Sunday, August 01, 1999
Reds get Guzman to bolster pitching
Give Orioles two top mound prospects
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds obtained a starting pitcher before Saturday's midnight trading deadline without dismantling their existing major-league roster, acquiring right-hander Juan Guzman from the Baltimore Orioles for minor-league pitching prospects B.J. Ryan and Jacobo Sequea.
Guzman's 1999 performance has been typical of many of the pitchers being offered to contending clubs — formerly overwhelming, recently disappointing and definitely high-salaried.
He also has averaged nearly six innings per outing. This excites the Reds, whose starting pitchers have struggled with their durability, thus taxing the bullpen.
“We're very pleased to get a pitcher who has basically given the Orioles 6-to-7 innings every time out, especially since the middle of June,” Reds General Manager Jim Bowden said. “We thought he certainly was one of the top five quality pitchers available at the trading deadline.”
Guzman's mere presence figures to bolster the Reds' rotation, which has been dented by injuries. Left-hander Steve Avery (shoulder) has gone on the disabled list and will need arthroscopic surgery sooner or later. Pete Harnisch has pitched through shoulder pain. Steve Parris has missed a start with a strained triceps muscle.
Also, Guzman has pitched exclusively in the American League since 1991, so the element of novelty could benefit Cincinnati: “He's never been seen in the National Leage before, which I think sometimes is a plus as you head into August and September,” Bowden said.
Bowden said Guzman, who was with the Orioles in Seattle on Saturday, will return to Baltimore to take care of personal business before reporting to the Reds on Tuesday. Though his next turn in the Orioles' rotation would fall on that day, the Reds did not announce when he'll pitch.
The Reds also must make a roster move to clear a spot for Guzman. Bowden said that probably will be announced Tuesday.
Guzman, 32, has a 5-9 record with a 4.18 ERA in 21 starts, having allowed 124 hits in 122ö innings. But in 65ô innings since June 1, Guzman's ERA is 3.03.
Last year, his 16 losses with Toronto and Baltimore led the American League.
Guzman also has some impressive credentials. His .824 winning percentage, stemming from a 14-3 record for Toronto, led the AL in 1993. His 2.93 ERA topped the AL in 1996. He was 5-0 for the Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series from 1991-93, winning each of his starts.
A trading-deadline acquisition last July 31 by the Orioles, Guzman had shoulder problems in 1995 and 1997 and an emergency appendectomy in 1996. Those ailments forced him onto the disabled list five times.
Guzman, a nine-year veteran whose career record is 85-75, also has a $5.25 million salary that some sources called a potential deal-breaker — a predictable development, since the Reds were willing to accept a small but not significant increase in their player payroll. With nearly 40 percent of the season remaining, Cincinnati would be responsible for almost $2 million of Guzman's salary. That explained why the cash the Reds received was a key part of the agreement.
Though Reds players were gone by the time the deal was announced less than a half-hour before the deadline, their comments earlier in the evening indicated this would be the type of trade they'd welcome, since they lost no key roster personnel.
“I don't think they would mess with the integrity of the ballclub,” shortstop Barry Larkin said.
“It wouldn't hurt to have somebody. But I wouldn't want to lose anybody,” catcher Eddie Taubensee said. “It's obviously been a total contribution from everyone. We've come this far with what we've got, and it has been good.”
The Reds were forced to part with two of their brighter pitching prospects. Ryan, 23, spent four days in the majors last week after Avery went on the DL and made one appearance, allowing four weak singles and one run in two innings.
The 6-foot-6 left-hander made a meteoric rise through Cincinnati's minor-league system after being selected in the 17th round of last year's draft. Ryan was 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in 11 appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis and 2-1, 2.57 at Double-A Columbus this year. He had a combined 58 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.
Sequea, who turns 18 on Aug. 31, was rated the Reds' 10th-best prospect by Baseball America magazine before the season. He was 4-6 with a 4.92 ERA in 16 starts at Single-A Rockford.
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