Extension for Encarnacion?

Ken Rosenthal thinks there is a good chance the Reds and Edwin will reach a contract extension prior to Opening Day.

He also has some thoughts on the pitching moves. Here is the article.

Reliever Weathers welcomes new role in bullpen

By Hal McCoy

Friday, February 22, 2008

SARASOTA, Fla. — David Weathers could have stomped around, snorted, threw a tantrum or thrown a rosin bag at the refrigerator.

When the Cincinnati Reds signed Francisco Cordero, they snatched the closer's role from his 38-year-old grasp — a possible slap to the cheek to a guy who saved 33 games in 38 chances last year and led the National League in games finished (60).

Weathers, though, doesn't think that way.

He was one of the first players Dusty Baker called when he became manager, and Baker was thoroughly pleased with Weathers' attitude when he was told Cordero would be the new closer.

"Seems to me, he is a guy who wants to win," Baker said Thursday, Feb. 21. "He is a team player and a guy who has done everything and anything you want him to do. I remember him as a starter.

"I quickly noticed that the guys look up to him and he's not afraid to tell them things."

For different reasons, Weathers has been the team's closer the last 2½ seasons. And while Weathers came to love that role, he knows — for the betterment of the team — he is best suited to pitch in front of Cordero, in the eighth-inning set-up role.

"When we got Cordero, we got something we drastically needed to fill a huge void," said Weathers. "What has hurt us the last few years is that we always seem to try to do things by committee. That's a cop-out. Every pitcher needs a role."

Yes, Weathers loved his cop-out role, but stepping aside comes easy because he wants to win.

"Cordero makes it so all of us in the bullpen know exactly when we'll pitch and that's important, something people who have never pitched don't understand. Plus he's very good," Weathers said.

"I really enjoyed closing," he added. "It was evident it was going to be my game in the ninth. When a big lefty came to bat, I wasn't going to get pulled out. I enjoyed that, enjoyed the competition. I know that my time and my career is running out and I have the mentality, which for a closer, is sometimes better than having great stuff."

But ...

"I totally understand," he said. "It was the right move for our team. Even though it hurt me, it was the right move. I want to win. If you had asked me last year if I'd take 33 holds instead of 33 saves and we'll make the playoffs, I'd say, 'Let's do it.' "

What bothers Weathers more is watching the players play the game the wrong way and he says it is played wrong way much too much. And it is why he isn't afraid to speak out.

"I'm not big on numbers and statistics," he said. "Statistics get you paid, but they don't get you wins. Statistics are for contracts. We've lost the art of playing the game the right way."

And, as Baker said, Weathers isn't afraid to cut down anybody with a me-first attitude.

Junior and Bruce

Nice article in the Dayton Daily News by Hal McCoy about Jay Bruce and his chance to play with his idol Ken Griffey Jr.

Here is the link.

Fogg is Official

Just thought everyone would like to know. It is a done deal. 1 year, 1 million. It's a bargain if you ask me.

Wilson no longer in camp

Outfielder/frist base Craig Wilson is no longer in camp. He was here yesterday for his physical, so that tells you something. The Reds haven't announced anything, but they likely will soon.

Wilson was expected to compete for a backup role as a right-handed bat off the bench.

Source: John Fay


If anyone hears anymore about this, please post it.

Fay on Fogg, Gonzalez

Read it here.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT

With Josh Fogg now close to being in the picture, what is your new IDEAL rotation based on who will be in camp (including Fogg)?

Leave comments with who your starting 5 are.

Also, don't forget to email me at LetsTalkReds@gmail.com if you are interested in playing Fantasy Baseball with other Reds fans.

Fogg and Reds close to deal

The Rocky Mountain News out of Denver is reporting the Reds and pitcher Josh Fogg are close to a deal. Fogg started game 3 of last year's World Series but was mostly their fifth starter.

Here is the link to the article.

Pete Should Be in the HOF

Doc thinks so. Read his article here.

OF Ken Griffey Jr. reports to camp early, takes batting practice

Read it here at Fox Sports.

