Time for the Reds to Go All In

Greetings!  Yes it's been too long but with the holidays approaching I thought I'd give the gift a new blog post (the first in 2 1/2 months!).

Let's begin at the recently passed baseball winter meetings where the Reds hoped to make a move for a pitcher to fortify its starting rotation.  Instead it was the Angels making a splash signing Albert Pujols away from the Cardinals to the tune of 10-years, $254 million.

Despite nothing to put under the Christmas tree, Reds General Manager, Walt Jocketty, remains hopeful a deal will get done before the new season begins.  But it may take making a teeth-grinding decision by the Reds front office. 

The rumored targets for the Reds to improve it's starting pitching this offseason have been Tampa Bay's James Shields or Oakland lefty Gio Gonzalez.  Both organizations what a package of several players in return.  I say it's time for the Reds go all in.

As of right now, the Reds have at best a two-year window to not only make the playoffs, but as they said in Major League, "win the whole *bleeping* thing."  Those two years coincide with the length of Joey Votto's contract before he is eligible for free agency.  So if it takes Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Homer Bailey, Billy Hamilton to get a James Shields--so be it.  If the A's want Drew Stubbs added to a similar package of players for Gio Gonzalez--time to ante up.  Heck if they're willing to give Cincinnati Gonzalez and closer Andrew Bailey, it may be worth giving up Aroldis Chapman!  Extreme? Yes, but look where that risk got the Cardinals.  Heck look where it got the Brewers.

Here's the other part of the offseason equation.  Be willing to increase the payroll over $80 million.  Trading for a Shields or Gonzalez will likely weaken the Reds pitching depth.  Why not take a risk and sign a Roy Oswalt to a 2-year deal?  You may only get one good season out of the All-Star, but if it ends with a World Series crown it would be worth it. 

Sure it's risky for a small market team to operate in the red, but making the playoffs and enjoying a deep run in the postseason has it's benefits at the turnstiles (thus putting finances back in the black).  Just ask Milwaukee.  Their 2008 postseason appearance was buoyed by trading prospects for a three-month rental of C.C. Sabathia.  Despite being bounced quickly in the first round, they now draw three-million fans a season.  Oh, and by the way, none of those prospects traded to Cleveland has amounted to anything yet.  Sometimes there's a reason they call them prospects.  By all accounts the Reds have them in abundance.  Time for the Reds to push all their chips to center of the table.