Dick Williams speaks

[Kc61]

Unfortunately, I don't see any way Castellanos opts out.
He was amazing early in the season, but the last 28 days, he's got an OPS of 680.
Hopefully, it's just a slump and not a weakness that the league has found in his swing.
I honestly have not been paying enough attention to notice, usually just have the games on as background noise now.
Maybe someone else has been watching his swings closely and noticed a pattern.

Castellanos normally a higher than average BABIP hitter, year after year. BABIP collapsed this year. With high K rate, bad thing. Hopefully just bad luck in a two month sample. Maybe defenses are catching up and he needs to readjust.

I’d like him back.

[Big Klu]

Castellanos normally a higher than average BABIP hitter, year after year. BABIP collapsed this year. With high K rate, bad thing. Hopefully just bad luck in a two month sample. Maybe defenses are catching up and he needs to readjust.

I’d like him back.

Yeah, but if Castellanos is back next year, he's got to move to LF. I have been critical of Jesse Winker's defense in the past, but I'm convinced that he's better with the glove than Castellanos.

[757690]

Yeah, but if Castellanos is back next year, he's got to move to LF. I have been critical of Jesse Winker's defense in the past, but I'm convinced that he's better with the glove than Castellanos.

I believe when Castellanos signed, he stated he only wanted to play RF. No LF or DH.

[Kc61]

Hypothetically - Would improve overall team balance for Reds to trade Winker (should have value) for, or replace Cast with, an all around second baseman.

So only one of Wink/Cast in OF; Votto to full time DH; Moose to first; and new guy to second.

Kind of like the Joe Morgan trade, replace a hitter (Lee May) with an all around player (Morgan).

But it’s risky to trade one of your better hitters, and high level middle infielders are not that easy to obtain. I doubt this happens but it would be one possible way to add balance to the team.

[podgejeff_]

Hypothetically - Would improve overall team balance for Reds to trade Winker (should have value) for, or replace Cast with, an all around second baseman.

So only one of Wink/Cast in OF; Votto to full time DH; Moose to first; and new guy to second.

Kind of like the Joe Morgan trade, replace a hitter (Lee May) with an all around player (Morgan).

But it’s risky to trade one of your better hitters, and high level middle infielders are not that easy to obtain. I doubt this happens but it would be one possible way to add balance to the team.

If Cast opts out, I'd just take his money and make a play for George Springer. He's better defensively, and about the same offensively.

Joc Pederson also makes sense.

[Big Klu]

I believe when Castellanos signed, he stated he only wanted to play RF. No LF or DH.

Yeah, I'm vaguely aware of that, but he's a special kind of awful in the field. Castellanos is the worst defensive outfielder I've ever seen in a Reds uniform, and that includes Jesse Winker, Adam Dunn, and Kal Daniels. (I never saw Alex Johnson play for the Reds.)

I can live with a bad LF, but a bad RF is a backbreaker to the pitching staff, because his errors often cost two extra bases.

[Falls City Beer]

I hear players making demands like “I’ll only play RF” and I think, Would they have the stones to say that to an organization like the Yankees or Dodgers? Probably not.

[757690]

I hear players making demands like “I’ll only play RF” and I think, Would they have the stones to say that to an organization like the Yankees or Dodgers? Probably not.

Good point. Castellanos had difficulty signing this off season, and his demands were probably a big reason why. The Reds were the one team desperate enough to accept them.

[RedTeamGo!]

I believe when Castellanos signed, he stated he only wanted to play RF. No LF or DH.

I’ll give you LF, but the DH didn’t exist for 92% of the reds season for the 2020 season when he signed. Kind of a silly knock on him IMHO.

With that said: yeah it’s pretty lame he’s still saying it.

[RedsManRick]

I hear players making demands like “I’ll only play RF” and I think, Would they have the stones to say that to an organization like the Yankees or Dodgers? Probably not.

Would they have the stones? Well, presumably their agent would be the one communicating that demand. But yes, I'm sure they would "have the stones" to communicate that demand.

Would the Yankees or Dodgers sign them given that demand? Probably not -- largely because they have the money and the interest from others to provide them better (or at least alternate) options than a DH who insists on only playing the field.

[Falls City Beer]

Would they have the stones? Well, presumably their agent would be the one communicating that demand. But yes, I'm sure they would "have the stones" to communicate that demand.

Would the Yankees or Dodgers sign them given that demand? Probably not -- largely because they have the money and the interest from others to provide them better (or at least alternate) options than a DH who insists on only playing the field.

Look, if playing RF means he only gets a lowball offer from a pliable club like the Reds, then go off. Seems kind of unwise, but if that’s the hill he wants to die on....

[KronoRed]

What's he going to do? refuse to take the field?

[Crumbley]

What's he going to do? refuse to take the field?

Remember Alfonso Soriano refusing to move to LF and Jim Bowden calling his bluff and telling him to retire if he doesn’t want to play? Not only did he play LF that year for Washington, he ended up in left for the rest of his career.

[TexasRedsFan]

Reds should tell Castellanos that for 2021, he's playing primarily in LF and DH. If he says I'm opting out, they can say good luck then. Guy hasn't hit (not to mention field) anywhere good enough to be making demands.

[Falls City Beer]

Reds should tell Castellanos that for 2021, he's playing primarily in LF and DH. If he says I'm opting out, they can say good luck then. Guy has hit (not to mention fielding )nowhere good enough to be making demands.

I agree. Any other halfway intelligent team—probably not the Reds—can find an .850 bat with crap defense.