Who is Redszone's #12 prospect?

[Kingspoint]

REDS finished 12th of 16 NL teams in attendance this season.

With a 3-0 shutout in the NL Playoffs, there's no reason to believe that attendance will improve in 2011.

There's certainly a negative on the field and in the Offense if BP is not retained.

But, there's many options that can be explored. I don't think it's a given that Phillips will be playing all year for the REDS.

Walt could choose to get one more year out of Phillips at the cost of $10.56M and let Valaika spend his 3rd season at Louisville while Cody Puckett spends a full season at Carolina, or until Puckett pushes for Valaika's job at Louisville. That also gives Walt another season to see if Billy Hamilton gets on some sort of fast-track to the bigs. Unlikely since he spent his whole season at Billings last year. It's more likely that he doesn't reach Lynchburg until 2012 and the Majors until 2013.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Kingspoint

REDS finished 12th of 16 NL teams in attendance this season.

With a 3-0 shutout in the NL Playoffs, there's no reason to believe that attendance will improve in 2011.

Is this serious? You don't think the Reds attendance will go up because they lost in the playoffs?

[757690]

Originally Posted by Kingspoint

That he has no weaknesses is his strength. But, pure strengths like AVG, Speed, OBP, Super Glove or SLG? No. But, Championships are won with players who give you a "solid" effort every night. I know that's a cliche', but I think it fits for Valaika.

Again, I yield to Walt. What he decides upon between now and the trade deadline next summer concerning Brandon will tell me how he feels about Valaika.

As we speak, Brandon Phillips is $11M of the $46.8M committed so far with guaranteed contracts of players on the roster (or bought out) for 2011. Votto is going to get a heck of a raise in Arb. I'd rather use the $10.56M difference between Phillips and Valaika's salaries and put it towards a long-term contract for Votto, while at the same time receiving a pretty good exchange for Phillips as far as minor league talent goes. The REDS might have to manipulate that trade and pay a portion of the salary, but everything depends on the players being negotiated for, teams with, etc.

Worst-case scenario is that we raise payroll to pay for the new round of arb-eligible players while keeping Phillips the whole season, we don't sign Votto this season to a long-term contract giving us less bargaining power next winter when we have to sign him to a long-term contract, fan attendance doesn't increase (very possible) making an increase in payroll a bad investment decision.

We aren't the Yankees. The REDS have to make sound business decisions first based on projected fan attendance. The fans did not react positively to the improved performance by the team in 2010. They could very well respond the same way in 2011, and that's the prudent thing to expect. I just can't see a sound reason for retaining Brandon Phillips for the second half of 2011, and preferably, the entire season of 2011,...not with Valaika ready to take over.

The Reds saw an increase in attendance of 18% last season over 2009. Most teams who contend for the first time in years, don't show a real increase in attendance until the next season.

Anyway, the Reds can easily afford Phillips, especially since he should provide around $5M of excess value in 2011, even with his big jump in salary. I would even say it might be smart to lock him up with another extension. And I really like Valaika.

The Reds really don't have any real budget problems coming up in the next few years. They can't go out and get guys like CC, Crawford and Lee, but they should have decent payflex (around $5-10M a year) for the next few seasons, even considering the big raises for the young guys.

[JaxRed]

Let's stay on topic guys.

[kaldaniels]

Went went Boxberger yet again....I feel like the other guys I like are getting "Boxed Out"...pun intended, due to Brad not being selected.

FWIW...I think the thread is running fine as it is. Good discussion.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Is this serious? You don't think the Reds attendance will go up because they lost in the playoffs?

Not specifically.

I'm looking for reasons why attendance would rise. One-and-done's have the tendency for notoriously fickle fans (of any franchise) to use it as the "same-old-same-old" excuse.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by 757690

The Reds saw an increase in attendance of 18% last season over 2009. Most teams who contend for the first time in years, don't show a real increase in attendance until the next season.

Thanks for looking it up. I knew I should have. I just looked at the 12th of 16 teams, and assumed that they couldn't have been much worse in 2009. I didn't realize that attendance was so horrible in 2009.

Hopefully, those 18% come back again and that another 18% find a way of showing up in 2011.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by Kingspoint

T

As we speak, Brandon Phillips is $11M of the $46.8M committed so far with guaranteed contracts of players on the roster (or bought out [$2M for Harang and $1M for Cabrera]) for 2011.

Update that to $49.8M with the signing of Hernandez.