Won't hear **** after the clutch go-ahead 2-run double and advance to 3rd by EDLC unless it is another way to undermine him.
Reds
- Thread starter Mr Schwump
- Start date
I don't think the Reds win here making this trade. St. Louis would have to eat a portion of that contract for any team to bite or send along prospects to sweeten the pot. Cincinnati did not want to pay him $12 million in 2022, at 35 in November going to pay him $30 million? Not a chance. The Reds are better off extending a qualifying offer to Nick Martinez. He either accepts it and you have a reliable veteran innings eater for 2025 or get a compensation pick in next year's draft. Still have the money spent on Martinez this past year to go towards acquiring an outfielder that will bring some power to the middle of the order or a pitcher with postseason experience to stabilize the rotation.
Shows I didn’t know any better myself at the time. Martinez turned out to be a rock for them in the second half.
Projected arbitration salaries for the Reds in 2025.
Ty France (5.089): $8.6MM
Tejay Antone (5.000): $1.1MM
Santiago Espinal (4.149): 4MM
Jake Fraley (4.097): $3.3MM
Tyler Stephenson (4.056): $5.2MM
Austin Wynns (4.017): $1.4MM
Ian Gibaut (3.077): $800K
Sam Moll (3.075): $1.1MM
Alexis Diaz (3.000): $4.2MM
Nick Lodolo (3.000): $2.2MM
France - I would non-tender at $8.6 million for no more than the Reds got from him. Spend the money on an outfielder or give the money to a player deserving of an extension.
Antone - I would give him one more shot to prove he can hold it together.
Espinal - Indifferent. The infield will be crowded if everyone makes it out of ST healthy. Espinal did have a great July & August, slumped miserably in the other 4 months. Gives you versatility in the infield and played a few games in the corner outfield spots. Could be much worse to have as one of the last guys off the bench next year if you consider who the Reds have had in this position in recent years with Senzel & Barrero.
Fraley - Bring him back.
Stephenson - Hope they can avoid arbitration and sign him to an extension.
Wynns - non-tender. Would be open to bringing him back on a minor league deal for cheaper. Rather get a quality backup catcher, move on from Maile and re-sign Barnhart on a minor league deal to work with the young pitchers in Louisville.
Gibaut - Bring him back. He needs to get healthy again. Was a workhorse in 2023.
Moll - Bring him back.
Diaz - Bring him back. He got somewhat better as the season went. In his last 30 games, finished with a 2.89 ERA, 11 saves (28 overall), 12 BB and a 1.11 WHIP. You can only hope he finds his All-Star form again. Cincinnati isn't spending for a top-notch closer to replace him. They do need to sign some setup men to pitch in the high-leverage situations. Pagan was not it.
Lodolo - Absolutely bring him back. Not giving up on him with his potential. Injuries are the concern with him though. They have to sign a veteran pitcher and retain Junis at least since Martinez likely priced himself out of Cincinnati with his 2nd half.
Ty France (5.089): $8.6MM
Tejay Antone (5.000): $1.1MM
Santiago Espinal (4.149): 4MM
Jake Fraley (4.097): $3.3MM
Tyler Stephenson (4.056): $5.2MM
Austin Wynns (4.017): $1.4MM
Ian Gibaut (3.077): $800K
Sam Moll (3.075): $1.1MM
Alexis Diaz (3.000): $4.2MM
Nick Lodolo (3.000): $2.2MM
France - I would non-tender at $8.6 million for no more than the Reds got from him. Spend the money on an outfielder or give the money to a player deserving of an extension.
Antone - I would give him one more shot to prove he can hold it together.
Espinal - Indifferent. The infield will be crowded if everyone makes it out of ST healthy. Espinal did have a great July & August, slumped miserably in the other 4 months. Gives you versatility in the infield and played a few games in the corner outfield spots. Could be much worse to have as one of the last guys off the bench next year if you consider who the Reds have had in this position in recent years with Senzel & Barrero.
Fraley - Bring him back.
Stephenson - Hope they can avoid arbitration and sign him to an extension.
Wynns - non-tender. Would be open to bringing him back on a minor league deal for cheaper. Rather get a quality backup catcher, move on from Maile and re-sign Barnhart on a minor league deal to work with the young pitchers in Louisville.
Gibaut - Bring him back. He needs to get healthy again. Was a workhorse in 2023.
Moll - Bring him back.
Diaz - Bring him back. He got somewhat better as the season went. In his last 30 games, finished with a 2.89 ERA, 11 saves (28 overall), 12 BB and a 1.11 WHIP. You can only hope he finds his All-Star form again. Cincinnati isn't spending for a top-notch closer to replace him. They do need to sign some setup men to pitch in the high-leverage situations. Pagan was not it.
Lodolo - Absolutely bring him back. Not giving up on him with his potential. Injuries are the concern with him though. They have to sign a veteran pitcher and retain Junis at least since Martinez likely priced himself out of Cincinnati with his 2nd half.
