Tag: Cincinnati Reds

Brandon Phillips Comments on Trade Rumors, Reds’ Expectations for 2016, More

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips will return for an 11th season with the team despite the fact he was almost traded twice this offseason.

Reds president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty said the 34-year-old Phillips blocked trades to the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the second baseman made no mention of that when asked on Wednesday, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

“If that’s what he said, that’s what he said. I can’t really go off what people say,” Phillips said of Jocketty. “I only know what I really do. I know what the Aces, I’m represented by them, told me. I’m happy to be representing [Cincinnati], I play for the fans and I play for my family.”  

He played well last season, hitting .294 with 12 home runs, 70 RBI and 23 stolen bases after coming in at .266 with eight home runs and 51 RBI in just 121 games in 2014.

Phillips said he is glad to be back with the Reds, per the AP: “The only thing I know is I’m still playing for the Reds. I’m happy to be here. Whatever you all heard, that’s what you all really hear. I can’t really speak on many things.” 

He also said not to believe the hype that the Reds will struggle for a third straight year:

What we can do is go out there and prove people wrong. I don’t believe in the word rebuild and telling the city we’re not going to win. Every major leaguer comes to spring training to try to win and try to get to the World Series. That’s what our mission is to really do, no matter how young and how sorry people think we’re going to really be.

The four-time Gold Glove winner said he is willing to help younger players as much as he can, including 21-year-old Jose Peraza, the former Los Angeles Dodger the team acquired specifically to replace him.

“I’m an open book,” Phillips told the AP. “If you ask me a question, I’m going to tell you how it is. You might not like what I say but I’m a realist. Of course, I’m here to help out as much as I can.”

Phillips is now in his 15th season in the majors, and his production is obviously not going to increase. However, his manager, Bryan Price, said the second-base position is his to lose, per Joe Danneman of Cincinnati’s Fox 19 Now:

Phillips’ price tag is hefty at $27 million total over the next two years. But he does bring with him a veteran presence, and players like Peraza could greatly benefit from his experience. It might make sense to try to trade Phillips in the middle of next season before he becomes a free agent and going to a contending team appeals to him later in his career, but for now it appears he’s ready to help Cincinnati win in 2016. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Devin Mesoraco Injury: Updates on Reds Catcher’s Recovery from Hip Surgery

Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco is working his way back from a hip injury that had him miss 139 games in 2015. 

Continue for updates.


Mesoraco Will Be Limited

Thursday, Feb. 18

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Zach Buchanan, Mesoraco was at the Reds’ spring training on Thursday in Arizona, but he will be limited. Buchanan noted that the 27-year-old said there are “no more hurdles left to climb.”    

Mesoraco isn’t the only Red who is on the recovery trail. Cincinnati is also waiting for the return of starting pitchers Homer Bailey and John Lamb. Per Buchanan, “Mesoraco is the closest to being full-go” out of the three injured players.

Last season was an unfortunate follow-up for Mesoraco, who had a breakout 2014 in which he hit 25 home runs and drove in 80 runs in 114 games on his way to an All-Star selection. 

Entering the 2015 season, he was set to see an even more expanded role. But the hip injury, which he suffered in May, brought everything to a halt.

The injury made him realize that he needs to be cautious this spring training, as he told Buchanan: “We talked last year about catching 130 or 140 games, and I think I caught like six. That was frustrating. But I think at this point, I understand it’s going to be the best for me to take a day here or take a day here, to not progress too fast.”

Reds manager Bryan Price also disclosed to Buchanan that he is hoping Mesoraco will be ready by Opening Day. 

Without Mesoraco‘s presence in the lineup last season, the Reds struggled mightily. Relying mostly on Joey Votto (29 home runs) and Todd Frazier (35 home runs) as its big bats, Cincinnati limped to a 64-98 2015 season. 

The Reds got nothing from the catcher position, as Brayan Pena didn’t hit a single home run and drove in just 18 runs in 108 games behind the plate. Backup Tucker Barnhart didn’t fare much better, as he recorded three home runs and 18 RBI in 81 games. 

