11-19-25 Reds Hot Stove League

Hey, very delightful, good evening, and welcome in to the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF. As always, we are live at the bet MGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watchbar down to the banks with Jim Day. I'm Tommy Throw. Great to be with you. A lot to get to today. We have the President of Baseball Operations, Nick Crawl, with us in house today live to talk all things Reds

It didn't seem like no Hector Rodriguez Arroyo, and you know those were two guys that obviously other teams would be interested in. I imagine the Balcazar who established himself a little more here in the Arizona Fall League. Some tough decisions always year in and year out, because you don't want to someone to just swoop in and take

We'll talk to Nick about that, because you've got to believe there's probably still some thought that he will be able to remain within the organization. Of course he could get picked up. We'll talk about all that as well. Edwin Royo, this is a guy that I feel like has a chance of being the big leagues next year. We'll start the season at Triple A. I mean, he's one of the top prospects in the organization for a reason.

It's just trying to get as much information as you can. We met with every club that was there. We talked to those guys. We talked a lot of those guys before we got there, but you know, the week before free agency opened, so we were able to sit down with every agent for every player and you know, talk through where they are, what their expectations are, and then see if we can find some matches.

You know, there's players that you obviously have a relationship with. Do you do you ever negotiate with a player because of the personal connection you may have with someone and bypass in a way that the agent you could. I don't.

I don't feel comfortable doing that. You have an agent for a reason. That's what you're supposed to do. That's you know, you you obviously have hire an agent for us to go through the agent. You know, I'll text a guy every now and then, but I won't do a negotiator. We won't negotiate through the player themselves unless they don't have an agent, and that's the way they want to do it.

This process, once free agency opens and the GM beatings, not a whole lot happens. It picks up at the winter meetings. It's a long process this offseason and free agency. Do you wish it was shorter, there were some type of deadline that was involved that would get action going a little faster.

Yeah, I mean it, it'd be great if it was a condensed and yeah, you know, I was talking to somebody the other day, I guess the NFL has six weeks off that where nothing really happens in the summer, so a lot of facilities shut down, and you know, you kind of take some downtime, and you know, obviously you like that, but that's not how we work.

Yeah.

Well, I mean at the trade deadline, a lot of deals are done because there's a deadline. So do you think that would up the action if there were at least one, maybe two deadlines involved.

I don't know.

I mean probably like everybody waits till a deadline when they have to submit things. Yeah, you know, when somebody's looking for a payment on something, you wait till the deadline to give it to them.

Right, Well, we will look forward to that. Once you were commissioner of Major League Baseball, So let's talk about this team. Obviously, the Winter Meetings are right on the horizon. Following up the GM meetings, were you able to get kind of an idea of how teams value their players, whether it's prospects or guys in the big league team. As far as how you kind of maneuver the offseason and the moves you guys may have coming up.

Yeah, I mean you're you're figuring out what their needs are and what they have surplus of, and they're doing the same for us. So that's what a lot of the last couple of weeks have been, and you know a lot of teams are still trying to figure it out. You know, you got a lot of moves made yesterday, whether it's adding guys the roster, handful of guys got

I know, you were always working within a budget. Everyone business works within a budget, and you talk to the writers a little bit about this, but clarifying for this audience with some of the money that came off the books from last year. And I know there's arbitration involved in players up their salaries and almost balances out. How much financial flexibility do you have as we sit.

Here, we'll be right around those same amount we had last year, just budget wise. You know, it's it'll obviously depend on what the arbitration raises are. And you know, guys going through arbitration are going to get a little bit more salary, and we've got a handful of those guys. So I think it's just we're still working to determine what we can and can't do within the budget that we have based on some of those asks.

With that being said, do you imagine that the ways you'll be able to improve this team will be dipping into the free agent market at all? Or is it more going to be based on trades dealing from areas where you may have a little bit of a surplus.

It's really hard to answer, and without skirting the question, it's you know, sometimes two years ago we spent some money in free agency, whereas this year or last year, we had a handful of guys that we made trades with. Whether it was singer or Travino, and then we signed some other guys like Hayes and Barlow who were in the free agent market. So I think we're looking at both well, we are looking at both markets and trying to figure out where the best use of our money is,

I know, obviously you we'd love to add a power bat to the middle of the lineup.

Who wouldn't.

That's you know, every team is normally looking for that at all times. But you have some spots opened in the bullpen. I imagine that that might be step number one. How are you going to be able to fill those spots within your budget?

Well, I mean it's first off, everybody would like a middle of the order power bat, and if you have one, you'd like to write like that. That's that's an obvious statement. The bullpen is something where we were really have been have had a really good bullpen over the last couple of years. It's we've gotten some guys via trade, We've gotten some guys in sam Maul. We've gotten some guys like Tony Santian that have come through the draft. Graham Ashcraft moved to you know, from the draft out there.

We're visiting with Red's President of Baseball Operations, Nick Krawl. Plenty more to get to with Nick. It's the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF. Live the bet MGYM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watch Bar at the Banks on the Reds Radio Network. Welcome back in with the Butdwise the Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF. We are I have the bet MGAM Sportsbook inside Tom's watch Bar at the Banks. Few folks here hanging out with us. Larry herms made the trip over from across the road.

Well, I mean, I think first when you look at the rotation, it's really it is really hard to say, oh, well, we're just going to trade because we have surplus, because I don't think anybody has surplus, right if you have if you have eight guys, nine guys that are coming in to win a spot in the rotation. You've got Green, Abbott, Lodolo, and Singer Singer and who have pitched all year in

Right.

