One Reds fans thinking

[redsrbetter]

I have crunched some numbers and combined some research to entertain one thought. I have researched those teams in need of an OF. Subtracted those teams that are in need of SP. Then subtracted the teams only looking for a CF. Which equals a team in need of Dunn, Kearns, or Pena and is not looking for SP.

Next, I took the listed teams and searched for starting pitchers that have been mentioned in trade possibilities. Then, I looked at those pitcher's salaries and made sure that they would fit with our current payroll of $60-65 million.

Here are the three pitchers that I finished up with.

Barry Zito at a $5.6 million 2005 salary
Bronson Arroyo at a $1.85 million salary
Joe Kennedy at a $2.2 million salary

Joe Kennedy is absolutely not the pitcher we need on this team and is nowhere near the talent that our outfielders could command. This leaves us with Barry Zito and Bronson Arroyo, both of whom I would be happy with. With Zito a strong possibility of being the biggest named SP in trade talks this offseason, he may be tough. So it depends on how badly the A's need an outfielder. This speaks Dunn out loud and it would be a close comparison in expected salary. Pretty much an even swap there. Bronson Arroyo, on the other hand, could be taken in a Kearns or Pena deal. He is not very expensive and is still pitching well.

So what do you guys think about these possibilities?

[griffeyfan3]

i like arroyo, i think pena/kearns for arroyo would be an even swap. it would be crazy if we got zito tho....but id like to keep dunn around.

[redsrbetter]

Yeah Dunn would be a tough guy to trade as far as our missing him goes. But for Zito? I would do it.

[Providence A's]

Zito is due to make $8.5 million for 2006.

[Slyder]

I cant see the A's doing a Dunn for Zito deal. I expect them to do like what they did with Mulder and try for 3 very good spects for Zito type deal, maybe a Pena and a couple upper tier pitching spects from us would be something more along the A's likeing.

[redsrbetter]

My thinking on this was that they are needing an outfielder, and what better outfielder than Dunn? 8.5 million for Zito is better than the expected 12 million for Dunn as well. This way we also free up money we thought would be used elsewhere.

[Providence A's]

why would the A's take on more salary? We won't do that until we get a new stadium even w/ our rich, new majority owner Mr. Gap Clothing.

[redsrbetter]

4 million a year and Zito for Dunn. A's wouldn't do that with the need of a run producing outfielder? How about a prospect to go with it?

[Providence A's]

If it were Zito for Dunn straight up we'd be adding another $3.5 million when the idea of trading Zito is to save money.

The only reason we took Kendall and his $10 million was to get rid of Rhodes and Redman and their combined $8 million or so. That was a case of we had garbage to get rid of and really had to take whatever we could get.

That's not the case with Zito. I agree with Slyder that it would be similar to the Hudson/Mulder trades in that there'd be maybe 1 major league ready player and 2 really good prospects or at least above average. While Dunn would be nice in theory (and he'd probably play DH with Kotsay in center, Payton in left, and Swisher in right...unless one of them was moved, which doesn't seem likely as we just resigned both Payton and Kotsay and Swisher will only be in his 2nd year) it then creates the same problem again...having a player that will soon be out of the A's price range until they either move or get a new stadium. We'd then have to trade Dunn the next year or whatever.

[Wally Mo Pena]

i wouldn't want zito for dunn, i'd rather go younger. Also, when did Dunn start making 12 mil? All the speculation i've heard has been around 8 million for one year, or 10 mil per year on a multiyear deal.

arroyo is the quality of pitcher that we can get for pena or kearns i think, but again, i'd rather go younger. And when did the sox start needing a corner OF? they probably won't trade manny, and if they do, i'd expect them to take care of their OF need in that trade.

[Providence A's]

Zito is only 27. How young do you want? Prospects that may not pan out?

[Slyder]

Your not going to find anyone who is better than Zito on the market right now. He would be the ace we need. 27 yrs old, we arent going to do much better.

[Wally Mo Pena]

i'd rather do dunn for harden is all i'm saying. maybe it's just remembering zito's '04 year that scares me. I just feel like at any moment it's all going to stop working for him again.

[Slyder]

i'd rather do dunn for harden is all i'm saying. maybe it's just remembering zito's '04 year that scares me. I just feel like at any moment it's all going to stop working for him again.

Harden's 2005 salary was 750k. Zito's 2005 salary was 5.6 million dollars. I dont know if Harden is up for arby yet so I think it is pretty safe to say we will be waiting a long time if we are going to go Harden for Dunn.

[Providence A's]

Harden?!?! No ones is getting Harden, nevermind the Reds

After the A's were sold, they signed Harden, Haren, and Crosby to 5 year extensions that will take them through their arbitration years