As I mentioned in the comments below, I didn’t have much of a problem with the Jeff Conine trade. We gave away nothing, and got a backup in return: nothing to get excited or upset about.
This guy disagrees, and I found his analysis interesting:
Where the Reds are losing is that Conine is probably going to take away at-bats from Chris Denorfia, who’s a better player, and the organization is too cowardly to platoon Conine with Hatteberg after Hatteberg’s fine season. Not that organizational cowardice is anything new – this is the team that boldly cuts Josh Hancock for being fat and Brandon Claussen for being injured but refuses to take any kind of a stand with players that the average talk radio casual fan has heard of.
Dunn-Griffey-Conine is a really comical defensive outfield – Eric Milton should sue the Reds for violating his rights under the 8th amendment.
Another thumbs-down for the Reds. Wayne Krivsky’s Problem Solving Policy remains “Look at team, identify hole that Marty Brennaman or Hal McCoy comically rant incoherently about, acquire the most famous, cheapest player Wayne remembers from when he was making Terry Ryan’s coffee or picking up Terry Ryan’s lunch from Gleuk’s on 6th Street with exact change and tip because Wayne can’t figure out what the numbers on different bills signify.
Ouch. I agree that this deal is a stinker if Conine is anything more than a part-time player with the Reds. (I agree, as well, with the sentiments above about Hancock and, especially, Claussen.) I just can’t imagine that the Reds think Conine still has the ability to play every day.