What the Reds need to do!

[BucksandReds]

2008 is out for winning and 2009 most likely too. What I do is a little different than what some might do. I keep Adam Dunn, for the year. We'll get more for Dunn in compensentory picks than in a trade so just let him go after the season. Jr, if he wants to go trade him and if he wants this to be his last year then keep him. He will be traded for salary relief. Now to actually get some young MLB ready players I trade Harang. He will draw a top 25-50 prospect and some lower level ones. I will take another Joey Votto, a young MLB ready reliever and a couple of promising lower level guys because that is what we can get for him and he won't be that good by the time we can actually win. Someone will take Arroyo by giving us a couple of bats but taking on his salary and that is ok. One more thing I do. Give Coco away for salary relief. Freel will draw a couple of low level prospects

Here it is
Harang - biggest trade draw (will get an upper level prospect)
Dunn - compensentory picks
Griffey - salary relief
Arroyo - salary relief
Cordero - salary relief
Freel - a couple of lower level picks


That's reality folks.

[Blue]

This is where the scouts have to earn their keep. You have to determine if the prospect(s) you are offered for impending free agents are better bets than what you may get as a compensatory pick. You also have to decide if you're confident enough in your young rotation to deal an inning eating vet like Arroyo, whether Harang is damaged (I don't think he is), and whether Cordero will fall apart before the end of next season.

[NeilHamburger]

I don't know, I feel this offseason with the right moves we could compete next year. We have some good young pitchers who should only get better.

2009 Rotation:
Volquez
Harang
Cueto
Thompson
Arroyo/or signee if traded

Bullpen:
Cordero
Burton
Bray
Roenicke
Herrera
And probably a free agent

That to me is a pretty solid staff.

Now for hitting, well, that's where the changes need to come from. I go after Milton Bradley, he improves d if left, would hit .300 and would jack 25 in gabp, plus he's a switch hitter.

Hairston cf
Keppinger ss
Bradley Lf
Votto 1st
Phillips SS
Bruce rf
EE 3rd
Catcher--hopefully you can use some money saved and try and get the best guy on the market, either through a trade or free agent signing

[Cicero]

2008 may be a foregone conclusion but 2009 looks very bright. This is not the time for a firesale.

[jmac]

This is not the time for a firesale.

Exactly !
Yard sale ? Yeah!
Fire sale ? No !

[BucksandReds]

2008 may be a foregone conclusion but 2009 looks very bright. This is not the time for a firesale.

We're going to have 1 OFer in 2009 (Bruce) and 3 decent starters max (Volquez,Harang and Cueto). Not to mention no more than 2 decent relievers.

I'd trade Bailey straight up for the best young reliever in the game and I think that whatever team has him would probably jump at the chance. No way does Dunn or Jr play for me in 09. No way do I not give Arroyo to anyone who wants his salary as there is no way that we should keep him at $10 million per.

[NarrowStairs]

We get the first legit ace we've had in YEARS, sign him long term, and you people want to trade him for a PROSPECT?

W H Y? Harang should be written into our staff for the next 5 years.

[NeilHamburger]

We're going to have 1 OFer in 2009 (Bruce) and 3 decent starters max (Volquez,Harang and Cueto). Not to mention no more than 2 decent relievers.

I'd trade Bailey straight up for the best young reliever in the game and I think that whatever team has him would probably jump at the chance. No way does Dunn or Jr play for me in 09. No way do I not give Arroyo to anyone who wants his salary as there is no way that we should keep him at $10 million per.

I don't see how you could consider Cordero, Burton or Bray not decent. That's 3 pretty solid relievers right there, hopefully roenicke develops or you can pick someone up, and you have a damn good bullpen.

3 decent starters max? I think all three of the starters you mentioned have a chance to be very good in 09, and the reds have some good options for a #4 in Thompson or Arroyo or even Bailey. If you have 3 good starters and a decent 4th you're ahead of almost every team in baseball, as pitching is scarce.

You need to pick up another outfielder, but you're going to have 10's of millions to spend (and I don't believe Bob will all of a sudden go cheap) if you let both griffey and dunn go. Plus, you get corey's 3.5 million off the books, Ross' 2.5 million off, Hattebergs 1.5 million off, Weathers 2 million off. You're cutting a lot of dead weight that could be replaced for significantly less. That money will be used to help pay off the raises built into certain contracts, leaving you with all kinds of money to spend on free agents. Cincy could legit. have 25 million per year to spend on free agents this year.

That money used wisely could fill in two missing offensive pieces, with this core and that money the reds aren't nearly as far off as many think:

Harang, Volquez, Cueto, Thompson, Bailey, Cordero, Burton, Bray, Phillips, Votto, Bruce, Keppinger and EE

[ChatterRed]

We get the first legit ace we've had in YEARS, sign him long term, and you people want to trade him for a PROSPECT?

W H Y? Harang should be written into our staff for the next 5 years.

AGREED.

[mound_patrol]

I think we can get more than just salary relief for Arroyo. And if we can't I have no problem with keeping him and him being our 5th starter next year.

I'd listen to offers for Harang, but i'm only trading him if we can get a package with several high minors prospects that can fill our holes quickly.

[Cicero]

The only pitcher I would even consider trading at this point is Bailey. He may be expendable if Thompson keeps developing. In 2009 we could have:

Harang
Volquez
Cueto
Arroyo
Thompson

Thompson is still kind of an unknown quantity. He pitched a great game in NY but let's see what he does when hitters start to adjust to him. I think he will be a legit starter but time will tell.

[roby]

We get the first legit ace we've had in YEARS, sign him long term, and you people want to trade him for a PROSPECT?

W H Y? Harang should be written into our staff for the next 5 years.

AMEN! I cannot belioeve that anyone would want to trade Harang...or Cordero for that matter! They fill two necessary positions. Go get some right handed hitting and this team is ready to win.

[Gary Redus]

This is indeed where the scouts have to earn their $ ... Thompson has only one start, let's not make any assumptions yet. Votto, Bruce, BP, provides a nice start, along with Volquez, Cueto, and Harang. Arroyo eats innings - necessary for any starting staff. I'd package Bailey ... Decisions loom on Dunn and EE - those are the biggies. Guys like Freel, Hairston, Kepp, blow up and down every year. I still like the idea of LA as a trade partner.

[Lockdwn11]

AMEN! I cannot belioeve that anyone would want to trade Harang...or Cordero for that matter! They fill two necessary positions. Go get some right handed hitting and this team is ready to win.

I wouldn't want to trade Harang but I would trade Cordero if it brought us a nice return. We have some young guy waiting in the wings like Burton,Roenicke and Zach Stewart(all be it he is only in A-)that could become a very good closer for us. Cordero is 30 something and making a boat load of money.

[CWRed]

And lastly please don't forget...FIRE DUSTY!!!

Maybe make that firstly.