Reds Re-Up with Rolen

Cincinnati's beat reporter Mark Sheldon reports that the Reds have agreed to a restructuring and extension of Scott Rolen's deal with the team. Rolen will see only $6 million of the $11 million he had coming to him in 2010, but is now set for 2011 and 2012 at $6.5 million per season. He will also see a $5 million signing bonus deferred without interest.

An interesting deal for a team like the Reds to extend a player in his mid-30s, but $6 million is extremely affordable for a player of Rolen's calibre. Fangraphs suggests Rolen was close to a 4 win player above replacement (about $17 million) last year and even in a poor year offensively, his glove is probably worth over $6 million alone.

I was happy with the Rolen trade for the Jays, but if they hadn't made the deal, I wouldn't've minded this deal a bit for them, not with the Jays' organizational situation at the hot corner. Sheldon mentions Cincy's 3rd base prospect Juan Francisco, but it's hard to get excited about someone who walks less than 5% of the time, strikes out almost a quarter of the time, and is mediocre with the glove, though he has a bit of pop.

3 months ago hugo 13 comments 0 recs |

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Well it must mean Rolen is happy with the Reds so I wish him the best. I will always have fond memories of Rolen at the hot corner for us. Ultimately the Glaus for Rolen for Prospects worked out pretty well for us so I don’t have any complaints.

Good Luck Rolen!

Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...

by JohnnyG on Dec 20, 2009 9:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

it seems like he really wanted to go back to the midwest

and make sure he’ll be there for a while. I’m happy for him if he’s where he wants to be. He was a very good player for us and always stood out as a classy guy. His glove is incredible and I imagine hitting in Cincy will agree with him, as it does for most.

I wouldn’t have minded keeping him in a Jays uni through 2012 at that price – we will be paying Edwin $4.75 million this season for quite a bit less production and paying him more if we want him around in 2011. But I’m not unhappy with how things worked out.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 20, 2009 9:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would have taken Rolen at that price in a heartbeat. Even if his HR power was down, he was still a very reliable hitter with extra base power. His defense and throwing were equally reliable.

by aagoodfella on Dec 20, 2009 10:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

probably as good as any player to put on the Jays jersey

I’d put him up there with Alomar as far as talent goes. You wouldn’t think that a guy his size would be able to move like he does at 3B. And I’m not sure I ever saw a bad throw.

by ayjackson on Dec 20, 2009 10:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if it was the team, Cito or the city of Toronto (i.e. missing the midwest) that turned Rolen off

He’d sure look nice as the 3B through 2012, assuming he stays healthy, which is far from a certainty.

by REMO on Dec 20, 2009 12:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

probably the city

by ayjackson on Dec 20, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL, yes those inferiority complexes get a little tiresome — its a little clingy

by aagoodfella on Dec 20, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Probably a bit of the city/turf/team.

Maybe he knows that he is getting into the twilight of his career and with everything going on with the team it just wasn’t a fit… who really knows (other then Rolen of course)

Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...

by JohnnyG on Dec 20, 2009 7:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

haha

the words of someone who has never been to Cincinnati

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 20, 2009 5:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

I don’t understand this from the Reds perspective. They are nowhere near contention, so they trade a decent player and 2 good prospects for an aging vet, then get concerned about payroll flexibility, so they LOCK HIM UP long term?

With the way the Reds are managing things, I’d be on the phone if I’m AA. See if you can pry Votto or Alonso out of them without giving up anything of particular substance.

by Jevant on Dec 21, 2009 11:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

while I didn't understand their initial acquisition of Rolen

this extension deal seems pretty favourable for the Reds to me. Rolen will almost certainly be worth what the Reds are paying him, and the Reds were 78-84 last season, not in contention, but hardly awful considering the relative parity in the NL. The Jays aren’t planning to contend this season either, but they will be paying Encarnacion almost as much money in 2010 and 2011 (should they offer him arbitration) as Rolen is making, so it’s hardly a crippling contract for them.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 21, 2009 12:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, but...

…wouldn’t you prefer (if you were the Reds) to have EE and the pitchers instead?

The answer, obviously, is no. So I’d be calling them to see if their opinions on any other players is equally as out of wack.

by Jevant on Dec 21, 2009 12:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I thought it was a strange move for the Reds to make at the time. I think they perhaps saw Stewart as a reliever in the majors while the Jays are trying to make him a starter. If you saw Stewart as a reliever, the case for the trade is better if still questionable, particularly with the extension. For three years, the difference between Rolen and EE is arguably significant enough to outweigh the contributions of a couple of relievers.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 21, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs