MLB Trade Rumors wrote a piece yesterday on the Cincinnati Reds looking to pare payroll. The two logical candidates to be moved given their salary and previous availability in trade are Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang. MLBTR theorizes that first baseman Joey Votto could be packaged in a deal to entice a buyer, because the club has Yonder Alonso in the minor leagues.
That got me thinking. Joey Votto, just finishing up his age-25 season, cranked 25 home runs while hitting .322/.414/.567. He’s under automatic club control through 2013. He’s definitely a great, young intriguing option at first. Perhaps Boston would be willing to take on Aaron Harang and his $12.5 million salary for 2010 in order to get Votto.
Harang, 32, is entering his final year of his contract and is coming off a 4.26 ERA in 26 starts. He’s been known as a workhorse, but has stumbled the last two seasons after two straight years of 230+ innings pitched. He’s rather prone to home runs, although that could be a product of Great American Ball Park. His walk rate is rather steady, but his strikeout rate is declining although his fastball velocity is consistent at 90 mph.
I think this is definitely a deal worth exploring. On a one-year deal, is Harang worth it to get Votto? How is he not?
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I don't know much about Votto other than the positive hype from a couple of years ago. I think it is definitely worth exploring and might be a more realistic trade than A-Gon.
Possibly more realistic than A-Gon but probably just as expensive, prospect-wise. You're taking back salary, but you're also getting a really great young hitter who's under control for two more years compared to A-Gon.
In other possible trade news, Edwin Jackson of the Tigers might be available.
http://www.blessyouboys.com/2009/11/10/1125396/is...
This is why you don't take MLBTR's trade chips seriously when they don't have a source for them. The Reds have no interest in trading Votto and even a later post said that.
Asked about trading Joey Votto, Jocketty replied, "Oh God, no."
Yep, just fodder for discussion.
It will be interesting to see how many teams join the Reds and the Marlins in cutting payroll.
Dodgers?, Jays?, Tigers?, …
I'm in on Votto with Harang. It makes us deeper.
We'll never get Votto, but Alonso is a definite possibility. His defense is awful, and he's blocked by Votto, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him traded for some pitching. He should be up in the majors by 2011, and starting by 2012.
Votto is an exciting pipe dream. Anything that gets posted on MLBTR that isn't directly verified should be considered wild speculation.
I think the real question is , do we really want to make any blockbuster trades this offseason? I understand the desire to win win win right NOW, but I really like our farm system, we've got a lot of great prospects just a year or two away, and we're looking at our core of young, homegrown talent in the majors under team control for a while. You've got a couple of potential impact outfielders, a first baseman rated in the top twenty of baseball america's prospects as recently as last offseason, casey keley and tazawa, and a young cuban shortstop who, according to multiple scouts, has the defensive skills to play shortstop in the majors TODAY. I understand it's difficult to watch the team not progress immediately by leaps and bounds, but with a strong free agent class coming next year, I feel like we should hang on to our chips and see what we can make.
Hey Timbo. What strong free agent class in 2011? Joe Mauer, Josh Beckett, and Roy Halladay are the only impact players on the list. Seems like most of them are either going to be extended, traded, or have their options picked up before they get to free agency. Just looked at the list and there dosn't seem to be anyone of impact at any position. Meantime the contracts Theo wisely extended last year are a year closer to expiring. Trade chips for the proven talent at areas of need. Gather players needed for now and extend contracts to give yourself time to restock the farm. I love watching the best Boston Red Sox team that can be assembled play at Fenway each year. Seeing promising prospects help the Pawsox at McCoy, or in Salem, or Greenville, or Portland, or Lowell, isn't my passion. Not saying trade the farm for the sake of making a splash. But if there's a chance to make a serious improvement by aquiring a proven impact player now, do it.
Granted, there isn't much offense available next year. But a class with Mauer, Beckett, Halladay, Lee, Webb, Blanton and Bonderman is a pretty damn good free agent class in my book.
Of course we want to win now; but it must be kept in mind that with the team we field, even making no major acquisitions, we have a very good chance to win. As Epstein constantly says, the most important goal is winning 95 games and getting into the playoffs. After that, a high degree of randomness is an enormous equalizer. For every mlb team not named the New York Yankees, winning a world series every single year is not realistic, and that's okay.
I understand that the sox have a number of weaknesses that need to be addressed, but the brass are right to have some trepidation before making big trades: few players are worth mortgaging the future just to marginally improve right now.