Earlier today, Rays manager Joe Maddon told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM that Yonder Alonso's name has come up in meetings (Twitter link). The Rays recognize they may have to trade a starter, Maddon told Bowden.
Alonso is one of the more prized products of the Reds' farm system. The 24-year-old first baseman owns a .296/.364/.478 slash line at Triple-A, and wowed the Reds and those who covet his bat with a late season callup that saw him hit .330/.398/.545 with five homers in 98 plate appearances.
We heard late last night that the Rays are open to trading both Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann, but neither seems like the type of impact pitcher Cincinnati would be looking to add if they moved Alonso. It's been said that the Rays will at least listen on James Shields, but coming off a monster effort in 2011 and controlled for three more years at a total of $28MM, he would require an enormous haul.
and the rich get richer
oh, i get it.
i dont get it. Alonso for Shields seems pretty fair and a very “Rays-like” type of deal. Just get another talented, cheaper player that they can control for longer periods of time. Maybe the Reds could throw in a prospect as well.
not fair at all! the reds would also need to give up mesoraco/grandal, and maybe one more prospect. shields is by far the best SP available by trade or free agency
I agree Evan. Forget the 3rd prospect just do the Miami connection of Yonder & Grandal for Shields. Or Both Neimann and Davis for the Miami connection. If I were the Reds I would take Jeff & Wade all day long. Both log 175 plus innings and the Reds need depth in their rotation.
Reds need top of the rotation quality starters. Have plenty of 4/5 starter types.
If the Reds refuse to trade Meseroco, we refuse to trade Shields. (However, I wouldn’t be too sad if we got back Alonso, Grandal and Fransisco)
The wording continues to confuse me, are we offering both Wade and Jeff in a deal or just 1 of them? Wouldn’t shock me if they are traded together, they are always hanging out together. If we can get Alonso and this also would get Moore in the rotation, this would be so awesome.
I wanted Alonso or Morrison for a while, as for DH, just bring Damon back, I don’t care as much.
hey, this isn’t about pujols.
It’s our master plan, trade for a 1B as a smoke screen, put him at DH and the Rays use the next 6 years full 25 man payrolls on Pujols. BAM, and it’s about Pujols.
I think the Reds gotta give the Rays Mes if that is what it takes. Sign a reliable backup catcher for this year and call up Grandel in Sept.
Reds Get Shields
Rays Get Yonder, Mes, and one of Fransico/Wood
Grandel I think is a better all around Catcher and Mes is a good offensive catcher.
Grandal does nothing better than Mes.
Grandal’s D is definitely better.
Shields is my fav Ray pitcher. Yep, I put him ahead of Moore, Hellickson and his BFF, David Price.
However, if we got Meseroco, Yonder and Fransisco, I would be down for that. I don’t think the Reds are giving Meseroco up, though.
but Grandel or Mes one is avaiable I believe. I have not done any scouting or anything just going by what I ahve heard on Grandel being a better defensive catcher. I am by no means a “reliable source”
If I were a Rays fan, I’d want Grandal. I’d give you Mes, Alonso, and Francisco for Shields in a heartbeat.
If I were a Rays fan, I’d want Grandal. I’d give you Mes, Alonso, and Francisco for Shields in a heartbeat.
Votto for Price makes a heckuva lot of sense.
i agree, helps both teams
Shields has to be included but the Reds would have to include Daniel Corcino and either Travis Wood/Homer Bailey or a position player like Heisey or Frazier. Not sure why TB would want Francisco with Longoria at 3rd.
you are all nuts, i am a big reds follower and the reds wouldnt give up yonder, mesoraco and francisco. id give you yonder and fancisco, but mesoraco is our starter this year. giving up 3 of your best minor leaguers for one starter doesnt make sense for a team like the reds with a small payroll, they have to keep the minors stocked. take yonder, francisco, and a AA picther, give us shields and 2-4 million. done deal.
Forget Francisco the Rays don’t need him. Alonso and Grandal and its a done deal. Plus, lets say Jeff N and Wade Davis are a package deal the Reds would be idiots not to want both of them. Jeff has the best overall stuff on this entire staff and was our best pitcher in 2010. His back issue was a little concerning late last year but otherwise this would give the reds depth in their staff. They need starters to go deep and both of these guys have proven they can.
davis and neiman are not aces like shields. the rest have enough 3-4-5 starters. volquez, arroyo, leake, wood, bailey, we need another ace to go along with cueto
Then why would you want to trade him? Fans talk so highly of their players but value them as if they are future HOFers and MVPs
Because we have 8 STARTING PITCHERS that all have MLB time. We obvoisly need to move at least 2 pitchers. I never said HOF I just rattled off some examples over the past 2 years.
