Available Relievers

[DBAHO]

I've always had a man crush on Wagner, but he probably doesnt fit with us right now. I'd suspect we'd rather sign a cheap guy than go after a potentially solid bullpen arm that costs a decent prospect in the process.

 

What would be a cheap prospect to offer for Wags, Rogowski?

Wagner just needs to get out of Cincinatti for his sake. And I think that you could probably get him or Shackleford right now, since the Reds seem to have a few bullpen guys ahead in the depth chart.

 

As for what the Reds would want, Rogo would be a good idea considering they have the almoghty Scott Hatteberg at 1B currently. Don't know if that would be enough for Wayne Krvisky though.

[SSH2005]

Wagner just needs to get out of Cincinatti for his sake. And I think that you could probably get him or Shackleford right now, since the Reds seem to have a few bullpen guys ahead in the depth chart.

 

As for what the Reds would want, Rogo would be a good idea considering they have the almoghty Scott Hatteberg at 1B currently. Don't know if that would be enough for Wayne Krvisky though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now Ryan Wagner is the perfect guy to acquire. He's still young (23), has a lot of talent and potential, still has options left so he could be stashed at Charlotte, and he might come cheap because the Reds seem to be down on him. Acquire him, let him pitch at Charlotte, and he could make a great midseason callup if he succeeds at AAA. He also could be a great addition for next season -- McCarthy will probably be in our rotation, Hermanson will probably be retiring, and Politte will be a free agent.

 

I don't know much at all about Wagner but it looks like he barely pitched in the minors.

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/W/ryan-wagner.shtml

 

Did the Reds screw up with him? Probably.

[Balta1701]

Now Ryan Wagner is the perfect guy to acquire.  He's still young (23), has a lot of talent and potential, still has options left so he could be stashed at Charlotte, and he might come cheap because the Reds seem to be down on him.  Acquire him, let him pitch at Charlotte, and he could make a great midseason callup if he succeeds at AAA.  He also could be a great addition for next season -- McCarthy will probably be in our rotation, Hermanson will probably be retiring, and Politte will be a free agent.

 

I don't know much at all about Wagner but it looks like he barely pitched in the minors.

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/W/ryan-wagner.shtml

 

Did the Reds screw up with him?  Probably.

See, now that's the sort of move that makes vastly more sense than most of the stuff we've seen proposed over the last few weeks.

 

Since people started looking at our bullpen, we've seen name after name of people who maybe we could pick up who could maybe put together a season with an ERA under 4.

 

Problem I see is...right now we already have a bullpen full of guys who could maybe do that. So, we don't exactly have a place to stick an extra guy on the big league squad without someone losing their spot first, and that just isn't happening.

 

So, that leaves the option of sticking a few guys at AAA and seeing if they work out. Problem with this is...not every team is going to be as loaded in their roster as we are, where they're trying to find that last 5th or 6th reliever out of their bullpen; lots of teams could genuinely use a low-salary setup guy. So if there's someone out there who has a legit shot at putting up an ERA of 3 out of the bullpen this year, he's not going to find himself languishing at AAA for our club waiting for someone to fail...some team with an opening will give him a major league slot.

 

We are simply not going to be able to find a decent vet out there who's going to give us anything. Hell, if guys like Joe Borowski can wind up in big league bullpens, we're just not going to find some diamond 33 year old right out there who's going to come in right now after screwing up the spring and put up 35 scoreless innings in a row. It's just not going to happen.

 

If we want a bullpen guy...we need to find someone like that guy, someone that a team has soured on (Matt Thornton?) who we can acquire for next to nothing who still has options left who we can put in AAA. That's at least possible, and it's a hell of a lot more likely than finding a vet who we can guarantee will outperform someone else on our staff.

[SSH2005]

Agreed, send them Rogowski, Tracey, etc. for Wagner. Offer the Reds a package of mid-level guys and see if they are interested. Afterall, they don't seem to like Wagner too much.

Edited March 31, 2006 by SSH2005

[DBAHO]

Now Ryan Wagner is the perfect guy to acquire.  He's still young (23), has a lot of talent and potential, still has options left so he could be stashed at Charlotte, and he might come cheap because the Reds seem to be down on him.  Acquire him, let him pitch at Charlotte, and he could make a great midseason callup if he succeeds at AAA.  He also could be a great addition for next season -- McCarthy will probably be in our rotation, Hermanson will probably be retiring, and Politte will be a free agent.