Last edited:
Fools gold. He pitched well, but you don't erase a career of mediocrity in half a dozen games. Plus, he's 34, and was already overvalued at his $14M. If some sucker wants to give him more than that next year, then so be it.
Ignorant as all hell. 2024 only backed up his solid numbers from 2022-23 in San Diego with a 3.45 ERA, 10 wins & 9 saves while pitching in any role from the bullpen to the starting rotation.
Well, I switched to YouTube which doesn't carry Bally. So I'm probably going to have to pay a monthly fee one way or the other next year if I want to watch the Reds
Did not bother to do so, this year since they were already out of it by the time I switched to YouTube.
If the Reds stick with Bally Sports, FUBO TV carries them for $7 more a month for their base package that includes Bally Sports compared to YouTube TV. FUBO is also the same company that saw to it that the proposed ESPN, WB Discovery & Fox Sports streaming platform got blocked by a U.S. judge in district court. Something that might have been beneficial for people who only watch sports like me. It is a racket designed to take more money from the common fan forcing people to pay for multiple subscriptions for so much as one channel. Corporate greed, all about money. When you have to keep bundling different services to get everything you once had, I don't see how this is supposed to be a good thing for viewers. It all adds up and paying as much as I was in the first place, if not more.
Half a dozen games? $14 million (12 million option for 2025) is what Nick signed for and it was a bargain for what he gave the Reds. Then compare it to Frankie Montas who was signed for the same $14 million for a 5.01 ERA, 4 wins and would have made $20 million in 2025 had they not dumped him on Milwaukee. If the Reds can get a pitcher who can give the production Martinez did for $12-14 million and prove to pitch at a high level in the hitter's park of GABP. You sign him without hesitation. Cincinnati isn't going to be in the market for Cy Young contenders and frankly don't need to with the shape of the offense and have pitchers like Greene & Lowder leading the charge next year.
You are going after the wrong player as usual for the Reds faults this season. Who cares how his career went in Texas? Far be it a player actually improves in the sport as Martinez has. All that matters now is what he does going forward and he has been a productive Major Leaguer every year since returning from the NPB. If he signs for more with another team. He deserves it, and not going to begrudge him for getting paid for a 2-3 year deal before he retires. Martinez absolutely should get paid. His performance in the 2nd half certainly put himself in a position to make money this offseason.
Last edited:
Boom. Now wait for Cole to tell us this is ignorant.
Said it since the night Bell was fired. This is the one and only guy you can hire who has a winning pedigree and bring some level of respect to this franchise. You had to get a winning manager that can develop young talent, hold people accountable but also a 'players manager'.
3-year deal, club option for a 4th year.
Haven't seen anything yet, though it is interesting that his hitting coach and pitching coach were both former Reds when he left. Chris Valaika and Carl Willis who is still with Cleveland. Willis might be fine, but so is Derek Johnson. They can do better than Valaika.
CF for McLain is an idea I have been talking about here since the 2022 season. I am happy to see this under consideration. His injuries are a concern if he can be durable enough to handle CF, though they must feel confident this won't be an issue if the Reds/McLain are entertaining this idea. McLain playing OF, 2B & 3B will up his value to the team. Jeff McNeil, Trevor Story, Tommy Edman are good examples of players doing it successfully.
Last edited:
Looks like Francona is keeping Derek Johnson.
Connor Phillips also pitched great yesterday in the AZFL. Tossed 4 shutout innings, 7 K's building off the strong 2nd half he had after being sent down to the ACL. I have a feeling the Reds will be calling on him at some point already down 2 pitchers going into next year and knowing the injury history of this team in recent years.
CES seeing some time in RF in the AZ Fall League. Even got an assist on a throw to Arroyo to get a runner out at 3rd.
I suppose no harm in bringing in a guy that throws 98. But he hasn’t exactly been facing top level players (minor leaguers)
Was just GREAT to see Luke Weaver as featured RP on the Yankees for the last month and in the playoffs, where he has been outstanding. Of course, Reds had him last year . . . as a starting pitcher where he was God Awful. Reds must have a crackerjack set of pitching coaches, really did a great job of developing Weaver in 2023. 
Had a great year. Lively in the playoffs too. Reds, meanwhile, have half the staff on IL and other half having TJ. And you're keeping these coaches??Was just GREAT to see Luke Weaver as featured RP on the Yankees for the last month and in the playoffs, where he has been outstanding. Of course, Reds had him last year . . . as a starting pitcher where he was God Awful. Reds must have a crackerjack set of pitching coaches, really did a great job of developing Weaver in 2023.
Realistically they will never be big spenders. However, having an offseason like they did going into 2020 signing Miley, Moustakas & Castellanos is something I can see the organization doing. Don't waste it on Moustakas and they need someone they can count on to eat innings like Martinez. Miley was good, but very injury prone. Nathan Eovaldi would be a good addition to mentor this young pitching staff and fill out the rotation. He has real postseason experience which would be huge for the Reds having a proven winner in October. Sign an outfielder and a setup man to pitch in high-leverage situations.
Last edited: