The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

[rsox]

Anderson Machado, who was expected to compete with Felipe Lopez for the Reds SS job suffered a knee injury playing winter ball in Venezuela. The extent of the injury is unknown at this point and visa problems are holding up Machado from returning to Cincinnati where the Reds will evaluate him further, but right now it looks as if Machado could miss most, if not all of the 2005 season.

So it looks like the Reds may be in the market for someone who can compete with Lopez for the spot at SS. Possibilties could include Rich Aurilia, Alex Gonzalez (not the one with the Marlins) Pokey Reese and Rey Sanchez. Also, don't be surprised if you hear rumors about Austin Kearns to the Kansas City Royals for Andres Blanco, the Royals had talked to the Reds about Kearns earlier this offseason and have maintained interest in the OF, the Reds like Blanco and the Royals are willing to part with him since they believe Angel Berroa will rebound from a horrible sophmore season.

[CWood2]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Anderson Machado, who was expected to compete with Felipe Lopez for the Reds SS job suffered a knee injury playing winter ball in Venezuela. The extent of the injury is unknown at this point and visa problems are holding up Machado from returning to Cincinnati where the Reds will evaluate him further, but right now it looks as if Machado could miss most, if not all of the 2005 season.

So it looks like the Reds may be in the market for someone who can compete with Lopez for the spot at SS. Possibilties could include Rich Aurilia, Alex Gonzalez (not the one with the Marlins) Pokey Reese and Rey Sanchez. Also, don't be surprised if you hear rumors about Austin Kearns to the Kansas City Royals for Andres Blanco, the Royals had talked to the Reds about Kearns earlier this offseason and have maintained interest in the OF, the Reds like Blanco and the Royals are willing to part with him since they believe Angel Berroa will rebound from a horrible sophmore season.

And take Pokey off the market...he signs up with the Mariners today.

[CWood2]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Anderson Machado, who was expected to compete with Felipe Lopez for the Reds SS job suffered a knee injury playing winter ball in Venezuela. The extent of the injury is unknown at this point and visa problems are holding up Machado from returning to Cincinnati where the Reds will evaluate him further, but right now it looks as if Machado could miss most, if not all of the 2005 season.

So it looks like the Reds may be in the market for someone who can compete with Lopez for the spot at SS. Possibilties could include Rich Aurilia, Alex Gonzalez (not the one with the Marlins) Pokey Reese and Rey Sanchez. Also, don't be surprised if you hear rumors about Austin Kearns to the Kansas City Royals for Andres Blanco, the Royals had talked to the Reds about Kearns earlier this offseason and have maintained interest in the OF, the Reds like Blanco and the Royals are willing to part with him since they believe Angel Berroa will rebound from a horrible sophmore season.

And take Pokey off the market...he signs up with the Mariners today.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

That must suck. I'm surprised they didn't do what the Padres did when they were going to place an upcoming rookie shortstop when they signed one just in case Khalil didn't work that well in the big leagues.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

That must suck. I'm surprised they didn't do what the Padres did when they were going to place an upcoming rookie shortstop when they signed one just in case Khalil didn't work that well in the big leagues.

[Jwally]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Obviously, this is not good news, as the competition would have made both players better, but I'm not really worried about this. Lopez did a great job at the end of the year last year filling in at Shortstop, and hopefully that will carry over to this year.

I still wish we had Larkin, though....

[Jwally]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Obviously, this is not good news, as the competition would have made both players better, but I'm not really worried about this. Lopez did a great job at the end of the year last year filling in at Shortstop, and hopefully that will carry over to this year.

I still wish we had Larkin, though....

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

[rsox]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

I don't know that it is so much Dan O'Brien being stubborn as it is lousey ownership.

Unfortunately since they did not offer Larkin arbitration they can not even negotiate with him until may 1st, and unless he is really desperate to play (assuming he has not signed with another team or retired by then) i think his pride might make him hang up the phone if they did call.

