After Aroldis Chapman's strong debut for Triple-A Louisville, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer was asked (via Twitter) if a repeat of that could force the Reds to trade Aaron Harang. Fay, of course, said it was too early for GM Walt Jocketty to take such action. However, the Reds could look to move the veteran pitcher if Chapman makes his way to the big leagues and impresses there as well.
The 31-year-old Harang is set to earn $12.5MM this season with a club option of $12.75MM for 2011 that can be bought out for a modest $2MM. In 2009, he posted a 4.21 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 – numbers that are consistent with his career average. The xFIP metric was even kinder to the righty, as he notched a 3.96 – a marked improvement over his 4.39 the year prior.
If the Reds find themselves in a position where they can move Harang, what teams could you see inquiring on him?
For his sake, a team with a big ball park. He has had 2 good outings so far but in the Great American Small Park he just gives up too many HRs.
Seattle Mariners.
I think the Mariners would work well but do they have the pieces after trading for Lee and League?
Would it really cost that much? It seems like Harang’s mediocrity and big contract would minimize his value.
Mets and Dodgers seems like the likely candidates, though I’d be surprised if the Mets were still in the playoff hunt. Perhaps Yankees if injuries or severe ineffectiveness strike. Deep sleeper option could be Detroit.
if they trade for him early in the season we could have a shot at contending for de Wildcar a longshot but still a shot
wild card***
The Dodgers, if they have no payroll restrictions…they need another starter, they have a ballpark he can benefit from, and they typically make mid-season pitching acquisitions.
definitely the mets.
I’ll second the Mariners as a possible suitor, though the Lee/Bedard situations will likely be a factor going forward.
I wouldn’t mind see him with the D-backs either, although I don’t know if their financial situation will facilitate it.
Jays if they are in it, could use an innings eater and have money.
Aaron Harang to Seatle for Mario Martinez in June seems fair. I’d take my chances on a Hernandez, Lee, Bedard, Harang, Rowland-Smith/Snell rotation for four months being enough to give them an edge in the west.
Dodgers. Every time I hear rumors of a Harang trade the Dodgers are always one of the teams. So I can see them getting him.
Dodgers would be a good place for Harang, and there must be someone in their organization that likes him, because you’re right he does turn up in a lot of Dodger rumors.
I could see a bunch of teams in the AL Central being possibilities, particularly the Tigers if anyone of their gambles doesn’t work.
A bunch of teams? Like who? The tigers are the only ones who would trade for him. White Sox have the best rotation in the Central and have no holes, clevland has a lot of you pitching plus has to worry about trading westbrook at the deadline, kansas city has an innings eater already being paid a lot of money in gil meche and the twins have a full rotaion with three back-up options already in perkins, swarzeck and dunseng who could move from long relief into a starters spot. If the twins trade for a pitcher it will be more of an ace type pitcher like Oswalt with the major league ready pitching we have, tons of outfield talent in the minors and dont forget about wilson ramos which MLB trade rumors likes to say is a blocked prospect who will probably be traded
When will this “Sox best rotation” nonsense end? Peavy looked terrible yesterday and there’s significant question if he’s going to pitch like the did a few years ago. Danks has some good stuff but needs to continue to progress. Same story with Floyd.
The Twins just went into Chicago and outpitched them. Granted, it’s early, but it certainly casts doubt on this “Sox best rotation” mantra we keep hearing. Until they PROVE it on the field, their rotation is a paper tiger.
good lord its the first week….peavy is still adjusting to a new league and if by yesterday you mean against the blue jays. he never faced them before so he didnt know how to approach them fully. plus there are mumblings that he might have a very slight injury in his hand right now. but his fast ball is back to form and so is his slider its his other pitches that are coming along. Mark Buehrle is fantastic right now, one of his better first weeks in a long time Johny Danks and Gavin Floyd both had great outings but the offense was not there to support them and freddy freaking garcia had a great game with one bad mistake tat cost him the game. the bullpen has surprised everyone and has been lights out, even scott linebrink(ask any sox fans he is the scariest guy out of the pen) came into the game last week bases loaded no outs and got out of it. The Pitching staff is doing exactly what a pitching staff is supposed to do and keep us in the game even with peavys 7 runs last night we were still in the game. the pitching staff will be fine…and how bout them twins, how long will jon rauch keep it going? when will the pitching staff slip back to mediocrity?…Danks and floyd ask anyone, espn or non espn almost every analyst will say that those two are front of the line tallent who get better every year.
