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Reds’ trade for Rolen convinces Arroyo of his desire to stay

Pitcher wants 1 more year in Cincy to see if the team can get into the playoffs.

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 2:14 AM Thursday, August 27, 2009

MILWAUKEE — Bronson Arroyo vacillated through July when the Cincinnati Reds were 8-19 and inventing impossible ways to present victories to the opposition: “Do I want to go or do I want to stay?”

Nobody would have blamed him had he crawled on hands and knees through the front office begging, “Trade me, now.”

Then came the watershed event in Arroyo’s mind. General Manager Walt Jocketty traded for veteran third baseman Scott Rolen on July 31.

That was it. Now Arroyo wants to stay and is holding his breath that the Reds don’t trade him to a contender between now and Sept. 1, the date a player must be on a team’s roster to be eligible for postseason play.

Arroyo was asked bluntly, “Would you like to go to a contender?” He answered quickly and bluntly, “No.”

Arroyo says his mantra is, “One more year, one more year. I want one more year here.”

His contract takes him through 2010, then the Reds hold an option.

“If they hadn’t picked up Scott Rolen, then I would have felt they didn’t have much going on, wouldn’t be going in the right direction,” he said. “But they picked him up, and that gave me a boost. ... Let’s see if we can get over the hump with a healthy Jay Bruce and a healthy Joey Votto and Scott Rolen.”

And this came just a few hours after a frustrating night for Arroyo. He held the Brewers to one run and six hits over seven innings and turned a 6-1 lead over to the bullpen. But Jared Burton, Arthur Rhodes and Francisco Cordero blew the five-run lead in the ninth before the Reds won in 13 innings, 8-6.

“Let’s see if we can get into the playoffs, man. We’ve been trying since I got here in 2006, and I would like to give it one more try,” Arroyo said. “The thing is, if you really look at it, I’m the only guy on this team that has taken the ball every time, every turn, and I’ve never been on the disabled list. If you really want to win, you have to have that consistency in your rotation.

“So to me, there is no reason to pick up Scott Rolen if you are going to ditch me,” he said.

Since 2006, Arroyo has started 35, 34 and 34 games — 200 or more innings each year. He is on course to do it again this season.

Today’s game

Who: Reds at Brewers

When: 2:05 p.m.

Radio: WONE-AM (980); WLW-AM (700)

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Hey Steve Ross...Yeah, I miss EE ... about as much as I miss Griffey and A-Gone. And about as much as I'm gonna miss the Toothpick when he gets his @ss fired. I tell ya who I DO miss is Keppinger.

BrarHopper
7:13 PM, 8/28/2009

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Bronson is a great pitcher to have as a 4 or 5 at around 5 million a year...not 10-12 million a year. Of course he wants to be here. He is ripping the reds for millions. Not his fault. Pretty smart, really. The Rolen trade. Its great if Rolen can stay off of the DL. So far, his career history says that will not be the case.

Shane
10:20 AM, 8/28/2009

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The Rolen trade was an excellent one. Our defense has improved immensely, our pitchers will throw less pitches and be more confident. Rolen is a leader, both vocally and by example. They will try to add one more bat this off season and then the Reds will definitely be contenders next year.

Mike
9:43 AM, 8/28/2009

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I've said all along the Reds need to keep Bronson. Like he said, he has not been on the DL. He gives you innings and gets 14 wins a year. He should have gotten wins in the last two games, but the bullpen blew those games.
He can also bunt and hit a little. He has a good attitude and he wants to be in Cincy. If they want to trade someone and lose some salary, get rid of Harang. He just doesn't have it anymore.

W.Va. Reds fan
9:18 AM, 8/28/2009

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That Steven Ross feller is a smart one...Never ceases to amaze me-those people who always want to ridicule age. It's a disease, some think, in this country-especially in, but not limited to, sports. What's up with ridiculing an 'older' sportsman, if he is still producing, as well as,you'd want a younger sportsman to produce???

Wiz
12:42 AM, 8/28/2009

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