Reds' makeover starts with pitching

[CincyRedsFan30]

Reds' makeover starts with pitching
Bullpen revamped, veterans added to stabilize infield

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

If Ty Pennington shows up in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse before the season begins, well, why not?

As the star of the television show Extreme Makeover, where a crew rebuilds dilapidated houses into palaces in a matter of days, he would fit.

In fact, maybe Extreme Makeover can do a segment featuring Reds general manager Dan O'Brien. He rebuilt the Reds over the winter in about the same amount of time the TV show turns a rundown abode into a dream house.

O'Brien is a Man of Meetings ... order in a few boxes of pizza, lock the doors and pray nobody ordered anchovies. He spends hours picking the brains of his people and that's what he did late last season and during the winter meetings.

The blueprints were drawn and the foundation was envisioned.

To make the 2005 Reds rooter-friendly, an entity the fans could love, O'Brien and his staff decided the club needed a few things, money being at the top of the list.

For the first time in years, CEO Carl Lindner oiled the hinges on the rusty doors of his baseball vault, blew the dust off the piles of cash and said, "Here, Mr. O'Brien, spend it wisely."

Having been given approval to add more than $25 million to last season's payroll, O'Brien rubbed his palms together and said, "Gimme the phone, please."

He and his staff determined that the team's biggest need was in the bullpen. And maybe they could plug a hole or three in the starting rotation. And maybe a third baseman and maybe a shortstop.

It became the biggest face-lift since the last time Joan Rivers stood on the red carpet before the Academy Awards ceremony.

O'Brien took hits for doing nothing during the December winter meetings in Anaheim. Not one transaction. The team, though, led the league in meetings that week, not once visiting Mickey Mouse or Goofy.

The week after the meetings, transactions came faster than Wall Street on late Friday afternoon.

O'Brien first addressed the rotation, trading minor-league pitcher Dustin Moseley to Anaheim for pitcher Ramon Ortiz.

Then came the remolding of the worst bullpen in baseball last season. He signed free agents David Weathers, Kent Mercker and Ben Weber, veterans who all own World Series rings.

"We've lost our way as to how to win in this organization," said O'Brien. "We wanted to bring in guys who have been successful in the post-season, know what it takes to win and to win championships. They can show our guys verbally and by example."

The shocker came when O'Brien signed left-handed free agent Eric Milton to drop into the No. 2 spot in the rotation behind incumbent Paul Wilson. And an even bigger shock was when it was revealed that the club made a legitimate offer for Chicago Cubs free-agent pitcher Matt Clement, who opted for Boston.

And it was said the New York Yankees were interested in Milton, but after some telephone pleadings from Reds first baseman Sean Casey, Milton said yes to the Reds.

It was the same thing with free agents Joe Randa, a third baseman, and Rich Aurilia, a shortstop. They fit O'Brien's profile of guys with winning mentalities and positive clubhouse dispositions.

Again, Casey used his cell phone to become a recruiter. When Casey talks, not only does the world listen, the world has to listen. He makes certain everybody hears. And his talks with Randa and Aurilia were convincing. They came.

"I was four for five in guys I called," said Casey. "I only missed on Clement. I look around this clubhouse now and I see the guys I talked into coming — Milton and Weber and Randa and Aurilia — and you add Weathers and Ortiz and, hey, I'd say we did as well as anybody on the free-agent market," said Casey.

"I'm pumped. I'm excited. We have a great mix of great people and great talent and we're going to do great things."

Great.




Reds payroll roller coaster The Reds have upped their payroll this season by an estimated $13.3 million, but they have a history in the past decade of building up their salaries and quickly knocking them down.Year Total Payroll
2005 $60,000,000
2004 $46,615,250
2003 $59,355,667
2002 $45,050,390
2001 $48,784,000
2000 $44,217,500
1999 $42,142,761
1998 $21,995,000
1997 $46,267,000
1996 $40,719,334
Sources: USA Today Salaries Database, wire services, staff reports

[volzok]

Good article. Hopefully its all coming together. But I think its getting late. I need to go to bed b/c I read this:

If Ty Pennington shows up in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse before the season begins, well, why not?

and I thought it said Ty Howington not Pennington. I was like what But then it made sense.

[griffeyfan3]

lol yea .....hope we have a good season in our pitching staff....

o and i was just watching baseball tonite and it says that wilson is starting tomororw. i thought milton was.?

[ghettochild]

no they gave wilson the starting role like last month, milton said wilson deserved it

[griffeyfan3]

o i thought they said milton was starting ...o well he should start against glavine then?

[RedsFan33]

Wilson tends to pitch well against the Mets, and I hope that success will continue tomorrow.

[griffeyfan3]

yea nothing would be sweeter than ruining pedros debut with the mets.