With Pena now gone to the St. Louis CardinalsBarnhart will be Cincinnati’s man behind the plate if Mesoraco is not ready to go by the time the regular season rolls around. 

Hopefully for Cincinnati, Mesoraco will be good to go, because without him, the Reds’ power options are few. The team dealt Frazier to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason and would have to rely on Votto and Jay Bruce. 

Playing in a stacked National League Central that includes the perennially contending Cardinals, the up-and-coming Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Reds need a full, healthy team that includes Mesoraco if they want any hope of staying afloat in 2016. 

 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Lou Piniella Hired by Reds as Senior Advisor: Latest Comments, Reaction

Lou Piniella led the Cincinnati Reds to glory in 1990 as the manager during the team’s last World Series championship. The franchise is reportedly bringing him back in 2016, albeit in a different fashion.

The Reds announced the news on Twitter:

John Fay of WCPO.com said the former manager will spend time with the Reds at spring training. Fay also made sure to mention this likely isn’t the next step to a managing job for the 72-year-old baseball legend: “Talked to Lou at Redsfest about this. I would be stunned if this led to him managing.”

While Piniella played in the majors for 18 years (11 of which came for the New York Yankees), he is likely most known for his days as a manager, at least among recent generations of baseball fans.

He only managed the Reds from 1990-92, but the team won at least 90 games in two of those three seasons and captured the World Series crown. Piniella also managed the New York Yankees from 1986-88, the Seattle Mariners from 1993-2002, the Tampa Bay Rays from 2003-05 and the Chicago Cubs from 2007-10.

He was revered for his fiery personality and was never afraid to let an umpire know what he thought about a particular call. Instances of him kicking dirt, throwing bases and tossing his cap during arguments have gone down in baseball lore, and he is still a fan favorite in Cincinnati 24 years after his last season as manager there.

Piniella even drew cheers when he returned to the Queen City as manager of the division-rival Chicago Cubs, and he inked a thank you letter to the Cincinnati fans in 2015 during the team’s celebration of its 1990 crown. Fay passed the entire letter along, including the section that said, “And To the fans…what would a team be without your support, your encouragement, your love. Thank you for all of that and a lot more.”

As a player, Piniella had one at-bat in 1964 for the Baltimore Orioles and then appeared for the Cleveland Indians in 1968, the Kansas City Royals from 1969-73 and the Yankees from 1974-84. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1969 with a .282 batting average, 11 home runs and 68 RBI in 135 games, and he made his lone All-Star Game in 1972 with a .312 batting average.

Piniella also won back-to-back World Series titles with the Bronx Bombers in 1977 and 1978.

While he won’t serve in a managing capacity for the Reds with this latest hire, he has been around the game of professional baseball for more than 50 years. He understands the daily grind from a player’s and coach’s perspective, has reached the mountaintop multiple times and can offer his expertise to various decisions, including player evaluation.

The Reds are likely headed for some lean rebuilding years in the daunting National League Central, with the Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates all coming off postseason appearances. Having someone like Piniella as an advisor for critical decisions should help accelerate that process as the Reds add important pieces to their club.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Billy Hamilton Injury: Updates on Reds Star’s Shoulder Surgery and Recovery

Cincinnati Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton is recovering from a torn labrum he suffered back in September.

Continue for updates.  


Hamilton On Track for Spring Training

Thursday, Jan. 28

Hamilton updated Mark Sheldon of MLB.com on the progress of his right shoulder, which he had surgically repaired during the offseason.

“The rehab is coming along well,” Hamilton said Thursday. “I’m not 100 percent yet, but close to it. We had a schedule to be ready right around spring training. As of right now, we’re on track to make that happen.”

He told Sheldon that he is fully “throwing, hitting [and] lifting weights,” claiming that he’s “not limited or anything” and that his “shoulder feels good.”

“I’m looking forward to getting out to Arizona and doing more stuff. I haven’t been able to do much stuff out on the field because of the weather,” Hamilton said. “It’s a process you don’t want to rush. I could go out there and long toss, but there’s no point in doing it right now. They want to make sure everything is healed.”

