2024 Payroll Poll

[*BaseClogger*]

$20M on TOR starter
$10M on a couple of relievers
$5M on a backup catcher
$5M on a bench piece

Guess that only gets me to $80M but that at least seems highly plausible. Maybe they flip a young position player or young pitcher for a more established guy who makes real money.

[mth123]

$20M on TOR starter
$10M on a couple of relievers
$5M on a backup catcher
$5M on a bench piece

Guess that only gets me to $80M but that at least seems highly plausible. Maybe they flip a young position player or young pitcher for a more established guy who makes real money.

I think this is a decent plan, but I can't envision a back-up Catcher who'd be worth $5 Million. I'd just keep Maile for about $3 Million less. I'd be down for signing a lefty hitter to share time with Maile while trading Stephenson, but its trading him at a low point. Victor Caratini might be a good target.

[Strikes Out Looking]

51-75 million. Phil and dad don't want to spend their way to the top, they want to miraculously get there.

[Chip R]

I mean, look at those numbers. We are really talking about peanuts in the modern MLB. The Reds can really spend if they want. But ...

Getting some good free agents is nice but it's a two way street. IIRC, Blake Snell is a free agent. Even if the Reds unclasped their collective pocketbook and offered him the sun, the moon and the stars; would he even sign with the Reds? You think there aren't about 20 other teams that will go after him? 20 other teams where he won't be pitching half his games in Great American Ball Park? I'm not saying they shouldn't try and I'm not saying they could succeed but don't be surprised if he ends up elsewhere. That goes for other free agents too. Also, the Reds recent track record of signing free agents hasn't exactly been stellar.

[Sea Ray]

Free Agent Pitchers who could be be of interest:
Ohtani (we can dream)
Kershaw (still dreaming)
Aaron Nola
Blake Snell
Sonny Gray
Jordan Montgomery
Lucas Giolito
James Paxton
Seth Lugo
Luis Severino

OF Bats
Cody Bellinger
Teoscar Hernandez
Gurriel Jr
Jorge Soler
Not many intriguing OF bats, wonder if a trade could be made.

Wouldn't mind adding a player or two from these lists

Until further notice Ohtani is not a pitcher

[REDREAD]

Getting some good free agents is nice but it's a two way street. IIRC, Blake Snell is a free agent. Even if the Reds unclasped their collective pocketbook and offered him the sun, the moon and the stars; would he even sign with the Reds? You think there aren't about 20 other teams that will go after him? 20 other teams where he won't be pitching half his games in Great American Ball Park? I'm not saying they shouldn't try and I'm not saying they could succeed but don't be surprised if he ends up elsewhere. That goes for other free agents too. Also, the Reds recent track record of signing free agents hasn't exactly been stellar.

Yes, and it's beyond pitching in the GAB.
Sony Gray gave them a hometown discount, he was flipped in a trade, shortly thereafter.
Reds blew off Castanallos when he wanted to negotiate an extension.
In the last 20 years, the Reds have spent more time tanking than trying to contend.
Any free agent has got to be thinking.. If I sign a 3-4 year deal with the Reds, when's the next burndown coming?
When will I be traded? Or even worse, will I be stuck on a 90 loss team in 2 years because they traded everyone else?
At bare minimum, I think a FA considered being traded to the Reds will ask for a clause where he gets a bonus if traded.

We have to detach a bit and look from outside Cincy.. FA probably consider us to be about as attractive as Pitt, KC, Oakland, etc.
St Louis is going to be looking for pitching too, for example.. they certainly have a better track record than we do. (Even though they just came off a bad year).

[MikeS21]

The Reds are in a unique position. They have a LOT of good talent that will be making minimum next year. As others have said, $20 million for a free agent SP, $15 million for a couple free agent RP's, perhaps a dumpster RH OF looking to bounce back, and that will be it. I don't see Votto being brought back at $20 million. They might buy him out @$7 million and re-signed for $4-$5 million. All that can be paid for by the expiring contracts. And that doesn't take into account any long term extensions to younger players. But stocking up on bullpen arms would be my biggest priority.

