Tuesday, December 14, 1999Some wheeling, some dealing
No blockbuster, no regrets for Reds
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerANAHEIM, Calif. — Except for scattered minor deals, the Reds did nothing at baseball's winter meetings. They didn't have to.
“It's not a letdown when you leave and you didn't make a bad trade,” Reds General Manager Jim Bowden said Monday as the last full day of the meetings drew to a close.
Cincinnati already has what most other teams want — a youthful core featuring Aaron Boone, Mike Cameron, Sean Casey, Danny Graves, Jason La Rue, Dennys Reyes, Brett Tomko, Scott Williamson and Dmitri Young. All will be 27 or younger come Opening Day, 2000.
The Reds failed to obtain the player they most wanted, Seattle Mariners megastar Ken Griffey Jr. But in doing so, they preserved the group that displayed so much promise this year.
“I want to go back and win 100 games next year,” Reese said. “I'm still a Red, and I'm proud.”
And by not overextending themselves economically, the
Reds may have positioned themselves better to sign Griffey if he becomes a free agent after next season, or possibly even acquiring him later this year if the Mariners lessen their demands.
Despite refusing to trade Casey or Reese for Griffey, the Reds showed him and his Cincinnati-based agent, Brian Goldberg, the sincerity of their desire to bring him to his hometown.
“I think we did the right thing. Sometimes doing the right thing is very painful,” Bowden said.
Referring to the Reds' intent to keep the roster relatively young and the payroll relatively lean until the new stadium opens in 2003, Bowden added, “We have an organizational game plan, and we never got off it.”
That said, Bowden would have preferred to return to Cincinnati with a starting pitcher in tow. But Tampa Bay right-hander Rolando Arrojo, who the Reds pursued early in the meetings, went to Colorado in Monday's four-team, nine-player deal. Cincinnati's trade talks with the Yankees regarding right-hander Hideki Irabu foundered over New York's insistence on acquiring 22-year-old Rob Bell, one of the Reds' top pitching prospects.
“Although (Irabu) definitely would help our team win, (trading for him) is not consistent with our longterm plan, which is to win in 2003,” Bowden said. “We don't want to affect the long-term plan for a quick, short-term fix.”
Moreover, should the Reds contend in the National League Central next season, the $2 million they would have paid Irabu could help them fund a trade for another starting pitcher before the July 31 trading deadline.
Cincinnati's efforts to add a pitcher aren't finished. Irabu remains available. Given the slow pace of free-agent signings, it's slightly possible that one of the several starters requesting $6 million annually, such as Andy Benes or Steve Trachsel, could be had for a bargain price.
“You're always disappointed when you can't make your team better,” Bowden said. “But realistically, I think there's more pressure on other teams to get better than there was on our team to get better, after winning 96 games.”
Standing pat is often dangerous in baseball. But right now, for these Reds, it's permissible, if not advisable.
“We didn't tear the team part. I think our team's excited about that,” Bowden said. “I think our guys want to stay together. They're a close group. We did not want to ruin that great makeup and chemistry we had.”
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