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Reds Add Taveras

27. December 2008  - Published by Dan Clasgens
Comments (7)

In a move to attempt to shore up its outfield and get a leadoff hitter, the Reds signed free agent centerfielder Wily Taveras to a two-year deal on Saturday.

"Willy Taveras fills two significant needs for our ball club, a speed base stealing threat at the top of the order and superior defense in center field," General Manager Walt Jocketty said.

Taveras, 27, in 133 games last season for the Colorado Rockies hit .251 and led the Major Leagues with 68 stolen bases and a .907 stolen base percentage (68-for-75).

His .907 stolen base percentage in 2008 was the highest by a Major League player, with a minium of 60 stolen bases, since those statistics have been compiled (since 1920 in the American League, since 1951 in the National League). The previous stolen base percentage record of .896 was established by the Pirates' Tony Womack in 1997 (60-for-67).

"With the addition of Willy Taveras and Ramon Hernandez, along with Alex Gonzalez and Brandon Phillips, our defense substantially improves up the middle," said Jocketty.

Since 2005, Taveras leads the majors with 207 infield hits and ranks fifth in stolen bases with 168. In 2005 he won the The Sporting News' National League Rookie of the Year Award and finished second to Philadelphia's Ryan Howard in the BBWAA Rookie of the Year Award voting.

The negatives include a dreadful.306 on-base percentage last season and his .296 slugging, despite playing in the spacious Coors Field with all of that speed. Amazingly only 18 of 120 hits last season went for extra bases too. I am not big on his .331 career OBP and 326 strikesouts to 116 walks.

The Bill James Handbook 2009, Taveras is projected to hit .282/.335./337 this season with 56 stolen bases, 77 runs and 62 runs created.

Meanwhile, Rotoworld.com was pretty critical in their analysis of the trade saying, "Whether it's Dan O'Brien, Wayne Krivsky or now Walt Jocketty, Reds GMs seem to love handing out multiyear deals to true mediocrities."

"Score a point for Taveras' agent, who somehow convinced the Reds to go to two years after no one was willing to trade a minor prospect to the Rockies for him just a couple of weeks ago," the website added. "What makes it especially silly in this case is that Taveras would have been under control for 2010 even if he had signed a one-year deal. He has just 4+ years of service time and wouldn't have been eligible for free agency unless he was non-tendered again."

While Taveras is better than Corey Patterson (that's not saying much), I am having a tough time getting too excited about this move.

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Comments

Adam Bartel
Adam Bartel
12/27/2008 11:28:14 PM #
I don't think this is anything to get excited about either.  A team like the Reds can't afford to have a guy at the top of their lineup that can't do anything more than hit singles and strike out once every four at-bats; I don't care how fast he is, that's too much to throw away.  He's a poor man's Alex Cole, and that's not a compliment.
Jimmy Dinsmore
Jimmy Dinsmore
12/28/2008 10:35:43 AM #
I think it's a good move. A good defensive addition and a true leadoff hitter. He can wreak havoc on the basepaths. But he's just ONE piece. They still need another big bat/RBI producer outfielder. If they get that piece, I think it's a decent deal. The Reds have gone young and there's nothing wrong with that.
Dan Clasgens
Dan Clasgens
12/28/2008 11:54:33 AM #
Don't get me wrong Taveras has upside, but his addition to the Reds doesn't do much to increase their chances of winning the N.L. Central. They need to add a power-hitter in left field no doubt. Taveras provides nice insurance in case Chris Dickerson doesn't pan out, though I see last year's late-season call-up of being a better option.
Adam Bartel
Adam Bartel
12/28/2008 11:19:21 PM #
I'm not sure that being fast on its own qualifies him as a true leadoff hitter.  All he can do is run.  He doesn't take walks, which you'd like to see out of your leadoff man.  His hitting in general is so bad that teams may intentionally walk the pitcher to get to pitch to him.  And we gave this guy (who's on his third team at 27) a two year contract?  Someone needs to explain why it was a better idea to sign this slap hitter rather than just gutting it out with Dickerson, or signing someone that was a baseball player instead.
Speed Dating Events
Speed Dating Events
1/2/2009 2:30:15 AM #
I think Taveras is one of the best players in the game today. And that's saying a lot coming from me, cause I am a New York man and like the Yankees. Taveras is the only reason I will keep my eyes out for the Reds.
Proud Student
Proud Student
1/19/2009 9:55:57 AM #
Taveras is valuable player in the game....
Hectic Capiznon Bloggers 2009
Hectic Capiznon Bloggers 2009
2/12/2009 9:35:58 PM #
I like Taveras he is good player for me!
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