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Hal: Reds’ Jocketty gets good grades for winter term

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By Hal McCoy, Contributing Writer 7:46 PM Saturday, January 21, 2012

Fortunately for Cincinnati Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty, it hasn’t snowed much this winter. He wouldn’t have had time to shovel out.

To say he has been a busy man this winter is to say it snows a lot in Buffalo this time of year.

After the 2010 season, after the Reds won the National League Central, Jocketty did little outside his own little world to improve the 2011 edition of the club.

Inactivity paid zero dividends and the Reds never were much of a factor in 2011, finishing behind Milwaukee and St. Louis, retreating to that weary old habit of finishing under .500.

Actually, Jocketty hadn’t done much outside the box since he acquired third baseman Scott Rolen on July 31, 2009, a trade that improved the Reds twofold — acquiring Rolen and jettisoning third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, whose E’s stood for enigma and errors.

Jocketty has removed the “in” from inactivity this winter.

So far, in order, he has acquired starting pitcher Mat Latos, relief pitcher Sean Marshall, closer Ryan Madson and left fielder Ryan Ludwick — thus covering the major needs he and his staff identified after last season.

For sure, Jocketty gets an “A” for activity.

So how did he do? Let’s rate the moves.

1 The best move was signing Madson to a one-year $8.5 million deal, with a mutual option. The deal might have been better if a multiyear deal could have been made, but Madson probably wants to check out free agency again next year after he fumbled a $44 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia Phillies.

It will behoove Madson to have a big year so those big offers roll in. And Reds fans no longer will have to endure the heart-palpitating appearances of former closer Francisco Cordero.

Madson, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound right-hander, seems to fit Great American Ball Park like a perfectly tailored suit. He is 10-4 over his past two seasons with the Phillies, posting ERAs of 2.37 and 2.55. He has given up only six home runs the last two years and walked only 29 while striking out 126.

Give Jocketty an A-minus on this one, with the minus coming only because of the one-year deal.

2 Trading for Sean Marshall was a move necessitated by an inconsistent bullpen. The Reds had to give up left-handed starter Travis Wood to complete this deal with the Chicago Cubs, but the Reds do seem to have a surplus in starting pitchers. But isn’t that what everybody thought last year, too?

The left-handed Marshall was an awesome setup guy for the Cubs, and while he is death to left-handers, he also is poison to right-handers. And he has some closing experience in case Madson needs comfort and aid.

At 6-7 and 220 pounds, Marshall is a Clydesdale with his work ethic. He appeared in 80 games in 2010 and 78 last year, posting ERAs of 2.65 and 2.26. Give Jocketty a B-plus on this one. It would have been an “A” had he not had to give up a top starting pitcher prospect.

3 What Mat Latos will the Reds get? Will it be the 2010 Latos, who was 14-10 with a 2.92 ERA, or will it be the 2011 Latos, who was 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA? He pitched in expansive Petco Park. How will he do in Great American Small Park?

Jocketty is given much credit for signing a young player who remains under the Reds’ control for three more years. But why would San Diego let go of a player supposedly with a huge upside when they had him under control, too?

Surely Latos was acquired as more than a replacement for Jonny Gomes and his body art. Like Gomes, Latos is covered in tattoos, but nobody will care if he doesn’t get tattooed on the mound.

Jocketty gets a C-plus on this one because of the uncertainty of last year and the fact that he gave up four players to get him, including three No. 1 draft picks (Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and sandwich pick pitcher Brad Boxberger).

4 Although the Reds haven’t announced it yet, free agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick is coming to the club as a potential left fielder. To Jocketty’s credit, he could have acquired Ludwick early last season from the Padres, but they wanted outfielder Chris Heisey. Jocketty said no, and he was able to sign Ludwick on the relative cheap without giving up players. Hasn’t Jocketty given up enough already?

Ludwick started the season with San Diego and finished with Pittsburgh, hitting .238 in 101 games with the Padres and .232 in 38 games with the Pirates. He started his career with Texas, moved on to Cleveland and had his best of times in St. Louis. His one big year was 2008 when he hit 37 homers and drove in 113. But he has never hit more than 22 in any other season.

Give Jocketty a C-minus on this one because he probably could have done better, and Ludwick may not be better than Heisey. Ludwick struck out 124 times and walked 51 times in 553 at-bats last year.

Jocketty did not consider Manny Ramirez for left field, and for that we give him an A-plus, plus, plus.

“Ask Hal” will return to the DDN in February. If you’d like to send a question Hal’s way, email him at halmccoy1@hotmail.com.

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