Reds Can O'Brien
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Reds have fired GM Dan O'Brien. It's about time.
O'Brien was hired at the end of October in 2003. Now, O'Brien is an easy target for a lot of baseball fans. I think it'd only be fair to dedicate this post to the things he did right.
Hmmm. The Kent Mercker signing? He posted a 3.65 ERA in 61 innings for the Reds so far. Could've been worse.
You gotta respect the Sean Casey for Dave Williams swap. That was solid. Of the logjam created by Griffey, Kearns, Pena, Dunn, and Casey, Casey was the least desirable.
How about O'Brien's pickup of Javier Valentin as a free agent? Valentin hit .281/.362/.520 for less than half a million bucks for the Reds.
And letting Danny Graves go was a good thing. Also, he got Joe Randa out of the way and let Edwin Encarnacion learn on the job; seems wise. Though he was the one who signed Randa.
Anybody else have a positive move from the O'Brien Era?
Ummmm......... yyyeaaaahhhh.......
Posted by: Insider | January 23, 2006 at 02:52 PM
Cory Lidle for Javon Moran, Joe Wilson, and Elizardo Ramirez
Posted by: Pinski | January 23, 2006 at 03:11 PM
2005 draft.
Posted by: Blue | January 23, 2006 at 04:32 PM
Obviously Corey Lidle is not much more than an innings eater. But if acquiring Javon Moran, Joe Wilson, and Elizardo Ramirez makes your "Best Of" list, maybe being a GM isn't cut out for you.
Posted by: Jason | January 23, 2006 at 04:49 PM
Positive move from the O'brian Era:
His firing.
Posted by: I can think of one... | January 23, 2006 at 05:01 PM
O'brien reminds me of Chuck LaMarr in that he was very tough to deal with. What is the Reds new ownership going to be like? Will they be willing to deal Kearns or Dunn?
Posted by: Da Krone | January 23, 2006 at 05:20 PM
I think not trading Dunn and putting him at 1B is a solid move. They will easily have one of the most productive NL lineups next year.
Posted by: The House of Willy | January 23, 2006 at 05:20 PM
As a Phillies fan, I was ecstatic when O'Brien signed Eric Milton. The guy is not quality, and as a fly ball pitcher is particularly poorly suited to Citizens Bank Park. I don't know why the Phillies pursued him so much before last season, but I sure was glad when they didn't get him.
Posted by: bbbronks | January 23, 2006 at 05:26 PM
Eric Milton? Tony Womack? Holding on to Griffey when there was some reported interest in him last season (although who really knows the exact details about what went on then)?
I actually liked the Grant Balfour pickup this past offseason and the Randa signing and subsequent in-season trade - picking up Justin Germano and Travis Chick from the Padres. Who knows if they'll pay off, but we all know the general idea of picking up young pitching in a trade of a fungible asset is always a good one.
Maybe he can find a job scouting with the Padres with former Phils GM Ed Wade.
Posted by: xxx | January 23, 2006 at 05:31 PM
Willy: Yeah, but they'll also have one of the worst rotations in the NL.
bbbronks: Very good point. I was scratching my head when Cincy took Milton. An extreme flyball pitcher + a ballpark where the ball flies out of the park==a dumb signing.
Posted by: Ryan | January 23, 2006 at 07:41 PM
Dan O'Brein is the worst GM in MLB history. who would give D'Angelo Jiminez $2 million? and he could of gotten a lot more for Casey possibly Bronson Arroyo because the Red Sox are dangeling him and back then they didnt have a 1B. i am a Indians fan but i still have sympathy for my in-state team.
Posted by: Brian Teaby | January 23, 2006 at 09:26 PM
Dan O'Brein is the worst GM in MLB history. who would give D'Angelo Jiminez $2 million? and he could of gotten a lot more for Casey possibly Bronson Arroyo because the Red Sox are dangeling him and back then they didnt have a 1B. i am a Indians fan but i still have sympathy for my in-state team.
Posted by: Brian Teaby | January 23, 2006 at 09:26 PM
Personally I am thanking God right now. I was scared that the Reds were going to go through another season with O'Brien. I Think bringing in Kent Merker and David Weathers were good moves that he made to help the young guys learn in the bullpen. If Paul Wilson had not gotten injured last season the re-signing of him might have been considered a good move. I think the thing I like least about O'brien was the fact that he never really spoke to the fans. It was always indirect answers to questions. I have to say this the New owner in 5 days has given the fans more detailed answers then O'Brien did his entire time in cincy.
Posted by: Jay | January 23, 2006 at 11:45 PM
O'Brien came to Cincinnati with a resume' built mostly on his success as a key executive in the renaissance of the Astros farm system during the Hunsicker era.
He never got the benefit of showing what he could do... given a Busch series budget to race in the Nextel... to wit:
1) You don't re-cast a farm system in two years.
2) You don't get to go into the FA or trade markets with much flexibility to add salary.
3) Reportedly, he was over-ruled on a trade that would have garnered the Reds pitching prospects PLUS salary flexibility in a July 31 trade that would have sent Griffey Jr to Houston.
The way they've reacted to his firing says more about desperation of Reds fans for ANYTHING different, than it says about O'Brien's relatively short tenure.
Posted by: sturt | January 24, 2006 at 09:38 AM