Sunday, December 18, 2011

Dealing for Latos a Risk Worth Taking

Count me among those who like the Reds trade for Mat Latos.  From what many in the national media are saying, I'm in the minority.

Sure the Reds gave up a lot and Latos hardly has the resume of Justin Verlander or Roy Halladay, but Cincinnati trades two guys who were blocked at their respective positions, a pitcher who has terrific stuff but has put together only one good season in his career and a minor-league reliever with a lot of promise.  In return Cincinnati gets Latos, a 24-year-old who has electric stuff and is just scratching the surface of what he could become.

Is it a role of the dice?  Sure, but so is every player a team drafts.  So are many trades teams make.  Nothing is certain.  What I do know is Yonder Alonso can hit, but he wasn't supplanting Joey Votto at first base and he's a liability in the outfield for any team with championship hopes.  I also know that Yasmani Grandal was at least two years away from being major league ready.  Who knows, by then Devin Mesoraco could be firmly entrenched as the every day catcher.  As for Edison Volquez, aside from his All-Star year of 2008 he's shown no sign he can put it together consistently as a starting pitcher.  Latos has already tied a major-league record of 15 consecutive starts allowing two or fewer runs in his short career.  Trading Brad Boxberger is one that could hurt.  He's young and throws in the upper '90s.  The classic make-up for a late-inning reliever.  Although, I heard the same thing about Zach Stewart.  Remember he was the young flame-thrower the Reds parted with in the Scott Rolen deal in 2009.  Here are Stewart's career major league numbers--2-6, 5.88 ERA in 13 games, 11 as a starter.  Oh, and since the Blue Jays acquired him from the Reds, he was traded during the season to the White Sox.

Remember prospects mean potential.  Ask yourself if you recall who the Cardinals gave up to get Matt Holiday or the Brewers for C.C. Sabathia.  Any one of those prospects tearing up the league?  No the time for Jocketty and the Reds to act was now and when push came to shove, they didn't flinch.  True only time will tell how shrewd a move it was, but with Albert Pujols now an Angel and the Brewers possibly facing life without Prince Fielder (permanently) and Ryan Braun (50 game suspension), I like the Reds odds.

1 comment:

  1. I think your blog posts show you have been on target w/ the Reds' planning for 2012. Nice call. Now, what about the Mayan proficy of 2012? Tell me Nostrdamus. Tell me.

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