Joe Nuxhall Not A Hall of Famer

Seattle play-by-play man Dave Niehaus was named the 2008 recipient Ford C. Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame.

That means Joe Nuxhall failed to get, despite getting majority of the fan vote to make the ballot of finalists.

Source: John Fay

Bob Howsam Dies

From John Fay, Cincinnati Enquirer


Bob Howsam, the architect of the Big Red Machine, has died.

Howsam was the Reds general manager from 1967 to 1978 and again from 1983-84. He also served at chief operating officer from 1973-78 and 1983-85.

Howsam was 89 years old.

He was responsible for building the team that won the 1975 and ’76 World Series.
Howsam came to the Reds after a stint as GM of the St. Louis Cardinals.

He hired Sparky Anderson in 1970. In 1972, Howsam made the big trade with the Houston Astros, getting Joe Morgan, Jack Billingham and Cesar Geronimo – three key components of the World Championship teams.

Howsam was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame in 2004.

From the Reds:

Bob Howsam, universally recognized as the architect of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine of the 1970s, died this morning of heart failure in Sun City, Arizona. He was 9 days shy of his 90th birthday.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, though a celebration of his life will be planned in the next few days. It will be held in Sun City.

"Cincinnati was his second home. He had some of his greatest successes there, and the city was always dear to him," said Howsam's son, Robert Howsam Jr.. "While Pops recognized the importance of the players and ownership in baseball, he always felt pleasing the fans should be the number one goal, whether it be concessions, parking or the experience at the ballpark. That was his guiding light, his main message."

Howsam was the club’s general manager from 1967-78 and again from 1983-84, but he also served as president and chief operating officer from 1973-78 and 1983-85. He was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in August 2004.

Under Howsam’s direction, the Reds were baseball’s dominant team in the 1970s, a decade during which they won 6 Western Division titles, 4 National League pennants and World Series championships in 1975 and 1976. That team’s starting lineup of Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Dave Concepcion, Pete Rose, George Foster, Cesar Geronimo and Griffey earned 63 All-Star selections, 6 Most Valuable Player awards and 26 Gold Gloves.

While he was known as one of baseball’s most shrewd traders, Howsam also was credited with making the Reds’ minor league system one of the strongest in the game. In 1973, he was named Major League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News.

While presiding over the team’s move from Crosley Field to Riverfront Stadium in 1970, Howsam expanded the front office staff and established promotional and public relations programs that would be necessary for success in the new park, including the Straight-A ticket program. He also was a member of Major League Baseball’s executive and player relations committees. Howsam retired on July 1, 1985 but remained with the team for 17 months as a special consultant.

Reds President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini said, "Mr. Howsam played a very important role in the long history of this proud franchise. He put together an organization that became the model for all of baseball. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."

Reds to Finish Third?

According to Baseball Prospectus as reported by C Trent Rosencrans, the Reds are projected to finish third (and BP has been accurate in the past). Check it out.

Fantasy Baseball for Reds Fans

Interested in playing in a Fantasy Baseball league with other Reds Fans? We have one here are LetsTalkReds.com. It is through Yahoo and it is for the first 12 people interested.

Send me an email at LetsTalkReds@gmail.com and I will send you the league ID and password.

Red Sox passed on deal for Hatteberg

07:58 AM EST on Monday, February 18, 2008

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Before the Sox signed free-agent Sean Casey to be their backup first baseman/left-handed pinch hitter, they talked to the Cincinnati Reds about reacquiring Scott Hatteberg to fill that role.

Hatteberg, who served primarily as a catcher while with the Red Sox from 1995-2001, has played first base exclusively for the last few seasons and has shown selectivity at the plate, something the Sox value. Last year, he compiled a .394 on-base percentage while hitting .310 with 10 homers and 47 RBI.

But when the Reds wanted a significant prospect in exchange for Hatteberg, the talks fizzled. Hatteberg is expected to lose the first-base job to the highly touted Joey Votto.

