Reds: Don't expect shakeup by Fay

[Spring~Fields]

Reds: Don't expect shakeup
By John Fay • jfay@enquirer.com • December 7, 2009

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...avFOFS0gG2s%3D

INDIANAPOLIS - If you were expecting the Reds to wheel and deal at the Winter Meetings, think again.

General manager Walt Jocketty and manager Dusty Baker spent their sessions with the media Monday downplaying the idea of a shakeup.

“We like our club,” Jocketty said. “We like the club a lot the way it is ... We’re not going to break it up. We spent a lot of time this morning talking about it. We like our club. We want to try to keep together as long as we can. We hope we stay healthy this year.”

Clubs have inquired about the Reds young players.

“We’re not going to trade our core,” Baker said.

Jocketty preached patience.

“The big thing with us is being patient,” Jocketty said, “whether it’s watching young players develop or watching how the market develops. We’re not going to jump in and do anything (now). We may not later.”

Fans are short on patience after nine straight losing. But Jocketty said patience should not be confused with giving up on 2010.

“Even though our club is young, it’s capable of contending in our division if everything goes right,” he said. “We’re trying to use to the young nucleus we have as much as possible and then add to it a little bit with veterans – (Scott) Rolen, (Arthur) Rhodes.

“We’re not going to trade these young guys for a quick fix to win this year. We want to build this thing to where we can be competitive as soon as we can but be competitive for a long time – not just be one-year wonders.”

One of the areas the Reds are looking to upgrade is shortstop. Paul Janish is fine defensively. But he hit .211/.296/.305 in 256 at-bats last year.

“I don’t see a lot of shortstops out there who would help us,” Jocketty said.

But the Reds are looking to add at least a backup to Janish.

“That’s one area we're asking about,” Jocketty said. “We do need to find someone in addition to Janish. Right now, we don’t have that guy available at Triple-A. One of the areas we’ll try to improve is the bench – find a utility player who can play short.”

Jocketty is looking for a Jerry Hairston Jr. type. But the Reds have not talked about bringing back Hairston himself, who is a free agent.

The odd thing is the Reds’ No. 1 prospect, Todd Frazier, was drafted as a shortstop and played there his first two years in the minors.

Jocketty has never seen Frazier play short. He deferred to scouting director Chris Buckley when asked why Frazier isn’t in the mix.

“We had some guys ahead of him,” scouting director Chris Buckley said. “(Chris) Valaika. Zack Cozart, the guy who beat Todd out, was the USA Team shortstop. The feeling was maybe Cozart is the guy down the road.

“I think maybe some people take it wrong with Todd. People misconstrue (why we moved him). He was very good in left field. He was good at third. Now, it looks like he’s getting good at second. Todd’s pretty good wherever he plays.”

Buckley wouldn’t say where Frazier will end up.

“He’s good at second,” Buckley said. “If you get that kind of offense at second, it’s pretty good.”

Some other Winter Meeting notes:

• Former general manager Kevin Towers was in the meeting room with the front office. He has not been hired by the club.

“But go ahead and start the rumor,” Jocketty said.

• Jocketty has not met with Jonny Gomes’ agent yet. He hopes to Tuesday.

“It’s an earn-it business, and Stubbs has outplayed Willy (Taveras), even though Willy wasn’t the Willy we’d seen on the other side. Willy’s legs bothered him. He didn’t hit like he’s always hit. We’ll see how Stubbs makes the adjustment. Very rarely do guys play better at the big league level than the minor league level.”

Where does that leave Taveras?

“As of right now, we really don’t know. We’ve got a couple months to decide.”


http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...expect+shakeup

[GADawg]

Towers is in the mix now? I like it.

[Spring~Fields]

“We’re not going to trade these young guys for a quick fix to win this year. We want to build this thing to where we can be competitive as soon as we can but be competitive for a long time – not just be one-year wonders.”

I thought that this comment was curious since they have said that the budget was going to be about the same indicating that they did not have additional budget to take on increased contracts from acquiring players. So who would expect them to trade young inexpensive to take on more when they don't have the money?

[Reds4Life]

This is how I read that:

"Patience....bla bla bla bla, rebuidling bla bla bla"

Same crap for the last 10+ years. The only thing missing was a quote from Bob saying the losing stops now.

