Reds claim Jose Lopez; DFA Finnegan

[Sea Ray]

That's perfectly fine criticism, but the post at hand suggested the mistake was in trading Cueto at all. That's supposed to be a better plan than getting back a top 100 prospect like Finnegan and a guy who became a top 100 prospect like Reed?

Unlike the Chapman trade where the talent in return was substandard, I actually don't think the problem in the Cueto trade was the talent itself but rather the development of the talent.

I can't speak for anyone else but to use Chapman as an example, although I feel he definitely should have been traded, I could easily argue that if all we got back was Rookie Davis and chaff then we would have been better served to keep him.

As for the Reds developing talent, you make a valid point.

[Kc61]

Agreed, that's the plain and simple fact for nearly every deal during that 2015-2016 selloff period.

Personally, the Cueto situation always bothered me the most. As you’ll recall it was widely believed Reds were trying to remain credible through the Cincy ASG. So they held Cueto — who couldn’t realistically gain trade value in 2015 after that magnificent 2014 season. Instead he lost value and this incredible asset was traded for a “pretty good” package.

Sorry it didn’t work out for Finnegan (so far), but that one still stings.

[TheBigLebowski]

Well, he's in a real Sticky Finnegan.

Had to use it one more time.

[UPRedsFan]

I think we can just about call that trade a bust now.

No, there is another - Yoda

[M2]

I like it when the team cuts bait. If you want to succeed at baseball, you need to be cutthroat. You can't linger on romantic notions of what you thought a guy might have been. Get rid of that guy and find the next thing.

Note that in the year the Reds traded for Finnegan, the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals played in the World Series. Only three seasons have passed since then. The Mets are already looking to come out the other side of a rebuild and the Royals are now deep in the tank.

[Kingspoint]

Yes, our old Jose Lopez. And Finnegan’s fall from grace is complete

- - - Updated - - -

I like it when the team cuts bait. If you want to succeed at baseball, you need to be cutthroat. You can't linger on romantic notions of what you thought a guy might have been. Get rid of that guy and find the next thing.

Note that in the year the Reds traded for Finnegan, the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals played in the World Series. Only three seasons have passed since then. The Mets are already looking to come out the other side of a rebuild and the Royals are now deep in the tank.

There's nothing worse than trying to chase a Reliever's best season, which 90% of the time takes place in his first three years with a Club.

[Falls City Beer]

Honestly, who cares at this point if it was or wasn’t? They got really good assets at the time and they didn’t pan out.

Welcome to pro baseball.

Can’t lose a trade that badly and hope to continue being a success. I know, I know, new braintrust

[malcontent]

Cutting ties with Finnegan seems like a very good way to start a new season fresh. Solid juju move.

Adding Lopez is sweet too.

Lopez' MiLB stats aren't too shabby. Glad he's back.

[mth123]

The Reds ruined Finnegan and Reed with the way they handled the rotation the last three years. I'm not sure if the problem was the trade or the subsequent abuse.

[Tracy Jones]

No, there is another - Yoda

Cody Reed is more Jar Jar Binks than Leia Organa

[RedsBrick]

The KC package, including Finnegan, was good. But Reds should have traded Cueto in the 2014 off-season after his 243 inning, Cy Young runner up, 20-win, healthy, magnificent season.

Cueto was retained deep into 2015, perhaps because of the All Star Game in Cincy, He had some elbow concerns that season which couldn’t have helped his trade value. The package received from KC was good, but Cueto should have brought a great return.

Reds knew Cueto was leaving, he was an impending FA, they were heading toward a rebuild. Finnegan was a good young pitcher but - many thought ultimately a reliever, and eventually injuries hurt him.

To me, that's the biggest factor. He wasn't going to be a Red moving forward anyway...Reds weren't going to pay him what he could demand.

[Falls City Beer]

To me, that's the biggest factor. He wasn't going to be a Red moving forward anyway...Reds weren't going to pay him what he could demand.

I hear this a lot. It’s true they weren’t going to pay Cueto. True enough. But you have to get something. Even if it’s just one useful arm out of it. You can’t choke away deal like that.

[KronoRed]

Traded too late, should have just taken a draft pick.

[puca]

I hear this a lot. It’s true they weren’t going to pay Cueto. True enough. But you have to get something. Even if it’s just one useful arm out of it. You can’t choke away deal like that.

Quantity over quality seemed to be the mantra of the Reds during the rebuild. It is as if they didn't trust their evaluations and wanted the largest package of prospects they could land rather than the package with the best prospect. It's pretty much akin to their practice of throwing their own prospects against the wall at the major league level to see who might stick because they weren't sure who was ready.

I sure hope those days are long gone.

[marcshoe]

Cody Reed is more Jar Jar Binks than Leia Organa

You can't say that until you see him in a gold bikini.