Sunday, June 24, 2001
Reese, Young on the block
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds have a lot to trade, but whether they can receive a lot in return is questionable. The rumors involving Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese aren't just idle talk. The Enquirer contacted a dozen baseball people, ranging from scouts to agents to field personnel, who say the Reds' focus is on trading Young and Reese, but who wonder how marketable each is.
Both have obvious value. Young's a legitimate .300 hitter who can play left field or first base. He'd be particularly helpful to an American League team that also could use him as a designated hitter. Reese is a two-time Gold Glove winner at second base who could maintain that proficiency at shortstop, his natural position. At his best, he can help stimulate an offense, considering he hit .285 with 38 stolen bases in 1999.
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MORE TRADE BAIT?
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Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese aren't necessarily the only players the Reds are trying to trade. Nor are they the lone Reds other teams might want. Here's a look at some others who might prompt trade interest under certain circumstances yet are likely to remain with Cincinnati:
• Pete Harnisch: He might be gone already if his arm were healthy. But Harnisch's elbow and forearm problems have silenced the trade talk that began surrounding him when negotiations over a contract extension ceased in March.
• Sean Casey: Obviously, almost every team would love to have him. So would the Reds, who are trying to find a way to give him a contract extension that would forestall free agency.
• Danny Graves: See Casey.
• Chris Reitsma: If the Reds traded Rob Bell, they can trade this guy. But it's not going to happen. Reitsma's development has been one of the most encouraging aspects of Cincinnati's season.
• Alex Ochoa: A handful of teams still envision him as a reserve, despite his flourishing as a regular this year.
• Michael Tucker: Most teams have stopped wondering if Tucker ever will reach his perceived potential, which is why he has little trade value.
• Ruben Mateo: Though the Reds just acquired him, the Reds probably would listen to offers for him, especially if they exceed what they gave up to get him (Bell).
• Scott Sullivan: Would prove handy for teams needing bullpen help. His economical contract enhances his value. But who would hold together the Reds' bullpen if he left?
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“If you can believe everything that you hear, and there's no reason not to, scouts are looking from at least a half-dozen clubs at Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese,” said Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman. “And there's always the financial considerations that this club has to (address), as to whether or not they can sign these people down the road. All of those things contribute to what I think is fact, and that is that there will be trades made. Not just one, but more than one.”
Either player's departure would be jarring, given their popularity in the clubhouse. But both are becoming expensive. Young earns $3.5 million this season; Reese earns $3.2 million. They're eligible to become free agents after next season. Unable to sign Reese and Young to affordable multiyear contracts and aware that their salaries figure to top $5 million apiece next year in arbitration, the budget-conscious Reds have switched their focus from keeping them to swapping the pair.
“I have no control over what's going to happen,” said Young. “All I can do is play ball day by day, and at the end of July I'll still be here or be relocated. If it happens, it happens.”
Said Reese, “If I'm here, fine; if I'm gone, fine. It's out of my control. I just want to be happy somewhere.”
But the value of Reese, 28, and Young, 27, on the trade market is limited unless a team desperately needs a specific fit that either matches. Only veteran starting pitchers are guaranteed to command a nice package in return.
Last year's example: The Reds obtained four minor-league prospects for left-hander Denny Neagle, with outfielder Mike Frank thrown in. This year's example: San Diego has been deluged with inquiries about mediocre right-hander Woody Williams, while productive position players such as Ryan Klesko and Phil Nevin draw less attention in trade talks.
Besides controlling payroll, the Reds' leading objective in trading Reese or Young is a familiar one: Acquiring pitching. Last week's trade of right-hander Rob Bell to Texas for outfielder Ruben Mateo and minor-league infielder Edwin Encarnacion was an aberration.
Neither Young nor Reese alone is expected to fetch a quality starting pitcher or a developing one of Bell's ilk, such as Baltimore's Sidney Ponson and Atlanta's Kevin Millwood, right-handers the Reds have sought. But Young or Reese could be packaged, either together or with another player, to achieve that goal. Or if the Reds can't get a major-league starter, they might settle for minor-league pitching prospects.
The Reds might consider acquiring a major-league infielder to replace Reese. Atlanta, a team the Reds have contacted, might be reluctant to part with shortstop Rafael Furcal, last season's National League Rookie of the Year. Arizona, another potential trading partner, could try to peddle Tony Womack, though the three-time stolen base champion has a $17 million contract that runs through 2003.
Young's subpar run production (27 RBI) hasn't helped his market value. Nor has Reese's .239 batting average. And their salaries are bound to escalate, which also might deter suitors.
Still, the buzz around both players has remained steady. Young's a switch hitter who's equally proficient from both sides of the plate and has a reputation for playing hard. Reese has proven he can master second base or shortstop, and the perception has grown that leaving the Reds will refresh him and help his offense.
So there is reason to believe the Reds will be able to deal them. And Jim Bowden has a penchant for making deals as the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline approaches. In his eight-year tenure as Reds general manager, Bowden has consummated at least one significant July trade each season.
“You can bet your house, your cars, your kids, your wife — I don't think there's any question that he will do something between now and Aug. 1,” said Brennaman.
Bowden declined to comment on any issue regarding trades.
Like a utility player, Bowden can function from more than one position — whether the Reds are contending or, as they are now, lagging in the standings. He strengthened the team for the stretch drive in 1995 by obtaining pitchers David Wells, Mark Portugal and Dave Burba and in 1999 by securing right-hander Juan Guzman. When forced to build for the future, he cast aside solid starting pitchers Tim Belcher and John Smiley in 1993 and 1997, respectively, and closer Jeff Shaw in 1998.
Last year's Neagle deal reflected Bowden's boldness. Cincinnati was in second place at the All-Star break, eight games behind St. Louis but seemingly poised for a comeback. Convinced Neagle would be impossible to sign and opt for free agency after the season, Bowden shipped him to the Yankees. Not only did Bowden catch heat for supposedly weakening the team's rotation (although Elmer Dessens, Neagle's replacement, went 10-5), some questioned whether he should have waited longer to get a better deal.
Timing could be integral in whatever trades the Reds engineer this year, particularly involving Young. Trading him would clear an outfield spot for Adam Dunn, who's destroying International League pitching at Triple-A Louisville.
But summoning Dunn to the majors in the near future could ultimately cost the Reds millions of dollars. By leaving Dunn in the minors several more weeks, the Reds could keep him from salary arbitration until after the 2004 season. If he's recalled now, or soon, he could qualify for arbitration as part of the “super two” class after 2003 — the top 17 percent of players in service time with between two to three years' major-league experience.
It's also possible neither Young nor Reese will be dealt. Most trade proposals never reach fruition. If ever a Red appeared to have one set of spikes out the clubhouse door, it was reliever Scott Sullivan at the end of last season. But instead of trading Sullivan, who was due to receive a significant raise in arbitration, the Reds signed him to a three-year contract with a club option for 2004.
Somehow, the chapter featuring Reese and Young doesn't appear headed for the same ending.
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Reese, Young on the block