The Reds’ leadoff man experienced a down year during his second full season in the major leagues. One of the speediest players in the game, Hamilton batted just .226 in 114 games with a .274 on-base percentage. 

Despite his difficulties getting on base, Hamilton still swiped a career-best 57 bases, a number that would have been much higher had he not run into shoulder issues.

He realizes that too, as he told Sheldon. 

[The results] were nowhere near where I wanted them to be,” Hamilton said. “Baseball is a game where if you set a goal and don’t get it, you have to do something in the offseason to make that goal happen the next year. I feel like this is a new year and I’ll do better.”

For a Reds team that ranked 26th in the majors last season with just 3.95 runs per game, it’ll need a player like Hamilton to find his way on base and help manufacture runs for the team.

Too often in 2015, a big bat like Joey Votto was coming up to the plate with the bases empty. It would be a huge help to the team if Hamilton made some noise ahead of him and was able to wreak some havoc on the basepath.  

 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Pete Rose to Be Inducted into Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame

Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame this summer. 

The Reds announced his selection Tuesday. The event is scheduled to take place June 24-26.

Cincinnati passed along comments from CEO Bob Castellini, as well as Rick Walls, the executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, concerning Rose’s upcoming induction:

Rose later spoke to the media about the honor, joking in regard to the occasion:

Rose also kept the jokes coming when asked what he wanted on his statue, replying,“It sure as hell won’t be me standing at the $2 window at Turfway.”

Rose spent the first 16 seasons of his major league career with the Reds, starting in 1963. After stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos, he returned to Cincinnati in 1984 to serve as a player-manager en route to becoming MLB‘s all-time hit king.

In all, Rose hit .307 with a .379 on-base percentage, 152 home runs and 146 stolen bases across 19 seasons in Cincinnati. Charlie Hustle also racked up more than 1,700 runs scored and 1,000 runs batted in.

Among the accolades he earned while in a Reds uniform were 13 All-Star Game selections, three batting titles, two Gold Gloves and an MVP and Rookie of the Year award. The team also won two championships during the Big Red Machine era.

“This is the baseball capital of the world,” Rose told reporters. “Why it’s so important for the Reds to do well.”

Rose was eventually banned from baseball for betting on the sport. Current MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred upheld that decision in December, citing past evidence and the former superstar’s decision to keep gambling on the game, albeit legally, to this day, as noted by ESPN.com.

“Mr. Rose’s public and private comments, including his initial admission in 2004, provide me with little confidence that he has a mature understanding of his wrongful conduct, that he has accepted full responsibility for it, or that he understands the damage he has caused,” Manfred wrote in a statement.

Despite that, Rose hasn’t shut the door on the Hall of Fame, telling reporters: “I haven’t given up on CooperstownI’m not the type to give up on anything.”

While that decision is a setback in Rose’s efforts to earn a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Reds are letting him take his place among the franchise’s greats. There’s no doubt his performance on the field warranted the selection.

 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Potential Brandon Phillips-Dusty Baker Reunion Would Be Big Benefit for Both

Brandon Phillips might soon be headed to the Washington Nationals. That’s good news for Phillips, good news for manager Dusty Baker and quite possibly good news for the Nats themselves.

The deal isn’t done yet. But on Tuesday, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported the Nationals “are discussing” a trade with the Cincinnati Reds that would send the veteran second baseman to the nation’s capital.

Baker, of course, was Phillips’ skipper for six years with the Reds, and the two were close by all accounts. Now, Baker has a chance to add an ally and trusted lineup cog as he takes the reins of a team in need of a serious course correction.

As for Phillips, a trade to Washington (or anywhere) would get him out of a strained situation in Cincinnati. Phillips is a fan favorite and three-time All-Star, but his relationship with the media and teammates has been rocky.

In 2013, Phillips launched into an expletive-filled tirade against a reporter in Baker’s office. That same year, an unnamed clubhouse source questioned Phillips’ loyalty to the team, per Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News.

