NL Central preview: Reds foolishly stand pat
By Beltway Boss
BaseballBigMouth.com baseball news
The Cincinnati Reds had, and still have to a certain degree, a surplus off outfielders. Aaron Harang has developed into a quality starting pitcher for the Reds - a legitimate number one starter. But despite his best efforts, the Reds finished with the second worst runs per game allowed in the National League. Some of this can be attributed to their ballpark, but the question must be asked: With Johan Santana and Erik Bedard both very much on the trading block why did the Reds not trade some of their excess outfielders for one of those two premier pitchers?
The Reds cannot cry poverty. They just had the disastrous Eric Milton contract, worth over eight million a year, come off the books. Adam Dunn is in the final year of his contract and will make $13 million this season. Ken Griffey Jr.’s $16.5 million option for next season almost certainly will not be picked up leaving just a $4 million dollar buyout in its place. The Reds cannot say they did not have the chips needed to make a move. A year after brilliantly snagging center fielder Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft the Reds inexplicably gave him away to the Texas Rangers. Hamilton, troubled by a drug addiction, had played just 15 low Single-A games for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the proceeding five seasons. But he was great for the Reds batting .292/.368/.554 with 19 homeruns and 47 RBI in just 90 games for the Reds. Apparently unimpressed, the Reds shipped him to Arlington.
The Reds are hoping that Edinson Volguez, the pitcher they acquired in the trade, can pitch behind Harang and Bronson Arroyo. There is reason to believe that Volquez can preform well but why, in a wide open NL and in a very weak NL Central, bet the ranch on an unproven target - especially when proven grade-a material was out there in the form of Santana and Bedard? Hamilton was not enough to get the job done? Maybe. But Adam Dunn is in the last year of his contract and is unlikely to remain with the team. Flip him to a third team for a healthy prospect return. Keep some of the prospects for yourself and use the other players to sweeten the deal to land Santana or Bedard. 1B/OF Joey Votto is ready and able to step in for Dunn after posting a .321/.360/.548 line in 84 at-bats at the young age of 23.
Perhaps these moves are too bold to make. But adding Santana or Bedard to the mix would easily make the Reds the favorites to win the NL Central. As Herman Edwards would say: You play to win the game. The Reds must figure that their formidable offense is enough to carry them to the promised land but, final word, they are going about it in the wrong way.
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