I have not heard the Kearns/Lopez for Furcal rumor but i have heard Kearns to the Royals for Andres Blanco.
With Alex Gonzalez and Pokey Reese both off the market the Reds are running out of free agent options, they could try and move D'Angelo Jimenez to SS and sign a 2B, Roberto Alomar, Mark Grudzielanez and Miguel Cairo are all still available and none of them would command a high salary.

I think Anderson Machado and Rey Olmedo getting hurt is the Reds bad karma coming back to haunt them for how they handled the Larkin situation (they didn't even give him a proper send off).

[rsox]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

I don't know that it is so much Dan O'Brien being stubborn as it is lousey ownership.

Unfortunately since they did not offer Larkin arbitration they can not even negotiate with him until may 1st, and unless he is really desperate to play (assuming he has not signed with another team or retired by then) i think his pride might make him hang up the phone if they did call.

I have not heard the Kearns/Lopez for Furcal rumor but i have heard Kearns to the Royals for Andres Blanco.
With Alex Gonzalez and Pokey Reese both off the market the Reds are running out of free agent options, they could try and move D'Angelo Jimenez to SS and sign a 2B, Roberto Alomar, Mark Grudzielanez and Miguel Cairo are all still available and none of them would command a high salary.

I think Anderson Machado and Rey Olmedo getting hurt is the Reds bad karma coming back to haunt them for how they handled the Larkin situation (they didn't even give him a proper send off).

[CWood2]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

Where'd you here the rumors about Furcal to Cincy? I know the Braves are looking for an outfielder, but this doesn't make much sense considering the spark Furcal gives Atlanta. I feel like you build up the middle, and with Andruw staying put, Furcal and Giles seem like the nucleus of the future with Chipper leveling off.

[CWood2]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Dan O'Brien is a stubborn jacka$$. I don't know why they just don't sign Larkin. They'll go out and sign a player that is worse than him just because they don't want to bring him back. Makes me mad.

Rumors I've heard have Kearns and Lopez going to Atlanta for Furcal and a pitching prospect. Not sure what I think of that deal. I think the Reds gave up on the Kearns at 3B experiment too soon. O'Brien doesn't like him for some reason. The kid is injury prone but he can still hit.

Also, to make matters worse, a friend of mine told me today that Ray Olmedo screwed up his arm/elbow in winter ball. First I had heard of that.

Where'd you here the rumors about Furcal to Cincy? I know the Braves are looking for an outfielder, but this doesn't make much sense considering the spark Furcal gives Atlanta. I feel like you build up the middle, and with Andruw staying put, Furcal and Giles seem like the nucleus of the future with Chipper leveling off.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Where'd you here the rumors about Furcal to Cincy? I know the Braves are looking for an outfielder, but this doesn't make much sense considering the spark Furcal gives Atlanta. I feel like you build up the middle, and with Andruw staying put, Furcal and Giles seem like the nucleus of the future with Chipper leveling off.

One of my friends told me. Kind of hoped one of you out there might have heard the same. I haven't seen anything else about that anywhere so I'm not sure who his source is, if any. I'm not sure it makes a whole lot of sense for the Braves, but they do have that kid in the minors - I think Wilson Betemit, might be someone else I'm thinking of - that is just about ready to come up.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: The Reds hole at SS just got a little wider...

Where'd you here the rumors about Furcal to Cincy? I know the Braves are looking for an outfielder, but this doesn't make much sense considering the spark Furcal gives Atlanta. I feel like you build up the middle, and with Andruw staying put, Furcal and Giles seem like the nucleus of the future with Chipper leveling off.

One of my friends told me. Kind of hoped one of you out there might have heard the same. I haven't seen anything else about that anywhere so I'm not sure who his source is, if any. I'm not sure it makes a whole lot of sense for the Braves, but they do have that kid in the minors - I think Wilson Betemit, might be someone else I'm thinking of - that is just about ready to come up.