Reds Need to Keep Dunn, Sign Pitching

by Eli Greenspan on Sep 22, 2007 11:41 AM EDT

The Reds have a 13 million dollar option on outfielder Adam Dunn, and they would be dumb not to exercise it. The Reds have so much power up and down their lineup with him in it. Hatteberg, Phillips, Encarnacion, Dunn, Hamilton, Griffey, and young guys Hopper and Keppinger are starting to step up as well. However, there pitching is weak, and bullpen even worse. They are 27th in the league in ERA (4.96), they are forth in the league in homeruns given up (187), and are forth in the league in hits given up (1,525). If they were to add two more veteran relievers and a starter or two, they would definitely be a contender among the Brewers, Cubs, and Cardinals. They were just 6.5 games out a week or so ago. They are third in the league in homeruns (199), 11th in the league in RBIs (722), and tenth in the league in walks (513). They are ahead of the Cubs on all hitting stats, but only have one starter who is above five hundred in wins with at least ten starts. If they added someone like Scott Linebrink or Luis Vizcaino to their bullpen, and a starter like Eric Milton, Kyle Lohse, or both, they would make the NL Central very interesting.

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considering the number Adam puts up, OBP .381, SLG .519, OPS .900, picking up the 15 million is a great deal considering the ever so increasing price of FAs. And this year where HRs are down, he is a group of small hitters who hit a great ammount of HRs.

by timy1 on Sep 23, 2007 1:31 AM EDT reply actions

They had Eric Milton and Kyle Lohse, and they didn't make anything interesting

by Anonymous on Sep 23, 2007 10:49 AM EDT reply actions

Um, what? Milton and Lohse?

by Anonymous on Sep 23, 2007 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

throwing names out there...silva, schilling? you could even try to acquire gorzelanny or maybe even kendrick from the phillies

by Eli on Sep 23, 2007 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

Gorzelanny and Kendrick will not be traded. Both was three/four years away from free agency, both are quality starting pitchers, both are cornerstones to build around.

In this day and age, you do not trade good, young pitching, especially if you're a small market club who can keep them locked in for a few years before the big dollar beckons.

by Anonymous on Sep 23, 2007 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

agree with previous guy. as this past year has shown, trades involving young, quality pitching are practically non existent. then you have to factor in small market teams.

by timy1 on Sep 23, 2007 7:16 PM EDT reply actions