1:15pm: MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports that Simon receives a $2MM base salary on the deal and can take home another $1.5MM worth of incentives (Twitter link).
11:01am: The Reds and right-hander Alfredo Simon are in agreement on a Major League contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The MVP Sports client will return to the Reds, where he pitched from 2012-14 before being traded to the Tigers in exchange for Eugenio Suarez and minor league righty Jonathon Crawford.
Simon, 35 in May, tallied 345 innings and a 3.16 ERA in his three years with the Reds, averaging 6.3 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine innings pitched to go along with a 48.5 percent ground-ball rate. Simon spent the first two years of his Reds tenure in the bullpen, but he made the jump to the rotation in 2014 and yielded better results than perhaps even the most optimistic expectations could’ve predicted. Simon made the first All-Star team of his career at the age of 33 that season, pitching to a 3.44 ERA in 196 2/3 innings. The outstanding work was enough to pique the Tigers’ trade interest and convince Detroit to cede a pair of intriguing young players for the final year of Simon’s club control.
Simon’s excellent season in ’14, though, looked to be largely smoke and mirrors, even at the time. The veteran benefited greatly from a minuscule .232 BABIP and 85 percent strand rate in the first half — neither of which appeared to make his 2.70 first-half ERA sustainable. That production did indeed prove too much to maintain, as Simon’s BABIP regressed to .309 in the second half, and his ERA after the break was a more pedestrian 4.52.
None of that, however, is to say that Simon can’t provide on-field value to the Reds’ pitching staff in 2016. (His off-field history, on the other hand, is a separate and lengthy issue.) The right-hander struggled to a 5.05 ERA with the Tigers last season, but that was partly due to a dip in strikeout rate and an increased walk rate. A move back to the NL could aid both of those factors, and despite the lackluster ERA, it has to be noted that Simon still racked up 187 innings in the Detroit rotation in what was another healthy year in the rotation. Making roughly 30 starts and delivering an ERA in the low- to mid-4.00 range would still be a boost to an uncertain Reds staff.
Indeed, Cincinnati has upside but also plenty of question marks beyond right-handers Anthony DeSclafani and Raisel Iglesias, so there’s certainly cause to add some depth in the form of Simon. While the club has a number of interesting young arms — Robert Stephenson, Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb, Michael Lorenzen and Cody Reed, to name a few — it’s difficult to rely on such an unproven mix to round out the rotation. That’s especially true in light of a UCL sprain for Lorenzen and a delayed start to the year for Lamb, who is recovering from offseason back surgery. The Reds, of course, also have veteran Homer Bailey on the mend from Tommy John surgery, but he figures to miss at least a couple of months this season as he works his way back, so there’s no telling exactly how many innings the club can receive from him.
Simon’s late start might mean that he won’t quite be ready to step into the Opening Day rotation, but even if that’s the case, it’s easy enough to see him jumping into the starting mix by the middle of next month and providing a stabilizing presence to an otherwise youthful staff. The Reds needn’t make a 40-man roster move to accommodate the addition of Simon, as that roster will stand at just 39 players, even after Simon’s return is finalized.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I still can’t believe the Reds got Suarez for him. What a fleecing done by Jocketty.
That was a terrible trade by Dombrowski, he must have known his days in Detroit were numbered when he pulled the trigger, might have already even had an inkling he’d be headed to the Sox. Otherwise, I don’t understand why on earth he would make that deal.
In fairness, it was a poorly regarded deal in Reds country at the time. Most people were VERY skeptical of Suarez, writing him off as a poor hitter after his 2014 season. I recall then-recent first round pick Jonathan Crawford getting most of the attention in the return for Alfredo Simon. The Reds got really lucky with Suarez, and really unlucky with the more highly regarded Crawford.
It turned into a great deal for the Reds, but you would’ve been laughed at for suggesting that at the time. Just one of those loveable Reds steals, like Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena and Brandon Phillips for Jeff Stevens.
At the time, Iglesias and Castellanos, two young players, were filling the IF positions with Romine a capable backup. The Tigers needed pitching depth, and had little in the way of tradeable prospects. They traded from an area of depth, for a starter who lead them in innings pitched. Without the Reds rebuild, Suarez would be competing for the utility fielder job. He is not the prototypical 3B. It wasn’t as bad a trade as you make it out to be.
Interesting player. He has some good, decent, and awful times. 35 years old player. Allegations of rape and in-volunteer manslaughter(acquitted) Two million contract 1.5 incentives. Possible public relations disaster or good player for peanuts. If he a good year then possible good trade deadline flip.
With possibly 5 Reds pitchers missing time to start the season due to injury, good pickup by the Reds. Takes some burden and pressure off of the young arms and doesn’t force the Reds’ hand with Reed or Stephenson
Good pickup by the Reds. With possibly 4 starters missing time to begin the season, this takes some pressure off the young arms and prevents the Reds’ hand from being forced on Reed and Stephenson
Apologies for the double comment. Phone/app/internet doing weird things….
Good signing. Maybe Simon can boost up hes value this coming season. Durable pitcher
Im surprised he got a major league deal. Between his performance and prior off field allegations, I figured hed get a minor league deal with an invite at best
he made the all star team on his great first half season. after the break he was awful. you can spout all metrics you want but his era tells the story as far as I am concerned. he may have another good start since he has been away from the nl for a year but once he has been around the league a couple of times and they figure him out look for the same results. what is so great about how many innings you pitch if they are bad ones?
Even his ERA after the first half wasn’t “awful.” A 4.52 mark (which I listed above) certainly isn’t good, but for a fifth starter/innings eater, he was fine. If he throws 170 innings with a 4.30 to 4.40 ERA this season, that’s a reasonably useful outcome, especially considering what figures to be a small overall investment. And if he’s somewhat worse, they can cut him without much in the way of a financial loss.
Keep in mind that the year he made the all-star team, and then had the drop in the second half, he had been pitching in relief the years prior, and was only moved to the rotation upon injuries occurring. I don’t believe he was stretched out during spring training, because he was not considered a starter. It was not surprising, therefore, that he tired while pitching almost 200 innings. With the Tigers, he was either great or terrible. It didn’t seem to matter if they saw him before. I find it surprising no one had signed him yet.
Alfredo Simon is also a better reliever than most members of the Reds bullpen. He’d be an upgrade there once other candidates – Bailey, Lamb, Lorenzen, Stephenson, Reed – join the rotation. Assuming he struggles too much to have any midseason trade appeal.
How do the Angels not look at this guy given the problems with Weaver and Wilson?
Great pickup to eat some innings. Glad to have him back with us.
Also a murderer and rapist. What, was Josh Lueke not available?
Why, because you read something somewhere about him? Are people not innocent until PROVEN quilty? Or is it the opposite? Rest assured if there was evidence of him murdering or raping someone, he’d be a in there with Ray Carruth and Aaron Hernandez. Neither you or I have knowledge enough of what went on to make a irresponsible statement like that. Get a grip.
How can MLB dole out lifetime suspensions for PEDs but not for a guy with murder AND rape charges?
Because PEDs actually impact the sport and rape and murder do not. It is the legal system’s responsibility to punish people for the crimes of rape and murder, not baseball’s.
Well, Suarez will be utility and Crawford is a flop. Tit for tat, I say.