Reds and Alex Gonzalez agree to 3 year 14 mil deal

[redsrbetter]

per rotoworld:

Free agent Alex Gonzalez reportedly has a three-year, $15 million offer on the table, likely from either the White Sox or the Reds.

The Blue Jays have also been talking to Gonzalez, but they didn't make the offer. If Gonzalez can get this kind of deal, Julio Lugo at four years and $32 million would look very attractive. Of course, if it's the White Sox that sign Gonzalez, the same teams that are considering Gonzalez right now would likely covet Juan Uribe. Uribe is about as good defensively and has more offensive potential. Should the Reds get Gonzalez, Brandon Phillips would stay at second base. It'd make the decision to re-sign Juan Castro look awfully redundant.

[redsrbetter]

Career .290 OBP? No thanks. Even if he is a slick fielder (which I totally agree) we need offense here. And I agree with rotoworld, why sign Castro then? I know Gonzalez is more of a starter and Castro is a utility guy, but they are no different at the plate.

The better option: move Phillips to SS.

[missionhockey21]

Reds Reportedly After Inducing Sickness With All Fans

Gonzalez is far superior defensively to Castro, but he doesn't hit like a 5 million dollar player a season. Krivsky sure knows how to pick 'em.

[missionhockey21]

If we are keeping Dunn and adding a big outfield bat, to use him at the bottom of the order I could live with, but that kind of contract almost guarantee's him being probably our second biggest signing outside of a pitcher. And a guy who 'plays the game the right way' also means Narron will have an obsession with him and his craptastic OBP batting 2nd. Remember how often Narron uses the 2nd spot for usually the worst hitter in the lineup.<br><br>I love the defense, hate the offense and hate the contract. Let's hope it's the White Sox.<br>

[Slyder]

Hey guys I posted this on another board I frequent:

I still think we need to give Guillen a tryout to see if he's healthy.

AGonzalez for 5 mil a year? Eh... I guess thats the market right now.

Bring in Guillen and sit Dunn and Junior down for a long discussion:

Freel/Deno/Hopper RF/CF
Dunn 1b (til he proves to be a middle of the order guy then Phillips here)
Guillen RF/CF (if healthy proves great d and some pop)
Junior LF
Ed E 3b
Phillips 2b
LaRue/Ross C
AGonzalez SS

Ehhh something along those lines could probably be an upgrade over where we finished last year... If Narron doesnt screw it up every couple games. You could use Dunn to give an OF a day off and let him play LF couple times a week. The middle of the lineup you could almost interchange depending on starters and "whos hot" If Dunn shows he's more than HR/BB/K guy then:

Freel/Hopper/Deno
Phillips
Guillen/Ed E
Dunn
Junior
Ed E/Guillen
LaRue/Ross
Gonzalez

[McKain]

I don't know why you'd put Griffey in left field (or in the field at all) over Dunn, when Griffey's a less valuable hitter and probably at best an equal defender, and Hatteberg/someone who hits lefties would make a better 1B platoon than playing Griffey over that combo. Not to mention, you know Griffey's too conceited to switch positions.

Also, Guillen isn't nearly good enough a defender to play center, so Freel/Denorfia/Hopper would be full time CFs.

Alex Gonzalez signing for 5 mil a year would be hilarious, imo, because he'sn ot nearly enough of an upgrade to sign for 5 mil per let alone on a 3 year deal.

[redsfan28]

The reason why you put Griffey in LF is because he will not ride the bench and you really can't trade him.

[Slyder]

I don't know why you'd put Griffey in left field (or in the field at all) over Dunn, when Griffey's a less valuable hitter and probably at best an equal defender, and Hatteberg/someone who hits lefties would make a better 1B platoon than playing Griffey over that combo. Not to mention, you know Griffey's too conceited to switch positions.

Also, Guillen isn't nearly good enough a defender to play center, so Freel/Denorfia/Hopper would be full time CFs.

Alex Gonzalez signing for 5 mil a year would be hilarious, imo, because he'sn ot nearly enough of an upgrade to sign for 5 mil per let alone on a 3 year deal.

Griffey can't cover enough ground to be an everyday CF. I think (when healthy) he would be a significant upgrade over Dunn defensively and Dunn's offense would make up for the difference at 1b. Griffey still has a plus arm and very smart in the field. He wouldnt need to run as much and keep likely strain to a minimum on his legs. I maybe overvaluing a possible move but at this point in his career i believe would be able to regain some of "the kid" by making a move to LF. Guillen as we saw a couple years ago has a rocket attached to that arm. If healthy he would provide as good d as probably Freel, Kearns, Deno could. With Freel being "everyday CF" and used to give Guillen and Griffey (or DHd in AL parks) days off with Deno/Hopper being used as CF then.

Thats the market right now. He's got some pop maybe he might be able to take advantage like Aurilia did? Id probably top out at about 3 yrs 10 mil but it depends on what others there are and getting paid. If someone's offering Lugo 25 mil for 3 yrs then Gonzalez at 15 mil for 3 yrs is a bargain.

And like Redsfan said... You're not likely to trade Griffey so might as well play him and see if he cant play and garner some interest from contenders at the deadline.

