Article: Trade Target Team Profile: Cincinnati Reds

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?766-Trade-Target-Team-Profile-Cincinnati-Reds

[John Bonnes]

Lord, but I love the idea of getting Hamilton.

[PMKI]

I would love to get Billy Hamilton but would also be shocked if they traded him.

[TheBaseballGeek]

I would die of happiness if they could get Hamilton. Alas, it''s almost a sure bet that he's untouchable.

[lee_the_twins_fan]

I would die of happiness if they could get Hamilton. Alas, it''s almost a sure bet that he's untouchable.

I am not one to trade an established player like Willingham or Span, without getting at least TWO prospects in return. One is not enough. You're trading someone who is nearly at the high point of their career for someone who hasn't gotten to the big show yet. Two prospects help increase the odds that at least one coming in return will make it to the majors.*

 

As for Hamilton, obviously he needs seasoning at SS, with 24 errors. Either he must spend more time in the minors honing his defense, or be switched to a different position.

[fetch]

I don't get why they don't just throw Hamilton in center field.

[snepp]

I don't get why they don't just throw Hamilton in center field.

Because filling shortstop with quality talent is considerably more difficult than center. If he can stick at short they'll be much better off in the long run.

[notoriousgod71]

104 (now) SB is just a ridiculous figure. It might be more shocking than when the Babe suddenly exploded for 54 homeruns. That's how unheard of that statistic is.

[fetch]

Because filling shortstop with quality talent is considerably more difficult than center. If he can stick at short they'll be much better off in the long run.

But no one thinks he can. So make him an 80 center fielder and let him move up the minors rather than wasting his development.

[jorgenswest]

Billy Hamilton... what a great name for his skills. Before Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock and even Ty Cobb, baseball had Sliding Billy Hamilton (944 career SBs, over 100 four times, HOF).

 

He is probably an OF, but of course the Twins would want such an exciting player at any position. I can't imagine why the Reds would trade him. He is guaranteed to sell tickets when he arrives.

[kab21]

I'm still anti-Hamilton although he is a top 50 prospect. I want to see how he hits outside of the cal league. It makes the PCL look like a pitcher's league with its thin air (less pitch movement), hard infield (allowing balls thru) and deep fences (the ball rolls forever). It's perfect for Hamilton. The SB's are ridiculous though.

 

I'm a lot more interested in Corcino since he doesn't come with the hype. Willingham for corcino and a 2nd decent prospect (top 100 tweener).

[Seth Stohs]

Hamilton was promoted to AA today.

[Thrylos]

Really got to scratch your head with all the love for a 22 year old who just got promoted to AA and has a career .738 OPS in the minors (Rookie to high A) and is a Butcher on the field, while the Twins have a 24 year old in the majors with very similar skill set and .732 OPS this season in the majors and is pretty darn good on the field. And that someone is not seen as a "long term solution" (whatever that might be) for the Twins by a whole bunch of fans. Got to love the irony.

 

On the other hand, the Twins need MLB-ready SPs in return to a Liriano (and/or a Span) trade. This is not the draft where you go for the best player available and develop them, you got to fill need.

[kab21]

On the other hand, the Twins need MLB-ready SPs in return to a Liriano (and/or a Span) trade. This is not the draft where you go for the best player available and develop them, you got to fill need.

You still take the best talent. I would rather get a better OF prospect than a mediocre SP prospect even if that's not what the Twins need. There will only be a couple of teams interested in a player and you have to take what is available in their systems.

[Thrylos]

You still take the best talent. I would rather get a better OF prospect than a mediocre SP prospect even if that's not what the Twins need. There will only be a couple of teams interested in a player and you have to take what is available in their systems.

My point is that the Twins should not be after prospects. They need MLB-ready SPs, which means AAA and/or AA high level pitchers who are stuck behind others in their organizations but who are better now or in 2013 than what the Twins have left for their 2013 rotations. I don't care if it is the top 10 prospect in a system and is at Rk level... The Twins do not need that because unless they have a solid rotation in 2013 and 2014, there will be another 90+ loss season. And right now the 2013 rotation projects worse than the 2012 rotation that is awful.

