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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > July > 25 > Entry
Don’t mess too much, Walt
Best trade the Reds have made in my 36 years: Frank Duffy and Vern Geishert to the San Francisco Giants for George Foster.
I was not yet covering the Reds when they acquired Joe Morgan, Cesar Geronimo, Jack Billingham and Denis Menke from the Houston Astros.
That, of course, is considered one of the best trades ever for the Reds, but acquiring Foster and sticking him in left field put at least the ‘G’ in The Big Red Machine.
AND THIS year’s non-waivers trade deadline (July 31) creeps closer and everybody wants to know who the Reds should trade.
Before we get into that, let me give you manager Dusty Baker’s take.
“I believe in miracles because I’ve lived them,” he said. “What would have happened if at the trade deadline last year the Rockies had traded away a lot of players? Yeah, that was a mirACLE, but it happened. It isn’t something likely to happey often, but it did happen.”
The Rockies, puffing and puttering along at the All-Star break, but won 26 of their last 36, their last 10 in a row, and found themselves in the World Series.
Baker said he gets the feeling owner Bob Castellini isn’t in a tent-folding mode or a toss-in-the cards mood.
“Every time I talk to him he has everything all mapped out, ‘If we do this and this happens and if we do that and that happens,’” said Baker. “I feel the same way. We’re playing real good baseball right now and we have a lot of games within the division coming up. We can either be in the thick of things or be way, way out of it.”
Baker said he is always interested in improving a team, if it can be done without destroying yourself.
“All team seem to be talking about right now is taking high-salaried players for no return,” he said. “I call it cherry-picking. Nobody offers anything of value.”
So, the feeling is, if Baker has his way, there won’t be a major makeover, if there is even minor tweaking.
And I couldn’t agree more.
Off the top, forget about Ken Griffey Jr. He can’t be traded without his permission and he isn’t about to say, “Permission granted.”
And for the legions who want Adam Dunn traded, I’m not in your camp. Griffey won’t be back next year, so do you want to lose both of your lefthanded corner outfielders?
As I’ve said over and over and over and over and over again: “Where are you going to find a guy who hits 40 homers, walks 100 times, scores 100 runs and drives in nearly 100 EVERY year? Nowhere, that’s where - unless the St. Louis Cardinals become delirious and trade Albert Pujols.
Folks blame Dunn for the team not winning while he has been here. His fault? Absolutely not. You build AROUND a player like him. You find some on-base guys, some high-average guys and sprinkle them around him. The Reds are doing that now with Jerry Hairston Jr. and Jeff Keppinger, plus future stars Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.
Dunn most likely is the player Baker is talking about when he says other teams want to cherry-pick, pluck away the high-salaried Dunn and sent nothing back in return. You don’t do that.
Trading pitchers was talked about here yesterday. Don’t do it. Don’t even talk about it. At least the starters. At this point, I wouldn’t trade much out of the bullpen, either. There is talk about David Weathers but he is pitching grandly and he is the veteran steadying influence in the bullpen, stacked with mostly youngsters.
To me, there are only a couple of moves I’d make. I’d trade Edwin Encarnacion, but only for quality young players no more than a year away from the majors. Encarnacion blows hot and cold, both offensively and defensively. They can play Jeff Keppinger at third and Jerry Hairston Jr. at shortstop.
If they could find a catcher, go for it. Catchers are easily found, but good ones are like the Rosetta Stone or the Dead Sea Scrolls. Where do you find them? But don’t sell the farm for one.
It’s time to stick with something. Seven straight years of losing with promises of things to come smells like rotten rutabaga. The nucleus is there. Some minor tweaks? OK. A major overhaul? Hey, it ain’t broken.
We all thought this team would compete coming out of spring training. I thought so. I still believe it is better than it’s record and it has 58 games to prove it.
If it falls completely flat, then GM Walt Jockety can spend his winter doing some heavy construction work. Right now? Just patch a few pot holes.
