With Pedro Martinez well out of their price range, the Reds may try in January to sign the next Pedro Martinez.
The next Martinez could be Ricardo Aramboles, a 16-year-old Dominican right-hander who throws in the 88 to 92 mph range.
The Florida Marlins signed Aramboles when he was 14 years old. When league discovered Aramboles wasn't the required 16, his contract was voided and he was declared a free agent.
Aramboles, at 6-foot-4, is a longer, leaner version of Martinez. No one can say if he'll be as good Martinez, who won the Cy Young Award last season with Montreal. But Aramboles will be cheaper; Martinez signed a six-year, $75 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Aramboles' agent, Rob Plummer, will hold a workout - showcase Jan. 21 or 22 in Tampa, Fla.
''I expect 29 teams to be there,'' Plummer said. ''The Marlins aren't allowed to bid. If he's as good as I think he is, he'll be worth a good deal of money.''
Plummer hopes he goes in the $2.5 to $5 million range. A baseball source says $1 million is a more likely number.
Even that seems steep for the Reds. After all, they couldn't pay Kent Mercker, a proven starter, $2 million this year.
''This is a different situation,'' said Doc Rodgers, the Reds assistant general manager. ''You have to look at the long term. If he makes it to the the big league in two or three years, you can pay him what you want for three years until he's eligible for arbitration. So the $2 million over three years is $700,000 a year.''
The Reds also will have another bargaining chip: He can make it into their rotation a lot faster than he could, say, the Atlanta Braves.
Rodgers has never seen Aramboles pitch, but he has heard great things about him.
''It's like having a chance to sign a No. 1 draft pick without going through the draft,'' Rodgers said.
If Aramboles is impressive enough he could be out of the Reds' price range.
The Detroit Tigers paid the top pick in last June's amateur draft, Matt Anderson, $2.5 million.
''That was a college player who was further along in his develop,'' Rodgers said. ''(Aramboles) has a higher ceiling.''
Anderson could also negotiate only with the Tigers.
The Aramboles situation is closer to that of Matt White and Bobby Seay. White was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and Seay by the Chicago White Sox, but both teams lost them on a technicality.
Tampa Bay signed White for $10.2 million and Seay for $3 million. The Reds and other clubs will find out what Aramboles is worth at the tryout.
''If he's throwing 87, 88 and his curve ball just spins, he's not worth it,'' Rodgers said. ''If he's throwing 93, 94 and has a slider and good changeup, he's going to cost you.''
REDS HIRE YOUNG DIRECTORS
OFFSEASON STORIES
REDS PAGE