Why does everyone want Hamilton traded?

[Jim Fazio]

I don't get it. He's one of the most talented players on the Reds and every where I read they have him traded. He should be the starting CF for next 10 yrs.

[Dracodave]

I want him traded right now because of the fact that he's still a huge what if and will always be. Always when dealing with the Reds lack of pitching, why hoard people such as Hamilton whom I feel will be replaced by Bruce shortly anyway.

[AmarilloRed]

I think a lot of people are concerned that Hamilton could be the next Eric Davis. A great deal of talent, but injuries always held back his career. Hamilton was injury-plauged his first year, and he is coming off drug-related problems. He has very high trade value right now with his combination of being cheap and young(even at 26), and we might be able to get more back in a trade than what we would see in his career at Cincinnati. I hope he becomes a superstar for the Reds, but I can understand why so many people are eager to trade him now.

[ChatterRed]

Nobody WANTS HIM TRADED. You have to give up something of value to get something of value. If you give up something of little value, you typically get something back of little value.

It is very clear that pitching wins championships. If you want good pitching, you have to give up something of value.

Clearly, the Reds received very few, if any, good offers for Dunn or Griffey at the trading deadline or even now this year. Hamilton is valuable because of his prospect reputation and well known all around abilities and the fact he put up very good numbers this past season considering he was out of baseball for several years. He is also a lefthander, has a cannon for an arm, has power and good hitting ability......he's somewhat of a natural. The reason he is expendable is because the Reds have the number one prospect in all of the minor leagues in Jay Bruce ready to step in. He's a LH power hitting outfielder, similar to Hamilton. Hamilton comes cheap and will be under any clubs control for three or more years. Clubs like that. That is why Hamilton is most likely the Reds best trading chip, along with Bailey, Cueto and Votto.

Nobody WANTS TO TRADE HIM. We just would rather have good pitching, while knowing Jay Bruce can step in and replace Hamilton equally or almost as well.

[Blue]

Good question. People say that Bruce will replace him, but who will replace Griffey and Dunn?

[Old NDN]

I want him traded right now because of the fact that he's still a huge what if and will always be. Always when dealing with the Reds lack of pitching, why hoard people such as Hamilton whom I feel will be replaced by Bruce shortly anyway.

Do you not think that other teams feel the same about Hamilton? Why would they give up front line talent for a potential problem. As for Bruce, he hasn't taken a swing at the Major League level yet and may not in '08. He, in spite of good numbers in the minors, may not be the answer.

[I(heart)Freel]

A Hamilton trade should simultaneously be announced with a Dunn extension. That is the ONLY way a Josh trade works, methinks.

[jmble]

Just to say again what others have already said.... I don't WANT Hamilton traded. I loved Hamilton last year, and would love to see what he becomes, but it's much easier to replace Hamilton than it is to get a front line starter. I'm not looking to get rid of Hamilton. I'm looking to bring in Bedard or Haren or someone of that caliber. You're not going to do that without getting rid of someone pretty darn good. Otherwise why would the other team make the trade? You are going to have to give up a Bruce, Hamilton, Votto, Bailey, Cueto type... If not a couple of them. I think Hamilton is just the one out of the group that we would pick first.

[AmarilloRed]

I have always said that Hamilton should only be traded after we sign Dunn to a LTC.

[hippie07]

I hate trite responses - but, I'm sorry, this thread is annoying. I LOVE Hamilton and will be sad if he goes. I think in a perfect world - we pencial Dunn, Hamilton, Bruce into the outfield for the next 5 yrs. but having a stellar offense, average to poor defense, and average pitching has gotten us nowhere. If we can use Hamilton to turn us into an great pitching team, then we try that approach... we need pitching much more than a LH power outfield bat ... I love Hamilton and would personally rather trade Dunn than Hamilton, but if WK says Hamilton is our best trade chip, then I have to accept that ... I just hope he trades him for an excellent return if he has to go.

[Ahhhorsepoo]

I would trade dunn first personally.. his 17 mil he will demand next year is not a contract a small market team can lockup and still have a good rest of the roster..

[AmarilloRed]

My point simply was that if we are planning to trade Hamilton, we need to make sure we have Dunn locked up as a starting outfielder. We could very well have Dunn, Hamilton, and Griffey gone next year and no starting outfielders(except Bruce) to take their place.

[Ahhhorsepoo]

I would be plenty happy with an outfield of hamilton, hopper, griffey and bruce if we were to deal dunn.. sorry but for a small market NL team Dunn doesnt have a place on this roster.. trade him to San francisco with Maloney and EdE for Cain.. The Giants have soo many old pieces, they would be foaming at the mouth for that trade.. of 2 ml starters 1 is an allstar.. and a good piece for a young bullpen.. believe me.. we need more pitching help than anything else, and until we give up our surplus in hitting we wont ever contend..

If the angels had a great #2 or 3 I would say offer those three to them for that.. but weaver or lackey are the only two from there I would even think about taking..

[hippie07]

Honestly, and debate the merits of this... I read WK as wanting an extremely good defensive up the middle... Hopper (although surprisingly, statistics show) is the best defensive CFer we have. I think the Reds see how he does this year and/or acquire a defensive specialist for CF in 09. So if worst comes to worst and we lose Dunn & Hamilton ... if Griffey is healthy then we probably will pick up his option and play Bruce in LF and defensive CFer... or there's a million other permutations, but I have faith in WK picking up position players when needed for the scrap heap or whereever ... pitchers is a different story entirely.

[Ahhhorsepoo]

I agree, but i think Griffey is more valuable to this franchise than he woudl fetch on the market anymore..

[GoReds33]

I want Griffey traded. I just also want something in return. At some point you have to give something to get something.

[hippie07]

I'm just saying that its much easier to rebuild, re-tool an outfield than a pitching staff. I don't hold up a massive improvement to SP because we would lose one of the glut of outfielders we currently have.... I don't completely gamble the outfield, but one of Dunn or Hamilton (or Griffey for that matter) won't kill us.

[jmble]

Here's the problem. Look at the talks for Santana, Bedard, haren, even Linecrum. It's not just the Reds here. Every possible deal you see have the Yankees giving up the likes of Melky, Phillip Huges, Ian Kennedy, etc... The Red Sox giving up Ellsbury, Lester, Lowrie, etc.... Every trade I hear has top level prospects going for the pitcher. There isn't a big market out there for players like Griffey and Dunn. If we want to bring in a front line starting pitcher, we have to give up youth in return. That's all there is to it.

[ChatterRed]

Every team wants to get POTENTIAL in position players and PROVEN in pitching. That's how it works.

[Carolina Red]

Good question. People say that Bruce will replace him, but who will replace Griffey and Dunn?

Amen. I think the one to trade is Dunn at mid-season. He is a liability in the field, whiffs too much, is going to be extremely expensive, and now his knees are starting to show the wear and tear of carrying around 275 lbs. After I traded him I'd move Hamilton and his cannon to RF, Griff to LF, and bring up Bruce in CF.

[AmarilloRed]

The tremendous prices paid to starting outfielders this off-season might end up making a LTC for Dunn unlikely for the Reds.

[Red in Atl]

Just for the record, I definitely don't Hamilton traded...now Freel's another story.