Here's how I would make the roster for the rest of the year (and especially next...)

[QuietAcre]

The ONLY guys I would go IF I were a GM that didn't care what Lindner had to say, are:

Pitching (go with youth)
-----------
STARTERS
1. Harang
2. Ortiz
3. Belisle
4. Claussen
5. Ramirez

RELIEF (the above five would probably do much better than what we have seen to date, the weakness in pitching is the relief core)
Coffey
?
?
?
?

SETUP
Wagner
?

CLOSER
Valentine

POSITION (need more power and speed)
-----------
1B - ?
2B - Bergolla
SS - Lopez
3B - Encarnacion
RF - ?
CF - WMP
LF - ?

BENCH
OF - Ramano
OF - Cruz
IF - Lui Lopez
OF/IF - Freel
?

These are your big trade baits (basing this on history, and "change of scenery"):
LF - Dunn (seems to be all-homerun, too patient, will never hit for high average)
RF - Kearns (best all-around player, needs a change of scenery)
1B - Casey (little power, too slow, fraternizes too much)
2B - Aurilia (Mr. Attitude)
C - Larue (we've seen enough, can't be any worse down on the farm)

Any thoughts?

[CincyRedsFan30]

Ideally my rotation would be:
1) Harang
2) Hudson
3) Belisle
4) Claussen
5) Hancock

I'm still not sold on Claussen and Hancock can be hittable, but with the players we have now, I want to see the younger types get at least a chance.

I don't think Valentine is ready to close right now.

Bergolla isn't ready yet at 2B. I would have Freel there.

I wouldn't trade Dunn unless we got GREAT pitching(# 1 and 2) in return, because he is that good. I wouldn't mind trading Kearns for the right price... the same with Casey and for me Randa. Aurilia carries no value. LaRue is actually rather underrated, and unless we could add someone really good, I wouldn't trade him, because the alternatives on the roster and in AAA are MUCH worse than he is.

[Reds_fan_4_life]

Freel shouldn't be benched. Bergolla at 2B please god no we already saw what he was made of. IMO we should trade Casey and have Dunn play at 1B daily. have an OF of Kearns/WMP/?. EDe is out future so yea once randa is finished he'll be there so no problem there. we need to focus on SP. Ramirez isn't so great and shouldnt be in the rotation maybe the bullpen. yes youth in a rotation is good. trade griffey to get day or w/e that deal was but we need some kind of spark

[QuietAcre]

How come Bergolla isn't ready at 2B? His bat? The kid has great speed and a great glove. He makes all the routine plays out there. I think he would make for a nice leadoff hitter. And, Larue? I hear that a lot, that he's "underrated". How? He allows a lot of passed balls and is a horrible hitter. The only reason he gets hit so much by pitches is because he does that in order to get on base. It is the only he CAN get on base It's not like he is Pujols, having already hit five homeruns in the game off Milton. Individually, there is a lot of talent on this club, but man oh man does it play and look "stupid".

[Reds_fan_4_life]

in order to be a good leadoff hitter you need to be able to get on base. doesnt matter about speed. like Freel he is a perfect example of a lead off hitter b/c he can hit and get on base. bergolla just isnt ready b/c of his bat unless that gets better i mean we aren't asking for Ichiro but atleast he needs to hit.

[CincyRedsFan30]

How come Bergolla isn't ready at 2B? His bat? The kid has great speed and a great glove. He makes all the routine plays out there. I think he would make for a nice leadoff hitter. And, Larue? I hear that a lot, that he's "underrated". How? He allows a lot of passed balls and is a horrible hitter. The only reason he gets hit so much by pitches is because he does that in order to get on base. It is the only he CAN get on base It's not like he is Pujols, having already hit five homeruns in the game off Milton. Individually, there is a lot of talent on this club, but man oh man does it play and look "stupid".

Bergolla's glove isn't the problem now...it's his bat. Although he had some nice hits(like the one off the lately struggling Billy Wagner), he posted awful numbers overall.

LaRue is underrated because passed balls really don't lead to as many runs as it appears and because his soffense is underrated. HBP has been proven as a skill, which is why he gets hit so often every year. He also has shown some power bursts and has a good OBP for a catcher. He is currently riding an 11-game hitting streak as we speak even.

[Slyder]

If I were workign the team first off I would reassign Miley. For his loyalty to the franchise and years of service I'd find something in player development or minor league system for him i would not outright fire him, its clear he has all but lost this team. Name Chambliss Interim. I would look for a guy that the players would have to respect and has had MLB success in the past. Once hired I would let them keep who they want from the staff and can those he dont want to retain (if he choose to move Gullet Id give him the same luxury as Miley for his loyalty to the franchise). Maybe a Jim Leyland?

With the manager position settled I would take a look at SUCCESSFUL youth movements. Milwaukee would be a blue print, shopping dunn and asking for a Richie Sexson plus offer to move him.

Others I would shop: Randa and Casey because they would likely bring the most in return after Dunn. Casey more so than Randa IMO.

Also I would shop Rich Aurilia or anything else throw him in a deal for a bag of balls and some used bubble gum, just so whoever the manager is cant play him and also maybe it will show him and that idiot agent of his how truely worthless to a team he is hitting .194 (BTW thats less than 1 hit every 5 freaking at bats). I would also try to get anything I could for Griffey, this team needs some flexibility financially even if we still have to pay 3/4 of his contract that still probably saves us close to 3 mil a year and a couple decent spects from someone looking for a DH spot CF starter.