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Comments
By Shawn
July 28, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
Um, Hal? The Duffy/Foster trade was made May 29, 1971, as part of finding a replacement for injured Bobby Tolan. The Morgan/May trade was made November 29, 1971…six months later, not before. Foster was a regular for much of 1971, but did not get back into the lineup full-time until 1975.By Abner
July 27, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
Ah, the old 40/100/100 cliche. Hal, you speak as if those 40/100/100 have the Reds on the brink of the World Series every year. Well, the Reds have rarely been on the “brink” of a .500 season during his tenure here. Is that Dunns fault? No, but you don’t treat his 40/100/100 as “irreplaceable” unless the rest of the team is ready to utilize those numbers. The Reds are nowhere close. Instead of “replacing” the 40/100/100, you get a good defensive OF who has better speed, Ks 80 fewer times, can move runners, can hit for avg., and can hit with RISP. You “reclaim” the approximate 20 HR, 15 Runs and 30 RBI through increased opportunities for other hitters in the lineup, and the boatload of OPPONENT runs prevented though better defense, better baserunning, and the decreased strain on your pitching staff.By Aaron
July 26, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this
Yea Jim good call… How dare Edwin adjust his swing and go for the fences… I mean he has only 12 hits and 5 home runs in the past 10 games with only 3 Ks. He is clearly the hottest hitter on the team right now, and aside from Dunn the only true power hitter. Pretty sure if we go back and look at Tony Perez’s numbers this early in his career Edwin would be ahead of him in progress.By MAC
July 26, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
A lot of good and valid pts made thus far. Still, I think this team has to find a way to be more consistent @ the plate game in and game out. Maybe that will happen over time as the young guys continue to mature, but where does that leave some of our veteran players…2 years older and a team that is still struggling to reach 500? If in fact we are going to wait on our core youth movement, how benefical is it to keep guys like Weathers ect. around or lose them to FA getting nothing in return? Why not try to find at least ONE more player that can grow and develop w/ them by packaging a FEW or our guys together? MATT and others, did you notice I said a FEW and not ALL or SEVERAL Players?By Y-City Jim
July 26, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this
What player doesn’t blow hot and cold? Some act like it is unique to Reds players. This offense would be drastically different (as in better) with Ross playing everyday and a good bat playing in RF.By Bob
July 26, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
EE isn’t the only one that blows hot and cold offensively and defensively. Dunn and Griffey are the kings of hot and cold. I think the Reds would regret trading EE. He hasn’t been allowed to have one full season yet. Have you checked out the number of errors David Wright has? Are the Mets gonna trade him?By beav
July 26, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
“if harang had his normal year we’d be right in the midle of the race” if my aunt had nuts she’d be my uncleBy Mr. Baseball
July 26, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
Mr. Baseball must take issue with those who are jumping off Kepp’s bandwagon, just because his batting average has “slumped” into the .280s. He is the perfect #2 hitter, but he needs a good #1 hitter in front of him (not Jay Bruce!) to work his magic. You see how he performed when Hairston was batting leadoff. Far and away, he is the Reds’ best contact hitter, only striking out every 25.1 at bats. (By comparison, Dunn strikes out once in every three at bats.)Kepp is the leading everyday defensive shortstop in the National League, having a higher fielding percentage (.990) and making fewer errors (2) than any other shortstop who has played as many games or innings as he has. Put a consistent #1 hitter in front of him and a consistent #3 hitter behind him, and you’ll have a .320 hitter, and someone who will keep rallies moving along. If the Reds are going to “build the team around Adam Dunn,” they need to find more players like Kepp who don’t strike out so much. Don’t tell Mr. Baseball Kepp is not durable, because of his stint on the DL. Kepp was injured by swinging at a pitch 6-8 inches inside by Mark Hendrickson in a May 13 game against the Marlins when he fouled the ball off his knee. Why did he swing at such a bad pitch? Because the same pitch had been called a strike on the previous pitch and now with two strikes, Kepp had to protect the plate. A freak injury that wouldn’t happen if the umpire’s strike zone was as good as Kepp’s. Other than that, Kepp has been golden. Don’t mess with what’s right about the team, let’s work on the parts that need fixing.By ShockMonkey
July 26, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
