With news that the team is contemplating a rare foray into the big-game portion of the offseason’s free agent market, and today’s reports that the club is interested in acquiring Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig, the Reds have moved to the fore of the offseason’s hot stove. As The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans details, it’s a unique position for a team that’s spent the last four years in the cellar of the NL Central. The Reds, to no one’s surprise, are said to be pursuing a center fielder, but quotes from President of Baseball Ops Dick Williams suggest the player need not be of the defense-first variety: “That’s one of the factors in not being comfortable in paying Billy (Hamilton) what we were paying him,” he said. “You could argue we can have room for a little more offense, a little less defense out of our center fielder.” One player said to be in the plans is blue-chip prospect Nick Senzel, a third baseman by trade who apparently offers enough athleticism to handle the position, though the options surely remain numerous at this juncture.
In other news from around the NL . . .
- Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets continue to ruminate internally about whether or not top prospect Andres Gimenez will be able to make the jump to the parent club in 2019, which would allow the team to dangle current shortstop Amed Rosario in a deal to reel in the trade market’s big fish, Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto. Such a scenario would, in all likelihood, necessitate the signing of a stopgap, defense-first shortstop, though 24-year-old Luis Guillorme, a supposed virtuoso with the leather, would seem to fit the bill as well as any. Gimenez, who spent nearly half of last season in Double-A as a 19-year-old, has a scouting report that reads quite similar to the one originally stamped to Rosario: a plus glove, with questions surrounding the bat.
- Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times cites sources who claim the Cubs would like to acquire two “established” but “not high-end” relievers, though such moves might not happen until next month. The Cubs’ pen delivered strong results last season (an NL best 83 ERA-), though much of the success may be ascribed to a combination of luck and sterling defense — the unit’s .277 BABIP, after all, was tied for the second lowest in the league, and its collective 106 xFIP- ranked in the league’s bottom half. Brandon Morrow, arguably the team’s best reliever in his limited action last year, is already scheduled to miss time next season after undergoing elbow surgery in November.
- Per Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts (via the LA Times’ Jorge Castillo on Twitter), righty Kenta Maeda will begin next season in the Dodger rotation. Maeda, 30, was yo-yoed between the bullpen and rotation last year despite mostly excellent (10.62 K/9, 3.30 FIP) results as a starter. His contract, which includes a series of incentive bonuses for each additional 10 IP after reaching the 90-inning plateau for a season, plus $1MM each for making his 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, and 32nd starts of the year, may have been a factor, though the club’ll be hard-pressed to again limit the Japanese hurler if he reprises his dominance from a season ago.
usafcop
I beat xabial to this post….lol….just kidding brother xabial and fellow baseball fanatic….but seriously the Reds are looking to vamp up their offense….not a bad move if they move Senzel to CF….he is athletic and I think he can handle it….they need to get him regular ABs and 3B is set for now….I say try it out and once 3B is open again they can move him back to 3B….I mean a team this bad the past few years can’t really make a wrong move….only way is up for them
NotaGM
I think the reds are a year or 2 behind teams like phillie and ATL. I’m for them getting pieces but not moves that they think will be win now. they are not ready like the white Sox
NotaGM
x, even though people crap on you…you are the Greek God of this forum. in any business you have left that lasting impression. I vote for you tge Trump of MTR.
Dock_Elvis
3B in Cincinnati wont be open for a long time. That’s probably one of the best contracts going they have at that position
usafcop
Test
Danny B.
If the Mets traded Rosario to get Realmuto, I would rather see them sign a SS like Jose Iglesias or Freddy Galvis to a 2 year deal and let Gimenez properly develop.
jim stem
Totally fine with signing Galvis and trading Rosario/Nimmo for Realmuto. There are three catchers worth having. All the rest are just taking up space. .250 average shortstops are everywhere. Galvis’ offense is consistent. Pencil in 13/67 40 walks and plays gold glove defense 162 games a year. Offer him two plus an option, maybe three/30 million because he is only 29. Plenty of outfielders around and we need a right handed. Not opposed to seeing what the Dodgers want for Puig.
aussiegiants53
I picked the Cubbies to get Britton, who else would the be aiming for? Do they want Watson? What they going to give up for him?
mrnatewalter
A reliever who was worth 1.8 wins last year, and has 2/6 remaining? It’ll be a better return than Cubs fans would be comfortable with.
