2024-2025 Reds Off-season General Discussion

[LeatherPants]

Mark Sheldon
@m_sheldon
Some Reds news:

All three hitting coaches -- Joel McKeithan, Terry Bradshaw and Tim LaMont have been fired.

RHP Julian Aguiar had TJ surgery and will be out for 2025.

[UKFlounder]

Good thread idea

[Bourgeois Zee]

Mark Sheldon
@m_sheldon
Some Reds news:

All three hitting coaches -- Joel McKeithan, Terry Bradshaw and Tim LaMont have been fired.

RHP Julian Aguiar had TJ surgery and will be out for 2025.

Ouch.

That's two-- he and Brandon Williamson.

[LeatherPants]

Charlie Goldsmith
@CharlieG__
Some Reds notes

-All three hitting coaches (Joel McKeithan, Terry Bradshaw and Tim Lamonte) have been fired.
-Budget meetings for 2025 are at the end of October, which will shape steps this offseason
-Matt McLain is open to moving around positions, including third base and CF. Steer and India will also play some first and third.
-Elly De La Cruz is the shortstop. He's not moving anywhere.
-Nick Krall: "The outfield needs to get better."
-Julian Aguiar is having Tommy John.

[757690]

Elly De La Cruz is the shortstop. He's not moving anywhere.
-Nick Krall: "The outfield needs to get better."

Both good to hear

[LeatherPants]

Waiting until just a couple of days before free agency starts to have budget talks seems like a bad idea.

[mth123]

Waiting until just a couple of days before free agency starts to have budget talks seems like a bad idea.

Need to get some clarity on the Bally situation. I'm expecting the budget to be a disappointment. The Reds need to be willing to make trades from their prospect group to acquire upgrades they can afford. Petty and Arroyo should be guys they move (among others) for a bat. I think they can sign a starting pitcher. Williamson and Aguiar are out. Need more than a couple of outings from Phillips before he's an option and I wouldn't be surprised if Ashcraft ends up with Petty and Williamson on the 60 Day IL by opening day. I think Pitching is a bigger need than offense and offense is a huge need.

[redsmetz]

NM

[Wayne Krivsky]

Waiting until just a couple of days before free agency starts to have budget talks seems like a bad idea.

I can only guess but I would assume they have an idea of the budget already and this would be a follow up meeting. Probably hoping they have some clarity on the TV situation and an update on what the budget looks like after they fill the open coaching spots, opt out situations, let Francona review and get his two cents in on the arbitration guys, etc.

[DGullett35]

Nice to know Elly is the SS. He improved this year IMO. I think the errors will come down significantly. Most great SS had high error totals in there early years.

[Chip R]

Bloody Tuesday.

[MoneyInTheBank]

Need to get some clarity on the Bally situation. I'm expecting the budget to be a disappointment. The Reds need to be willing to make trades form their prospect group to acquire upgrades they can afford. Petty and Arroyo should be guys they move (among others) for a bat. I think they can sign a starting pitcher. Williamson and Aguiar are out. Need more than a couple of outings from Phillips before he's an option and I wouldn't be surprised if Ashcraft ends up with Petty and Williamson on the 60 Day IL by opening day. I think Pitching is a bigger need than offense and offense is a huge need.

Wait... Is Petty hurt too?

[mth123]

Wait... Is Petty hurt too?

No, but I think he's going to have to go for a bat. Even if he doesn't, he's not an opening day option.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Charlie Goldsmith
@CharlieG__
Some Reds notes

-Matt McLain is open to moving around positions, including third base and CF. Steer and India will also play some first and third.
-Nick Krall: "The outfield needs to get better."

1. Fearless prediction no. 1: McLain is going to move to CF, allowing India to play 2B (mostly) full-time.
2. Fearless prediciton no. 2: Steer will become a four-position utility guy or, if he hits, full-time 3B.
3. Fearless prediction no. 3: Friedl will become a 4th/5th OF.
4. Fearless prediction no. 4: Espinal will be the middle infield backup and will take over 3B full-time if Steer doesn't hit.
5. Fearless prediction no. 5: The Reds will look to acquire one OF.
6. Fearless prediction no. 6: A Fraley/ Steer or Fraley/ Fairchild platoon will play one corner OF spot.

I'm guessing:
India 2B
McLain CF
EDLC SS
FA/ Trade OF
T. Stephenson C
Candelario DH
CES 1B
Fraley/ Fairchild OF
Steer/ Espinal 3B

None of this is particularly suprising or ground-breaking. We knew much of it already.

[Boston Red]

Would we really rather have McLain in CF and Elly at SS over flip-flopping those two? I see they've said that Elly is the SS and that is that, so nothing else is going to happen, but McLain is solid as a rock out there at SS and Elly looks like he could be an elite CF (or really anywhere else he feels like playing given his physical tools). Does McLain have that kind of potential in CF?