Jeff Niemann our best pitcher in 2010?!?! You mean, better than the starting AL pitcher in the All Star Game and runner up for the CY? “Big Bird” (my own nickname for Niemann, btw) is rubbish compared to the rest of our staff, except maybe Davis. But, yea, I’d definitely be down for trading Niemann for Alonso, not that the Reds would be dumb enough to pull the trigger.
Forget Francisco the Rays don’t need him. Alonso and Grandal and its a done deal. Plus, lets say Jeff N and Wade Davis are a package deal the Reds would be idiots not to want both of them. Jeff has the best overall stuff on this entire staff and was our best pitcher in 2010. His back issue was a little concerning late last year but otherwise this would give the reds depth in their staff. They need starters to go deep and both of these guys have proven they can.
Hanigan is the starter, dude. Fay just wrote an article on this. Meso knows he’s not ready to handle a big league pitching staff.
Give up our 3 best minor leaguers? Which is it? Is he the starter or is he a minor leaguer? You must be a big follower…none of those three are minor leaguers anymore. Yonder will start in LF if he’s still here. Francisco is 2nd on the depth chart at 3B, and Meso is platooning with Hanigan.
I’ve thought of Yonder Alonso coming to the Rays for a LONG, LONG time. I think if the Reds request Shields, they better give up Mesoraco. I’d be willing to give Niemann and a C+ or B- prospect. I also believe the Rays should trade 2 of the following: Cobb, Torres, Niemann, Davis, Shields, and also Brignac. Sign Willingham, let Damon walk.
C – Chirinos/Molina/Lobaton
1B – Kotchman
2B – Zobrist
3B – Longoria
SS – Rodriguez
LF – Jennings
CF – Upton
RF – Joyce/Willingham
DH – Joyce/Willingham
With the recent reports of Zumaya, as a Rays fan, I’d take a chance on him. We’ve had luck with guys like that, ala Benoit, Farnsworth, Cruz.
Also, the signing of Juan Miranda excites me because I’m not a HUGE believer in Kotchman again. Go Rays! Playoff bound in 2012.
The Reds aren’t giving up Mesoraco or Grandal (Fransisco is very unlikely, too) , no matter how many MLBTR proposals they hear. There’s still a chance they can pull off a deal for Shields… They just have to be creative. Alonso is the centerpiece, obviously, then let the Rays have their pick of 2 of Heisey, Boxberger, Wood, Bailey, Stubbs, & Frazier and throw in some cash (since they wont have to resign Shields for a while anyway) or a mid-level prospect like Hamilton.
billy hamilton is one of the reds best prospects and a a position like SS which has been a horrible one for the reds ever since larkin left, i dont see him leaving. i also dont see mesoraco going anywhere. i could see alonso and grandal, possibly heisy or wood. i dont think boxberger is going anywhere since the reds dont have a closer anymore, and i would be surprised if they dealt stubbs because they really dont have a replacement for CF, and he has a ton of potential
I’m not sold on Hamilton… The only real tool he has right now is speed, and SS prospects rarely ever pan out. Why not turn him over for a guy like Shields who can help the Reds now while they still have Votto under team control?
I think you hold on to Hamilton in case you have to convert him into a CFer when you finally realize Drew Stubbs just doesn’t get it.
If the Reds want Shields, the Rays will probably request Alonso, Grandal and a MLB ready reliever
alonso, grandal, and a AAA reliver for shields and some cash or a AA player or two would work
I’ll take Alonso, Grandal and Nick Masset for Shields every day of the week. Lets bring Nick home to finish his career.
i woudl give you that, but i would want two AA relievers or 1 AA reliever and a little cash.
I caught Nick in legion ball growing up. He was by far the best pitcher I’ve ever caught and we had 3 guys on our staff make it to the Big leagues.
Where do I sign up for that deal? Only way I can see the Reds not jumping on Complete Game James would be if they could acquire Desmond Jennings some how with Wade or Niemman included
Reds are loaded with 4 and 5 starters.. They wont part with Alonso without a 1 or 2
Neimann is a 2 and Davis is a 3 with 2 potential.
Niemann’s no 2. Sorry. He may look like number 2 when he pitches (tee hee… get it?) but, unfortunately, he’s not that good. I’d love to see him go for Alonso, but I just don’t see it happening.
How about since the Reds got Josh Hamilton from us for FREE you give us Votto, Meso, Masset and your top bat boy.
nope, we gave josh hamilton away for free…. see edinson volquez. 1 good year, everyone here hated that deal. all of the talk around that time in cincy was that we could have got volquez for ryan freel, but we were afraid about hamiltons health.
