From Rob Butcher:

CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty today announced IF Drew Sutton as the player to be named later in the March 31 trade that sent IF Jeff Keppinger to the Houston Astros.

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San Diego Padres

G.M.: Kevin Towers

Manager: Bud Black

Payroll: $40-45 million

2008: 63-99, last place in NL west

2009 Baseball Prospectus projection: 74-88

I think I had the last or next-to last pick for these previews, so naturally I get perhaps one of the more vanilla teams in the National League in the Padres. But vanilla can taste good too! Anyway, two things come to mind when I think of the Padres: Hall-of Famer Tony Gwynn, and these:

via images.quickblogcast.com

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

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NL-only 10-team league. Standard 5x5. $260 for 23 players. Keep 13. I've figured out 12 of my keepers. I just need to determine the final pitcher. I have plenty of cheap, but cruddy, choices at my disposal. All these guys have question marks, I think:

Chris Carpenter $11

Wandy Rodriguez $7

Andrew Miller $6

Pedro Martinez $5

Barry Zito $4

Carlos Villanueva $1

Jeff Samardzija $1

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

From Christina Kahrl at Baseball Prospectus....the Reds win a dubious award!

Worst Two-Year Contract: Willy Taveras, Reds $6.25 million

The problem with signing Willy Taveras has little to do with the total expense; it's not zero dollars down, but in baseball terms it's not really all that expensive. It has even less to do with the things that he does do well, like run and steal bases (generating a NL-best 11.9 Equivalent Baserunning Runs, covering the gaps, throwing pretty effectively for a center fielder). The problem is what Taveras is being employed to do—lead off—and the chance that he can deliver on it with even a modicum of effectiveness. His park-neutral PECOTA rojection for 2009 is for a .319 OBP, which doesn't sound too good for a team that got a .326 OBP from its weak crew of leadoff options last year. The real pity is that the Reds could have instead run with a platoon that puts sophomore Chris Dickerson in center and leading off—Dickerson's projected to a park-neutral .331 OBP which he'd surpass if his minor league splits held in the majors and he was limited to starting versus righties. And no, employing Dickerson wouldn't cost "only" $6.25 million the next two years—money that might have instead been spent on getting a left fielder who might actually help the Reds score some runs.

I'm quite the happy camper today, as I arrived home after running some errands to find the Baseball America Prospect Handbook in my mailbox! For some dumb reason, they have 4 AL guys on the cover...Matt Wieters, David Price, Neftali Feliz and Travis Snider.

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Anyone else catch the BCS title game on FOX! this evening?

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From Hal McCoy:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/reds/2008/12/07/ddn120808spredsweb.html

With baseball's annual winter meetings unfurling this week at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, rumors run rampant.

A noteworthy one involving the Cincinnati Reds is making the rounds — pitcher Homer Bailey for Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye.

A major-league source close to the situation told The Dayton Daily News on Sunday, Dec. 7, "The deal is done and will be announced this week."

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The old boy network is alive and well. This really dampens my hopes for the future. Hiring this clown? Jeez.  From Rob Butcher:

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[Note by Rick House, 05/26/08 5:10 PM EDT ] Here's what we've been waiting for. I hope I never see Bruce in Louisville again. What a memorable Memorial Day!

From Rob Butcher:

Tomorrow the Reds are expected to promote from Class AAA Louisville top prospect OF Jay Bruce. A corresponding roster move will be announced prior to tomorrow’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Pirates.

Bruce and Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty will be available to the media tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. in the Reds’ dugout at Great American Ball Park.

Bruce will wear uniform number 32 and when he plays will be making his Major League debut.

Bruce, 21, has been rated the best prospect in the minor leagues. He has spent the season at Louisville, where in 49 games he hit .364 with 9 doubles, 5 triples, 10 HR, 37 RBI and 8 stolen bases. He leads the International League in hitting and hits (67) and ranks among the IL leaders in slugging percentage (.630, 3rd), runs scored (34, 4th), extra-base hits (24, T4th) and RBI (T5th).