 

I don't know much at all about Wagner but it looks like he barely pitched in the minors.

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/W/ryan-wagner.shtml

 

Did the Reds screw up with him?  Probably.

Wagner's your typical "rushed before he's ready" prospect (even though he did burst onto the scene in 2003). The Reds mis-handled him big time, which is why you now see teams like the Red Sox handle Craig Hansen a bit more carefully (hence why he ain't in the majors yet).

 

From what I've heard, he's got great stuff, but a lack of control (hence the 56BB's in 119IP). Sounds like a perfect Mr. Fixit for one Don Cooper.

 

Here's his scouting report;

 

Cincinnati pitching coach Don Gullett has worked with Wagner on trusting his 90-plus MPH fastball more. Wagner falls in love with his slider, a quality pitch but one that major league hitters learned to lay off as it dived out of the strike zone. He struck out just 10 more batters than he walked in 2004, a ratio he certainly will need to improve upon going forward. Wagner does not hold runners well and has had trouble with routine fielding plays (two errors last season).

[R.J.]

If we can go out and get Wagner without having to spare one of our last great prospects (Sweeney and... uh... hmm...) it'd be a great move. Keep him in AAA and he'll be there if Thornton or Logan can't hack it.

 

I just have a feeling that no matter how much they've soured on him the Reds will be looking for a little more than what we have (he IS a 2003 first round pick), and as a result we might start looking at over-the-hill options.

[SSH2005]

If we can go out and get Wagner without having to spare one of our last great prospects (Sweeney and... uh... hmm...) it'd be a great move. Keep him in AAA and he'll be there if Thornton or Logan can't hack it.

 

I just have a feeling that no matter how much they've soured on him the Reds will be looking for a little more than what we have (he IS a 2003 first round pick), and as a result we might start looking at over-the-hill options.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Our farm system apparently ain't half-bad according to Baseball America.

Edited March 31, 2006 by SSH2005

[DBAHO]

If we can go out and get Wagner without having to spare one of our last great prospects (Sweeney and... uh... hmm...) it'd be a great move. Keep him in AAA and he'll be there if Thornton or Logan can't hack it.

 

I just have a feeling that no matter how much they've soured on him the Reds will be looking for a little more than what we have (he IS a 2003 first round pick), and as a result we might start looking at over-the-hill options.

Considering how bad the Reds pitching has been over the past few seasons as well, they should probably hang onto Wagner, and hope he can re-find his 2003 form, and become the dominant closer they thought they were getting when they made him the 14th pick.

 

But stranger things have happened.

[R.J.]

Considering how bad the Reds pitching has been over the past few seasons as well, they should probably hang onto Wagner, and hope he can re-find his 2003 form, and become the dominant closer they thought they were getting when they made him the 14th pick.

 

But stranger things have happened.

 

See I agree with you, or at least, I don't see why a team with bad pitching and an admittedly weak farm system would try and trade a first round pitcher with good (really good) stuff, and especially try and trade him for what we'd most likely offer them, more offensive players.

 

But hey, if they really have soured on him to the point that they'd move him at this moment when his value is as low as its been, let's give it a shot. Can't hurt.

 

(Unless he costs us Sweeney, Fields, Owens, or Liotta.)

[beck72]

See I agree with you, or at least, I don't see why a team with bad pitching and an admittedly weak farm system would try and trade a first round pitcher with good (really good) stuff, and especially try and trade him for what we'd most likely offer them, more offensive players.

 

But hey, if they really have soured on him to the point that they'd move him at this moment when his value is as low as its been, let's give it a shot. Can't hurt.

 

(Unless he costs us Sweeney, Fields, Owens, or Liotta.)

 

The Reds may be thinking they could deal him now while he still has "potential". Another yr of a 6.11 ERA and the Reds could expect little to nothing in return. The question is, are Wagner's problems fixable? From the sounds of his scouting reports, he seems to be worth a gamble. The sox do have the depth to deal prospects like Rogowski and Tracey, esp. as the sox bullpen prospects in the high minors are weak

 

From BA's 2004 Prospect Handbook, the Reds #1 Prospect--

 