“You can’t tell by Brandon’s face whether we won or lost,” the source told McCoy, “but you can tell if he went 0-for-4 or 2-for-4 no matter if we won or lost.”

That raises the legitimate question of whether Phillips would jell with the Nationals. They got a bitter taste of clubhouse acrimony last season, which culminated in the ugly dugout scuffle between closer Jonathan Papelbon and MVP outfielder Bryce Harper.

Do they really need another player with a reputation as a malcontent?

Well, that’s where Baker comes in. Criticize him all you want for his noted aversion to analytics. Chastise him as a “clog-up-the-bases” luddite. And by all means shake your head at the tone-deaf comments he made to reporters about domestic violence in the wake of the Aroldis Chapman incident.

The one thing essentially no one denies about Baker is that he’s an excellent players’ manager. He babysat Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent in San Francisco and handled Sammy Sosa in Chicago. Surely he can juggle the egos in the Nats’ locker room.

Having Phillips in his corner might make that task a little easier. And assuming Phillips isn’t a distraction off the field, he should be an asset on it. 

Yes, he turns 35 in June. But he’s coming off a solid season that saw him play 148 games while posting a .294/.328/.395 slash line with 12 home runs and 70 RBI. And while he may not live up to his four-time Gold Glove pedigree, he was still good for five defensive runs saved in 2015, per FanGraphs

With Ian Desmond likely to walk via free agency, Yunel Escobar traded to the Los Angeles Angels and questions about the readiness of touted prospect Trea Turner, the Nationals need stability in the middle infield.

Phillips doesn’t fill the shortstop void left by Desmond, obviously, but he could provide a veteran ballast if Turner gets the Opening Day nod or allow Danny Espinosa to slide over to short as a placeholder. 

The Nationals, as Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer argued, are in unambiguous win-now mode with Stephen Strasburg hitting free agency next winter and Harper almost surely following him in 2018. Unless Washington is willing to open the vault, both players could leave. 

So the focus needs to be on constructing a winner now and atoning for last season’s epic collapse. It won’t be easy with the defending National League champion New York Mets now positioned as the class of the NL East.

As an added bonus, however, Phillips owns strong career numbers against the Mets, including an .863 OPS. 

Phillips is owed $13 million next season and $14 million in 2017. He also has a full no-trade clause but could ask for an extension or pay increase in return for waiving it, as Rosenthal noted. At the same time, Rosenthal added, “The Nationals should be in a flexible position financially—they recently offered free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward $200 million over an undisclosed number of years.”

Phillips isn’t Heyward, not even close. But with top free-agent options like Ben Zobrist off the board, he looks like a fit at second for the Nats. He’s definitely a fit with Baker.

And as the old saying doesn’t quite goIf the trade fits, make it.

 

All statistics and contract information current as of Dec. 15 and courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Dusty Baker Comments on Aroldis Chapman and MLB Domestic Violence Policy

New Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker spoke Tuesday about the domestic violence allegations involving star Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman and MLB‘s policy on the crime.

Troy Machir of Sporting News reported what Baker had to say about the 27-year-old southpaw, as ASAPSports.com transcribed:

Oh, he’s a heck of a guy. I mean, a heck of a guy. I’ll go on record and say I wouldn’t mind having Chapman. No, no, he is a tremendous young man with a great family, mom and dad, and what he went through to get here and what his family had to go through to get here. I was with him through the whole process.

Baker added of MLB’s domestic violence policy, “Yeah. I think it’s a great thing. I mean, I got a buddy at home that’s being abused by his wife. So I think this policy needs to go further than the player. I think the policy should go to whoever’s involved. Sometimes abusers don’t always have pants on.”

Baker would later clarify his comments on MLB Network Radio’s “Inside Pitch” on SiriusXM:

Baker oversaw the beginning of Chapman’s career with the Reds as the club’s former skipper.

Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown and Jeff Passan reported the domestic violence allegations against Chapman on Monday.

