Tejay Antone in the bullpen?

[RedTeamGo!]

Crawford is making 15 million this year, I doubt the Reds will add that much salary.

Giants would have to eat the majority of the contract.

[Reds Loyalist]

Just my thoughts. Try to move Lorenzen and Aquino for a SS at the end of camp. Antone could cover Lorenzen if he were to start, and guys like Noe Ramirez and Cam Bedrosian could cover the innings in the pen. If they plan on using Aquino like last year, there’s really no point in keeping him around. I know it’s not a sexy name. But maybe target Crawford with SF.

Aquino has almost no trade value and Lorenzen is a middle reliever, you’re gonna get a decent A level SS or a mediocre major league SS. None of that helps more this year than what ML can contribute as a middle reliever or as a 5th starter. You would have to add a good prospect to those 2 to get anything back that’s gonna be beneficial for this year.

[Old school 1983]

Aquino has almost no trade value and Lorenzen is a middle reliever, you’re gonna get a decent A level SS or a mediocre major league SS. None of that helps more this year than what ML can contribute as a middle reliever or as a 5th starter. You would have to add a good prospect to those 2 to get anything back that’s gonna be beneficial for this year.

Crawford is in the last year of an expensive contract. I believe the Giants have a good SS prospect. I don’t think it’ll take much to pry him loose. If it requires like a B/C level prospect too, I’m ok with that.

[Reds Loyalist]

Crawford is in the last year of an expensive contract. I believe the Giants have a good SS prospect. I don’t think it’ll take much to pry him loose. If it requires like a B/C level prospect too, I’m ok with that.

That explains why the Giants would want to move him but how does a career .250 avg, .700 ops, 34 year old SS making 15 Mil moves the needle much while taking away a decent bp option? It feels like a lateral move at best. Plus if the Reds were gonna spend 15 mil, they would’ve already picked up a better SS in free agency without giving up players.

[Old school 1983]

That explains why the Giants would want to move him but how does a career .250 avg, .700 ops, 34 year old SS making 15 Mil moves the needle much while taking away a decent bp option? It feels like a lateral move at best. Plus if the Reds were gonna spend 15 mil, they would’ve already picked up a better SS in free agency without giving up players.

I think there’s a good possibility it would add. My original post on hung it on the stipulation that the club thinks Antone could cover a rotation spot and guys like Ramirez or Bedrosian could cover the pen in his place. It could well end up being a wash between Lorenzen and Crawford as a one for one swap...but I’d not do it unless the previously mentioned guys could cover for him on the pitching side. I think they could. The hole at SS is huge. Like a negative huge. Getting a player who likely is a sure fire positive there could be a large move.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I would, at this point, cash in the helium on Antone. See if the Indians would budge on an Antone for Gimenez deal. Perhaps the Rays are okay with a one-for-one swap for Adames. Maybe a metrics-obsessed Boston might consider Antone as the primary return for Bogaerts (along with, say, Garcia?)

Antone is a good pitcher. He's cheap and effective. His peripherals look awesome. But that SS hole isn't going away.

[RedTeamGo!]

Nah.

Figure out a different way to get a SS. It really shouldn’t be that difficult to find a one year stop gap.

[MoneyInTheBank]

I would, at this point, cash in the helium on Antone. See if the Indians would budge on an Antone for Gimenez deal. Perhaps the Rays are okay with a one-for-one swap for Adames. Maybe a metrics-obsessed Boston might consider Antone as the primary return for Bogaerts (along with, say, Garcia?)

Antone is a good pitcher. He's cheap and effective. His peripherals look awesome. But that SS hole isn't going away.

This is a good thought. I think what gets lost in the SS discussion is Garcia is just about it in the pipeline and he isn't just some "can't miss" prospect that just needs a little more seasoning

[mth123]

This is a good thought. I think what gets lost in the SS discussion is Garcia is just about it in the pipeline and he isn't just some "can't miss" prospect that just needs a little more seasoning

I agree wasting a season and putting all their faith in Garcia seems a plan that's bad for this year and maybe worse long term. I'd be after a SS of the near future and worry about a surplus when it actually develops. An established big leaguer with some years of control remaining is what I'd be after. Adames is my first choice for that. I'd hate to deal Antone, but for Adames, he'd be a good piece. It would probably require a secondary arm as well. Maybe Santillan or Hendrix.

[Ron Madden]

David Bell said he hasn’t made a decision yet about whether Antone will be a starter or a reliever in 2021, or what Antone’s spring will look like following his recovery.

“We’re trying to get him to a point where he could be able to help us as a starter or a reliever, and try to keep the options open,” Bell said.

Charlie Goldsmith Cincinnati Enquirer

[Ron Madden]

Charlie Goldsmith
@CharlieG__
David Bell says Tejay Antone is still day-to-day with no date set for him to pitch next.
He’s hopeful he’ll throw a bullpen session this weekend.

Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson says he isn’t surprised by Tejay Antone’s leap forward: "Nothing has really changed in my mind, he’s one of our best pitchers."

[BillDoran]

Love that our ace pitching coach has been consistently talking up Antone, and the manager is like, "WWeellll, I don't know, you guys."

[Bourgeois Zee]

Love that our ace pitching coach has been consistently talking up Antone, and the manager is like, "WWeellll, I don't know, you guys."

I choose to look at it like Bell isn't wanting to show his hand this early in Spring Training.

(I choose to believe that because it sounds more managerial than incompetent.)

[Ron Madden]

Reds pitcher Tejay Antone has dealt with two nagging-type injuries in camp this year, but the hope is that neither will prevent him from beginning the season on time.

The Reds had Antone come to camp to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. But manager David Bell and pitching coach Derek Johnson felt Antone might be more effective this season in a bullpen role. Because the injuries have prevented him from building up his innings, opening 2021 as a reliever appears likely.

“It doesn’t seem like I’ll be in the starting role to start off, but that’s still a goal of mine,” Antone said. “Regardless, I want to be on the team for Opening Day and be ready to help this team in any way possible.”

Mark Sheldon reds.com

[Mitri]

Antone's injuries have been a bit of a bummer, I liked his mentality fighting for a rotation spot. But I feel a whole lot better about the bullpen knowing Tejay will be there.