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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2012 > January > 22
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Giving Jocketty grades on his off-season deals
NOTE: This piece appeared in Sunday’s Dayton Daily News, but for those who only come to the blog and don’t see the paper I’ve posted it here. Let me know what you think. HAL
Fortunately for Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, it hasn’t snowed much this winter. He wouldn’t have had time to shovel out.
To say he has been a busy man this winter is to say it snows a lot in Buffalo this time of year.
After the 2010 season, after the Reds won the National League Central, Jocketty did very little outside his own little world to improve the 2011 edition.
Inactivity paid zero dividends and the Reds never were much of a factor in 2010, finishing behind both Milwaukee and St. Louis, retreating to that weary old habit of finishing under .500.
Actually, Jocketty hadn’t done much outside the box since he acquired third baseman Scott Rolen on July 31, 2009, a trade that improved the Reds twofold — acquiring Rolen and jettisoning third baseman Edwin Encarncion — the E’s stood for enigma and errors.
Jocketty this winter has removed the ‘in’ from inactivity this winter. Activity was his middle name.
So far, in order, he has acquired starting pitcher Mat Latos, relief pitcher Sean Marshall, closer Ryan Madson and left fielder Ryan Ludwick ¬— thus covering the major needs he and his staff identified after last season.
For sure, Jocketty gets an ‘A’ for activity.
So how did he do? Let’s rate ‘em.
ONE: The best move he has made so far is the singing on Madson to a one-year $8.5 million deal, with a mutual option. The deal might have been better if a multi-year deal could have been made, but Madson probably wants to check out free agency again next year after he fumbled a $44 million deal to stay with the Philadelphia Phillies.
So it will behoove Madson to have a big year so those big offers will roll in. And Reds fans no longer will have to endure the heart-palpitating appearances of former closer Coco Cordero. More often than not, he did the job, but how he did it (putting runners on base and falling behind in count after count), left fans and teammates gasping for breath.
Madson, a 6-6 200-pound right-hander seems to fit Great American Ball Park like a perfectly tailored suit. He is 10-4 over his last two seasons with the Phillies. He posted 2.37 and 2.55 ERAs the last two years. Amazingly, he has given up only six home runs the last two years and walked only 29 while striking out 126. Give Jocketty an A-minus on this one and the minus coming only because of the one-year deal.
TWO: Trading for Sean Marshall was a move necessitated by a weakness in the bullpen last year, mostly inconsistency. The Reds have to give up left-handed starter Travis Wood to complete this deal with the Chicago Cubs, but the Reds do seem to have a surplus in starting pitchers. But isn’t that what everybody tought last year, too?
The left-handed Marshall was an awesome set-up guy for the Cubs and while he is death to left-handers, he is also poison to right-handers. And he has some closing experience in case Madson needs comfort and aid.
At 6-7 and 220 pounds, Marshall is a Clydesdale with his work ethics. He appeared in 80 games in 2010 and 78 last year, posting ERAs of 2.65 and 2.26. Give Jocketty a B-plus on this one and it would have been an A had he not had to give up a top starting pitcher prospect.
THREE: What Mat Latos will the Reds get. Will it be the 2010 Latos who was 14-10 with a 2.92 ERA or will it be the 2011 Latos who was 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA. He pitched in expansive Petco Park. How will he do in Yellowstone American Ball Park, a.k.a. Great American Small Park.
Jocketty is given much credit for signing a young player who remains under the Reds’ control for three more years. But why would San Diego let go of a player supposedly with a huge upside when they had him under control, too?
It is for sure Latos was acquired for more than a replacement for Jonny Gomes and his body art. Like Gomes, Latos is covered in tattoos, but nobody will care if he doesn’t get tattooed on the mound.
Jocketty gets a C-plus on this one because of the uncertainty of last year and the fact he gave up four players to get him, including three No. 1 draft picks (Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and sandwich pick pitcher Brad Boxberger).
FOUR: Although the Reds haven’t yet announced it, free agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick is coming to the club as a possible left fielder. To Jocketty’s credit, he could have acquired Ludwick early last season from the San Diego Padres, but the Padres wanted outfielder Chris Heisey. Jocketty said no and he was able to sign him on the relative cheap without giving up players. Hasn’t he given up enough already.
Ludwick started the season with San Diego and finished with Pittsburgh, hitting .238 in 101 games with the Padres and .232 in 38 games with the Pirates. He started his career with Texas, moved on the Cleveland and had his best of times in St. Louis. He one big year was 2008 when he hit 37 homers and drove in 113. But he has never hit more than 22 in any other season.
Give Jocketty a C-minus on this one because he probably could have done better and Ludwick may not be better than Heisey. Ludwick struck out 124 times and walked 51 times in 553 at-bats last year.
Jocketty did not consider nor sign Manny Ramirez to play left field and for that we give him an A-plus, plus, plus.
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