Reds acquiring Jeff Hoffman and Case Williams from the Rockies for Robert Stephenson

[Ron Madden]

Reds On Radio @RedsRadioBooth
Reds GM Nick Krall joins the Hot Stove League tonight, live at 6 p.m. ET on 700 WLW, the Reds Radio Network and online here: http://atmlb.com/363wSkO

[kaldaniels]

But why?

He is no longer a Cincinnati Reds player.

So if he were to sign with Cincy his time starts over?

I don’t think that’s how continuity lists work.

Sure you are correct from an Oscar Martinez “actually” perspective.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Thomas Harding
@harding_at_mlb
RHP Jeff Hoffman, traded by the #Rockies, is excited about the move to the #Reds. In past winters, he has received data-driven assistance from Driveline, a performance company. Driveline founder Kyle Boddy and Eric Jagers, who have worked with him in the past, are with the Reds.

This gives me some hope for Hoffman, though he's the type of guy they could have picked up off the scrap heap without losing Stephenson. I like that Boddy's worked with him and obviously thinks there's some upside there. This is a reason for paying Boddy.

[dougdirt]

This gives me some hope for Hoffman, though he's the type of guy they could have picked up off the scrap heap without losing Stephenson. I like that Boddy's worked with him and obviously thinks there's some upside there. This is a reason for paying Boddy.

Counterpoint: They've worked with him in the past and he still sucks at getting big league (and Triple-A) hitters out.

[WrongVerb]

Counterpoint: They've worked with him in the past and he still sucks at getting big league (and Triple-A) hitters out.

That's how I read it.

[Ron Madden]

MLB Pipeline
@MLBPipeline
With the #Reds acquiring 18-year-old RHP Case Williams from the #Rockies, here's where the 2020 fourth-rounder lands on the
@Reds
' Top 30: https://atmlb.com/3fxFyD9

[Kc61]

This gives me some hope for Hoffman, though he's the type of guy they could have picked up off the scrap heap without losing Stephenson..

Guess is Reds wanted to lose Stephenson - his arbitration salary that is. Probably the Reds’ main driver to make this trade. Avoid non-tendering him and get something back.

Not sure there’s much gain on the baseball side of the deal, although you never can tell with an 18-year old pitcher with a live arm.

[RED VAN HOT]

I recall when the Rockies acquired Darryl Kile. He was a good pitcher the year before with Houston and a good pitcher with the Cardinals after he left Colorado. He was terrible in Colorado, however. IIRC, it was blamed on the thin air at altitude. His curve ball didn't have the same bite. Hoffman may have had a similar problem. Not only did he pitch at Coors, but he also spent his AAA seasons at mile high Albuquerque.

[Gallen5862]

Case Williams is ranked #29 on the Reds MLB Pipeline rankings.

[TheBigLebowski]

More upset to lose Hannah. Would have taken cold taco filling for Bob Steve.

[podgejeff_]

Yeah. With the exception of Aroldis, I don't think I've ever seen a reds minor league pitcher dominate quite the way that Stephenson did. Like most of us I just assumed that he would find a way to get that curveball over and turn into something special. Instead things got derailed and by the time he was at Lousiville he was a totally different guy.

I honestly don't know if there is blame to be placed at the developmental folks or if this is just another case of TINSTAAPP. At least with Hunter Greene (and a lot of other stories like this) there was a serious injury involved.

Homer Bailey?

[dougdirt]

Homer Bailey?

Tony Cingrani is the correct answer.

[podgejeff_]

Tony Cingrani is the correct answer.

For that matter Johnny Cueto.

[dougdirt]

For that matter Johnny Cueto.

With all due respect to what Cueto did in the minors.... he was no Tony Cingrani.

Cingrani had a 1.67 ERA in the minors with 340 strikeouts in 263.2 innings. Cueto never had a single stop along the minor league chain with an ERA under 2.59 (he was slightly younger than Cingrani at each level, though).

[M2]

For that matter Johnny Cueto.

And Tyler Mahle.

Stephenson actually wasn't all that special performance-wise in the minors (3.77 ERA, 1.249 WHIP). He had a great 2013 season and then rode on those fumes.