You also got Cantu and Gomes the heartbeat of any ball club in America for nothing. Either way the Reds and Rays make perfect trade partners I seriously think something is going to happen here. I’ve been preaching a deal for 1b/C on the airwaves in Tampa for over a year now. In fact I actually started all this buzz.
i hope it works, the reds really need an ace pitcher to go along with cueto, leake, bailey, and arroyo. we are going after willingham for left field too. and if pujols and fielder both leave the nl central, we have a definate shot for years to come
The only way the Reds ‘go after’ Willingham is if both Alonso and Heisey get dealt for pitching. There is no dough for FAs.
Is that a fact?
Your Rays gave up on him. Your loss.
Niemann is at the very least a #2 starter on the majority of teams in Baseball.
Pitching in the AL East for the Rays as #3 starter. This guy can flat out pitch
nothing flashy just solid innings, that is why he is called the Big Nyquil, not to
discount Reds pitching but on the Reds probably the ace you are looking for. Rays
should at least be able to acquire Alonso for Niemann straight up.
Sounds like you’ve been sucking on the Big Nyquil a little too heavily. You’re dreaming if you think Niemann for Alonso straight up would or could ever happen.
If we are dealing Alfonso, let’s get a starting pitcher & maybe a bat
Who the heck is Alfonso?
The Rays have to trade Shields now. His value will never be higher. I’m a Rays fan and I know Shields is not the pitcher he was in 2011. He’s a high 3.00s guy who does a good job of eating up innings. It was just in 2010 when he had an ERA over 5.00. He was rather unlucky then, but this guy is not a sub 3.00 pitcher. Alonso and Mesaroco? In a heartbeat.
Don’t think you can predict if Shields will be better in 2012 or not. He has been
refining his craft year after year, his pick off move is in the elite class now
He continually gives you 7 plus innings 34 times a year. Dude throws strikes,
looks like he can compete for the Cy Young several more times. To top that all off
his contract is team friendly. Think he should be able to command a kings ransom
on the trade front. More than Alonso, Mesoraco, possible throw in Heisey, maybe
that would be enough.
That would work if we had someone to play LF every day. Sappelt might be able to handle the job, but it leaves the Reds OF much worse off to lose Heisey AND Alonso.
I hear ya. I just don’t see it happening for whatever reason. I honestly think Michael Pineda is the man the Reds should be targeting. He’s actually a better fit than shields imo. but i’ve heard no news at all regarding pineda, so that also seems unlikely. the reds are going to have to overpay or settle for something less (jair jurrjens).
I totally aggree… especially if the Marlins get Pujols b/c then Gaby Sanchez could be had for Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann straight up. I don’t see the Rays trading away such a valuable asset like Shields right now. Period.
Thoughts on Alonso / Grandal / Wood or Bailey their choice for Sheilds.
Is this an overpayment??? Instead of Bailey or Wood what about a pretty good AA Pitcher on top to send back?
That’s cause the Mariners aren’t going to trade their rookie sensation starter who looks to be their future franchise player. At least, you wouldn’t think they’d be stupid enough to do that but who knows.
yep, if the reds are gonna go in its gonna be for sheilds, i give up alonso, meso/or grandal, and juan fransico
A Red fan that would trade Meso?
You sir, are a first. Nice to meet you and that really would be a great trade for both teams.
We have two catcher prospects… Both are about the same…personally I think grandal might do better
I, too, would rather hold on to Grandal. I think his ceiling is higher. I wish he was a little closer to being ready so we COULD trade Mesoraco, but with Ramon gone and Grandal likely 2 years out, it seems Yasmani is the piece they would move. Honestly, I can’t believe the Rays wouldn’t bite on Alonso, Grandal, and maybe Yorman Rodriguez for Shields. I’d hate to see that much talent leave the farm, but then again, I’d LOVE to see complete game James in RED.
I think this is along the lines of what I would expect. Alonso, Grandal, Boxberger, Lotzkar and maybe one of the Rodriguez guys.
How about Shields, Brignac for Francisco, Alonso, Cozart, Grandal?
I would consider that, b/c Brignac is a joke now days, but I still don’t think the Rays should give up Shields for anybody right now, especially when Gaby Sanchez is going to be on the market in the near future for much, much, much less value than Big Game James.
So basically we add Cozart for Brignac on top of the deal for Shields most people on here believe is fair? Turns a fair deal into a very bad deal for the Reds. Cozart has potential to be a shortstop Brignac can only wish to be.
The only reason I mentioned it is that a Mariners beat writer played around with the idea and suggested that the Mariners try to make something like Alonso and Grandal for Pineda package happen