-SEAN McADAM, The Providence Journal

Former Red Bret Joins Brother Aaron on Nats

What is it about Jim Bowden that he can't get over his old Reds players?

ESPN.com has the story.

Breakdown of Phillips Deal

Here is the breakdown of the Brandon Phillips contract according to MLB sources Lance McAlister talked to Friday evening.

Total package: $26,917,392/4 years...plus option
2008-2011.
$2,750,000-2008
$4,750,000-2009
$6,750,000-2010
$11,000,000-2011
Club option 2012 for $12,000,000 or $1,000,000 buyout.
Signing bonus - $750,000. Option becomes Mutual Option
with $1,000,000 buyout if Player is traded.
Base in 2009 increases by:
$250,000 for Gold Gold in 2008
$250,000 for Silver Slugger in 2008;
$250,000 if MVP (1st thru 5th) in 2008.
Base in 2010 increass by:
$250,000 for Gold Glove in 2009
$250,000 for Silver Slugger in 2009
$500,000 for MVP (1st thru 5th) in 2009.
Base in 2011 increases by:
$250,000 for Gold Glove in 2010
$250,000 for Silver Slugger in 2010
$750,000 for MVP (1st thru 5th) in 2010.
Base in 20012 increases by:
$250,000 for Gold Glove in 2010
$250,000 for Silver Slugger in 2011
$750,000 MVP (1st thru 5th) in 2011.
Plus:
$25,000 for All Star; $50,000 for LCS/MVP; $100,000 for WS/MVP.
Player will make annual donation to Reds Foundation.

Reds Talking to Patterson/Lofton

Read what John Fay has to say here.

Also read what Hal has to say about it here.

Reds Spring Camp Storylines No. 5: The Encarnacion Factor

First in a Series by Mr. Redlegs

From C Trent Rosencrans

Just before pitchers and catchers reported to Sarasota, I asked more than 100 Reds fans and bloggers to answer a simple question: What are the team’s five biggest storylines as spring training opens?

The question is not about the Reds’ biggest question marks, nor is it about the biggest Ifs, Ands and Buts—which are nothing more than speculative hyperbole, pie-in-the-sky dreams, hopes and prayers. No, this series is about the team’s most interesting storylines to follow through the spring games, themes that will likely play a huge part in the Reds’ 2008 season and possibly beyond.

Naturally, the answers are all over the place, from Jay Bruce’s “tryout” to Adam Dunn’s contract situation to the health of Alex Gonzalez’s infant son to Rosecrans’ RV adventure to Sarasota. Seriously. But the very best answer came from the remarkably succinct Steve Ogden, who wrote:

1. 3rd starter
2. 4th starter
3. 5th starter
4. Bullpen
5. Right-handed hitting 1st baseman

It doesn’t get any simpler than that, folks. Steve Mac’ed that bad boy in 12 words. Taken on face value, his analysis means we could save a lot of time and space right now and run out to Five Guys for burgers and fries (ummmmmmm, burr-gerrrrs and friessssss). But we all know baseball intellectuals and the culinary conscious need their stimulants. Some people are always dieting. Some people always have their heads in a fantasy league. Thusly inspired, we move onward and outward with our mini-series, which opens today with. . . .

Storyline 5: The Encarnacion Factor

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion is starting his third full season as a starter, he just turned 25, and for some reason each of the past two winters have been rife with screams to trade him, move him to first base or elbow him aside in favor of journeyman Jeff Keppinger or Tony Perez, the 1970 version. Quiet, self-conscious and sensitive, EE somehow flies below the radar while (oddly) being right in the middle of the public’s fray. When he makes an error you’ll hear the echoes rising above Mount Adams. When he gets the big hit time and again, hardly anyone notices his RBI are mounting.

Why?

What we’ve seen from Eddie the past two years is a struggle in the first half that widely overshadows his growth in the second. In the final two months last year he batted .337 with 9 homers and 35 RBI. That carried into a monster Dominican League winter season capped by driving in 10 runs in Aguilas’ championship series against Licey. So the storyline becomes: “The Progression of Edwin Encarnacion—Will He Take the Next Step?”

