Royals interested in Bruce?

[Plus Plus]

Should he continue to hit as he has, that option looks like a relative bargain.

You could move Duvall to 3B, slide Bruce to LF, and put Winker in RF. With Hamilton's Gold Glove in the middle, that makes sense. Of course, you're then making Suarez a utility guy playing SS, 2B, 3B, and elsewhere as needed.

So you don't have to move him this season.

Should Bruce continue to hit like this, the option also provides excellent leverage in trade negotiations. It becomes 1.5 years of Bruce at a very affordable rate, which could hypothetically change the return from a 2015 Zobrist/Cespedes return to a 2015 Gomez return.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Should Bruce continue to hit like this, the option also provides excellent leverage in trade negotiations. It becomes 1.5 years of Bruce at a very affordable rate, which could hypothetically change the return from a 2015 Zobrist/Cespedes return to a 2015 Gomez return.

Good point.

[Chuckie]

Should Bruce continue to hit like this, the option also provides excellent leverage in trade negotiations. It becomes 1.5 years of Bruce at a very affordable rate, which could hypothetically change the return from a 2015 Zobrist/Cespedes return to a 2015 Gomez return.

Exactly. And since Jay is raking this year, I bet most MLB teams will look at his 2014-15 seasons as aberrations (especially since there were injury issues during that span). His 2010-13 and '16 seasons is the norm for him. Teams had their chance to get him for pennies on the dollar. No longer. The Reds need at least one legit prospect (top 100 in MLB) or teams that are interested in Bruce can pound sand. He's the best bat on the trade market and is under team control through 2017 (including the option) at a very reasonable rate. Add it all up and someone is going to have to pony up to get Jay Bruce.

If no one does, it becomes a no-brainer for the Reds to pick up Bruce's 2017 option and then try and deal him in the offseason, or sometime before the 2017 deadline. What I do not want to see happen is Bruce extended to a long-term contract ... and I doubt we will. But the Reds should absolutely hold on to Bruce until a team is willing to part with a top prospect.

[RedTeamGo!]

No one is giving up a top 50 prospect for Jay Bruce.

Now I know why redszone gets so disappointed with trade returns.

[Patrick Bateman]

No one is giving up a top 50 prospect for Jay Bruce.

Now I know why redszone gets so disappointed with trade returns.

Under the right conditions it's possible:

1. He keeps hitting
2. The Reds cover a portion of his costs for this year and next

A team that can hide Bruce's defensive limitations could get a lot of a value from a cost controlled Bruce for this season and next. Few players that will be available are hitting like Bruce at the moment.

[RedTeamGo!]

Under the right conditions it's possible:

1. He keeps hitting
2. The Reds cover a portion of his costs for this year and next

A team that can hide Bruce's defensive limitations could get a lot of a value from a cost controlled Bruce for this season and next. Few players that will be available are hitting like Bruce at the moment.

The Reds would have to throw Robert Stephenson or Garrett into the discussion to the Indians (for example) for Frazier or Zimmer to jot get laughed off the phone.

Bruce is having a great year at the plate so far, he's nightmare fuel in the field and is pretty expensive. He will get a 100-150 prospect at best unless the Reds lose their minds and throw in a top pitching prospect.

[Bourgeois Zee]

The Reds need at least one legit prospect (top 100 in MLB) or teams that are interested in Bruce can pound sand. He's the best bat on the trade market and is under team control through 2017 (including the option) at a very reasonable rate. Add it all up and someone is going to have to pony up to get Jay Bruce.

I don't know if Bruce could return a Top 100 guy by himself. Depends, IMO, on the team that needs him.

I could see Christian Arroyo (SFG SS) or Mark Appel (HOU P) among interested teams as possible targets.

But so far, among the teams that need a LH OF (Kansas City, Detroit, Chicago AL, Cleveland, San Francisco, Los Angeles AL), there isn't much in the Top 100 and what's there isn't available. The Reds need a spate of OF injuries among contenders who have deep farms and money.

[marcshoe]

So, do you think there is a chance that it's simply just "simply clicked for Bruce now" at the age of 29?

You're not talking about a player who has never produced; you're talking about a player who has had trouble with consistency. There's a difference in suddenly becoming a better player and figuring out how to be at your best more often. The second is much more likely.

[Cannon]

It suddenly clicked? I mean, realistically speaking he was a 120 wRC+ guy before he got injured, and he was just going into his prime. If not for that injury he might have been a 130+ wRC+ guy sooner. Maturity and approach are probably playing a big factor. The talent has always been there.

[Tom Servo]

The Reds would have to throw Robert Stephenson or Garrett into the discussion to the Indians (for example) for Frazier or Zimmer to jot get laughed off the phone.

Bruce is having a great year at the plate so far, he's nightmare fuel in the field and is pretty expensive. He will get a 100-150 prospect at best unless the Reds lose their minds and throw in a top pitching prospect.

They aren't giving up Frazier and Zimmer, but it's not because they don't think Bruce isn't worth it, but because the Indians are incredibly conservative with their prospects and never go "all in" at the expense of cost-controlled, talented players.

It doesn't mean it's stupid to ask or to insist you want that caliber of player from them or other teams.

[Chuckie]

No one is giving up a top 50 prospect for Jay Bruce.

Now I know why redszone gets so disappointed with trade returns.

Who said top 50? I said top 100, but perhaps you're referring to someone else.

[Chuckie]

I don't know if Bruce could return a Top 100 guy by himself. Depends, IMO, on the team that needs him.

I could see Christian Arroyo (SFG SS) or Mark Appel (HOU P) among interested teams as possible targets.

But so far, among the teams that need a LH OF (Kansas City, Detroit, Chicago AL, Cleveland, San Francisco, Los Angeles AL), there isn't much in the Top 100 and what's there isn't available. The Reds need a spate of OF injuries among contenders who have deep farms and money.

Appel is now in the Phillies' organization. I doubt they will be buyers at the deadline, unless they are crazy enough to buy into their hot start. They've already cooled off and will continue to do so IMO.

Plus, Appel is putting up bad numbers once again this year: 4.46 WHIP, 1.57 WHIP, 34 K, 20 BB in 38.1 IP at the AAA level. That guy has always been all sizzle and no steak. I would want someone better than Appel for Jay Bruce, especially since our top prospects are pitchers. We need a young bat in return for Jay. A top 100 MLB prospect bat.

[Kc61]

If Bruce is hitting this well in July, his contract is very attractive.

The buying team has the choice -- use him as a rental or exercise a 1 year option at $13MM. That seems highly attractive to me.

Often felt the Reds had to trade a couple of salaries last off-season, they did that, now there's no desperation. With Bruce they can keep him one more year if necessary. So they should insist on at least one serious, meaningful prospect in the deal.

I mean, if the guy is a top 60 prospect and the Reds like him, that's fine too, the number isn't the main thing, but a meaningful prospect who will be highly rated on the Reds' list.

Doesn't have to be a hitter, doesn't have to play a particular position. But has to be a serious guy.

[WrongVerb]

The guy the Reds should try to pair with Bruce is Straily. He's having a great season too for a team that is going nowhere and could be useful to round out the rotation for a team in contention.

[Tom Servo]

The guy the Reds should try to pair with Bruce is Straily. He's having a great season too for a team that is going nowhere and could be useful to round out the rotation for a team in contention.

The Giants (your Giants) are a team that looks like they could use both an OFer and a starter. I don't see anything that blows me away in their system, but there are some interesting guys like Christian Arroyo, Phil Bickford, Chris Shaw, and Andrew Suarez.