ChiSoxCity
What is the point of adding more “established… but not high end” relievers to a bullpen? I guess the Cubs want to make “the friendly confines” even friendlier for visiting teams.
Sheep8
4 playoff appearances in past 4 years…typical Sox fan bashing on the Cubs for no reason instead of worrying about their team, which might be very good in the future.
ChiSoxCity
First of all, I’m bashing the quote/idea/move, not the team. I have no personal hatred/vendetta towards the Cubs. I wish the same could be said about most Cubs fans, given their nonsensical nastiness towards the White Sox.
Second, this is a forum about all things baseball. If you can’t handle views that are different from your without getting offended or emotional, find something more constructive to do with your time.
JKB 2
Give it a rest. You are a Cub hater and your comment showed your true intentions as usual which is to bash the Cubs. Stop pretending you have no vendetta. Your nonsensical and non stop nastiness towards the Cubs is pathetic.
If you cant handle a Cubs post or the fact the Cubs are so popular without getting offended find something more constructive to do with your time.
mrnatewalter
This is dumb. He made a jovial point about how the Cubs, rightly, need to go after some big named relievers.
There wasn’t a hint of nastiness. Stop being sensitive.
mike127
You did bash the quote, but you had to add the little dig about making the friendly confines friendly for other teams. What isn’t noted in the story is HOW the Cubs are to go about adding these relievers. If via free agency, it won’t be the high end guys—they just don’t do that (although the price of Morrow, Cishek, etc last year seemed a little high). All noted budget constraints aside (you can only believe what you read), they haven’t and probably won’t spend $15M a year on guys like Britton, Kimbrel, etc. With a glut of relievers on the market—there will be plenty of guys that are established probably coming cheaply in the next couple of months.
They know much more about the health of Morrow, Strop, Edwards than we do. Every fan base loves the big name….and the fact remains that Jed and Theo put together a very, very good pen last year until the injuries mounted.
Again, we can only believe what is written and we don’t know a lot. As a Sox fan I am pretty sure there was no hint or story that Ivan Nova was on the radar before the deal happened yesterday. I didn’t read the comments on that one and would be interested in how many Cub fans jumped on that with negative comments.
GMaddux31
I am a Cubs fan who thinks it is a good trade with Nova and am happy we won’t face him as often now that he’s out of the division.
Bryzzo2016
ChiSox, stop yourself. Do you live in the burbs? Joliet? Or further away like Kankakee? Are you a closet Cub fan trying to make Sux fans look silly? It’s well known, well documented the obsession that Sox and their fans have with the Cubs. Your chiming in is a perfect example. Per usual, the irrelevant Sux have NOTHING to do with your post. You’re worried about what the Cubs are doing. The Sux rebuild was delayed years LITERALLY because JR and Kenny were worried about losing even more fans if they blew it up while the Cubs were winning. JR actually said that. That rebuild should have started years ago, instead that clueless, inept front office was self proclaimed “ALL IN” only to finish with a worst record than teams that were actively tanking, lol… true story.
The Cubs have never made decisions based on anything Sox related. The fact is, like most MLB fans and media outlets, Cubs fans could not possibly care less about the Northwest Indiana White Sux. They have been and probably always will be backpage to the Cubs.