On a team laden by left-handed batters, a lineup that strikes out way too much and a batting order void of a true cleanup batter, EE’s advancement is critical toward any continued success for the Reds the next few seasons. In the ideal world he would bat in the 4-hole between Griffey and Dunn because he makes decent contact, has 25-homer, 40-double power and has a way of getting runners home.

But then, in my ideal world Phillips bats in the 3-hole, Griffey sixth and Alex Rios replaces Adam Dunn, period, and hits cleanup. Alas, Ifs, Ands and Buts don’t count here, remember?

“We need right-handed boppers in the middle of that lineup something fierce,” writes Russell Proctor, known more commonly as DocProc. “That will particularly be true if [Jay] Bruce starts in center and they put Phillips at the top of the order—which isn’t unthinkable.”

“If the Reds can go right-left-right-left through the meat of the order, look out,” adds Doug Smith, aka the Bartender.

What we know about Encarnacion is he hits righthanders better than lefties, he hits better on the road than at home, he sprays the ball extremely well and pitchers are a bit confounded by his hitting zone. He wears out anything high and covers the outside of the plate extremely well. As my friend the NL West scout says, “Encarnacion is a hard guy to chart. He hits the good fastball and the great changeups from righties pretty evenly. But he gets worn out by a lefty’s curve but does a decent job against a lefty’s slider. You don’t see that very often.”

Defensively, we saw remarkable progress last year, which isn’t surprising for young, growing players; EE’s errors dropped from 25 to 16 with 44 more total chances. He’s got great hands and he’s extremely quick, especially to his backhand.

The problem has been throwing, and it’s not his arm but his footwork. Time and again, we see EE make a great stab and throw a bullet from one knee, then turn around and throw away a ball on the easy play. The NL West scout says EE tends to be late getting his feet into throwing position, often throwing off his heels from the easy, upright position, which can cause the ball to float, tail or dive from the awkward release point. Fundamentally, footwork is the most critical aspect of an infielder for making a quick, hard, accurate throw. On the routine ball, it’s paramount that the feet are getting planted for weight shift and lead shoulder aligned toward the target base just as the ball is arriving. That way, the follow-through and shoulders guide the throw accurately on the quick catch-and-release. All of which causes me to repeat (again this year): What did Bucky-effing-Dent do while he was on staff? Some have said Juan Castro has done more for Encarnacion defensively than any coach. Not surprising.

And that segues to the final element of this storyline: new manager Dusty Baker’s influence. We all know Baker holds revered status among his players. One of the young players Baker nurtured along, who had his own fielding and consistency problems, was Aramis Ramirez when he was in Pittsburgh. Ramirez came of age and prominence under Baker with the Cubs. There are several parallels between Encarnacion and Ramirez early in their careers, namely an easy loss of confidence and looking over their shoulders into the dugout.

“Many are speculating that [EE] is going to flourish under Dusty’s management. Why? How?” writes Duane Busch. “What is the magic that Dusty possesses? Maybe it is the absence of [Jerry] Narron, not the presence of Dusty, that is giving all such hope.”

The summation of this storyline is after two fairly erratic seasons—whether Narron is partly to blame or not—Encarnacion is actually making progress. In his first eight full years, Mike Schmidt had 30, 40, 30, 29, 33, 34, 36 and 31 errors at third base. Likewise, Wade Boggs was north of 29 errors his first eight seasons. But both became Gold Glovers.

“Is [EE] Mike Schmidt? No. Is he under 25? Yes,” reasons the Bartender. In other words, EE still has time.

The key for Eddie, and the Reds, is for him to experience a full, consistent season—with no detours through Louisville. What can we objectively expect from a confidently healthy Encarnacion? Is .285 with 25 homers and 85-110 RBI unreasonable progression? As Pete Curtin wonders, “Is this the year Eddie E. finally becomes a star?”

Damn good question.