[Spring~Fields]

Originally Posted by Reds4Life

This is how I read that:

"Patience....bla bla bla bla, rebuidling bla bla bla"

Same crap for the last 10+ years. The only thing missing was a quote from Bob saying the losing stops now.

I can't honestly post how I read it, it would be against board rules.

4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity).

[Mario-Rijo]

Jeez more brutal stuff. Not real prime work by Fay (what else is new) and more lame responses by Jocketty.

[Kc61]

I'm optimistic. Maybe Matt Holliday can play backup infielder.

[Tom Servo]

Fire Bavasi, hire Towers.

[Matt700wlw]

Expect nothing from them, then they can expect more empty seats, less tickets sold, and more irritated fans, or possibly APATHY.

They seem to haven't been paying attention how the local football scene has taken this town by storm....if they want to be relevant, they have some expectations to live up to.

[cincrazy]

Someone should tell Jocketty that Taveras DID indeed hit like he always has this past year. And that was the problem.

[Ron Madden]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

Someone should tell Jocketty that Taveras DID indeed hit like he always has this past year. And that was the problem.

That was a quote from Dusty not Jocketty.

I wish Dusty Baker would have never been hired as Reds Manager.

[Spring~Fields]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

Someone should tell Jocketty that Taveras DID indeed hit like he always has this past year. And that was the problem.

Yeah but Willy had leg problems last year, don't you think that he deserves another chance? Then again he brings that veteran prescence to the team to help those young outfielders.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by Ron Madden

That was a quote from Dusty not Jocketty.

I wish Dusty Baker would have never been hired as Reds Manager.

I fear that Dusty seems to be setting up a switch from Stubbs back to Willy. Stubbs had only a .715 OPS in AAA. Dusty's comment about players rarely hitting better in the majors than the minors is true and should be a concern about Stubbs. It just seems like Dusty is waiting for Stubbs to falter so he can re-install Willy in the lead-off/CF role. Its a reason why I want a power bat for LF while resisting the urge for Dickerson over there. If Stubbs falters, Dickerson and then Heisey should be available as the fall backs, but I think Willy is still lurking and it makes me shudder. Even if Stubbs falters, he'd probably still outproduce Willy by 100 points of OPS and provide far, far, far better defense.

[Ltlabner]

Originally Posted by Spring~Fields

“Even though our club is young, it’s capable of contending in our division if everything goes right,” he said. “We’re trying to use to the young nucleus we have as much as possible and then add to it a little bit with veterans – (Scott) Rolen, (Arthur) Rhodes.

Ah yes, because the "contend if everything goes right" plan has worked so well the past 9 years.

I know some folks are squeamish about saying negative things about the FO, but if you're looking for proof, from the horses mouth, that they are going with the "wing and a prayer" approach, here it is.

Originally Posted by Spring~Fields

“It’s an earn-it business, and Stubbs has outplayed Willy (Taveras), even though Willy wasn’t the Willy we’d seen on the other side. Willy’s legs bothered him. He didn’t hit like he’s always hit. We’ll see how Stubbs makes the adjustment. Very rarely do guys play better at the big league level than the minor league level.”

Yep. As predicted, they will blame Willy's pathetic and team damaging performance on his legs and unless something major happens he will be out there driving a stake in the heart of Reds fans next year.

Stubbs will get the start, have some issues and Willy will be back in the line up. He'll have a good week, the FO sycophants will tell us how wrong the anti-Willy's are. Then he'll revert to being Willy and the slow death starts anew.

I know, I know. Walt's just being diplomatic because you can't slam a player in the press. But why did they get Willy in the first place and force themselves into a position whereby they had to defend him?

[cincyinco]

Couldn't tell you abner. Not sure why Walt made the move on wily.

He did the same with EE to an extent, giving him a pretty bad contract IMO. But unlike wily, he at least rectified that mistake rather quickly, even if it did cost us a chip to clean up.

Let me put it this way, I'm still waiting to see Walt work his magic and impress me.

I guess I still don't see a marginal improvement in how the reds operate between him and krivdawg. There are differences to be sure, but nothing so profound that I think its anything significant.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. All Walt has done is nurture a lot of what was already in place... While important to the success of the club, its not anything different than what krivsky was doing imo.