According to police reports they obtained, Chapman allegedly fired eight gunshots after an argument with his girlfriend that took place in his Davie, Florida, home on Oct. 30. Chapman’s girlfriend told police he pushed her against a wall and choked her, per the report.    

Brown and Passan also reported the Reds “were believed to have completed a trade” sending Chapman to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. Once word of the alleged domestic violence incident surfaced, however, the trade was put on hold.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Aroldis Chapman Allegedly Fired Gunshots, ‘Choked’ Girlfriend After Argument

The baseball world thought the Cincinnati Reds had traded closer Aroldis Chapman to the Los Angeles Dodgers early Monday, but an alleged domestic violence incident reportedly halted the deal.

According to Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Chapman “allegedly fired eight gunshots in the garage of his Miami-area home following an October argument with his girlfriend in which she told police he ‘choked’ her and pushed her against a wall, according to police reports.”

The argument apparently started when Chapman’s girlfriend found something on his cellphone. More than 12 police officers arrived at his house after the incident allegedly occurred. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported the MLB, the Reds and the Dodgers are “said to have been blindsided” by the allegations.

According to the police report, the closer “told police he used his index and middle fingers and ‘poked his girlfriend on the left shoulder and told her not to talk to him like that,'” per Brown and Passan.

Chapman “admitted to firing eight shots with a handgun, seven of which went into a concrete wall inside his garage and the eighth of which went through a window into an open field.”

No one was arrested following police interviews of multiple people “due to conflicting stories and a lack of cooperation from all parties involved,” according to the report.

Chapman’s attorney, Jay Reisinger, offered a statement: “I’ve reviewed the facts as portrayed. On behalf of Mr. Chapman, we vehemently deny the allegations as stated. Beyond that, we have no further comment at this time.”

Reds President of Baseball Operations Walt Jocketty said any trade with Chapman might take “several weeks,” per the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s C. Trent Rosecrans, who added that a trade with the Dodgers isn’t dead.

ESPN’s Mark Saxon reported that “the fate of the deal is in the hands of MLB, which is investigating the incident under its new domestic violence policy.” ESPN’s Buster Olney said the “Dodgers have the power to walk away” from the potential trade, but noted an MLB source stated the “Dodgers [are] undecided about what to do next.”

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that “at least one team” thinks Chapman may have hurt his hand during the incident. 

The Boston Red Sox had been interested in acquiring Chapman last month until they learned of the incident, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. The Sox traded for San Diego Padres closer Craig Kimbrel on Nov. 13.

Initial reports had Cincinnati trading Chapman to Los Angeles on Monday, but Brown and Passan reported that “word of the incident held up the deal.” Rosenthal confirmed their report and weighed in:

Major League Baseball will reportedly investigate the incident under its new domestic violence policy. Brown and Passan pointed out that “a violator could be subject to suspension or fine at the discretion of the commissioner” as part of that policy.

Chapman is a fastball specialist who has pitched for the Reds the past six seasons. He is a four-time All-Star with a 2.17 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP and 546 strikeouts over 319 career innings.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Why Aroldis Chapman Will Be the 2015 MLB Winter Meetings’ Must-Have Prize

In the days leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds discussed a blockbuster deal that would have sent both Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman to the Astros.

Imagine how different the 2015 postseason might have been had the trade gone down.

Remember, in Game 4 of the division series, the Astros had a 6-2 eighth-inning lead with a chance to eliminate the Kansas City Royals. The play everyone will remember is the two-run Carlos Correa error that tied the game, but three Astros relievers allowed five hits and two walks in the five-run inning.

And, of course, Cueto went on to beat the Astros in Game 5.

There’s no way to replay any of that now, not the trade deadline, and certainly not Game 4 or Game 5. But the Astros still could get Chapman—and Cueto, for that matter.

Cueto, a free agent, will be one of the prizes on offer when baseball officials convene for the MLB winter meetings next week in Nashville, Tennessee. Chapman, not a free agent but still very available on the trade market, will be the must-have prize at the meetings, as named today by Bleacher Report.

There were plenty of other possible choices. David Price would have topped the list if he hadn’t agreed to terms with the Boston Red Sox this week. Zack Greinke could have topped the list, but reports (including this one from Ken Rosenthal) suggest he could choose a team before the meetings, too.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Shelby Miller got consideration because of the trade buzz generated this week (one source said Thursday that Miller to the Chicago Cubs “has legs”). Miller would be a nice prize, but with all the pitchers available, he’s hardly must-have material. Oakland A’s starter Sonny Gray and Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale would be must-have, but at least so far, their teams are saying other teams can’t have them.

We could have picked any of the free-agent outfielders, but the slow-moving market suggests no one yet considers them must-have.

So we went with Chapman, because while other closers (Craig Kimbrel, Francisco Rodriguez) have already been traded this winter, and while Darren O’Day is attracting big interest on the free-agent market, no reliever out there is as big a game-changer as Chapman.

The Red Sox and Detroit Tigers decided the Reds are asking too much for him, just as the Astros eventually decided in July (according to sources). Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that Cincinnati wanted more for Chapman than the high price the Red Sox paid the Padres for Kimbrel.

But the Reds are rebuilding, Chapman is a year from free agency, and it makes all the sense in the world for Cincinnati to trade him. As C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweeted when someone asked where he saw Chapman going:

Assuming the Reds don’t complete a deal in the next two days, Chapman’s name will be heard through every hallway and lobby in the massive Opryland Resort. In fact, the only excuse for not getting a trade done would be that the two general managers couldn’t find each other to shake hands on the deal.

The Astros remain a possible trade partner, with a source saying owner Jim Crane “loves” Chapman. The Arizona Diamondbacks were also deep in Chapman talks in July, but a source said Thursday “that ship has sailed,” with talks never restarting.

The Washington Nationals are an interesting possibility, even as they try to trade Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen, the two closers already on their roster. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported last week that the Los Angeles Dodgers have talked to the Reds about Chapman, and Bleacher Report colleague Anthony Witrado wrote how Chapman could make sense there even for a team that already employs Kenley Jansen.

That’s the thing about Chapman. He’s so good that he can be a useful addition even for a team that already has a good closer, especially in an era where the Royals have proved the value of multiple strong late-inning options.

The New York Yankees had that idea last July, when they spoke to the Reds about Chapman even though they already had Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances. Chapman could still make sense for the Yankees, especially if they use Miller to trade for a starting pitcher (according to a source, they spoke to the Astros about a Miller deal).

Chapman is still young (he’ll turn 28 in February), and he still throws as hard as ever. MLB.com had to include a “Chapman filter” for its statcast list of the fastest pitches thrown this season, because otherwise the 50-pitch list would include no one else.

His average fastball in 2015: a nice, round 100.0 mph.

Chapman also has a devastating slider, and by the end of the season he was mixing in a changeup (90 mph). According to BrooksBaseball.net, batters swung and missed at the fastball 20.23 percent of the time this season (and swung and missed at his other two pitches even more frequently).

Chapman misses bats as well as anyone who has ever pitched. His 15.4 strikeouts per nine innings is the best ever for a pitcher with at least 300 career innings, according to research through Baseball-Reference.com‘s Play Index (Kimbrel, at 14.55, and Jansen, at 13.98, rank second and third on the list).

He’s durable and dependable. The Reds were able to use him three days in a row, and they were able to use him for more than three outs if needed.

If they weren’t in rebuilding mode, they wouldn’t be trading him. But they are rebuilding, with Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce also available if someone meets the asking price. They’d both be nice players to have, but they’re not Chapman.

Chapman is baseball’s must-have prize.

 

Danny Knobler covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow Danny on Twitter and talk baseball.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Aroldis Chapman’s Value Remains Unchanged by the Craig Kimbrel Trade

Aroldis Chapman has created quite the market for himself.

