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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > November
November 2008
Economy won’t hinder Reds’ payroll
The dismal national and world economy won’t have an immediate impact on the payroll of the 2009 Cincinnati Reds, but it most likely will have an affect on free agency.
Owner Bob Castellini is committed to a payroll in the mid-$80 million range, a slight uptick from last season’s $73 million, says general manager Walt Jocketty.
“We know it is a very tough economy and it will affect revenue for every club,” he said.
While many fans believe the Reds have a lot of wiggle room on their payroll after the trades last season of Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, approximately $30 million what, they don’t realize is that a significant portion of that must go for contractual raises for second baseman Brandon Phillips plus pitchers Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Francisco Cordero.
That alone limits what the Reds can do on the free agent market, but Jocketty also says, “It is not really a good free agent crop this year. There are a couple of top-level guys, then it falls off quite a bit. There are a couple of players we might pursue, but their prices could knock us off.”
The Reds have nine free agents on the market and Jocketty said the club has made offers to a few.
“We’re interested in a handful,” he said. “We’ve talked to (pitcher) Mike Lincoln and (infielder/outfielder) Jerry Hairston Jr. Some of the other have indicated they want to try the free agent market.
One of those is pitcher David Weathers, who Jocketty is interested in bringing back, but late last season Weathers said, “No more hometown discounts. I’m going to see what’s out there.”
In addition to Lincoln, Hairston and Weathers, Reds who field for free agency are pitcher Jeremy Affeldt, catcher Paul Bako, pitcher Josh Fogg, pitcher Kent Mercker, outfielder Corey Patterson and catcher Javier Valentin.
Jocketty said the team is not interested in bringing back either Bako or Patterson and Mercker most likely will retire.
“It look as if the best way for us to go is through trades and from our system,” said Jocketty.
Jocketty is talking with several teams about trades, one of which is Colorado. Names that have surfaced include outfielder/leadoff hitter Will Taveras, catcher Yorvit Torrealba and third baseman Garrett Atkins.
All three fit into needs as the Reds search for a righthanded power hitter (Atkins — .286, 21 homers, 99 RBIs), a catcher (Torrealba — .246 in 70 games, most in a back-up role) and an outfielder/leadoff hitter (Taveras, who led the league with 68 stolen bases, but hit only .251 with a .308 on-base average).
The Rockies are searching for starting pitchers, but are not interested in Homer Bailey.
“We’ll do what we can to improve our team by any means — free agents we can afford, trades or within the system,” said Jocketty.
REDS FREE AGENTS:
Y - Players the Reds are interested in re-signing.
N - Players the Reds are not interested in re-signing.
Y-Jeremy Affeldt, LHP.
N-Paul Bako, C.
N-Josh Fogg, RHP.
Y-Jerry Hairston, Jr., INF-OF.
Y-Mike Lincoln, RHP.
N-Kent Mercker, LHP.
N-Corey Patterson, OF.
N-Javier Valentin, C.
Y-David Weathers, RHP.
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TweetBonifay, Squires, Quirk join Reds staff
The Cincinnati Reds are set to announce, probably late this afternoon, the addition of three top-notch front office people.
General manager Walt Jocketty confirmed this morning to The Dayton Daily News that he has hired Cam Bonifay, Mike Squires and Jamie Quirk.
They are additions and there are no substractions.
Bonifay and Squires will become special assistants to the general manager and Quirk will be a pro scout with additional duties as directed by Jocketty.
“What excites me is that we are, more and more, adding quality pelople to our staff,” said Jocketty.
Bonifay, a former general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was hired by Jocketty in 2006 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Before that Bonifay worked fivle years for the Tampa Bay Rays, “Helping to put together that young team that played in the World Series,” said Jocketty. “He is an excellent baseball person.”
Quirk comes from the Colorado Rockies and Jocketty said, “He played for me when I was in Oakland and I’ve followed his career. He is a good baseball man. He’ll be a pro scout, but we’ll have him at spring training and we’ll also have him doing some field work.”
Squires was a long-time associate with Jocketty during his days with the Cardinals and is highly respected in the industry.
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TweetGold Glover Phillips no longer angry
Brandon Phillips admits that shortstop is his first love and switching to second base was torture and traumatic, but as he said, “I talked to (former infielder) Delino DeShields and he told me, ‘If you can dance, you can play second base.’”
Phillips can dance. And as he said, “I dance with the stars at second base. That’s what I call it, ‘Dancing on the Diamond.‘“The 27-year-old Cincinnati Reds infielder danced his way to a Rawlings Gold Glove this year, emblematic of being the best defensive second baseman in the National League.
Manager Dusty Baker said he was shocked when he talked to Phillips and Phillips couldn’t believe he won the Gold Glove, “And I couldn’t believe he couldn’t believe it.”
Managers and coaches do the voting and Baker said, “Nearly every day a manager or coach comes up to me and asks about Brandon and tells me what a pleasure it is watching that guy.
“Brandon Phillips works hard,” Baker added. “He practices making catches over his head and I’ve never seen a player practice that.”
Phillips should have won the award last year, had better numbers than Arizona’s Orlando Hudson, but Hudson won.
“To tell you the truth, it hurt me last year when I didn’t win,” he said. “I was really pissed. Now that I’ve finally won one — well, it’s great the people are finally recognizing my defense.”
Phillips was a 30/30 offensive player last year (30 homers, 30 stolen bases), but only a 24/23 player this year, losing 27 points off his batting average (.288 to .261).
“To me, winning the Gold Glove is more important and more satisfying than the 30/30,” he said. “Defense is my passion and I take pride in it. I’m all about defense. Defense wins games and this is the best thing to happen to me.”
Phillips said winning the Gold Glove is one of many surprises that have popped up in his career, “But winning this is a blessing. I worked hard to get this award and I’m blessed to finally be recognized.”
Baker said he knows Phillips won’t stop working.
“The first one is the toughest,” he said. “But I see four or five more in his future. A great defensive player can pick up the offense. It prevents offense from the other team when you make a great play and turn a double play.
“His range and his athleticism and his arm are special,” Baker added. “He is so good he could almost be a tumbler.”
Or Dance With the Stars.
Phillips got this year what he deserved last year - and actually he deserved it both years.
The man with the flashy glove and the flashy smile won his first Gold Glove, emblematic of being the defensive second baseman in the National League.
Phillips led all NL second basemen with a fielding percentage of .990 this season, making only seven errros in 706 chances.
And he didn’t do it by making only the routine plays. Phillis roamed far to his left, far to his right and deep into the outfield to make many superlative plays and ghostly throws.
He is the first Reds player to lead the league in fielding percentage at second base in consecutive seasons since Bret Boone did it in three straight years from 1995-97.
In addition he is the first Reds player to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award since Pokey Reese earned the honors in 2000, also as a second baseman.
Phillips received the Bill James Handbook’s Fielding Bible Award as the best defensive second basemen in the Major Leagues. His career-high 78-game errorless streak from April 10 through July 8 was the second-longest by a second baseman in the Major Leagues last season (Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez, 82 games).
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