Willy Mo traded for Bronson Arroyo (Confirmed)

[McKain]

Correction: Arroyo and cash for Pena.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2376683

[Wally Mo Pena]

it's great deal for the red sox that's for sure, especially with david ortiz and manny ramirez on the team to mentor him.

[Wally Mo Pena]

listening to the guys up here on boston sports radio (WEEI), they all seem pretty pissed about the deal. No one up here seems to believe that Wily Mo will be able to learn the strikezone or play good defense, and everyone loved arroyo and his potential. And even more, people are mad that bronson had given the team such a sweet discount with the general idea that he wouldn't be traded, and that it sends a bad message to players that they can't trust the red sox front office, and will be less likely to give discounts like that again.

The contract (and cash) is what this deal is all about for the reds, it's a freaking sweet one. Now it's all about what arroyo can do in GABP/NL. I'm hopeful.

[missionhockey21]

I was willing to hold judgement on Krivsky (if you recall I wasn't either thrilled or devasted with the signing.) But, his first trade, let's give him a big old F on this one.

Way to go.

[NFLman2033]

well I am offically pissed off, This offseason has been shit, i was only slightly excited by the fact that we had a F.O. willing to make moves, but the bottom line was that I wanted to see WMP play every day to see what he could do, now that isn't going to happen, I hate THE AL, but seriously I am going to have to find a way to be a red sox fan in order to watch WMP play.. we trade him for a decent, pitcher.. well thats just nice isn't it, **** it all, **** it all, I am fed up with this pathetic excuse of an organization.. I may just not even watch baseball this year

[McKain]

I think the most hilarious thing about this deal is that while you Reds fans absolutely despise it and think Arroyo is worth way less than WMP...

the Red Sox fans despise it and think WMP is worth way less than Arroyo.

Neither side could make a deal that pleased everyone.

The thing I am most worried about in this deal is where it puts WMP in the Sox roster; Trot Nixon is still a good player and is in right field, Manny is the unmovable object in left, and Coco Crisp was just acquired to chill in center. I would guess they could try WMP at first base or Trot at first base if they felt ballsy, but it looks like WMP is moving from a full time starter to a partial time player, which is depressing.

[missionhockey21]

You hit the nail on the head NFLman; the whole point of this offseason was allowing Kearns and Pena full playing time in the hopes of seeing if one or both will shine. Thus, boosting their value and letting us trade something of surplus (offense) for something we desperatly need (pitching, duh.) Pena is young and nowhere close to what he could be at full potential and while he might struggle with AL pitching, I sadly can envision him mashing bigtime in Fenway. Why the Reds didn't wait for someone to step up and increase their trade value I have no clue. Then again, this organization hasn't made sense in years.

[Wally Mo Pena]

dang, i really didn't think people liked wily mo that much. We need pitching, and we got it, and we got it for 3 years, cheap. I think most GMs in the busness are going to be pretty impressed with Kriv on this one, because a lot of people covetted arroyo's contract.

[missionhockey21]

I think the most hilarious thing about this deal is that while you Reds fans absolutely despise it and think Arroyo is worth way less than WMP...

the Red Sox fans despise it and think WMP is worth way less than Arroyo.

Neither side could make a deal that pleased everyone.

Arroyo probably does have more current MLB value to a team, however give it five years and there is a much better chance that Red Sox fans are laughing while Reds fans are inching ever closer to pulling the trigger.

Shit, I would of been of happy with trading WMP for a struggling similar aged pitcher who has big potential but shaky results (IE, the WMP version of a pitcher.) Arroyo might improve a bit with the move to the NL but who knows how much the GABP will counteract that.

[missionhockey21]

dang, i really didn't think people liked wily mo that much. We need pitching, and we got it, and we got it for 3 years, cheap. I think most GMs in the busness are going to be pretty impressed with Kriv on this one, because a lot of people covetted arroyo's contract.

