Offer Jose Iglesias a team-friendly 2-3-year contract?

[kaldaniels]

true. $2MM can buy a decent FA pitcher in this day and age if you play it right. pirates signed jordan lyles for exactly that amount last offseason.

Yep the key is the “right” reliever.

There are many “wrong” relievers for 2 million.

[M2]

Just enjoy what he's doing for as long as it lasts, then move on. Let you short-term filler be short-term filler.

[mth123]

I think I'd offer something for 2020 but I'm not sure I'd go longer. I'm one who thinks that even if Peraza was hitting .330 he shouldn't be the SS. Scooter walks, Dietrich and Peraza share 2B with Iglesias the primary SS and Peraza spotting there when Iglesias needs rest. I think there is enough for all three guys to be fairly regular players and an Iglesias/Peraza MI is pretty strong defensively. If Peraza rights the ship, a Peraza/Dietrich MI is fairly strong offensively. Meanwhile, try to acquire the long term solution there.

[JFLegal]

Just enjoy what he's doing for as long as it lasts, then move on. Let you short-term filler be short-term filler.

i don't understand this mindset. who would be the reds' starting ss next year? peraza? another free agent?

[JCM11]

Just enjoy what he's doing for as long as it lasts, then move on. Let you short-term filler be short-term filler.

The "short term filler" is the best defensive SS the Reds have had in 20 years.

[JFLegal]

The "short term filler" is the best defensive SS the Reds have had in 20 years.

and he's only 29.

[Sea Ray]

If you sign Iglesias then you're committing to him as your starting SS and you're demoting Peraza to super sub or trade bait. That's a big decision. Are we really there yet?

[nate1213]

Has anyone looked at Iglesias' numbers the second half of last year? They are not too far off from what he is doing right now:

.277/.325/.438 with a .763 ops.

Maybe he found something that clicked for him the second half from last year and he has carried it over?? If so I am locking him up for 2-3 years no question. Obviously we will never know if this trend will stick. But we are talking about a 50+ game span (only played 33 games the second half of last year) where he has had a plus bat for the position to go along with an elite glove. You lock those guys up through their prime years.

[Slyder]

i'm probably jumping the gun here; has only been a month+ of baseball. but if it were up to me, i'd offer jose iglesias a 2-year, $8MM deal and see if he jumps on it. maybe with a team option kicked in.

i love his glove. his bat won't nearly keep up this pace, but he's got a far better swing than i remember seeing during his early days in detroit. he always has been a defensive wizard and still is.

i might feel different if the reds had a real ss prospect who was ready to come up and seize the job in a year or two. but they don't. i think it's time to at least offer iglesias a contract and see what he says. after an offseason where he didn't get any guaranteed offers, i would think he would be up for it.

go ahead, skewer me.

No. Just no, he is what he is. Almost 30, there is a reason why he signed originally on a minor league contract. Don't buy into a hot stretch that's how you get more Jose Castro, Chris Stynes.

[M2]

i don't understand this mindset. who would be the reds' starting ss next year? peraza? another free agent?

It's a mindset that doesn't want the Reds to invest money in a 30-year-old SS with underwhelming career numbers. If Iglesias can continue to post his current numbers, that would be amazing. Don't bank on the amazing repeating itself.

The "short term filler" is the best defensive SS the Reds have had in 20 years.

I've got a Zack Cozart that says that's not even remotely close to true.

[JCM11]

Iglesias is third in the NL in defensive WAR right now. It doesn't matter if he continues to put up good offensive numbers or not most of his value comes from being an elite defender.

[Alpha Zero]

I’m all for a 2/$8M or 2/$10M deal. It solidifies the position in case Peraza continues to struggle but it is not so much that he can’t be relegated to a bench role if a better SS option emerges.

[HammerTime]

If you sign Iglesias then you're committing to him as your starting SS and you're demoting Peraza to super sub or trade bait. That's a big decision. Are we really there yet?

35 games is not enough to make that decision for me. I have a feeling if we check back in 2 months and JI is hitting .255 with a .310 OBP people might feel differently.

[HammerTime]

Iglesias is third in the NL in defensive WAR right now. It doesn't matter if he continues to put up good offensive numbers or not most of his value comes from being an elite defender.

Agreed, but making that decision to sign is essentially moving on from Peraza because of 35 games this year. I'm not sure the Reds FO is ready to do that.


I'm on board with a 2 years $6-8M deal, but I'm not sure if that is really what he would be looking for. At that price he could still be used comfortably in a bench role and it not kill the team.

[JFLegal]

It's a mindset that doesn't want the Reds to invest money in a 30-year-old SS with underwhelming career numbers. If Iglesias can continue to post his current numbers, that would be amazing. Don't bank on the amazing repeating itself.

as i previously stated, he won't keep up this offensive pace. no one is suggesting he will. but he does look like he's changed his swing from his early days in detroit. more pop in his bat than ever before. plus, he is an elite defensive shortstop and that's not changing anytime soon with him only being 29.

2-years/$8MM for a player who fits that bill appears to be quite the bargain imo. especially when the reds are devoid of legit ss prospects.