The irony, most real Cub fans would much rather see Harper sign with the Sux as opposed to see him sign with an actual competitive rival like the LAD or STL. Actually contending teams that can get in the Cubs way.
thebare54
Nova will win 15 games for the Sox I love everything Chicago except the Black hawks go Blues
Mikel Grady
Theo has to stop with the revolving bullpen . World Series trip and winning it was having Chapman for 2 months and playoffs. Don’t like kimbrel for 6 years but morrow has one year left and can’t trust health. Sign 2 of Britton , Robertson , kimbrel, Allen, Octavio. Quit dumpster diving
mike127
There was not a thing wrong with the bullpen last year until both Strop and Morrow were injured at the same time. The Giants won three World Series in five years with three different closers, none of them the caliber of the names above. All of a sudden the Cubs bullpen is this on fire issue—-why? Because Jesse Chavez signed elsewhere? Fact remains if they could have scored one more run in any of three games at the end of the season, they may have advanced further.
And it when it comes down to big name relievers and big contracts you don’t need to look any further than the last two Cubs big name closers that signed huge deals—Chapman and Wade Davis….how do you think those teams feel about that right now???
wrigleywannabe
Exactly.
Establushed is precidely that, established.
A guy doesn’t have to be a big name to be good.
They aren’t going after Andrew Miller types or a Kimbrel.
thebare54
Jennings and Herrera would put the division in there hands and take away from the Brewers
Palmerpark
Puig – Never saw a cutoff man he liked “They don’t have cutoff men in Cuba” classic line from Pete Rose. Puig is the king Yo – Yo …. don’t know what your getting game to game –
Danny B.
Puig is just one of those players I would never want on my ballclub. He’s a “me” guy. Very selfish & short tempered. Don’t get me wrong, the man is immensely talented, but those talents don’t produce the type of production that would warrant the constant distractions.
thinkblech
Same could be said for Johnny Hustle himself, Manny Machado.
Danny B.
I agree 1000%. I’m one of very few Mets fans that actually hope’s that the Mets DON’T sign him. I would actually take Puig over Machado and that’s saying something.
Aril
Hes short tempered and has strange antics like licking the bat but I dont remember Him being selfish
Palmerpark
Gimenez saw little in Fall league looked tired but talent is there, big leagues right away I say no but maybe toward end of year.
Danny B.
Agreed. Trade Rosario for Realmuto and then sign a stopgap SS like Iglesias or Galvis.
ScottD
Ruminate. excellent word.
shortytallz
Marrow has broken bone marrow but he’ll be better tommorrow.
dugmet
Best scenario for the Mets is to keep Gimenez and Rosario and pair them up the middle for ten years.
thegreatcerealfamine
Cano begs to differ.
agentp
He’s not long for second, he’ll move to a corner infield spot soon enough, second is a young mans position and the M’s used him as a UTIL player upon his return this past season. I love me some Cano and I personally feel he has another 1-3 years at the keystone but Father Time is undefeated, sans Barry Bonds.
RePete
What about Taylor? Seems like he could be a good fit for the Reds in CF.
willymayshayse
Tramell would be a great fit in CF……….
In 2 years, when he’s ready.
Dock_Elvis
I’m not sure….a lot of scouts think Trammell ends up in LF. Either way he has the skills to pay the bills
willymayshayse
Tramell would be a great fit in CF……….
In 2 years, when he’s ready.
therealryan
For all the Puig bashing that goes on here, the man has been an above average player since joining the Dodgers. He has been a 3 WAR player per season and 3.5 WAR/150 games, with a wRC+ of 129 and OPS+ of 127. He’s graded out as an above average RF by both DRS and UZR. He also has never missed the playoffs in his 6 seasons, playing on 6 straight division winning teams and carries a .280/.351/.429/.780 slash in 58 career postseason games. Puig has several prime seasons remaining as he just turned 28 and would be an upgrade in RF for the majority of teams in MLB.
mrnatewalter
He’s also a well-documented clubhouse burden, is a year away from free agency, and isn’t exactly super cheap.
