Reds Payroll 2012 and What I Project for 2013

B_S — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:12:02 -0000

Today, I got bored after work and decided to look at the 2012 vs. 2013 payroll.

2012:

Phillips $12.5m
Votto $11.4m
Arroyo $8.2m
Rolen $8.2m
Madson $5.9m
Cueto $5.4m
Bruce $5.0m
Chapman $4.8m
Broxton $4.0m
Marshall $2.7m
Bailey $2.4m
Massett $2.4m
Ludwick $2.0m
Bray $1.4m
Hanigan $1.3m
Cairo $1.0m
Valdez $930k
Arredondo $800k
Harris $800k
Latos $550k
Stubbs $528k
Leake $508k
Heisey $495k
Ondrusek $493k
LeCure $488k
Simon $487k
Cozart $480k
Mesoraco $480k

Other players we had to pay
Jordan Smith $480k
Will Ohman $2.5m

Minor league contracts: $2.4m

Total payroll of about $88.1m

Keeping in mind that payroll probably will not increase more than 3 million, we are looking at a $91 million to $93 million payroll next year. Of that, we have $74 million wrapped up in the following pre-existing contracts: Votto, Phillips, Arroyo, Cueto, Bruce, Chapman, Marshall, Massett, Hanigan and Arredondo. LeCure, Cozart, Mesoraco and Frazier still have options and would add about $2 million to that, for a total of $76 million

The list of players that are arbitration eligible, have options or are free agents are Rolen, Navarro, Cairo, Madson, Ludwick, Latos, Stubbs, Leake, Simon, Heisey, Ondrusek, Bailey, Valdez, Paul and Bray. Ohman and Smith are off the major-league books for next season. That means that to bring back those players, we would probably have to have a payroll of $109 million, which we all know isn't going to happen. Below I will outline what I think will happen with the rest of the 2012 roster, and what it will cost. I am doing this based on the idea that we have $17 million to spend on 11 or more players.

Arbitration numbers (other than Bailey and Latos) are about an 89 percent raise, which was the average raise last year for arbitration winners. In the past 16 years, the high has been (don't quote me on this) somewhere around 150 percent and the low was somewhere in the 70-percent range. Pitchers tend to get bigger raises than hitters.

Rolen $8.2m --> Gone as free agent, Frazier replaces
Madson $5.9m --> $2.5m buyout
Broxton $4.0m --> Gone as free agent
Bailey $2.4m --> Arbitration @ $4.5m
Ludwick $2.0m -->$500k buyout
Bray $1.4m --> Arbitration @ $1m
Cairo $1.0m --> Gone as free agent
Valdez $930k --> Arbitration @ $800k
Harris $800k --> Gone as free agent
Latos $550k --> Long-term deal (4/$32m) $4.0m
Stubbs $528k --> Arbitration @$997k
Leake $508k --> Arbitration @$1.2m
Heisey $495k --> Arbitration @ $935k
Ondrusek $493k --> Arbitration @ $1.2m
Paul $480k --> Gone as free agent
Navarro $480k --> Gone as free agent

This will put us at $93.6 million for next year's payroll at 24 players. We would need to sign a fifth outfielder (could be Valdez) or backup third baseman (to play behind Frazier). So we would basically return most of the same team, minus Rolen, Broxton, Ludwick, Harris, Paul and Navarro. I say we trade Stubbs, Leake and Arredondo/Ondrusek for prospects (frees up $3 million to sign a left OR center fielder). Sign a cheap 25th player (third baseman). Make Chapman a starter and have Hoover close.

My roster would be:

Batters (13) Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Frazier, LF, Heisey, Bruce, Hanigan, Mesoraco, Valdez, a third baseman, Phipps/Negron, Valaika/third catcher

Pitchers (12) Cueto, Latos, Arroyo, Chapman, Bailey, Simon, LeCure, Bray, Ondrusek/Arredondo, Marshall, Massett, Hoover

I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this. Also, if there is anything that is inaccurate with some of the numbers let me know. Sometimes there are conflicting reports. I rounded some of the numbers off as well.

Today, I got bored after work and decided to look at the 2012 vs. 2013 payroll.

2012:

Other players we had to pay
Jordan Smith $480k
Will Ohman $2.5m

Minor league contracts: $2.4m

Total payroll of about $88.1m

My roster would be:

Batters (13) Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Frazier, LF, Heisey, Bruce, Hanigan, Mesoraco, Valdez, a third baseman, Phipps/Negron, Valaika/third catcher

Pitchers (12) Cueto, Latos, Arroyo, Chapman, Bailey, Simon, LeCure, Bray, Ondrusek/Arredondo, Marshall, Massett, Hoover

Reds opening 2013 with rival... Angels?

B_S — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:20:19 -0000

MLB released the 2013 schedule on Wednesday, and guess what city is playing the first Opening Day interleague series? That's right, Cincinnati! The Reds will play host the Angels on April first, per the AP as posted on ESPN.com.

The Cincinnati Reds will host the Los Angeles Angels on April 1, becoming the first teams to start their seasons with an interleague matchup.

Most importantly, as Jay Bruce highlights, the series will be at home.

"The tradition is still here. We're still opening here," Cincinnati outfielder Jay Bruce said. "We've still got that going for us."

You can read the full story here: Reds hosting first interleague series

Sorry if anything in this doesn't work. It's my first post!