Reds Offseason Recap
Oct 9, 2016 14:56:52 GMT -5
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Post by Sean_RedsGM on Oct 9, 2016 14:56:52 GMT -5
After 7 straight division titles, fans in Cincinnati are still wanting more. The Reds haven't won a World Series title since 1990, but the offseason brings a renewed hope among the Cincinnati faithful that this year will end the drought.
The departure of C Eric Harrison leaves a big hole in the middle of the order, but the Reds are expecting good things out of a trio of young players (R. Miller, Vera, and J. Miller) that should help fill the void. Rodney Miller was traded to the Reds at the beginning of the season in 2037 but didn't get a shot on the PBL roster until 2038. Miller appears to be a perfect example of a guy that just needed a change of scenery because his first two full professional seasons have been exactly what the Reds desired. Miller has posted a WAR never lower than 3.9, a ZR of +14.2 in LF and +6.0 in CF , and last season tallied his first 20 hr/20 sb season as a professional. Vera hit 53 hrs last season between stops at AA, AAA, and the PBL and appears to be a perfect fit at the Great American Ball Park. If Vera were still a Cub, we might be talking about his chances in the Hall of Fame. Before 2039, Jeremy Miller had not played at any level higher than A+. Due to injuries in the Reds outfield, Miller got his 1st chance in the PBL and did not disappoint. Miller tallied a .344 OBP in his first PBL season while putting up a 4.0 WAR and a +13.1 ZR in CF. Miller profiles as a plus defender in CF and high OBP guy moving forward.
The Reds decided not to offer SS Allen Bell a contract extension, so when the Rockies expressed interest in RP Jeffrey King, GM Sean Bain decided to try to get 2B Rich Thornton in return. "Thornton's defense has dropped over the years but the man still can hit and get on base. We look forward to having him in our lineup this season."
A series of contract extensions were signed this past week, highlighted by SP Will Taylor. Taylor signed a 2 year extension at $25 mil per season. The 2 year extension automatically activated the $20 year player option for next season, so the deal really was a 3 year deal at $65 mil in total. Some industry experts feel that the Reds overpaid for Taylor but the front office clearly didn't want Taylor to be a free agent after this season. The other two extensions signed didn't receive quite the same attention as Taylor but might very well be just as important. 3B Myles Howard was signed to a 4 year $8.5 mil per year deal with the 4th year being a player option. Howard is a streaky hitter but when hot can carry a lineup. He's also an elite defender at the hot corner, but is still looking for his first gold glove. SP Millard van Pelt signed a 4 year $10 mil per year deal with the 4th year being a player option. van Pelt is a solid middle of the rotation pitcher who has logged over 200 IP every season since 2036.
Add SP Dave Bean to the list of Reds that have signed contract extensions this offseason. Bean inked a 2 year contract extension at $24.71 mil per season. Bean was slated to be a free agent after this season but was excited to be in Cincinnati for the next 3 seasons. "I have always enjoyed playing at the GABP. The fans are great and I really think we have a team that can compete for a championship. No one really knows how free agency would have turned out but this made the most sense for me and most importantly my family."
It was clear that the Reds front office saw something in the free agent market for next season that they didn't like. "We looked at the starting pitching market for the next offseason and decided our best options were already on our roster. We've got a lot of young talent which allowed us to pay more than some analysts might feel was necessary but now there is no doubt for the players, our front office and most importantly our fans on who will make up our rotation over the next few seasons. We also wanted to send a message to our fan base that we're not going to fall back into a rebuild mode like past front offices have done after a season or two of success." - GM Sean Bain
Time will tell if the current roster will end up being what the Reds open the season with but keep checking back for the latest news out of Cincinnati.
(This is a living thread that will be updated throughout the offseason.)
The departure of C Eric Harrison leaves a big hole in the middle of the order, but the Reds are expecting good things out of a trio of young players (R. Miller, Vera, and J. Miller) that should help fill the void. Rodney Miller was traded to the Reds at the beginning of the season in 2037 but didn't get a shot on the PBL roster until 2038. Miller appears to be a perfect example of a guy that just needed a change of scenery because his first two full professional seasons have been exactly what the Reds desired. Miller has posted a WAR never lower than 3.9, a ZR of +14.2 in LF and +6.0 in CF , and last season tallied his first 20 hr/20 sb season as a professional. Vera hit 53 hrs last season between stops at AA, AAA, and the PBL and appears to be a perfect fit at the Great American Ball Park. If Vera were still a Cub, we might be talking about his chances in the Hall of Fame. Before 2039, Jeremy Miller had not played at any level higher than A+. Due to injuries in the Reds outfield, Miller got his 1st chance in the PBL and did not disappoint. Miller tallied a .344 OBP in his first PBL season while putting up a 4.0 WAR and a +13.1 ZR in CF. Miller profiles as a plus defender in CF and high OBP guy moving forward.
The Reds decided not to offer SS Allen Bell a contract extension, so when the Rockies expressed interest in RP Jeffrey King, GM Sean Bain decided to try to get 2B Rich Thornton in return. "Thornton's defense has dropped over the years but the man still can hit and get on base. We look forward to having him in our lineup this season."
A series of contract extensions were signed this past week, highlighted by SP Will Taylor. Taylor signed a 2 year extension at $25 mil per season. The 2 year extension automatically activated the $20 year player option for next season, so the deal really was a 3 year deal at $65 mil in total. Some industry experts feel that the Reds overpaid for Taylor but the front office clearly didn't want Taylor to be a free agent after this season. The other two extensions signed didn't receive quite the same attention as Taylor but might very well be just as important. 3B Myles Howard was signed to a 4 year $8.5 mil per year deal with the 4th year being a player option. Howard is a streaky hitter but when hot can carry a lineup. He's also an elite defender at the hot corner, but is still looking for his first gold glove. SP Millard van Pelt signed a 4 year $10 mil per year deal with the 4th year being a player option. van Pelt is a solid middle of the rotation pitcher who has logged over 200 IP every season since 2036.
Add SP Dave Bean to the list of Reds that have signed contract extensions this offseason. Bean inked a 2 year contract extension at $24.71 mil per season. Bean was slated to be a free agent after this season but was excited to be in Cincinnati for the next 3 seasons. "I have always enjoyed playing at the GABP. The fans are great and I really think we have a team that can compete for a championship. No one really knows how free agency would have turned out but this made the most sense for me and most importantly my family."
It was clear that the Reds front office saw something in the free agent market for next season that they didn't like. "We looked at the starting pitching market for the next offseason and decided our best options were already on our roster. We've got a lot of young talent which allowed us to pay more than some analysts might feel was necessary but now there is no doubt for the players, our front office and most importantly our fans on who will make up our rotation over the next few seasons. We also wanted to send a message to our fan base that we're not going to fall back into a rebuild mode like past front offices have done after a season or two of success." - GM Sean Bain
Time will tell if the current roster will end up being what the Reds open the season with but keep checking back for the latest news out of Cincinnati.
(This is a living thread that will be updated throughout the offseason.)