[kab21]

I guess that I've accepted that 2013 is going to be ugly. I would rather add the most talent to the org regardless of where the player is (minors/majors) or what position he plays.

[drjim]

I guess that I've accepted that 2013 is going to be ugly. I would rather add the most talent to the org regardless of where the player is (minors/majors) or what position he plays.

No way the Twins agree with you on this (2013 being ugly). If nothing else they have to sell tickets. But I would even argue they are two solid starters and a couple of things continuing on from being a contender in the Central. That is far from impossible to fill with $30 million in payroll and Span as an asset to trade.

[DaveW]

Really got to scratch your head with all the love for a 22 year old who just got promoted to AA and has a career .738 OPS in the minors (Rookie to high A) and is a Butcher on the field, while the Twins have a 24 year old in the majors with very similar skill set and .732 OPS this season in the majors and is pretty darn good on the field. And that someone is not seen as a "long term solution" (whatever that might be) for the Twins by a whole bunch of fans. Got to love the irony.

 

On the other hand, the Twins need MLB-ready SPs in return to a Liriano (and/or a Span) trade. This is not the draft where you go for the best player available and develop them, you got to fill need.

First off, Hamilton is only 21 and is now in AA, it's not like he is 26 and repeating various levels.

 

Second off, Hamilton has shown quite a bit of improvement this year in his power over last year, in 2010 he showed pretty decent pop as well so his 2011 campaign is looking like the outlier at this point.

 

He has his issues at SS, but there is no reason why he couldn't make it work at 2B or CF. He is taking a lot more walks this year (almost 2x as often as his career average) and is a good bet to swipe 150+ bases by the end of this season. That is simply amazing.

 

Assuming he doesn't fall off a cliff in AA we are looking at a top 20 prospect. How you can say the Twins wouldn't be well off with gettng Hamilton is a bit mind boggling.

 

With all that said I highly doubt the Reds trade him for anyone we can offer. Liriano won't bring back enough and I imagine we'd have to include another piece with Span.

 

I for one would be absolutely thrilled with a Span for Hamilton straight up trade, and Hamilton is the type of prospect who could be ready to contribute at the major league level sometime in the 2013 season. (He will almost certainly be up with the Reds in sept for a playoff run as a weapon off the bench)

[DaveW]

You still take the best talent. I would rather get a better OF prospect than a mediocre SP prospect even if that's not what the Twins need. There will only be a couple of teams interested in a player and you have to take what is available in their systems.

Agreed, take the guy with the highest upside/most talent and if everything works out you can always trade another bat later.

Also if they do trade Span this year it does take an additional 4.75 mil(2013) and 6 mil (2014) off the books, just more money they could use to try to land some good free agent pitchers.

[John Bonnes]

The Reds beat writer, John Fay, wrote the other day about the Reds needing a leadoff hitter and specifically mentioned Denard Span, talking about how he could play center field, about his on-base percentage and about his long-term contract.

 

Assuming the Reds won't offer Hamilton, do they have a package that intrigues you? Would Cingrani or Corcino be enough?

 

How about the young SS Cozart? Say the Twins send Span and Carroll and get back...Corcino and Cozart?

[DPJ]

I don't know if the Reds would do it, but Dusty refuses to give Mesoraco consistant playing time. Boom...he's the everyday C with Joe backing up and playing DH and 1B. Doumit as your 3rd and backup at 1B, OF & C.

 

One more year of the dumb Canuck and there ya go.

[diehardtwinsfan]

all of those pitching prospects in the article look nice... kind of curious how hard some of them throw... I'd think Span could get one of the top 3.

[gunnarthor]

MLBtraderumors notes the Reds are scouting Span. Span makes so much sense for them that I think something will happen soon. Reds also have a tradeable supp pick that they could add in if they wanted to.