9 Reds Free Agents according to Cincy.com

[ChatterRed]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080921/SPT04/809210439/1062/SPT


Nine players are eligible for free agency after the season, so the team's makeup is certain to change. Those players are LHP Jeremy Affeldt, C Paul Bako, RHP Josh Fogg, IF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr., RHP Lincoln, LHP Kent Mercker, CF Corey Patterson, C Javier Valentin and RHP David Weathers.

I'd try and sign Affeldt, Lincoln, Weathers, and Hairston, at reasonable prices. Otherwise, let them walk. :thumbup:

Bako, Fogg, Mercker, Patterson, and Valentin can all take a walk. :thumbdown

[Manut Bol]

I'd say let them all walk, except Lincoln. I don't understand why people on this board like Stormy Weathers so much. He's a liability.

[Chris Sabowned]

I'd say let them all walk, except Lincoln. I don't understand why people on this board like Stormy Weathers so much. He's a liability.

How is Weathers a liability? In his four years as a red he's had a sub 4 era every year, and a WHIP under 1.3 in three of those years. Still though, he's getting up there in years so unless he comes back cheap I probably don't take him.

I would resign Hairston for sure, and probably Lincoln too. Maybe Affeldt, maybe. The rest, no way in hell.

[757690]

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080921/SPT04/809210439/1062/SPT



I'd try and sign Affeldt, Lincoln, Weathers, and Hairston, at reasonable prices. Otherwise, let them walk. :thumbup:

Bako, Fogg, Mercker, Patterson, and Valentin can all take a walk. :thumbdown

Agree on all fronts.

However, I doubt Affeldt, being a decent lefty reliever, will be at a reasonable price. The only reason why the Reds signed him was because they were the only ones who offered him a chance at starting. That's not going to happen again.

If I was a betting man, I bet that only Hairston is back next year, to platoon with Dickerson.

[fadetoblack2880]

i figure affeldt will leave, he seemed to want a starting job, he won't have that in cincinnati. lincoln and hairston should be brought back. weathers, i'm on the fence about, he can be good and he can make a game a little too exciting at times. the rest of those guys are dead weight. i can't wait to see valentin gone.

[FlightRick]

Affeldt: yep, unless he's willing to take 2 years and $5m-ish to stay in the pen, somebody else can take him. We'll offer arb, get turned down, and take the draft pick. If he *is* amenable to staying, I'm more flexible on the money than on the years: 2 years is the max.

Lincoln: by letter of the law, he's a "free agent," but I treat him the same as I would an arb case... he gets 1 year and 1 year only, and only a mild raise (up to $750k, tops). Anything more than that, and somebody else can shoulder the risk.

Too much Hairston love around here for my tastes... not that he hasn't played well for us this year, it's just that no 25-man roster can afford to have Hairston AND Keppinger AND Freel on it. In fact, no 25-man that's going to win 85-plus games can even really afford to have two of those three on it (though I assume that's how many we'll have next year). They're essentially the same player: good for 1 or 2 spot starts per week (and good short-term injury insurance if needed for a 1 or 2 week run of regular action), but lacking the offensive punch to be remotely useful as a pinch-hitter or the defensive acumen (or even a defensive "home") to be a lock-down late-inning replacement. You need certain things on a good bench, guys each filling niches; since none of them are a starter, Freeppinston turns into 3 guys filling one niche. Three guys out of a (probably) 5-man bench. Not acceptable.

Keppinger is cheap and under control; Freel is owed $4mil and is probably not tradeable for value. Hairston's the one who's easiest to get away from.

Oh, and Weathers? Offer arb, hope he declines (and we get the draft pick), but if he accepts, at least we know it'll only be a 1-year deal, which shouldn't be TOO hurtful.


Rick

[TheOnlyRedsFan]

We still have Mercker?

[fadetoblack2880]

We still have Mercker?

yup, hes on the 60 day dl.

[GoReds33]

I have a feeling we can get back Hairston, Lincoln, and Weathers. I don't know how reasonable Weathers will be, because if I were him, I would be looking for a contender.

Lincoln and Hairston are both good players, but don't let their performances this year overshadow a career of mediocrity. If they are to come back, it better be at a reasonable price.

[sabometrics]

I have a feeling we can get back Hairston, Lincoln, and Weathers. I don't know how reasonable Weathers will be, because if I were him, I would be looking for a contender.

Weathers has been quoted as saying he'll probably consider taking more money and go elsewhere where his prospects of making the playoffs are better.

Who knows though, we did get him at a decent rate in the first place because Cincy is the most convenient place to play, allowing him to travel back to his home (in Tennessee) and see his family more often.

In general I have a feeling he'd stay as long as the brass made the effort to say they want to keep him around.

[Slyder]

I would love to bring Weathers back if he wants to be back. Say what you will about him but more often than not he did his job. If he's willing to come back for about what he made this year or a bit less (around the 2-3 range) Id risk it. If he's looking for guarenteed 2 yr deal or more then offer arby and wish him luck.

The rest of the FAs-to-be I wouldnt even give a 2nd thought to. None of them are irreplaceable or stayed healthy enough for long enough for me to want to risk further use with Duhhhsty as manager.

[ChatterRed]

I doubt any of the four I want back, will be back. I think the Reds will try and sign them, but I think they will look elsewhere and be sought after.

Weathers is in his final two years of his career. I think he will want more money and to play on a contender. The only reason I see him back is to remain close to home and the fact that he may believe (like I do) that this team will contend next season.

Affeldt - it really depends on if he still views himself as a starter or if he has come to accept being a good lefty reliever. Also depends on what teams offer him how much. If no team wants to overpay for him, I think the Reds match and he stays here. If some team wants to give him a try as a starter, or wants to overpay him as a reliever, then he will bolt. Simple enough.

Hairston - I don't see him as anything more than a reliable, solid utility guy. Injuries are bound to happen, and he has proven himself as a very reliable backup at multiple positions. That fact alone may make him valuable in the offseason to some other team. If the Reds could sign him early with no guarantees of a starting job, they might be able to keep him. But if the Reds wheel and deal for a starting left fielder, and plan on Bruce, Dickerson and that acquisition starting in the outfield.......then factor in Gonzalez and Keppinger at SS, EE at 3B, and Phillips at 2B, and Hairston is the odd man out. I don't see him as a starter next season. It all depends on how Hairston sees himself (starter or utility guy) and how much some team wants to pay him.

Lincoln - I'd like to see him back, but again, some team might overpay him also.

I just don't see the Reds overpaying for relievers and utility men next season. If they can unload Freel, I see it happening. If Hairston wants a ton of money, I see him gone. Same with the relievers. Unless you're a closer or set-up man, you're not going to make the big bucks.

[BLEEDS]

IFF I was forced at gunpoint to keep ONE of these guys - it would probably have to be Hairston. As mentioned before, he could platoon with Dickerson.

Otherwise, there is no reason to keep any of them, unless you are just trying to emulate the 2008 Reds, which hasn't been pretty to say the least.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[kpresidente]

Too much Hairston love around here for my tastes... not that he hasn't played well for us this year, it's just that no 25-man roster can afford to have Hairston AND Keppinger AND Freel on it. In fact, no 25-man that's going to win 85-plus games can even really afford to have two of those three on it (though I assume that's how many we'll have next year). They're essentially the same player: good for 1 or 2 spot starts per week (and good short-term injury insurance if needed for a 1 or 2 week run of regular action), but lacking the offensive punch to be remotely useful as a pinch-hitter or the defensive acumen (or even a defensive "home") to be a lock-down late-inning replacement. You need certain things on a good bench, guys each filling niches; since none of them are a starter, Freeppinston turns into 3 guys filling one niche. Three guys out of a (probably) 5-man bench. Not acceptable.



I disagree that they're the same player. When you take all three, their skills overlap but that's not a bad thing.

Look at it this way:

Keppinger and Hairston can play SS; Freel can't
Freel and Hairston can play outfield (including CF): Keppinger can't.
Keppinger and Freel can play 3B: Hairston can't.
Hairston can steal a base, Freel can but shouldn't, Keppinger can't.

When you look at it that way, Hairston is the one who should go, because Keppinger and Freel covers every defensive position....*BUT*, Hairston's also the best bet in a platoon with Dickerson in CF (Freel doesn't have a strong RH split) and the only decent pinch-runner. *SO* there's reason to keep Hairston.

*UNLESS*, you see Hopper in a potential platoon with Dickerson, then you don't need Hairston. *BUT*, Hopper's 2007 has a strong fluke possibility, *BUT*, so does Hairston, *SO* keeping both is a way of hedging your bets.

Finally, when I look at the bench right now (not including any AAA players) I see Keppinger, Hairston, Freel, and Hopper. There's two problems here. 1) No lefty and 2) no power.

*BUT* there's still one spot left.

Now, you could bring up Rosales to get some power, but no LH bat. *OR*, you could bring up Richar or maybe Cumberland, but you get no power.

So no matter how you shake it, something's missing.

See, here's my thing. Guess who would have solved this puzzle? David Ross. He'd give you some power off the bench, and you could fill the last spot with the best LH bat you can get cheaply for pinch-hitting. But, alas, they DFA'd him.