‘If we do this and this happens and if we do that and that happens,’” said Baker. “I feel the same way. If wishes and buts were candy and nuts, the Reds would be in first place. My gawd! We’re not even close to beating teams like Milwaukee, Chicago or St. Louis so why only tweak things? I hope to heck WJ reshapes this roster. I’m sick of losing so anyone except Bruce and Votto are fair game to go in my book.By Y-City Jim
July 26, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
Gene - Please not Andruw Jones. That guy is washed up bigtime.By Matt
July 26, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Oh no doubt, that has to be one of the worst free agent signings in baseball history, there. Andruw Jones would have been better off staying with the Braves, and the Dodgers would have been better off keeping what they had. It is amazing, spellbinding in fact, how far Andruw Jones’ star has fallen. Wow.By Matt
July 26, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
We’d be S.O.L….By Mike
July 26, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
Why would anyonein their right mind trade 4 Reds for Andruw Jones? His report card for 60 games: NOT very Good!! A robust .168 BA .255 Slugging Avg. 2 Hr & 12 RBI’s 25BB 67 K’s .270 OB% But the Dodgers would probably gift wrap him if you ask!!By navy vet
July 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
THANK GOD,JOE’S NOT IN CHARGE.By Matt
July 26, 2008 11:14 AM | Link to this
Right on GeneW!! You make several good points and I definitely agree with you. This team is not that far away, provided they can fill some holes this offseason. Again, this team needs to fill holes, not create them. All the ones who talk about trading Encarnacion, Dunn, Arroyo, even Votto; who do you replace those guys with? The Reds have an opportunity to build on an average season and to build a winner that will last a long time. All the years that have gone by with mediocre pitching, and now we finally have young, good arms and people are so eager to trade them? Nonsense. And no doubt, GeneW. Had Arroyo and Harang had their typical years this season, this team would be right in the thick of the race. But things are where they are and there’s no changing it. The biggest needs this team has is a long-term solution at SS, and a long-term solution in CF. Adding a workhorse SP and a reliever or two are secondary needs. Another underrated, but big need is to upgrade the bench. They need to find somebody who can come off that bench late in the game and strike fear in the hearts of the opposing team. A game-changer. Valentin is a solid pinch hitter but he is not that aforementioned dangerous hitter. I’m confident that the front office/ownership of this team will make the wise, tough decisions needed to be made by this team for the long haul. The Reds, in my opinion, will avoid the “rebuilding” virus that caught up to Lindner and Bowden the last few years they were running the show here. Speaking of “rebuilding”, the Pirates are at it again. They traded OF Xavier Nady and P Damaso Marte to the Yankees yesterday. Looks like it’s wait till next year yet again for that hapless team. Don’t fall into that trap Jocketty!!By GeneWV
July 26, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this
Hal, You and I are old. We have seen the knee jerk, reflex fix many times in our years, revolving doors for managers, GM’S, veterans for youngsters, youngsters for veterans, win now, build for the future, etc. When you have some key parts in place, as we now do, you just tweak until you get it right, not go crazy and overhaul the whole car. Your blogs the last two days have echoed exactly my thoughts. As I said yesterday, that will not put you in very respectable company with most fans, but I believe you are on the right track. Might add one thing. IF Harang had had just his normal good year, and all else was exactly the same, we would be right in the middle of this race. That, my friend, is not far away. Probability of Harang having a regular year next year-high. Just a thought.By Joe
July 26, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
Trade Votto, Whethers, Keppinger and Majewski to the Dodgers for Andruw Jones. Ask Dunn for arbitration next year, move him to first base, Griffey would likely come back for one more and would help bring Jones back to life. The problem is the reds need an additional right-handed power hitter. The starting pitching and the bullpen are pretty much set.By Jim
July 26, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Yeah, I think it is time for Edwin to go. I think he is one of those players that has altered his swing to try to hit the long ball, and he has to be fair. Those walk off home runs have been great, but the big hits on the whole team have been too infrequent. The only way the Reds are going to get a catcher of any quality is to draft one in the first round, then develop him. That or you are going to have to find one in Latin America.By Matt
July 26, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this