The point being, the Reds could have a payroll of $60-$65 million and still be the odds on favorite to win the NL Central next year.

[Kinsm]

Any pitcher worth 20M$ is going to have better options than pitching half their games at GABP.

They’ll have to trade for a pitcher.

[Falls City Beer]

Any pitcher worth 20M$ is going to have better options than pitching half their games at GABP.

They’ll have to trade for a pitcher.

Yeah, this talk of turning their payroll on pitcher free agency is nuts. Whatever major improvements are going to come are going to come via trade at this point. The farm has promoted all of its principals for now. Time to trade.

[Chip R]

Yes, and it's beyond pitching in the GAB.
Sony Gray gave them a hometown discount, he was flipped in a trade, shortly thereafter.
Reds blew off Castanallos when he wanted to negotiate an extension.
In the last 20 years, the Reds have spent more time tanking than trying to contend.
Any free agent has got to be thinking.. If I sign a 3-4 year deal with the Reds, when's the next burndown coming?
When will I be traded? Or even worse, will I be stuck on a 90 loss team in 2 years because they traded everyone else?
At bare minimum, I think a FA considered being traded to the Reds will ask for a clause where he gets a bonus if traded.

We have to detach a bit and look from outside Cincy.. FA probably consider us to be about as attractive as Pitt, KC, Oakland, etc.
St Louis is going to be looking for pitching too, for example.. they certainly have a better track record than we do. (Even though they just came off a bad year).

All good points.

However there are some positives about pitching here. DJ is one. He is very well thought of in baseball. While GABP may be a detriment, you can turn that negative into a positive. Several pitchers have pitched well here. Aaron Harang, the aforementioned Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer won a Cy Young pitching here. Castillo and Cueto pitched well here. Appeal to his pride. David Bell is not a manager who abuses pitchers. There's an abundance of young talent here.

I don't know if that would overcome the negatives but that is how I would recruit someone to come here.

[Old school 1983]

Don’t care so long as they add to the talent already in house and make the team a true contender.

[CaiGuy]

I would like the Reds to add some high AAV contracts this year, but on a short term (1-3 years).

An older starter and a couple of big ticket relievers would make sense ..need to look at the FA list to see who fits that target.

On the position side, they might need some depth pieces but I don't see a ton of room for a big-ticket add.

The pitching is where the biggest improvement can be made.

[REDREAD]

All good points.

However there are some positives about pitching here. DJ is one. He is very well thought of in baseball. While GABP may be a detriment, you can turn that negative into a positive. Several pitchers have pitched well here. Aaron Harang, the aforementioned Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer won a Cy Young pitching here. Castillo and Cueto pitched well here. Appeal to his pride. David Bell is not a manager who abuses pitchers. There's an abundance of young talent here.

I don't know if that would overcome the negatives but that is how I would recruit someone to come here.

Honestly, I think some pitchers would reject the Reds because of the GAB, but I think there's plenty of other bandboxes in baseball too.
I think the Reds' ownership and FO reputation for frequently changing course back to tanking is a bigger detriment than the GAB.
What do most FAs want? Either money or a chance to win. I suppose a few guys are trying to max their pitching numbers.. those guys wouldn't like the GAB, I guess.

[*BaseClogger*]

Any pitcher worth 20M$ is going to have better options than pitching half their games at GABP.

They’ll have to trade for a pitcher.

This gets overblown. Free agents mostly sign with the top bidder. Reds just need to be the top bidder.

[Falls City Beer]

This gets overblown. Free agents mostly sign with the top bidder. Reds just need to be the top bidder.

I think what he’s saying is that offers are usually close between teams and that players will choose teams based on other factors sometimes (closeness to contention, working with certain managers/organizations, even parks). If the Reds then have to outbid that barrier, you’re probably not going to get a top tier starter because the Reds aren’t going to heavily outbid anyone.