He’s a fine baseball player. There’s no denying it. But how much does his “prima donna” status affect his value? There’s many managers and teams who would rather stay away from that.
mrnatewalter
“He also has never missed the playoffs in his 6 seasons, playing on 6 straight division winning teams”
This is largely irrelevant. His team made the playoffs. Did Puig contribute to that? Of course, but is that really what makes him valuable? If so, you’d have to contend he’s more valuable than guys like Trout or Blake Snell, because his team made the playoffs.
therealryan
No, it doesn’t make him more valuable. His value is in his above average offense and defense. I added that because his biggest negative seems to be of the type that he is a clubhouse cancer and that destroys teams. Well, his teams continue to win with this clubhouse burden playing RF. Looking at Puig objectively and he is a top 10 RF. Once fans start letting their preconceived notions of how you expect a baseball player to act or look and now he is garbage that kills teams which isn’t backed up by any factual evidence.
Telepsychic
He also does charity work and is known to stop and play ball with kids, if he happens to drive by.
DTD
He’s an example of why WAR is kind of overrated. He doesn’t pass the eye test and essentially disappears for large chunks of the season.
therealryan
I disagree wholeheartedly. This is actually why WAR is so valuable. Objectively, his bat has been above average. His glove has also rated above average by both UZR and DRS. Objectively having an above average hitter and defender will lead to an above average WAR, like Puig has. Subjectively, people don’t like him and say things like he doesn’t pass the “eye test” or is a cancer in the clubhouse. They then use their subjective feelings to discredit WAR when all the objective evidence, wRC+, OPS+, DRS, UZR, team success, etc, backs up his above average WAR.
Sid Bream
Puig is a definite at the Reds so he can continue to ‘kiss’ Turner Ward.
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
Adam Ottavino would be a perfect fit for the Cubs. And a inexpensive versatile player like marwin gonzalez both for 2 years. Ottavino 2/22 and marwin 2/16
throwinched10
Where do Urias and Stripling fit for the Dodgers next year?
Realfan
Seriously dont understand why so much Puig bashing!! The kid is all about team he hustles an plays hard an wants nothing more than to win for his fans!! I would be pissed also if I was plattooned in the OF. He is still getting accustomed to playing in the States. He was one of only a few Dodgers that actually produced in the playoffs an he never bashed anyother player or any coaches. Hate to see him go!! My favorite Dodger
wrigleywannabe
He’s not a kid and has been in the states for years
Larry David's Joe Pepitone Jersey
I wasn’t all that impressed with Guillorme during his stint in his majors last season, but he’s young and his playing time was pretty irregular. I’m willing to give him another long look, but I’d be in favor of bringing in some veteran competition for the spring (just not Jose Reyes again, for the love of god).
Danny B.
If the Mets trade Rosario, they will sign either Jose Iglesias or Freddy Galvis.
tommyelf
For Cincy…forget about Puig. Trade Peraza and a minor-league pitcher to the Mariners for Leake. Move Senzel to short. Sign a center-field type off the FA market. Sign one or more FA starters off the free agent market. Work towards playing .500 ball for 2019. Been watching the Reds since 1984…I’ve never seen a poorer FO and GM than what they have now. $.02
weaselpuppy
Trading Peraza for Leake would be a clear sign of dain bramage
theoepsteinhof
Ridiculous to say that Cubs bullpen numbers were considered “lucky” because of “sterling defense “. Isn’t that what good “teams” do?
Nobody plays in a vacuum and when you cite on aspect of a team helping another aspect…that just sounds like you’re reaching to me!
Is Max Scherzer “lucky” to win so much only because he has a great slider?
petrie000
It’s sort of important in the sense that the relievers weren’t that great in an of themselves. It makes the odds if regression quite a bit higher.
Not a sure thing, admittedly, but it is notable if you’re projecting into next season
drm166
Maeda being taken out of the rotation had nothing to do with his contract incentives. It had to do with the 16 runs he allowed over 21 innings in four starts in late July/August. He was moved to the bullpen immediately after that.