The problem with guaranteeing Hairston and Keppinger a job next year is that they are largely unproven. Yes, they’re both having decent years for the Reds, especially Hairston. But what have those guys done at any other year in their careers? I believe the Reds should find younger, or at least more proven starters for the position of SS and OF. Is Hairston at 32 years old your long-term solution in CF? Is Keppinger your long-term solution at SS? I don’t think so. I’m not trying to take away anything those guys have done, but clearly this team needs a spark at the top of that lineup. A guy like Reyes or Tavarez who gets on base and then causes havoc on the basepaths. Someone mentioned that this team doesn’t usually win unless they hit home runs. The reason for that is that this team was built to be a home run hitting club. No doubt, with the Reds’ home ballpark, they need guys who are going to hit home runs. That being said, they also need guys who can play some small ball, and do simple things like getting a runner over to second and third after they get on base, and getting the runner home from third whether it be through a squeeze bunt, or slapping a ball into the outfield for a single. This team needs that desperately, and I truly believe that is one of the main reasons why they are 50-54 instead of 54-50 or better. I love Jay Bruce, but he is not a leadoff hitter. But with Hairston on the shelf right now, who is better suited to lead off for the Reds? I can’t think of anyone except for possibly Keppinger, but he’s not the answer either.By donb51
July 26, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
“Where are you going to find a guy who hits 40 homers, walks 100 times, scores 100 runs and drives in nearly 100 EVERY year? Well, we traded away a guy who already has 100 RBIS this year and is well on his way to 40 homers too. I guess those extra RBIs are coming from the higher batting average that he has also. Maybe he is NOT proven? Well, Volquez was not proven either when the trade was made. Nevertheless, we need to decide whether Dunn is the “super star” that we build around. Once Mr. J. does that, then make it so. Glad to have you back.By beav
July 26, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
yeah…let’s go into next year planning on hairston at ss and kepp at 3B….they’ve certainly proven they can play every dayBy John
July 26, 2008 7:51 AM | Link to this
Not gonna ditto you here, Hal, but I like what you said about getting high average, high OBP guys to build around Dunn. I just don’t think two journeymen utility players are those guys. Hairston and Kepp have been serviceable but there’s a reason no other team wanted them. And Hairston, like Kepp, probably will come back from injury and not get back to the numbers he put up this year. I agree with the sentiment but these players aren’t the answer.By MAC
July 26, 2008 7:19 AM | Link to this
Well, I think we could split hairs on this all day long. Clearly the team has a number of nice pieces/players. Unfortunately, they just don’t seem to make a complete puzzle if you know what I mean? It looks as if they will stand pat on any moves and hope the guys they have will improve enough to make a difference next year? If that’s the case, then I’d agree they need to work on signing guys like Dunn and Affeldt to ensure they’re around next year.By DALE 78
July 26, 2008 6:00 AM | Link to this
Are the REDS going to sign Dunn at the end of the season or is he just going to walk away . Getting draft choices for him is no sure thing , it isnot like the Nfl where the players are ready next year or are even any good at all . The REDS when it comes to evaluating talent stink for years their farm system was one the worst in baseball.By Jim
July 26, 2008 4:25 AM | Link to this
The only exception I take to your column is the willingness to trade EE and keep Keppinger. EE and Dunn are the only active players with a slugging percentage over .500. Keppinger’s present numbers are more representative of a utility player. Hairston was the sparkplug of the offense. The offense will sufffer until he gets back to 100%By Y-City Jim
July 26, 2008 4:14 AM | Link to this
The spark is simply getting base runners. They don’t necessarily have “to put pressure” on defense. Despite his base stealing prowess, Willy Tavares (42 steals) has scored only 45 runs, which is no where near the leaders. The number one base stealing team in the majors is Tampa Bay but they are 18th in the majors in runs scored. Why? Probably because they are 12 the in majors in OBP. Base stealing is overrated. Maybe the reason it is called “little ball” is because you get little from it. Friday night’s line-up for the Reds features a lead-off hitter with an OBP of .323 (not good) and a #2 hitter with an OBP of .337 (not good either). Not the way to set the table. The two best OBP guys were hitting 5 and 6. We top it off by playing a catcher with an OBP of .295 but at least he was hitting eighth. I hope Walt Jocketty understands the importance of OBP in respect to improving an offense. Dusty Baker obviously doesn’t seeing how he makes out a line-up card.By MAC
