The latest from The Queen City, courtesy of MLB.com's Mark Sheldon …
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty said the team and second baseman Brandon Phillips have "made progress, but we're not close" in negotiations for a contract extension. The Reds have already exercised Phillips' 2012 option, so he's in the fold for next season, but he has been vocal about wanting a multiyear extension beyond that for a while now. John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer speculated recently that the Reds are probably hoping to extend Phillips, 30, for something like four years and $48MM, while Sheldon points out that the Dan Uggla's five-year, $62MM pact with the Braves last offseason is a recent high-water mark for second basemen.
- As well, there have been "no new developments" between the Reds and free agent closer Francisco Cordero, according to Sheldon. Jocketty did not meet with Cordero's agent during the General Manager Meetings earlier this week in Milwaukee. "If we did not sign Coco, we'd first look outside of the organization," Jocketty said.
Lol for a second I thought this was another red sox post. God they are dominating this board lately.
That’s Hot Stove for ya, large market teams dominate the headlines while the small market teams make the moves on the sidelines that will prove to be effective in October when the Sox, the Yanks and the Halos are sittin’ on the couch.
As far as the closer situation…I wouldn’t give more than 5 mil a year for Coco. Look at the market. There’s more closers than there are jobs right now. Let the market play itself out, then snatch one up in January or February for a song. Go RedLegs.
Walt just “slap him in the face” again.
I love Brandon Phillips. Love his defense, love his hustle, love his interaction with Reds fans. That said, if he wants Dan Uggla money, he should look elsewhere. Reds can’t afford that.
Let’s say the Phillips deal doesn’t get done and he walks after this year, or God forbid gets traded at the deadline if we’re out of the race. Who’s your 2B for 2013? There’s not another natural 2B on the roster right now (maybe Cozart, but he’s got SS locked up) and I don’t think there was one at Louisville last year either, Negron to me is more of a SS than anything. You’ve got Puckett and Rodriguez at Carolina, but Puckett hasn’t figured out AA hitting and Rodriguez won’t be ready for another couple of years at the earliest.
Its called lame cheap free agent off the scrap heap. If Phillips walks. I love the guy too but if he is asking for top of the moon. The reds have no money to do that. Also a high end Phillips deal lowers the chance of any kinda deal with Votto in the future cause the Reds won’t be able to afford it even more.
To extend Phillips would be to lock him up for his decline. No thanks.
Idunno. I’d say BP is good, if not great, for three more years. He seems to take pretty good care of himself. I’d be willing to give him 3/38 with a club option for 13 or 14. Let’s see where he’s at in 3 years. They’re paying him 12 this year, so what’s the big deal? He’s already making Uggla money in 2012. BP is the only 2B not named Robinson Cano I want to see in a Reds uniform.
only problem is Phillips is going to want 10 to 12 each year and maybe a tad more along the terms of the contract. He is a top 3 2b at worse case scenario. I actually consider him probably 2nd best. I just don’t see where the money is going to come from unless they somehow get to raise payroll a bit more. I really wish they would jump payroll up to at least 100 million. these little bumps each year are driving me nuts.
If you build it they will come to the park. Sometimes you have to take a chance as a small market team and go for broke.