[McKain]

redsfan - Griffey'd ride the bench. What's he going to do, take the field and stand out there in center like a dick? You know he's not going to play left, he'll flat out refuse, and not come out at all - he's said basically the same in the past.

Slyder -Centerfield is better for the legs than either corner position for an outfielder with bad legs/knees - JD Drew will back this up. He wants to play CF very badly because he can't handle all the quick stops he has to make running towards corners and all. You never need to stop quickly in center, you're not putting as much strain on the legs because you can run through every play. Griffey'd be in bad, bad shape after a few weeks in left, I'd bet. I don't think it'd help him at all, and probablyu would wind up hurting him.

A-Gon at 15/3 if Lugo's getting 3/25 isn't a bargain at all. Gonzalez is an overrated defender, Lugo tends to be underrated (like when people call him the worst SS in the league), and it's no shock that Lugo is substantially better with the bat, and would have great looking stats for 06 if he hadn't been used in a utility role and only getting limited time with the Dodgers. Lugo's much better than A-Gon, at the least, he's worth 5 million more a year (and I'm not saying Lugo should be making 30 over 3, I'm saying Gonzalez should be making 9 over 3 or so). The market's inflated, but that's no reason to settle for someone who is flat out horrible offensively, mediocre defensively (yet viewed as the best in the game), when for a few million more (which the Reds most likely have to spend), they could get a huuuge upgrade with the bat, at worst an equal with the glove, and a big baserunning boost.

[redsfan28]

You simply don't pay a guy $12.5 mill to sit on the pine. He would probably just not show up to the games rather than sit on the bench.

[McKain]

You shouldn't pay a guy 12.5 million to hurt the team by being an abysmal defender and mediocre hitter, either, but they'll be doing that. Why hurt the team when they can just throw his ass on the bench against all lefties and give him some at-bats against righties? Be a much better solution than having him out there every game he can.

[McKain]

And I realize this has 0% chance of happening, because:
a) Narron has no balls
b) Krivsky has no balls
c) Too many fans would be upset

But as a kinda-Reds fan, I can hope.

[redsrbetter]

Sounds like the ChiSox are not in this.

per rotoworld:

Alex Gonzalez is believed to be close to signing a three-year contract with the Reds, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.

It sounds like Rosenthal is just going off Thursday's Boston Globe report, but with the added knowledge that the White Sox aren't currently in the running for Gonzalez. The Globe reported that Gonzalez had a three-year, $15 million offer on the table, likely from the Reds or the White Sox. If the Reds sign him, they'll have perhaps the best middle-infield defense in the NL. However, it'll be another blow to an offense that GM Wayne Krivsky has taken a lot away from since his July deal with the Nationals.

Looks like it may be Krivsky afterall.

All I have to say is this. I will learn to like Gonzalez. I don't think he is as bad as McKain is thinking. "Mediocre" is just not the word for his defensive ability. This dude has some of the quickest hands I have ever seen and I was saying this back in his Marlin days. But his sticking ability is like someone put a fresh rookie at the plate and he simply can't come through.

If this signing happens we would need a few things to come afterward. Krivsky will have to find a RF who graduated from hitting 101. Then he will have to have a legitimate pinch hitter type (Bubba Crosby will not work here) for late game clutch situations to replace Gonzalez/pitcher. And the last thing he would have to do is try and trade Castro if at all possible because he has just become useless.

[redsrbetter]

Rumor has the Reds in the running for shortstop Alex Gonzalez. The Boston Globe has reported that the Reds may be one of two teams offering Gonzalez a three-year, $15 million deal.
On Friday, Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky refused to discuss the rumor.
"I'm not going to confirm it or deny or it," Krivsky said.

Have you talked to Gonzalez's agent?

"I've talked to a lot of agents," Krivsky said. "We're not going to talk about who we've talked to and who we haven't."

Gonzalez's agent, Eric Goldschmidt, did not return a call Friday afternoon.

A lot of teams make it public when they meet with free agents. That is not Krivsky's style.

"We won't announce anything until a deal is done and the player's signed and had a physical," Krivsky said.

The talk of the Reds and Gonzalez may be just a matter of people putting two and two together: The Reds need a shortstop and Gonzalez is the best one available on the free agent market.

He hit .255 with nine home runs and 50 RBI last year, but he is a superior fielder.

With Krivsky's goal of improving the defense, making an effort to sign Gonzalez would make sense.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...PT04/311170040

This is a part if Krivsky I definitely do not like. It gives me the DanO feeling all over again. He gives us no clue as to what he is doing. None at all. No hints or anything. Its hard to be an exciting fan when there is not much to anticipate on.

[redsrbetter]

Free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez is believed to be close to signing a three-year contract with the Reds.
Gonzalez's agent, Eric Goldschmidt, said he expects to complete a deal by the start of next week, but would not specify with which club.
The White Sox, a team speculated to be involved with Gonzalez, have not contacted Goldschmidt, according to a major-league source.
The Blue Jays also have shown interest in Gonzalez, but a second source said they would balk at the rumored price — three years, $15 million. Gonzalez, 28, is one of the game's top defensive shortstops, but his .179 batting average with runners in scoring position last season was the lowest in the majors.

So we should hear something come Monday. In baseball terms, this means we may hear something by next Friday.