July 26, 2008 2:36 AM | Link to this
That’s exactly what a spark is: someone who gets on base consistently and puts pressure on the Def. As I mentioned, Reyes and Traveras did just that for their teams. The Reds need a couple of Craig Biggo’s and I don’t think they’re going to come from w/in no matter how long we wait on our guys to mature and become more consistent? Phillips and Votto appear to be our 3 & 4 hitters of the future; both have power and consistently hit the ball hard. The problem is we can’t get people on in front of them consistently and all too ofter Dunn & EE fail in the cluth hitting behind them.By Aaron
July 26, 2008 2:00 AM | Link to this
Completely disagree with your assessment of EE. He is still VERY young and last year he had the best every day average on the team. This year he has gone on a huge hot streak and is guaranteed to finish with better BA than both Griff and Dunn and many others. Sure he is streaky and clearly a second half player but even in his first half his average was way better than Griff or Dunn. I honestly believe he will once again be the best hitter on this team when the year is complete. Everyone likes Kepp but he is no everyday player right now looking at his baseball card. He has to prove he can post 500_ ABs in a season. EE makes 12M less than Dunn and is the second best power hitter on the team and hits for the highest average (based on last year, and he has a good chance this year too). Everyone whining about catcher, we are talking about a #8 hitter who just needs to manage a game.. that is not the problem. The recipe for success is and always has been a dominant I mean DOMINANT bullpen. No Weathers no Majewski, no Mercker, no ordinary players or ridiculous vets. I am talkin about guys who can simply blow people away and control the game from the 6th inning on. You get me that and I guarantee you a playoff spot.By Y-City Jim
July 26, 2008 1:37 AM | Link to this
Offense’s problem tonight - No patience at the plate - 0 walks, nine base runners - Colorado pitchers threw only 111 pitches - A spark does nothing if there is no one on base.By MAC
July 26, 2008 1:13 AM | Link to this
What Mgt. does w/ this club is a true dilemma. While the potential is clearly in place, tonight was an excellent example of NO SPARK and our all or nothing approach @ the plate which all too often produces nothing. It seems when there are no HRs, there is no chance at winning? Having said that, has anyone else noticed how Dunn and even Griffey of late have tried to cut down on their swings and hit the ball the other way? They don’t have much to show for it, but they are having better ABs and hopefully will soon be rewarded for their efforts. All that being said, where does that leave this club…struggling for 500 until they find a spark IMO that can ignite this Off. and put pressure on the Def the way Reyes does w/ the Mets and Traveras? did for the Rockies tonight. We’ve tried Freel, Patterson, Hooper and Harriston w/ some success, but all seem to fall short for one reason or another. And, there doesn’t appear to be anyone on the minor league teams that fits the role either. So, that leaves the Reds playing a slugging style (which isn’t working) or they make a trade to get what the team NEEDS. Like it or not, it’s going to cost us a quality player(s) (maybe a pitcher) to get a quality player in return IMO. Maybe that guy just isn’t available right now; I don’t know?By Y-City Jim
July 25, 2008 11:34 PM | Link to this
George, give me an example of this 30 HR, plays defense replacement for Dunn. BTW, if you think Dunn’s HR totals are GABP-enhanced look at his Home-Away splits, which are almost dead even in every statistical category. You can’t say that about Josh Hamilton: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6763/splits;_ylt=AmryqHPFwmY.exJh2K3EXQWFCLcFBy Matt
July 25, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
Cook is overrated. This is the first season he has won more than 10 games. Like I said, he’s a good pitcher, but he’s not Cy Young. And Griffey is not, nor has he ever been my “hero” Brarhopper. My head’s no tin the shadow’s Brarhopper. But I see your posts still are not close to being anywhere near intelligent.By Brarhopper
July 25, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
Uh, Cook just happens to be an All Star pitcher with a 13-6 record. Get your head outta the shadows, sonny boy. Oh yeah, and your hero was “right in the middle of everything” again with a useless single. But you are correct in that this team is going nowhere fast. Then again, most of us have known that all along. The Reds: One step forward, two steps back.By Matt
July 25, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this
