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drudy23
03-31-2009, 04:39 PM
Don't know if I like this. Traded to the Astros for the infamous "player to be named later"...usually the PTBNL isn't an upgrade.

You need quality role guys like Keppinger to win. This can't be a cost move, can it? Does this make Edwin the everyday 3rd baseman? He better produce then.

Michigan Muskie
03-31-2009, 04:54 PM
Don't know if I like this. Traded to the Astros for the infamous "player to be named later"...usually the PTBNL isn't an upgrade.

You need quality role guys like Keppinger to win. This can't be a cost move, can it? Does this make Edwin the everyday 3rd baseman? He better produce then.

I think EE was already inked as the everyday third baseman. Kepp is a quality guy, but clearly his 2007 was a career year for him. (I hope we're not saying the same thing about Hairston after this season about his 2008, but the back of his baseball card doesn't lie.)

I like that the Reds are looking to their youth. Janish will probably make the 25-man now and deservedly so. If Gonzales isn't healthy enough to play short, Janish is the best option defensively. His bat isn't great, but hit him 8th and let his glove save some runs.

I agree that you need quality role guys - and I think the Reds have filled those roles with players like Gomes and Janish. Think about 1990 - who would have though Luis Quinones, Billy Doran, and Herm Winningham would be the role guys to deliver a championship?

THRILLHOUSE
03-31-2009, 05:16 PM
Keppinger is not as good as some Reds fans make him out to be. He doesn't have great range on defense and his offense was pretty lousy in the 2nd half of last season and so far in spring. But he's "scrappy" so a lot of Reds fans love him, personally I am glad he is gone.

Smooth
03-31-2009, 07:53 PM
I wouldn't go as far as say that I'm glad he's gone, but this isn't going to make me cancel my season tickets. In fairness, I should point out that I don't have season tickets. Anyway, he was a solid, but unspectacular player. He's not as good as his '07, but not as bad as last year or this spring. We have better defenders and speedier players available for bench duty. I'm sure he will hit a homer against us in July and everyone will scream "I told you so!"

Juice
03-31-2009, 08:41 PM
Janish and Rosales are both younger, and probably better version of Kepp. Janish is a better fielder, but not in the hitting department and Rosales is probably an equal hitter but with more power and he also can play the same positions as Keppinger. I like this move because it goes along with the general philosophy of the Reds with going with youth.

Plus, if you are a big fan of Keppinger, he will be getting more playing time with the Astros so its the best move for him.

Fireball
03-31-2009, 09:40 PM
Let's see...

Gonzalez is VERY iffy due to injuries.
Hairston is injury-prone and not a good defensive SS.
Janish can't hit.
Rosales is a complete unknown.

Nice call, Walt. I'm not saying thet Keppinger is a great (or even good) player, but to dump him for a PTBNL with all the question marks at short? I don't like it.

Michigan Muskie
03-31-2009, 10:36 PM
Let's see...

Gonzalez is VERY iffy due to injuries.
Hairston is injury-prone and not a good defensive SS.
Janish can't hit.
Rosales is a complete unknown.

Nice call, Walt. I'm not saying thet Keppinger is a great (or even good) player, but to dump him for a PTBNL with all the question marks at short? I don't like it.

But Kepp isn't much different than any of these guys. He is not immune to injury as we found out last year. And he's become quite ineffective at hitting against right-handed pitching. If you're going to have a light-hitting middle infielder, he might as well be someone who can at least field the position at or above average. Kepp just doesn't have the range needed to play shortstop every day.

Walt has built world champions in the past. I am going to defer to his expertise on this one.

gladdenguy
04-01-2009, 07:28 AM
Let's see...

Gonzalez is VERY iffy due to injuries.
Hairston is injury-prone and not a good defensive SS.
Janish can't hit.
Rosales is a complete unknown.

Nice call, Walt. I'm not saying thet Keppinger is a great (or even good) player, but to dump him for a PTBNL with all the question marks at short? I don't like it.

Keppinger did hit well with risp before his injury last year, however, after his injury and this spring he has hit horribly.
If gonzalez, hairston, and janish do fail, don't forget we have Todd Frazier and Chris Valaika waiting in the wings. I would love for the Reds to give one or both early calls because they WILL be studs.
That is IF gonzalez and hairston struggle due to injuries.
I wouldn't worry about the Keppinger trade. There was nothing left to do with him.

GoMuskies
04-01-2009, 08:07 AM
I hate to lose Keppinger because you want to believe the '07 Keppinger will be back. But maybe the broken kneecap was really it for him.

Keppinger was fantastic in '07, and he had hit at every level of the minors, so there was no reason (barring injury, which unfortunately occurred) to think that he wouldn't keep hitting.

Jumpy
04-01-2009, 08:12 AM
A player to be named later does seem like they didn't get enough for him, but considering his recent troubles I have to defer to management on this one. They do have depth behind him with a lot of guys that can be a utility infielder. If Jockety thinks that one or more of those guys is ready, then I'm ok with letting Kepp go for peanuts.

Juice
04-01-2009, 09:30 AM
Keppinger did hit well with risp before his injury last year, however, after his injury and this spring he has hit horribly.
If gonzalez, hairston, and janish do fail, don't forget we have Todd Frazier and Chris Valaika waiting in the wings. I would love for the Reds to give one or both early calls because they WILL be studs.
That is IF gonzalez and hairston struggle due to injuries.
I wouldn't worry about the Keppinger trade. There was nothing left to do with him.

I do agree that Valaika and Frazier will be everyday guys for the Reds, but neither will play SS at the big league level. They aren't good enough in the field. They are already being moved around at other positions.

Smails
04-01-2009, 11:20 AM
Drew Sutton....my source tells me he's the player to be named later. 25 year old IF with good pop and speed..

ThePowerOfX
04-01-2009, 01:15 PM
Im fine with trading Kepp, I think Rosales is just as good as him, and cheaper obviously....

gladdenguy
04-01-2009, 01:49 PM
I do agree that Valaika and Frazier will be everyday guys for the Reds, but neither will play SS at the big league level. They aren't good enough in the field. They are already being moved around at other positions.

You're right, Frazier is a third baseman for sure but I'm pretty sure Valaika will play short in the bigs.

Fred Garvin
04-03-2009, 02:05 AM
Am I correct in assuming Keppinger was out of options? Also, is it just me or do the Reds seem to be making a lot of errors this spring? I see EE made his 5th the other day. Of course I know you'll all tell me that's because he gets to balls noone else gets to. I just don't understand why the throwing errors persist. Can he not learn proper footwork?

I was a little surprised when I looked at Bruce's defensive stats. You could make an excuse for his defense in center, but left too?

Can't wait for the games to start...and for George Bland to annoy the hell out of me.

muckem muckem
04-03-2009, 08:47 AM
There was a time that I thought that Keppinger and Freel was all you needed (besides catcher) on your bench. Oh well. Life goes on. maybe we can finish in third place.

TheDanimal
04-03-2009, 08:48 AM
As someone who has been to a few Reds games already this spring, I must say this is a great move. Keppinger had the most at bats of anyone on the roster this spring, and had very close to the least hits. Usually I could say spring stats mean nothing, but watching him in person, he looked awful. The timing on his swings looked like early summer Scotty Smalls. Getting anything - and it sounds like it could be a decent young player - for Kepp at this point is a victory.

Also, Rosales, on the other hand, is very impressive in person. Strong arm, solid defense, and has hit well; even when the numbers weren't there, he was making solid contact at the games I attended. I wouldn't be surprised to see him more as the year goes on if EE continues to throw balls away.