What About Michael Wacha ?

[Ron Madden]

I really doubt the Reds will add much more to payroll

Where Will Michael Wachapay any Sign?

As things stand, the Orioles are the only known team to have checked in on the 31-year-old, who’s coming off his best season in a while for the Red Sox.

The Angels and Padres were both linked to Eovaldi before he signed with the Rangers, so it makes sense to take a look at them as possible fits for the next best option.

Wacha could also be a fit on rebuilding teams.

Even if it requires a two-year deal to sign him, a rebuilding club could hope that he builds off his solid 2022 campaign and turns himself into a valuable trade chip either at the deadline or next winter.

In that case, perhaps a team like the Reds could be amenable to bringing him in if the price is right.

Luis Cessa is the veteran in the Reds’ rotation as things stand, but he’s typically worked as a long reliever. Outside of Cessa, it’s a young rotation for all of uncertainty, and adding a veteran like Wacha could solidify things and take a bit of the pressure off their younger arms
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full story here:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/...acha-sign.html

[klw]

Well it would please the poster who used to go on about how Walt had ruined the Reds for all eternity in the MiLB forum by not drafting Wacha.

[Alpha Zero]

Well it would please the poster who used to go on about how Walt had ruined the Reds for all eternity in the MiLB forum by not drafting Wacha.

To be fair, that was the year the Reds drafted Travieso instead …

[JFLegal]

would be nice, but given krall's comments last week (or whenever it was) i seriously doubt wacha-to-cincy will happen.

[Mitri]

Wacha would cheaply fill their biggest need. He would help protect the young arms, too. It’d be a wise investment even on a 2-year deal.

Instead we’ll probably get Wade Miley.

[mth123]

Wacha would cheaply fill their biggest need. He would help protect the young arms, too. It’d be a wise investment even on a 2-year deal.

Instead we’ll probably get Wade Miley.

I'd be fine with Miley as well. Or Cueto or Zach Davies... I'm from the "anybody but Justin Dunn" school of thought and I like Cessa way more in the bullpen than to expect him to not be exposed as a starter over more than a few start sample.

My fear isn't Wade Miley, my fear is they'll get no one and we'll be stuck with these internal options tearing the pitching staff apart with every 3 inning shelling that uses up the pen and puts pressure on leavingthose kids in too long to "save the bullpen".

[Bourgeois Zee]

I'd be fine with Miley as well. Or Cueto or Zach Davies... I'm from the "anybody but Justin Dunn" school of thought and I like Cessa way more in the bullpen than to expect him to not be exposed as a starter over more than a few start sample.

My fear isn't Wade Miley, my fear is they'll get no one and we'll be stuck with these internal options tearing the pitching staff apart with every 3 inning shelling that uses up the pen and puts pressure on leavingthose kids in too long to "save the bullpen".

If they're going into the season knowing they're not focusing on wins-- and they're not-- keeping the kids healthy becomes job #1. Bell's unlikely to screw that up.

[LeatherPants]

If they're going into the season knowing they're not focusing on wins-- and they're not-- keeping the kids healthy becomes job #1. Bell's unlikely to screw that up.

Yeah, it’s not like Bell pitched the young guys too much last year.

[mth123]

If they're going into the season knowing they're not focusing on wins-- and they're not-- keeping the kids healthy becomes job #1. Bell's unlikely to screw that up.

You have more faith than I do. I wouldn't put any stupid decision past the Reds after what I've seen over the last 30 years.

[JFLegal]

cessa basically sucked most of last season, but because he had some meaningless (but decent) starts in august/september he's suddenly a lock for the rotation. lmao. that is pure Reds right there. same club that gave aquino all that rope because he had one lucky month in august.

[Larry Schuler]

I’m going to go to Opening Day early so I can watch Cessa warm up.

[mth123]

Yeah, it’s not like Bell pitched the young guys too much last year.

He didn't really have the chance to. Lodolo missed half the season and they had Mahle and Castillo for most of the year to lean on. This year the guys to lean on are Greene, Lodolo and Ashcraft. They need somebody else to lean on.

[herbdizzle]

Wacha is fine. I just want the Reds to get someone better than Minor that can eat up 150 innings.

[757690]

I’m not worried about Greene, Lodolo or Ashcraft, but I am worried about Stoudt, Williamson, and the other pitching prospects in the minors. I want the decision to promote them to the Reds rotation to be based on their readiness and not the Reds need.

The Reds easily have the money to sign Wacha, Cueto, or other similar vets, that will eat the innings to make that decision easier. It’s a short sided, profit minded decision not to.

[HokieRed]

Signing these stop gap starters requires some very specific analysis, IMO, and the key is to get them in the right years. I beat the drum on here for Wacha last year and was told repeatedly that he was no good and that Miley was much superior etc. But that was last year. My case for Wacha was that he had closed the previous season very strongly, whereas Miley--as was evident to me and should have been to everyone--had thrown 160 innings and could be expected to do what he has repeatedly done over the last half dozen years: undergo major regression because he's been worked that hard. Letting Miley go was no hard decision; the Reds FO got it right. This year Wacha scares me a bit. First of all, he's not been reupped by the Red Sox, who have every need for him and for whom I'm sure he'd like to pitch. Second, his September-October was really bad, 6 starts, OPS above .900 against him. He's a flyball pitcher with pretty high HR numbers over the years. Miley, on the other hand, rested his arm over the whole season, pretty much, and then threw something like 35 innings effectively at the end of the season. Miley's age, 36, is scary but he might have one more bounceback year iin him since he should have a rested arm. I've pushed for Cueto on here each of the last two years (21 and 22) but he's become, I think, a harder call. Threw 158 last year, certainly knows how to pitch and will not crap his pants because of GABP. But you have to ask how much that inning load last year takes off his ability to be effective this year. Conclusion is I think Krall is probably right to wait out the market but the organization needs to be more proactive. Both Wacha and Cueto were easy calls last year, as was, frankly, Quintana, whom the Pirates had brains enough to sign.