Reds are still hopeful about getting Bedard??

[Scribo]

Dealing Markakis for Bruce is pretty pointless. Bruce may eventually outperform Markakis, but Nick is still very young, and it makes little sense to create a hole and then plug it. We've got "that right field problem" solved for a while. Figure some other way to get Bruce, or settle for a deal without him that fills other holes. PA would never have it either.

If Bruce doesn't realistically project to be a lot better than Markakis, then we are nuts for making Bruce a deal-breaker.

I'm seeing Bruce as more or less a perennial All-Star, .950-plus OPS in a year or two. Markakis just isn't in that category.

To be honest, there are plenty of young corner outfielders who will be nibbling at .900 OPS/25 HRs at their peak. If Bruce isn't significantly better than that, then what's all the fuss about?

OTOH if Bruce does project to be significantly better than Markakis, then making the deal does make sense. The idea is to get better with every move you make.

[Leitch]

To be honest, there are plenty of young corner outfielders who will be nibbling at .900 OPS/25 HRs at their peak. If Bruce isn't significantly better than that, then what's all the fuss about?

OTOH if Bruce does project to be significantly better than Markakis, then making the deal does make sense. The idea is to get better with every move you make.

I thought Bruce was a CF?

[Lucky Jim]

I thought Bruce was a CF?

He's projected by most to move to right field.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/news/top50/y2008/profile.jsp?t=p_top&pid=457803

[mapierce]

2B E Patterson (from Roberts trade)

If we are going to trade with the Cubs I'd much rather get Cedeno back before Patterson. I think he has a better chance of being a slightly above average SS than Patterson does at 2B. Patterson's defense is suspect. Either way we would have a whole at a middle infield position though.

[Scribo]

I thought Bruce was a CF?

Which would make him that much more valuable.

I was responding to the argument that there's no point in trading Bruce for Markakis -- the implication being that they're close enough in value to make the move pointless.

[tnsmith90]

If Bruce doesn't realistically project to be a lot better than Markakis, then we are nuts for making Bruce a deal-breaker.

I'm seeing Bruce as more or less a perennial All-Star, .950-plus OPS in a year or two. Markakis just isn't in that category.

To be honest, there are plenty of young corner outfielders who will be nibbling at .900 OPS/25 HRs at their peak. If Bruce isn't significantly better than that, then what's all the fuss about?

OTOH if Bruce does project to be significantly better than Markakis, then making the deal does make sense. The idea is to get better with every move you make.

At the same time projections are just that. He could potentially be better than Markakis, but it's not a sure thing at all. Bruce's ceiling may be higher than Markakis', but Markakis' floor is significantly higher at this point. It's stupid to give away our best young player who's a lock to atleast be pretty good, for someone who could be better.

[O's84]

No need to trade away Markakis. With all our holes we need all the positional talent we can get. One Star (or better yet potential) in Jay Bruce will not make us a contender faster than having Markakis and a guy like Votto, as well as whoever else you get in the trade (which you'll also get more back without trading for Bruce).

[Sandwich Pick]

2009 looks even brighter with Reimold and Rowell on the way, and the expected return of Ray and Baez.

Sorry, I just find that funny. I truly hope we eat Baez's contract.

[tyinmd5150]

Yeah, to be honest, I don't really expect anything from Baez, but at the same time, if he is healthy enough upon his return to pitch half decent, it should equate to less of his contract we'd have to eat in a trade. Teams in contention at the waiver deadline sometimes do strange things if they are in desperate need for bullpen help. I'm not saying that he will bring us much back in a trade, probably some marginal prospect. However, anything we get in return that means having to eat less of his contract would still be a good thing for this team. Basically all I meant with Baez was, at least if he's pitching, we can move him for something (anything), or worst case, get some innings out of a bad investment.

[O's84]

2009 is Baez's last year of his Contact I hope, right?