You need to trade at peaks though and this certainly wasn't WMP's prime value. And I have nothing against Arroyo. From everything I've heard, he's a really cool guy and one I will personally like. But speaking from a baseball standpoint, he's not going to make us a winner. Nor is he the type of pitcher we should be targeting. We will have a better staff ERA with him in it than out of it of course, but I just don't see this team in any division races soon and I do think we'll regret this trade as Arroyo is turning 32 and WMP is entering his prime. Obviously I can't say that for sure and I do admit my bias is effecting my viewpoint, but I am just not thrilled with this. Rationally speaking, we really should of waited for someone's trade value to peak.

[Wally Mo Pena]

You hit the nail on the head NFLman; the whole point of this offseason was allowing Kearns and Pena full playing time in the hopes of seeing if one or both will shine. Thus, boosting their value and letting us trade something of surplus (offense) for something we desperatly need (pitching, duh.) Pena is young and nowhere close to what he could be at full potential and while he might struggle with AL pitching, I sadly can envision him mashing bigtime in Fenway. Why the Reds didn't wait for someone to step up and increase their trade value I have no clue. Then again, this organization hasn't made sense in years.

he took a step back last year, remember that. in '04 he was .259/.316/.527 and in '05 he went .254/.304/.492. Sure, he was one of my favorites, and i think he'll get better, but he's certainly no sure fire superstar. what if he takes another step back this year, and has less value, or if he gets hurt?

This is a deal that makes the reds better right now, and helps in the future. That fits with exactly what the ownership has said it's looking for, so maybe this is enough of a "peak" for tham.

[missionhockey21]

he took a step back last year, remember that. in '04 he was .259/.316/.527 and in '05 he went .254/.304/.492. Sure, he was one of my favorites, and i think he'll get better, but he's certainly no sure fire superstar.

The difference? In 2004 he was able to get some consistent AB's with the Griffey injury. Last year, overall we were dealing with a crowded outfield, minus two occasions, and he battled with injury. Plus his numbers did nto regress to the point where it was a concern longterm. We're talking about a few less hits, a few less XBH's, not serious declines. It wasn't promising that he didn't progress but I think the injuries didn't allow him to get into any grooves considering how streaky of a player he is.

[missionhockey21]

Fisher (and Wally since I believe you see/hear a good deal on the Red Sox), is there somekind of untapped potential I am not aware of with Arroyo? To be honest, I just know what I do from the stats and the times I have seen him in the playoffs. Nothing screamed an upper rotation #2 type of guy, just a middle of the rotation (possibly even a #4 on most teams) type of pitcher who sometimes was a bit better than that. So other than what the stats tell me (a pitcher who is fairly hittable, lacking strikeout type of stuff, but keeps a team in the game), can someone give me some more info so I can understand this, because it is just not clicking right now.

[CincyRedsFan30]

This team BETTER leave Dunn at 1B, put Freel at 2B and give Denorfia a chance in the outfield, or this trade is really dumb.

I do like Arroyo's contract and the fact he *might* get better in the NL (he did have 20 quality starts last year too, which this team usually does well with), but I don't like the fact he's older and doesn't strike out as many hitters as would be desired with a team with defense like the Reds' defense.

I think we could have done better. Hopefully the team will dump Milton or Wilson now.

[Slyder]

We got the pitching we need. Would you rather bring Ramon Ortiz back and put him back in the rotation?

I'm a little concerned about Arroyo's 22 HRs last year, BUT his career GB/FB Ratio is near 1.00 which is something we all admit we needed more of last year.

Let me find some stats and compare him to our rotation.

Plus he certainly is cheap (compared to what FAs get Just look at Milton). I did my fair share of complaining about O'Briens first trade but lets give this a chance, maybe he can cut down the stuff coming to the league that has the pitchers hit and not as many slugger filled lineups.

You gotta question what this does to the Red Sox rep though. You sign a guy to discount (cause he wants to stay) and then turn around and trade him before he's even started on the new contract. Could we have just traded the next great slugger? Yes, but we could have also just traded the next Russell Branyan with better speed for someone who should "keep us in games".