The Reds could deal second baseman Brandon Phillips this offseason, says Reds announcer Marty Brennaman (via MetsBlog's Matthew Cerrone). With the firing of Dusty Baker, the Reds might be looking to give their team a makeover, and dealing Phillips would be the best way to clear payroll and acquire prospects, Brennaman says. Of course, it might be fair to question whether a 90-win team needs the kind of makeover that involves trading established players for prospects, or how easy it would be for the Reds to trade Phillips (who is 32, coming off a down season, and owed $50MM through 2017), for top-notch prospects in the first place. Here are more notes on the Reds' managerial opening.
- The Reds would like to quickly fill their managerial vacancy, MLB.com's Mark Sheldon writes. Two candidates from within the organization will be pitching coach Bryan Price and Triple-A manager Jim Riggleman. Riggleman formerly managed the Padres, Cubs, Mariners and Nationals, compiling a 662-824 record. David Bell, who coached third base for the Cubs this season, might also be a possibility.
- Reds players expressed surprise at Baker's departure, writes Sheldon. "It's obviously a bit shocking," says Jay Bruce. "I understand that it's a business, and when teams don't accomplish what's expected of them, there are changes, but any way you slice it, Dusty was an integral part of turning the organization around."
- Astros bench coach Eduardo Perez is "intrigued" about the possibility of managing the Reds, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports. Perez is from Cincinnati, and his father Tony was a Reds great and briefly managed the team.
