Yosemite Sam

[Hit-n-Run]

The Reds outrighted LeCure today. He cleared waivers and will be in Louisville. The $1.85M salary probably had a lot to do with the lack of interest around the league.

Not shocking, but it surprised me a bit.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

If they were going to eat a contract, Badenhop deserved to go from a performance standpoint. But Sam had options and could be assigned to Louisville. If he didn't go he forfeits the $1.85M and takes his chances getting signed elsewhere.

 

[JohnU]

Sam's game was clearly diminished over the last year or so.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Except for Chapman and Broxton we could say that about most of the pen.

Lecure and Parra got off to good starts, but seemed to fade by mid June when Price leaned heavily on them while the Hoover/Ondrusek types struggled. By season end they all looked and had been worn out.

The pen missed Alfredo Simon eating up innings. The team benefitted from his All Star first half, but by season end they weren't getting either from him in reality. I don't know his splits for both halves, but the second half numbers have to be pretty ugly.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Sam's game was clearly diminished over the last year or so.

Yep. I could say the same thing about Hoover, Parra, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Jason Marquis, too.
LeCure is a low stuff guy that got lucky to get to the bigs in the first place- he may catch on elsewhere or even with the Reds again, due to the forebearance of about 100 pitchers that MLB expansion is the only thing keeping from working at the car wash. I see no tactical or financial reason Hoover kept his job last year, but he can throw 5 -7 MPH faster than LeCure...and Marquis. The fact that he can't seem to locate the plate very often must be a secondary concern. Badenhop had a contract-maybe less cash than LeCure, but maybe his velocity is ok. There is a line of thought that location can be improved but velocity can't.

I think they sent LeCure down because they could, and not lose him immediately. $1.85 M is stiff check to pick up for a 5'9" guy with a 86 mph fastball that can't start, close, set up or throw lefty. Probably a wise call on the no waiver claim prognosis...and they may want to consider similar logic when considering signing a contract for 30-50 times that amount to keep a 5'10 pitcher with an 88 mph fastball (Leake) from becoming a free agent.

I'm hoping Dominguez does well- they say he can play 1b-3b and the OF. I'm also hoping he isn't needed to ever play those positions because the Reds starters won't miss any time and play great all year. No offense (pun intended), but I'm tired of seeing 200 AB's from Reds players signed as other teams releases. He is cheaper than Hannahan, plays at least one more position, and has already hit more HR in ST than Hannahan hit his last 2 seasons.. Boesch looks like Chris Heisey to me, but I guess that is the intention, a few dollars cheaper.

Marshall and Bourgois are destined for the DL, so keeping 4 non-40 man roster players on the 25 MLB roster means 1 more has to be removed from the 40 man...so, it's not over yet- at least one more guy is going to get released, DFA'd or waivered, and normally, they won't do that to a guy already deemed to be on the opening day 25 man roster.

I have seen buffoonery though.... in Dusty's first Reds year, the Reds optioned a guy to Louisville on Saturday, and didn't realize until opening morning on Monday they had to re-call him because they only had 24 people on the 25 man roster. Sad, but true. Now, I don't know if that was Wayne Krivsky, Dusty or the travelling Secretary's fault, but I would have seen that writing on the wall as a sign of stupidity on the horizon among those with rational decision making responsibility. I can't believe no one on that team could count to 25, but maybe no one wanted to tell the idiot in charge that he couldn't. At any rate, no one in that dugout staff remains except Billy Hatcher. Maybe he's the one that blew the whistle that Monday Morning.

 

[JohnU]

Reds have some flexibility early with pitching since Bailey figures to miss 2 or 3 starts. They can go short on the bullpen and keep a bat until the first of May.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I think that would be true for Reds' rotations in recent years. But I think the potential of Desclafani, Marquis, and Iglesias making some early exits could burn up the pen pretty quick.

As anyone who has been watching baseball over the past 4-5 decades knows, bullpens used to have long relief guys. Now they have middle relief and no one pitches more than two innings and usually only one. Teams use 4 relievers where they used to only need 2.

Aren't any Mike Marshalls pitching these days.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

On the pending roster move to make 4 openings.

Homer hasn't pitched in a official game this spring, they may be able to back date him to the 60 DL. I'm not 100% sure on the rule, but I thought that might be the reason for him only pitching in B games, they don't count.

The other reason for pitching a rehab guy in b games is there are no rules, teams can shut down in the middle of a inning or prolong innings if they choose.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

If Boesch or Dominguez were to have good years there's a plus side to both of them over a Ludwick, Gomes, or Schumaker type..... no need for a two year deal. They both have team control years left. Boesch would have two arbitration years and Dominguez would still be pre-arbitration league minimum. Both could be cut with little or zero guaranteed money even after a arbitration ruling. Arbitration guys are not guaranteed the full amount if released during ST, it's prorated.

 

[Redsfan1507]

geez...they could save some money cutting a half an inch off the hotdogs too....but I hear you. No one held a gun to the Reds head saying "if you don't sign { fill in your overpaid loser of choice here} for 2 years someone else will, and it will be the difference in a pennant"... To be real honest, I don't think the differences in Gomes, Ludwick, Hairston, Alex Gonzalez, Darnell McDonald, Dickerson, Patterson, Izturis, Santiago, Hannahan, Cairo, etc. and 50 other 1 year rentals available are worth spit, but they paid enough for them collectively to have signed another impact player. I'd have used AA players before I would have paid those hacks that much jack.

 

[JohnU]

The weird thing about Hannahan was that he almost was the Cleveland 3B until they decided to give Chisenhall one more chance.

I think the interesting way this bullpen is shaping up is that Price seems intent on giving Chapman more innings. That could effectively shove the so-called 8th inning guy back a few hitters. Either way, if the starters can't get anybody out after the 4th inning, it's a painful reality that fixing the bullpen is not the biggest problem the Reds will face.

These guys have to score more runs and I don't know if that's going to happen. The odds favor it if Votto is healthy and Bruce is just normal. I assume Byrd will hit a little bit.

It could be this outfit is better than we think and we're just jaundiced in believing the lie over and over. There's reason to believe these guys can finish 2nd. Getting Bailey into the rotation is the first step and he's really just a stabilizer, not a difference-maker.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Don't give them any ideas John.....if they cut a half inch off the dogs they'd raise the price a buck to cover the labor cost.