I am a twins fan and hate the white sox but they have two aces on their team and garcia has finally found a way to adjust to ageing and denks and floyd are really good.
White Sox- Better Rotation
Twins- Better Team and better bullpen even without Nathan
I am a twins fan and hate the white sox but they have two aces on their team and garcia has finally found a way to adjust to ageing and denks and floyd are really good.
White Sox- Better Rotation
Twins- Better Team and better bullpen even without Nathan
No way he keeps his ERA under 5 in the AL, would you pay him say half of 12.5M plus a prospect for that?
I think he could manage an ERA in the 4.00-4.50 range with a decent defense around him in a neutral or pitcher friendly park. If he landed with Seattle, he could pitch in 3.20-3.80 range easily. If Jarrod Washburn can manage a 2.64 ERA in Seattle, Harang could definately keep it below 4.00.
Agreed. Outside of 08, he posted good FIP numbers. He, like every other pitcher, would benefit in Seattle.
In Seattle, he would be a very strong middle of the rotation kind of candidate.
good middle of the order guy but is being paid like a top of the rotaion guy. If traded the reds will have to eat atleast 10 mill if they want any sort of decent prospect in return
good middle of the order guy but is being paid like a top of the rotaion guy. If traded the reds will have to eat atleast 10 mill if they want any sort of decent prospect in return
NL only for sure… Nats maybe?
Mets would make the most sense.
A 2nd decent starter catapults them to wild-card contender status.
Without that, they are fighting for 2nd or 3rd place in the NL East.
I agree the Mets make the most sense. Move Maine to the pen or to the minors to “work” on things if he has options. Johan, Harang, Niese, Pelfrey, Perez looks better.
I deal either Harang or Cueto. Harang has pitched far better then his record, but people only see the loses and think he’s horrible. Cueto is a 5 inning pitcher that doesn’t seem to be progressing but has the upside to get a elite SS prospect. The Reds need a SS or C they have organizational depth at every other position.
Woah dealing Cueto is a little crazy. The kid just turned 24 and still has tons of potental.
they need a SS and his name was gordon beckham, biggest mistake by their GM was not drafting him and signing chapman was to make up for it
Beckham’s glove doesn’t stick at SS. He’s a 2B/3B The Reds have plenty of 2B’s and 3B’s. However I would have taken Beckham over Alonso. The Reds wouldn’t have gotten their SS, but they would have had their 3B and wouldn’t have traded for Rolen.
could we please stop the Gordon Beckham is a SS thing? Beckham pasted a -2.0 UZR at 3B last year. Think that number would be prettier at a more difficult position? Reds are very strong at SS throughout the minor league system, they just need some time to let those prospects develop.
The Chapman signing has more to do with the hiring of Bryan Price as their pitching coach than it does drafting Alonso over Beckham. You don’t invest $30MM in a young pitcher as a PR move or because you feel bad about your last draft. Insane
thank you
thank you
didnt cueto skip AAA and goto the majors, i think another year of work and he is top of the rotaion type material.
Think of the reds rotaion with Volquez, Cueto and Chapman all on the same rotaion, all with Ace potential. You could have one of the best 1-2-3 punches ever.
Do you remember the Johan Santana, Fransisco Lirano 1-2 punch of 06, these three even if only two of them turn out good have a shot of being way better than that
didnt cueto skip AAA and goto the majors, i think another year of work and he is top of the rotaion type material.
Think of the reds rotaion with Volquez, Cueto and Chapman all on the same rotaion, all with Ace potential. You could have one of the best 1-2-3 punches ever.
Do you remember the Johan Santana, Fransisco Lirano 1-2 punch of 06, these three even if only two of them turn out good have a shot of being way better than that
I don’t think its to outrageous to consider dealing Cueto. Even without him the Reds will have a very good rotation. Bailey, Leake, Wood, Chapman, Volquez, or one of Arroyo/Harang.
Cueto has control issues that limit him to five or six innings a start. Which limits his value as a starting pitcher. He is a cost controllable arm and one that still projects as a quality starter so he has tremendous value, far more then either Harang or Arroyo or a inexperienced Travis Wood.
