are we there already???

[BUTLER REDSFAN]

I really hope we're not done at the winter meetings(what have we done so far)..are we really at that "well once again we can't/won't trade for anyone so I am going to start looking for every 52 year old,cheap,hope I catch lightning in a bottle, grizzled veteran stage already....hmmm cormier,stanton, now we're looking at Wells and Mahay(never heard of him)

[mroby85]

a little disappointing when you're hearing the likes of haren, lincecum, and bedard, but they already did more than i expected, and made themselves a contender in my opinion with the cordero signing.

[ChatterRed]

I think the Detroit-Marlins trade set the price too high and I see GM's backing off of any deals for awhile. The A's and Orioles think the price is going to go up once Santana gets traded, but the word is that the Yankees agreed to a contract with Pettite, and have backed out of the Santana sweepstakes.........and the other rumor is that the BoSox offer has become less now that they're not competing with the Yanks...........which has now lead the Twinkies to start calling around MLB looking for better offers. But who can afford Santana? He not only comes at a hefty contract price when you try and sign him longterm......but at a high price of prospects too.

I see less trading on the horizon now that Detroit paid too much. GM's aren't going to mortgage the farm like Detroit did.

[hippie07]

I'll be dissappointed if the Reds don't do anything of note, but I'll understand and hope that something comes about before spring training.

I'll be upset if the Giants trade Lincecum or Cain for Rios... I feel like we can be that offer, but, oh well...

[AmarilloRed]

Wrapping up Day III

It's looking like the Reds are going to leave here without adding a starting pitcher -- or at least a No. 2 or 3 starter type. Asked how it was going in his session with the scribes, Wayne Krivsky said:

"It's going."

That doesn't sound like a guy on the verge of landing Erik Bedard. You have to read shades of gray with Krivsky, but he seemed pretty confident and upbeat yesterday. Today, not so much.

The difference between getting Erik Bedard and a third-tier free agent is huge. Krivsky talked about bringing in "competition" for rotation spots. That smacks of Victor Santos and Kirk Saarloos.

Last-minute deals happen, and we're getting down to the last minute. The Rule 5 Draft is at 9 a.m. tomorrow. That's end of the meetings.

As for the Rule 5, the Reds have targeted "three or four" guys, they pick seventh, so they'll probably get one. That's why they released Jorge Cantu.

Speaking of the Rule 5: Look for Carlos Guevara to go. He was 1-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 16 saves at Double-A Chattanooga last season. The Reds left him unprotected. Why? He's only 5-11, 25 years old and he's had some injuries.

posted by John Fay at 8:48 PM

It really is all over but the shouting. Once Krivsky starts talking about competition, you know the Reds are simply looking for a cheap fifth starter and that the search for a #2 is over.