Jonny Gomes is no closer to returning to the Reds despite some discussions in recent weeks, reports MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.
"Nothing recently," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said on Friday night. "We may re-evaluate where we're at with our roster and with the number of people we have going [to Spring Training]."
Even if the team doesn't bring back Gomes, whose 20 homers were the third most on the club in 2009 despite just 314 plate appearances, Jocketty doesn't expect to sign another outfielder as a backup plan.
"We'll either do something with him or stay with what we have until we get to camp and see how it shakes out.
"There's no real deadline. We're playing it by ear. I don't think there's pressure one way or the other to get it done."
The Cubs, Mariners, and Royals all considered Gomes at one point, however they all ended up going in different directions for their outfield needs. MLBTR readers discussed his situation a few weeks ago.
If they can’t re-sign Gomes, they should turn their attention to Rocco Baldelli or Jermaine Dye. Jermaine Dye as a bench option possibly.
I bet if the Reds sign Garret Anderson, He could play 120-140 games in left and bang out 20-25 homers with the short porch in right.
That range of games sounds about right to me, but with his decline in recent years, I don’t see him banging out more than 20 dingers at most. Still, those are 20 dingers the Reds could really use. I wonder if he’s even on their radar?
I think they plan on using in-house options. But if they were going to go out and sign a left fielder, I would take Johnny Damon.
Possible but you would be getting 20-25 HR along with bad defence and an “I don’t care” attitude which is never something good to have on a team and it’s something you never want to see as a fan
true. But Heisey would be supplying the Defense while Anderson the offense.
Heisey has less than 250 AB’s in L’Ville, he’s NOT making the big league roster out of ST. Besides, Wladimir Balentien has tons more upside than Gomes, may as well have Dickerson/Balentien in a platoon for a few months and if it doesn’t work out, call up Frazier or Heisey for the last two months.
Balentein didn’t prove much at all. I wouldn’t give him the job if I’m the Reds.
Like I said, he’s got alot more upside than Gomes does. With the Reds Balentien hit .264 .352 .427 .779. He also gives you above average defense. Gomes season line was .267 .338 .541 .879 but a look at his splits tells you that he trended downward as the year went along, finishing SEP with a line of .239 .292 .507 .799. And Gomes’ inability to play even marginal defense is well documented (UZR -9.1)
if they don’t sign gomes they won’t sign anyone…they will go with Dickerson, Francisco Heisey or Frazier…and forget about Damon tooo!! there is no chance for either
I think more like 15-20.
Thank you, Mike!!!!
I’d like to see the Yankees get Gomes or Baldelli for a bat off the bench. Their current bench is horrendous!
Gomes is a poor defender who for his career has proven to be be vulnerable to right handed pitching with a .224/.311/.448 line against them for his career. His numbers against right handers last year were far out of character for him.
Last year I thought Gomes would be a great buy low candidate for a power bat off the bench and occasional starter, argued that the money spent on Taveras would be better spent on Gomes/Gathright.
This year the Reds have multiple rookie options to plug into LF so spending much above the league minimum on Gomes really doesn’t seem like a wise investment of their limited funds.
I offer him five hundred thousand to a million take it or leave it.
two words Florida Marlins! We need some more power on this team and we could use another outfielder. I understand that his defense his atrocious, but his offense can compensate for his defense.
When we speak of Jonny’s defense, we should be saying his “range” is attrocious. It is his UZR and UZR/150 that are exceptionally bad. Mind you, these statistics are not always valid. These same statistics had Ellsbury as one of the worst center fielders last year, and if anyone actually watched him, despite some “approach to the ball” issues, he gave a near Gold Glove performance. What Gomes does get to he defends decently (FPct. 0.991) and he can throw decently (5 assists in 60 defensive games). I disagree with a blanket assertion that his defense is attrocious, but would agree that his range is attrocious.
When you consider the fact that Gomes had the second highest OPS on the Reds last year and the third highest OPS was Mich Owings… why aren’t the Reds jumping to sign him? At the very least they could get a prospect for him from an American League team at the trade deadline.
an al team can sign him now!!
Reds have a surplus a of young outfielders that have to give mlb at bats to and find who can play. You can put Stubbs and Bruce in this category also neither of them have shown they can play at this level and there are more of these guys in the pipeline most of whom have been mentioned by other posters. Gomes is a role player who had a career year last year and he can help some clubs, but the Reds have to give the young guys the at-bats and find out what they have.
I would think the Reds could platoon Gomes (vs. Lefties) and Bruce (vs. Righties) so that they each get 150-200 at bats. That might get them as many as 40 hrs. out of these power-hitting but incomplete players. That would still leave 250-300 at bats to give to untested young players. Your thoughts?