Let’s chew on this one for the entire weekend. How valuable is Edinson Volquez?
He has shown more than one flash of brilliance during his time in Cincinnati. He had some very rough times last year after returning from Tommy John surgery, but he also started the first Reds playoff game in a decade and a half. He’s still young, at age 27, and very few would dispute the electricity of the stuff that Volquez brings to the mound. Likewise, very few are not frustrated by the frequent lapses in Edinson’s command of those pitches.
Finally, it’s difficult to discuss Volquez without mentioning the fact that we traded away the likely AL MVP for him. Feel free to acknowledge — and complain about — that, but let’s also focus on what Volquez objectively brings to the table for this Reds team, since there’s no way to go back and undo that deal.
What is the Nation’s collective wisdom regarding Edinson? Is he overrated, underrated, or just rated? What is his future with the Reds, and what should his future be?