Triple-digit fastballs on the regular, an ERA and FIP living below 2.00, nearly 16 strikeouts per nine innings and four consecutive All-Star appearances in four utterly dominant seasons have made the Cincinnati Reds lefty closer one of the best at his position in his era. And now he carries that title while the Reds embark on a rebuild that could bury them in the National League Central for the next few seasons, at least.

So, unsurprisingly, the team has put Chapman, its onetime Cuban prize, on the trade block for all to see, explore and bid upon. The asking price is high, even with other coveted back-end relievers floating around the free-agent and trade pools.

That pool previously included Craig Kimbrel, one of the sport’s most dominant closers. Chapman and Kimbrel were seen as the two biggest fish, but the Boston Red Sox angled Kimbrel two weeks ago for a haul of prospects in a deal that had mixed reviews for the Sox.

That deal slightly altered the market for Chapman in that the Red Sox are no longer players in the bidding, but in no way has it changed the way the Reds value their closer’s market value. They will still demand top-end talent in return, as they should.

“Kimbrel was a bit of a different animal than Chapman, in terms of club control,” Reds general manager Dick Williams told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “We didn’t feel like we missed out on a deal with them. There will be other teams that are interested in Chapman.”

Several teams have interest in Chapman, but the asking price hurriedly puts an end to some of that. The Reds dangled him before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, though nothing came of it because teams like the Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks felt the cost was too rich. 

The potential suitors are deeper in the offseason—those three clubs and at least the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals can be added to the list—but the Reds are still asking a ton in return for a closer with a salary in the $13 million range for next season before he can become a free agent. For comparison, Kimbrel is owed $25 million through 2017 with a $13 million club option. He is not just a one-year rental like Chapman.

Despite the lack of club control with Chapman, he will still draw a significant return because he is the kind of arm that can change a team’s postseason outlook. He can turn a hopeful team into a contender and a good team into a legitimate World Series threat simply by locking down the eighth or ninth inning.

And he might do that as soon as a week from now, as the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s C. Trent Rosecrans noted:

Even teams with established closers, like the Dodgers and Nationals, are exploring Chapman’s market. The reason is the entire market is looked at differently now than it ever was in the past.

While it was universally accepted—and surely still is, but with this new twist—that bullpens can be remade and revamped at minimal cost, the elite, premium arms are being coveted more than ever because of what dominant bullpens have recently meant to teams like the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals. Those teams have won the last two World Series with massive contributions from their bullpens and in spite of just so-so starting pitching—Madison Bumgarner aside, of course.

That has put a new premium on top-flight relievers, even with high price tags. That is why the Reds will not, and should not, budge on their asking price. Not before the winter meetings, at least.

“I don’t control who is out there or who will be interested,” Williams told Sheldon. “We feel that there are other offers. We feel that he’s the best closer out there, so [we] hope good stuff can happen.”

The Red Sox are obviously out of the Chapman picture after acquiring Kimbrel, and so are the Detroit Tigers, most likely, after trading for Francisco Rodriguez. With those arms off the board, along with Joaquin Benoit after he was traded to the Seattle Mariners, the interest in Chapman could pick up in the next week or so.

Looking forward, if Chapman remains on the trading block beyond December, his price could drop. The Reds cannot afford to keep him through next season and gain nothing more than draft-pick compensation when he walks into free agency. He is too valuable an asset to get just one player in return.

The problem for the Reds is other teams also know this, and they could wait out the reliever market until names like Darren O’Day and potentially Andrew Miller are signed or traded. That would lower the number of teams with a desire for Chapman and could cause the Reds to pull the trigger on a lesser deal than what they currently envision.

What is clear is that, as of now, the Kimbrel trade has not shifted the Reds’ belief that they should get a premium player package for Chapman this offseason. However, the sooner they can strike a deal and before the reliever market changes much more, the more likely they are to get something close to what they want. Chapman’s market has not played out much to this point, but that could change dramatically in the next week or two.

 

All quotes, unless otherwise specified, have been acquired firsthand by Anthony Witrado. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Copyright © 1996-2010 Kuzul. All rights reserved.
iDream theme by Templates Next | Powered by WordPress