They’ll likely have to eat money to move Harang to get anything useful back. If Arroyo doesn’t do his normal first half implosion they could likely move him instead.
If Cueto remains a five inning arm then I feel the Reds should move him, by this time next year he could easily be the Reds number 5 starter or worse be pitching out of the bullpen.
The Reds have five guys a great group of young pitchers, under 26, all of whome can be very good starters in Bailey (23), Cueto (24), Leake (22), Wood (23), Volquez (26), and Chapman (22).
The Reds have 8 starters for five spots next year if the Reds pick up options on Harang and Arroyo. At least two of these guys will be traded.
We know it won’t be Chapman. We know it won’t be Leake. It probably won’t be Volquez given his injury. It probably won’t be Wood given his value. I believe the way Arroyo has pitched and his ability to get 200 IP, his option will be exercised to give you a known quantity in the mix with all the youngsters.
Cueto, Bailey and Harang are all guys that will probably be shopped.
Harang is the most likely to get traded this season. I think Cueto and Bailey are traded in the winter.
The Reds aren’t going to bring in Chapman, Wood, or anyone else, barring injury, before the deadline. These guys might not even get the call when you consider Volquez could be back by mid July.
All this said the Padres, Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, and Diamondbacks make sense.
Certainly injury could throw the whole issue of having too many pitchers out of whack.
It’s also possible that one of the pitchers is moved to an 8th/9th inning/future closer type role. If Volquez returns this season, I’d prefer that he spend his time this year in the bullpen.
No way Bailey is shopped or traded. At 23 the kid has incredible stuff and has made a lot of improvement just from the end of last year.
He has to learn to control his emotions then he can really start to shine.
An excellent illustration of how Harang has been misused/abused by the current Reds’ skipper. If the past is prologue, they should get rid of him before May ….
(meant at a reply to what1233456 )
Harang has gotten off to a good start each of the past two years. He’s received terrible run support.
If they do trade him, I hope it’s not a straight out salary dump. If so, the acquiring team is getting a really good deal, IMO.
The other thing is that if Harang’s doing weel with numbers are good enough to trade (like he posted from 2006-07 and the first third of 2008 and 2009), then the team is probably in a winning position and unlikely are sellers at the deadline. Though they could move Harang and still be “buyers”, I don’t see current ownership making that sort of move in July.
Of course its too soon to consider something like this, Harang could turn out to be the top of the rotation starter for the Reds this season and a key reason they contend all year. If a team like the Braves, Red Sox, Angels etc that is expected to contend loses a front line starter for the season or extended period they might get desperate and make an offer the Reds can’t refuse but aside from that scenario I think he stays a Red all year.
Of course its too soon to consider something like this, Harang could turn out to be the top of the rotation starter for the Reds this season and a key reason they contend all year. If a team like the Braves, Red Sox, Angels etc that is expected to contend loses a front line starter for the season or extended period they might get desperate and make an offer the Reds can’t refuse but aside from that scenario I think he stays a Red all year.
The Reds are not trading Harang unless the other team is willing to pick up all his salary. The Reds are not motivated to move him. They’ll let him walk at the end of the season anyways. The Reds will have Chapman, Leake, Wood, Cueto and Bailey. Arroyo will be gone after this season too. Both those salaries will be off the books for the Reds to give rich extensions to players like Votto, Volquez, Cueto, Bailey and Bruce.
If they were gonna let him walk and somebody was willing to take on some of his salary and pick up the buy out im pretty sure unless they were at the top of the central at the deadline they would pull the trigger
The Reds are not trading Harang unless the other team is willing to pick up all his salary. The Reds are not motivated to move him. They’ll let him walk at the end of the season anyways. The Reds will have Chapman, Leake, Wood, Cueto and Bailey. Arroyo will be gone after this season too. Both those salaries will be off the books for the Reds to give rich extensions to players like Votto, Volquez, Cueto, Bailey and Bruce.
Let’s expand the traded. Alonso is blocked. What if the Reds traded Alonso along with Harang? What kind of package could they get?
Let’s expand the traded. Alonso is blocked. What if the Reds traded Alonso along with Harang? What kind of package could they get?