I would shop LaRue if one of the deals brings us a better defensive option or an equal player to him, but I doubt if the team could get fair market value for him.

So most likely of the guys left (not including guys from deals).
C: Jason LaRue
1b: Open competition (probably get one in a deal)
2b: Ryan Freel (and he would stay there, but would be aware he could be moved as a double switch)
3b: Edwin Encarcion
SS: Felipe Lopez
RF: Austin Kearns
CF: Wily Mo Pena
LF: Kenny Kelly (is he a true CF or can he play all 3?)

This should be a much less mechanical defensive team, a lot more consistancy with playing time and a lot younger. Granted depending who we get in deals this could change.

Bench: The Bench might look a bit weak but it would get ravaged by the deals
If hes shown as a changed person Id give D.J. a chance as ph specialist double switch man.
Jacob Cruz as the lefty off the bench (yes, hes shown a knack for getting a hit)
Luis Lopez (mainly because we have no one else)
the guys that follow the minors will have to help me with the rest but maybe Aaron Holbert and an OF for depth.

Bergolla would be in the plans EVENTUALLY but he still needs more time at AAA.

The staff blows its a given that Harang is the only truely tradable guy we have.
Rotation (post all star break):
1) Aaron Harang
2) Luke Hudson
3) Ramon Ortiz
4) Paul Wilson (if healthy and throwing harder) if not Steven Kelly
5) Steven Kelly (if Wilson is still hurting) maybe Elizardo Ramirez or Claussen

Bullpen: Shopping options are few, I would try to shop Weathers and Mercker now while they seem to have it together and see what I could get (maybe a similar deal we got from Phi for Lidle).
Randy Keisler
Josh Hancock
Eric Milton (after being dld looked at by a doc and a new pitching coach)
Ryan Wagner
Chris Booker
Ramirez/Claussen

Eventually Bubba Nelson- I would move him up to AAA and tell him start closing there

[QuietAcre]

This has been a fun thread. Maybe we can do more of these? For all the kiddies out there, the new forum rule is that on days of Reds games you must get up bright and early and do your homework before the bus arrives, so that you can be here 15 minutes before games.

[Slyder]

Bump... theres gotta be others with some ideas better than talking about how bad the team has looked.

Might as well throw an idea of a lineup out there (if you stay within the system and play a guy like Zapp at 1b post casey era)

1 Freel 2b
2 Lopez ss
3 Encarcion 3b
4 Pena CF
5 Kearns RF/LF
6 Zapp 1b
7 Kelly RF/LF
8 Larue C
9 Pitcher

[griffeyfan3]

pitching:

1)harang
2)ortiz
3)Hudson
4)claussen
5)Hancock

Relievers:

booker
kiesler
coffey
weathers
merker
wags

1)2B-Freel
2)ss-flo
3)3b-lil e
4)zapp-1b(great power)
5)WMP-cf
6)Dunn-LF
7)griffey-RF
8)sardina-c

[Reds_fan_4_life]

here's what i think..

1) Ryan Freel 2B
2) Felipe Lopez SS
3) Wily Mo Pena-cf
4) Adam Dunn-LF
5) EdE 3B
6) AJ Zapp-1b
7) ken griffey jr-RF
8) dane sardina-c/Larue

Bench
Robert Stratton- once healthy this guy has massive power.
Kenny Kelly- havent heard much of him in AAA
Bergolla- I don't like him too much on his hitting but he can be a good defensive move late.
Cruz- he's been good off the bench this year.
Kearns(unless traded) needs new work ethics
Rotation
1. Harang
2. Hudson
3. Ortiz
4. Kelly
5. Hancock
Andy Van Hekken?? just saw this guy in AAA never knew we had him..?

Bullpen

Coffey
Randy Kiesler
Ryan Wagner
Allan Simpson
Joe Valentine

[CincyRedsFan30]

Although I'm a bit worried myself, I think some of you guys are giving up on Kearns too early here. I don't think Griffey has many more years left anyway.

I'd also make sure Dunn/Pena were 3rd/4th in my lineup.

Oh, and unless something dramatic happens to Dane Sardine ... I think we need to look at another backup Catcher. Valentin is probably better than him now, and that's a very scary thing.

[Saber]

Yeah, you tend to want your best hitters in the 3 or 4 spots.

[Sea Ray]

I think Bergolla does have some potential with the bat although he's not there yet. I'm impressed with his bat speed and he makes a lot of contact. If he slaps the ball on the ground his game can be major league caliber.

I think Ortiz' future is in the 'pen. I think he can be a decent setup man and we need that.

Who was it that wanted Valentine as closer? Have you seen his numbers at AAA? He just gave up three runs w/o retiring a batter this week. I'd rather have Chris Booker or Bubba, but I'm still hopeful Ryan Wagner can become the guy. Maybe with another coach...

Don't forget a big left hander, Ben Kozlowski in AA. I think he may be a factor in the rotation.

I'm thinking if Kenny Kelly starts (big if as I see him as a 4th OF) he should be in CF and Wily Mo should get a corner spot.

The bottomline here is that there is some talent to use here and we're not even taking into account guys we may receive in trades. Under the right GM this team can be molded into one worth watching again.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Valentine has struggled for sure, but he still has the stuff. Now, that might never pan out, but he certainly still has a little potential.