Great! So, we can have another Juan Castro around (but with less power) for another five years.

Balentien had great AAA numbers. Whoo-hoo! Then get him off the big-league club.

[Kingspoint]

A basket full of softballs.

What a waste of time.

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by Kingspoint

bob_miller:
11:10 am Balentien is a young player with tremendous potential. His minor league numbers were excellent. He contract s under our control for 5 more years.

Great! So, we can have another Juan Castro around (but with less power) for another five years.

Balentien had great AAA numbers. Whoo-hoo! Then get him off the big-league club.

You keep stating that Balentien is Juan Castro but with less power but never back it up with anything.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by Kingspoint

bob_miller:
11:10 am Balentien is a young player with tremendous potential. His minor league numbers were excellent. He contract s under our control for 5 more years.

Great! So, we can have another Juan Castro around (but with less power) for another five years.

Balentien had great AAA numbers. Whoo-hoo! Then get him off the big-league club.

So we should never take a flyer on a player like this? They've struggled in their first few stints at the ML level, so it means they'll never succeed at the major league level? And that equates him with Juan Castro? Really, that's just the height of hyperbole.

Juan Castro never had the numbers in the minors this kid had:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=castro002jua

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=balent001wla

[Captain Hook]

muhawks88:
11:51 am Should we be surprised to see the Reds active post trade-deadline?


bob_miller:
11:51 am No. I believe we will be very active. Always takes two to tango though.....

Do you guys think that this means that we are still shopping Harang and Aaroyo very hard?I imagine at least one of the big contracts on this team is moved before Aug. 31.

[KoryMac5]

Originally Posted by Captain Hook

muhawks88:
11:51 am Should we be surprised to see the Reds active post trade-deadline?


bob_miller:
11:51 am No. I believe we will be very active. Always takes two to tango though.....

Do you guys think that this means that we are still shopping Harang and Aaroyo very hard?I imagine at least one of the big contracts on this team is moved before Aug. 31.

If you still see scouts coming to the game during Arroyo's starts and Harang's starts there is a chance if the Reds eat a large portion of their contracts. Based on Harang's nice game tonight more teams will show up to kick the tires.