Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Cincinnati could move one of their young shortstops (Zack Cozart or Didi Gregorius) if such a deal could bring the Reds a closer or a leadoff-hitting outfielder.
“It depends if we get back what we need,” Jocketty said. “If we don’t, then I won’t mind holding onto them.”
Cozart was the Reds' everyday shortstop in 2012, hitting .246/.288/.399 in an even 600 plate appearances and showing above-average glovework (a +9.0 UZR/150) in his first full Major League season. The 27-year-old Cozart was ranked as the 75th-best prospect in the game by Baseball America before the season, though he may have already been replaced by a newer model, as Jocketty considers the 22-year-old Gregorius to be "an everyday player…It’s just a question of when and how we manage it." Gregorius, a native of Amsterdam, has a .699 OPS in five minor league seasons.
If this surplus of controllable young shortstops wasn't enough, the Reds also have stolen base king Billy Hamilton, who Morosi notes was converted to center field last year. While Hamilton would command a much larger return in a trade than Cozart or Gregorius, I'd imagine Hamilton is next to untouchable.
The Reds are known to be looking for a leadoff hitter and an outfielder (preferably a player who can fill both roles), as well as closing depth in case the team moves Aroldis Chapman to the rotation. Morosi suggests the A's as a trade partner since they have both Coco Crisp and several good relievers, and also notes that the Reds could find a leadoff-hitting outfielder from shortstop-needy teams like the Twins or Diamondbacks.
Trade cozart for coco crisp and a prospect
No way Oakland trades for cozart. Cozart is another Pennington.
Just a suggestion they both need a SS and a lead off OF
will venable?
Is there a thought that Venable might be available?
I would send venable to reds in a heartbeat if it would bring back either one of these guys
cozart n mesaraco for span
No chance the Reds trade Mes
Twins need pitching more than a backup/part time catcher. Not a good fit.
would LOVE to get Gregorius, doesn’t even need to be an average hitter to be at least a 2 WAR player, the only question is his bat albeit a fairly big question. If he could be even a below average hitter he could be good
Reds are really in a good spot here.
I wonder if Balfour could fetch him possibly
Rays need a young controllable productive SS, Reds need pitching…Davis + B Prospect for Cozart?
Just out of curiosity I wonder what it would take for the Reds to part with Hamilton
Probably about what it’d take for Texas to trade Profar
Absurd. His ceiling is half as high as Profar’s.
Is he that short ?
His ceiling may not be as high, but the reds have labelled him untouchable. He’s not going anywhere
Won’t happen anytime soon. Why would they? Guy could be Ricky Henderson and he’s working for peanuts
No, the guy could not ever be Ricky Henderson. That is absurd.
I think he meant Vince Coleman
Hamilton has better OB skills then Coleman. However he doesn’t have anything close to Henderson’s power. I suppose he could be a faster version of Juan Pierre with a higher strike out/walk rate and a bit more power.
Don’t forget that Coleman’s numbers were skewed high by those 1,000 Astroturf bouncers…..
I thought Charles Schulz worked for peanuts…..
Don’t trade cozart. Period.
Hi Walt, this is Ruben Amaro, so I have Jon Papelbon here, and…………
DO IT RUBE!!!!!!
Reds could not afford his contract
Cozart and others for Cizek and others from Marlins?
Miami doesnt need Cozart. They already have Reyes.
Cozart really struggled when hitting leadoff. Batting 2nd he hit .324/.378/.490.
He is not really a good option to lead off. I would say a good bat in the bottom half of the batting order and his defense this past season was better than most thought he would be. He is not a bad everyday shortstop. Just not the top option out there. I am not really sold on Didi yet. His minor league numbers are pretty good but until we see him in the majors some and for more than several plate appearances in September Im not sold. Either player I would be good with trading if we get a good Lead off guy. .
c’mon A’s go get one of them!
You don’t think OAK will try to bring Drew back?
I have seen a few articles (one here) that says Boras still thinks Drew can command around10 mil a year. If that is in fact his asking price it is WAY too high. A younger SS that is controllable sounds better to me, but it depends what they would want in return. I dont have a huge problem trading Coco. Not ideal, but we would at least be dealing from a position that we have excess of.
I agree that $10m annually for Drew is an overpay, especially considering his injury history
I wish the Pirates:
A: Weren’t in Cincy’s division (no chance they trade with Pittsburgh)
B: Had the pieces to acquire one of these guys
Hanrahan is an overpay, Grilli is a free agent. No one else really “groomed” to be a closer that’s close to the Bigs.
Tabata and Presley aren’t nearly enough to get it done, even if you pair them with a Brian Morris or Vic Black.
Can’t wait for 125 more games of Clint Barmes
One year of Hammer for five of Cozart is not an overpay. It would be a steal.
My comment was made under the assumption that Cincinnati would reach a new contract with Hanrahan. Cozart had a 79 OPS+ last year; we’re not talking about the next Derek Jeter here.
Yeah but we are not talking about Clint Barmes either. Cozart was plus with the glove and has room to grow towards a league average bat.
You can’t really count an extension as trade value. Those years are available if he hits free agency anyway.
Span seems like a natural fit for the Reds although the Twins would want some pitching back.
Span doesn’t want to come to Cincinnati. He declined a trade to the reds at the deadline. What makes you think he’ll accept a trade to the reds now???
That’s actually not true. The teams never came to agreement.
Yeah because span said he wouldn’t come to cincy. They announced a possible trade was near to conclusion but then the twins talked to span and he said he didn’t want to play in cincy. Then trades broke off and less than 20 minutes later we landed Jonathan Broxton.
Span tweeted right after that report came out and said he did not reject a trade.
Can we all just take a second to appreciate the name “Didi Gregorious”?
James Simmons to reds, cozart to Oakland. The only way I think the a’s should trade for cozart
A 26 y/o minor league reliever who’s not even a closer for a major league starting SS? Um no.
Exactly. No deal
Jocketty will NOT trade Cozart or Gregorius..
The Reds need to trade Dioneer Navaro and Drew Stubbs to the Mets for R.A. Dickey.
Is Navarro even under team control?