I’ll tell you what as soon as you start singing this team’s praises, they let you down again. Horrendous, unacceptable start tonight by Volquez. Completely unacceptable. This team is coming in on a 2 game winning streak, attempting to get back to .500 at 50-53, and what does your ace of the staff do? Go out and give up 5 runs of course. And throw about 100 pitches over 4 innings. Ridiculous. Of course that’s what we’ve seen around here the past 8 years. 1 step forward and 3 steps back. With all due respect to Aaron Cook, it’s not like the Reds were facing Nolan Ryan out there tonight. 1 run and 4 or 5 hits off of Cook? I’m not trying to trash the Reds or anything like that but I had to get a few things off my chest. This game tonight shows why the Reds are where they are, and why they won’t do anything this season, except maybe a .500 season. Terrible showing tonight, and this one really frustrated me. Hopefully we can win the last two games of the series and go 6-4 on the homestand is all I can say. Go Reds!By Beard
July 25, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
Well the Yankee trade for Nady/Marte basically nixed any possibility of the rumor regarding Dunn to the Yankees that Jayson Starks mentioned. Also the deal Bowden made trading Raush to the D-backs might have devauled the middle reliever market quite a bit too as the prospect he got in return is said by some not even to be a real candidate for an everyday secondbaseman.By George
July 25, 2008 7:29 PM | Link to this
Hal- Ya can’t favor players simply because they are nice guys in the clubhouse. You loved Aaron Boone, but he was a 20-25 HR guy with a 40 HR plate approach. Not a good combo. Griffey is not a loss — Bruce is here and here to stay. The Reds can replace Dunn and have money left over if they get a 30 HR guy who plays defense — by the way, that guy will hit 40 HRs at GABP. Not only that, but Dunn has been shown to fold when it counts — see the month of August when the Reds made a run at the division in ‘06. Not the guy I’d build a team around. What should be kept is the pitching. And don’t worry, the new guys will give you quotes too.By Bob
July 25, 2008 7:08 PM | Link to this
Hal, Had you been the GM of the Reds after the ‘71 season, the Big Red Machine would never have existed. That’s because you would not have pulled the trigger on the Morgan trade. After all, how could you deal Lee May, the Reds’ best power hitter with those 39 homers and 98 RBIs? Yes, the Reds also had Bench and Perez, but May was the “Big Bopper” in the offense. Howsam had the courage to make the deal and mold the team the way he saw fit. The point is, what type of offense does Jocketty want? If power’s the main component, then keep Dunn. If it’s something else, trade him. Let’s see if Dunn fits into Jocketty’s plan. As a fan, I have one problem with the Reds deciding to build around Dunn — it sends a signal to me that management wants me to believe the Reds can win with seriously-flawed ballplayers. We all know Dunn’s flaws. To make him the centerpiece of a rebuilding effort just doesn’t cut it.By Beard
July 25, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
So if the Reds don’t trade Dunn then they have to sign him to a 3 or 4 year contract right? I mean letting him become a free agent and then taking two draft choices just doesn’t seem like it is enough. Jason Stark from ESPN.com is reporting that there may be interest from the Yankees but that the Reds are asking for a front line prospect and a mid level prospect. The Yankees appear to think that is a bit much. I say you either have to extend him now before he gets to free agency and the open market determines his value or you need to trade him and get more than 2 draft choices. (link to the Stark column: http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=mlbtradedeadline&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fname%3dmlbtradedeadlineBy Ron
July 25, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
This blog said nothing about Arroyo. I remember a couple of years ago when David Ross and Ryan Freel had career years. They were never worth as much as they were then and we never dealt either. Would we have missed either one since then? I think not! That is how I feel about Arroyo. Trade him while his value is the highest. If we don’t, we will ask why we didn’t next year when he is again a .500 or less pitcher crooning about Boston.By bigdoc
July 25, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this
I’d trade Kepp rather than EE—EE has a bigger upside both at the plate and on defense—and he’s younger. I don’t think Kepp is an everyday third basman. Other than that, I agree with Hal. It would cost $20M/year at least—to replace Dunn’s numbers—see Matsui, Hideki; Abreu, Bobby; Dye, Jemaine.By Marc
July 25, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this
Well said Hal. this team should be compared to the Tigers from a couple of years ago. let the young guys take there lumps this year and next year without Jr. batting third and making an out every time they will be much better. No use in trading Bronson we need all the pitching we can get.By Mike
July 25, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
Well said Hal, you seem to have every conceivable logical angle covered. However, the clock ticking and Mr. J is evaluating as we blog along this afternoon before game time. One thing to consider here….expect the unexpected!