The Reds announced that they have agreed to a three-year contract extension with GM Walt Jocketty that will keep him in place through 2014 (Twitter link). Reds owner Bob Castellini promised last week that he would bring the longtime GM back.
The Reds currently have a 76-80 record (though they have scored more runs than they've allowed) and sit in third place in the NL Central. They won the division with a 91-71 record last year and made their first trip to the postseason since 1995. They lost in the Division Series, but only after re-establishing their relevance in the division and boosting attendance by over 3,000 per game.
MLBTR's Transaction Tracker provides complete documentation of Jocketty's moves with Cincinnati. This is Jocketty's third full season with the Reds (this was the last year on his previous contract), but he has been a big league GM since 1994. Click here to see what they were saying when the Cardinals first hired him 17 years ago.
If he can get the Reds a legit ace, I think they’ll be serious contenders and possibly a perennial NL Central Champion.
They have a solid middle of the order with Votto and Bruce. They have some solid prospects coming up. I think they’re going in the right direction.
I really though Jiminez would have been a perfect fit.. Im wonder how they havnt made Chapman a starter yet
They won the NL Central last year. That they are looked at as a potential “surprise” team next year is an indictment of Jocketty’s work so far. Scanning his Reds resume on the the transaction tracker doesn’t leave me very optimistic about the next three years.
Analysts and experts have picked the Reds to be a “surprise” team every year since 2008. The only “surprise” that has resulted from those years is 2010.
The real surprise for 2012 will be if Baker is fired (and Ca$htellini has to eat the rest of his contract) before the trade deadline if the Reds are under .500.
Don’t complain so much about Castellini man. It could be A LOT WORSE, think if Mike CLOWN ran the Reds… Castellini at least has some desire to win.
This guy complained last year about the Reds when they won the NL Central, then we never heard from him again until they started losing again. It’s the same old ball and chain with this guy. Give it up!
Let’s see; now that Jocketty is back, I wonder what washed up, over the hill, former Cardinals player the Reds will pick up next. Looks like Ryan Franklin is available….
I think we already had him didn’t we??? So confusing keeping track.
We had him BEFORE he went to the Cardinals and was a dominant closer for 3-4 years. That’s when Krivsky was GM, not Jocketty.
I think they should play him every day in left field, bite the bullet defensively and keep him as insurance in case Votto walks (which is a very likely possibility).
how can they be a surprise team when they are fielding 90% of the same team that won the division LAST SEASON?
Not out of the question to just trade Votto.
I’d consider that if I was them if I could get either a legit starting pitcher or prospects to acquire that starting pitcher.
Lets Look at Dusty Bakers version at each position.
C – Hanigan
1B – Votto
2B – Phillips
SS – Some Lame Duck FA SS Cozart as backup
3B – Scott Rolen until he gets injured again. Then Cairo and finally Fransisco
LF – Scrap heap players and Alonso (will say the other guy they get is better though)
CF – Sappalt or Stubbs
RF – Bruce
Same old team same results as this year. If they actually do something to change that then I would be shocked. A good shock mind you.
The Reds will say it is an upgrade I promise you that. He had a decent year this season. But still please don’t go there Jocketty.
We signed Isringhausen to a minor league contract either last year or the year before and didn’t promote him. Not sure why they would go out and bring him in as a closer when they’re already talking to Cordero’s agents about bringing him back on a 2 year deal for far less than what his option for next year is.
They are? 2 people that produced last year are out of the middle of their lineup (Gomes, Rolen), Volquez sucked this year (sent to the minors), Travis Wood sucked (sent to the minors), Janish didn’t perform (sent to the minors), orlando cabrera is elsewhere, Heisey was hurt for a better part of 2 months…what do you mean they are fielding 90% of their team?