Royals interested in Bruce?

[NeilHamburger]

No to Clint Frazier. Dude has a horrible, horrible disease. Gingervitis. I don't want to see that disgusting red hair, pale skin and freckled face all summer. Disgusting.

[RedEye]

No to Clint Frazier. Dude has a horrible, horrible disease. Gingervitis. I don't want to see that disgusting red hair, pale skin and freckled face all summer. Disgusting.

You angry, bro?

[Kc61]

Reds could use an upper level catching prospect, no? Tyler Stephenson is very young and not near the bigs. Mes has injury problems and his contract ends fairly soon.

Maybe a target in a Bruce/Cozart trade should be a near ready catcher who hits.

Reds could add a pitcher to a package, the Straily idea is pretty good.

[marcshoe]

Reds could use an upper level catching prospect, no? Tyler Stephenson is very young and not near the bigs. Mes has injury problems and his contract ends fairly soon.

Maybe a target in a Bruce/Cozart trade should be a near ready catcher who hits.

Reds could add a pitcher to a package, the Straily idea is pretty good.

And a unicorn.

Seriously, I'm sure there are a few, but the price might be a bit high. I don't know that you could pry Gary Sanchez away from the Yankees at all, unless maybe you talk Reed, which is sacrilege, but I haven't kept up.

[Tuff Nut]

With Pence going on the DL, and the Giants slim on the OFs, wonder if they'd kick the tires on JB? I don't know what they have in their system, so maybe they wouldn't be a good trade partner.

[RedsManRick]

Reds could use an upper level catching prospect, no? Tyler Stephenson is very young and not near the bigs. Mes has injury problems and his contract ends fairly soon.

Maybe a target in a Bruce/Cozart trade should be a near ready catcher who hits.

Reds could add a pitcher to a package, the Straily idea is pretty good.

For what it's worth, 29 catchers have at least 100 PA this season:
- 1 has an OPS above .900
- 2 have an OPS between .800-.900
- 11 have an OPS between .700-.800
- 8 have an OPS between .600-.700 <- Tucker Barnhart is here (.631 OPS)
- 7 have an OPS below .600

Their average OPS is .675 (.294 wOBA, 83 wRC+). Assuming he's competent defensively, a catcher who "can hit" means an above average catcher by definition.

I agree that we probably shouldn't count on Mesoraco necessary returning as the everyday catcher. But who precisely are you targeting? MLB.com has Stephenson as the #5 overall catching prospect. Looking through some top catcher prospect lists, the only guys I see who are in the upper minors and who can hit a bit are Gary Sanchez (NYY), Jorge Alfaro (PHI), Austin Barnes (LAD), Elias Diaz (PIT), and Chance Cisco (BAL). Philly has no reason to trade Alfaro, I'm not sure Diaz is any better than Barnhart, and most people don't think Cisco can catch in the majors. That leaves Gary Sanchez and Austin Barnes. I hope you're ready to part with some of our top pitching to land one of those guys.

[Tom Servo]

With Pence going on the DL, and the Giants slim on the OFs, wonder if they'd kick the tires on JB? I don't know what they have in their system, so maybe they wouldn't be a good trade partner.

Redszone has had a bit of a crush on catcher Andrew Susac for a while.

[Tuff Nut]

RMR, one other catcher that has been doing well in AAA, but likely not going anywhere, is Willson Contreras, ChC.

[Kc61]

Bruce and Finnegan to the Yankees for Sanchez and another good position player prospect?

Cozart (second base) to the Dodgers for Barnes? Maybe add a Lamb to the package and get back something with Barnes?

Whatever, it's something for the Reds to consider.

[Cannon]

RMR, one other catcher that has been doing well in AAA, but likely not going anywhere, is Willson Contreras, ChC.

I was thinking the same thing. Another guy who would be nice to kick tires on is Mike Zunino because he's already a great defensive catcher. Though I doubt that he's going anywhere either.

[Cannon]

But ultimately if I'm the Reds I'd be targetting either the Mets or the Indians with Bruce and then probably the Royals or the Tigers with Cozart. Make packages if necessary.

With the Mets I'd be looking at Amed Rosario, the Indiands Clint Frazier, the Royals probably Hunter Dozier (though I still love Bubba Starling's tools, and wouldn't be overly upset getting him back for Cozart), and I like Christin Stewart from Detroit.

Though I wonder if Boston would be willing to move Swihart in a deal for Bruce.

[mth123]

Bruce and Finnegan to the Yankees for Sanchez and another good position player prospect?

Cozart (second base) to the Dodgers for Barnes? Maybe add a Lamb to the package and get back something with Barnes?

Whatever, it's something for the Reds to consider.

Dodgers have Utley, Kendrick and Micah Johnson who they obtained in the Frazier deal. Can't see any interest in Cozart there. Barnes himself can play a little 2B. Cozart's best asset, he's defense at SS would be wasted there. Seager is the guy. Depending on Ethier's status, they may have some interest in Bruce, but I can't see that. They are going to want a solid veteran pitcher and they'll look elsewhere IMO.

[Chuckie]

Reds need to trade Bruce soon IMO. I'm not sure his value will ever be any higher.

[marcshoe]

Bruce and Finnegan to the Yankees for Sanchez and another good position player prospect?

Cozart (second base) to the Dodgers for Barnes? Maybe add a Lamb to the package and get back something with Barnes?

Whatever, it's something for the Reds to consider.

Although normally suspicious of Yankee prospects, I think very highly of Sanchez. If you could get him for Bruce and Finnegan, I'd do it.

[WrongVerb]

With Pence going on the DL, and the Giants slim on the OFs, wonder if they'd kick the tires on JB? I don't know what they have in their system, so maybe they wouldn't be a good trade partner.

Someone mentioned catchers. They've got Andrew Susac (AAA), Trevor Brown, and Aramis Garcia (high-A) stacked up behind Posey.

All three of those players have some pop in their bat and can play some defense. I'd try to get Brown or Susac because they already have time in the majors. I'd also ask for LH reliever Steven Okert.