'Wagner's 84-87 mph slider is downright unhittable and grades as a top of the scouting scale 80 pitch at times. It features sharp, late tilt in the zone and darts away from the barrel of the bat. Hitters have a difficult time identifying his slider, and often think it's a splitter or a true curveball because of its depth. Wagner isn't a one trick pony, however. His FB sits at 91-94 mph and fetaures hard sink and boring action to induce groundballs. His fastball movement is so good that hitters will have a tough time laying off his slider and sitting on his fastball. He showed enough resilency and durability to work multiple inning stints for Houston. Though he rarely needs it, Wagner shows a feel for an average changeup, leading some scouts to think he could hold down a rotation spot. Not many scouts project him as a starter, however because his delivery and arm action might not be conducive to a rotation workload. While he'll drop his arm slot at times to create more movement on his FB, that also causes additional stress on his shoulder--even more than when he relies heavily on his slider. The Reds would like him to become more consistent w/ his slot and repeating his delivery.

 

Following Wagner's promotion to the majors, the reds discussed moving him to the rotation in 2004, but they now seem content to groom him as their future closer. College closers don't often duplicate their success in the majors but there's little doubt Wagner can overmatch hitters at any level. If he's not Cincy's closer coming out of spring training, he'll be one of the better set up men in the NL.'

[DBAHO]

Joel Peralta may not make the Royals bullpen after all. I don't know what's the situation with him in terms of the 40 man and options, but if he becomes available the Sox should really look into acquiring him.

 

Non-roster right-hander Luke Hudson was told that he's won a spot in Kansas City's bullpen.

Hudson has some promise as a reliever, but since he could have easily been reassigned to the minors, we would have preferred to see the Royals keep both Joel Peralta and Stephen Andrade. Now only one of those two (or long shot Steve Stemle) will have a spot. If the Royals make Peralta available, they should get some offers. Apr. 1 - 3:39 am et

[SSH2005]

Joel Peralta may not make the Royals bullpen after all. I don't know what's the situation with him in terms of the 40 man and options, but if he becomes available the Sox should really look into acquiring him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Peralta is the guy I wanted but the Royals obviously had waiver priority over us when the Angels cut him loose months ago.

[SSH2005]

Another guy worth acquiring...

 

Latest News  Apr. 1, 2006 - 10:55 pm et

 

Mariners designated RHP Marcos Carvajal for assignment.

We're stunned. Carvajal, a 21-year-old reliever picked up from the Rockies for Yorvit Torrealba, has the potential to become an excellent reliever, and he has options remaining. Maybe a trade is on the way, because he was hardly the most expendable player on the Mariners' roster.

Edited April 2, 2006 by SSH2005

[DBAHO]

Carvajal sounds good. A young guy, 5.09 ERA for the Rockies last season in 39 games. He had a 1.88 ERA in high A ball the year before.

 

And the rest are coming thick and fast;

 

Royals designated RHP Steve Andrade for assignment.

Unbelievable. First Shane Costa over Aaron Guiel and Chip Ambres and now Steve Stemle over Andrade and Joel Peralta. Either of the alternatives would have been superior. Andrade has awesome minor league numbers and was the best pitcher of the group this spring, and Peralta has the most major league success and arguably the best stuff of the group. Stemle, on the other hand, is an obvious 13th or 14th pitcher. He's nice to have around as Triple-A depth, but if he's beginning the season on the major league roster, the organization is doing something wrong. Or everything wrong, in the case of the Royals. Maybe the three hits allowed and 16 Ks in 11 spring innings will cause some team to claim Andrade off waivers.

 

Andrade is 27, but had a 1.97 ERA in AA last season. And he doesn't walk a lot of guys. Still like acquiring Peralta over him if we get the chance though.

 

Rangers designated LHP Erasmo Ramirez for assignment.

Rule 5 pick Fabio Castro makes the team, as does right-hander Scott Feldman. Ramirez is a solid 11th or 12th pitcher who was underappreciated by the Rangers because he's no better against lefties than righties. He'll have to go right on to the major league roster if claimed, but some team should pick him up anyway. Apr. 2 - 12:38 am et

 

Ramirez is 25, had a 3.91 ERA in 16 games for the Rangers last season. Not a big strikeout guy though.

[R.J.]

The best thing this thread has shown is that we have options; even if we're just looking for guys to stash away at AAA as a (well necessitated) insurance policy.

 

I don't see Hermy coming back, not without undergoing surgery and rehabbing for a year. If we need a replacement reliver or if one of our boys goes down, I want to have someone to turn to who isn't Sean Tracey.