Of those five guys, the only guy that actually made it through the full season without without being injured was Singer, And I think everybody has their own Hey, I missed time for this, or miss time for this.

Guys get hurt.

In the rotation. Three of the other guys are Brandon Williamson, Julian Agie Are and Rehet Louder missed all season last year with various injuries. So you know, you have to have depth in the starting rotation. You just have to. I mean getting Lttel last year allowed us to push Martinez to the bullpen, and that happened for about a week and then he went right back in the starting rotation when we had some injuries until he could go

Right.

I had shoulder surgery six weeks ago, and I can tell you there are days when I am really hurting, and I can tell you that the same guy the head shoulders might not feel the same pain. You can't say that, you know, hey, that this is the this works here, and this works here. I think that you know that that's a that's a tough thing to say.

When do you prow your first bullpen coming back from shoulders certainly not a.

Chance when you when you talk about trade, if you if you do go the trade route. Is it at least safe to say that at this point, where the organization is, or where this group of players is, that you will not be trading for prospects you would want major league ready or at least on the cusp of major league ready players.

Yeah. I ideally you want to add to your club, right and maybe there's a deal where you trade this player for prospects and then trade prospects for another player and it works out. Where it doesn't, it's not perfect fit, but it's it's a fit because of how you did it right. So I don't want to say that we wouldn't ever trade for prospects, but there is there a means to an end.

When you're trying to put a deal together. How important is the understanding of not just a team's needs but what they value? I mean, is the most coveted thing right now on the trade market, established big league position players, established big league pitching, or are prospects still among the most coveted? And does that change team to team?

I think it changes team to team. It depends on where you are and what you're trying to do. Some teams they don't want any part of prospects. Some teams they only want prospects. Some teams will only trade prospects, and some teams will only trade big league players. So I think it just depends on what you're looking at and where you are in your cycle.

Ellie da La Cruz. The defensive problems have been well documented the last couple of years, and he had a let's just say, a more down year overall defensively, even at the plate, certainly with the power numbers. Not sure how much defense is getting into his head.

I don't know.

I can't ever read the player on that or get into player's mind. But have you entertained the idea of him playing other positions at all.

At this point? No, So if you look at his year last year, and I think a lot of people don't know this. At the end of the year, like towards the end of July, he was dealing with a partial torn quad and he has been rehabbing. He's at the ballpark, he was at the ballpark today. He's been rehabbing over the last this whole off season. To his credit, he played every day. He tried to grind through it. He tried to play through it. If you look at

We saw a lot of improvement last minute or so that we have in Spencer stear at first base. Now South Stewart's up here at the big league level, really the only defensive spot he can play his first base. How realistic is it to expect him to have that kind of progress like Spencer Steer had over there.

Well, you know, I talked to his agent a few days ago. He's in better shape, He's worked. That's his goal this offseason is to come to camp in good baseball shape and just whether it's lose weight, get faster, get more agile in the field. You know, he played third in the big leagues last year. You know, but obviously we've got a Gold Glove defensive player at third, so you know, we want to be better both offensively

Nick, really appreciate the time. Thanks so much. Could ask you a thousand more questions, but you probably have other things you want to do tonight, so let you get out of here.

Thanks.

It's President of Baseball Operations, Nick Krawl. We're back with more of the Buttweiser Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF. Next on the Reds Radio Network. Welcome back in It is the Buttweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF. We are live the bet MGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watch Bar at the Banks. Big Things. Again to Nick Krawl for stopping by and chatting with us. And you know, it was kind of interesting. We were talking about the pitching and you and I were talking about a week

Is the wrong word. Right, you want to trade from a position of strength, that's probably a better way. It is their position of strength and what's going to bring you the best return of frontline starting pitcher.

Right.

So I don't want to say surplus. You never have enough. I do believe you never have enough pitcher.

There's one hundred percent.

Especially nowadays. But it's a position of strength. So where are you gonna be hurt the least if you trade one off of that group?

Right now? It's starting pitching. And are you truly robbing Peter to pay Paul? See that's the other part. If you go out and you go get a bat, Okay, where are they going to play? You've got to have a spot for him to play. So right now, if you look at the Reds the way they're set up, if you if you truly believe that Sal Stewart's your first basement, I want to get into that, then he's your first baseman. You have second base, shortstop and third are all spoken for. TJ. Friedel at the moment is

But the offense at times was so glaring. Tommy, how many yeah, how many games did they score just one run or less than two. It's an astronomical number. So when your your offense is lacking that much, you better address it.

But are you addressing it to an extent With the promotion of a guy like Sal Stewart to the big leagues. Does that is that going to be enough?

Well with an answer, I mean we're in many times, especially in the offseason, you're in the land of hope, right, they hope that happens.

Of course.

He's I mean even asked when he first came up here, Hey, what position you play? I play the batter's box, was his answer. I never thought he was going to be a third baseman long term. I know he played it coming up, I just didn't see that happening. First base is a different story. I'm not willing to write him off that he's just going to be a d H from now on. He does need to get into a

So let's at least.

Give him the chance to get his footwork down, to get in better condition and learn the position. Because if he is just a DH, you better have a roster that's set up for that. They have Gavin Lux coming back where you're gonna play him on the days Tyler Stevenson didn't catch he was DH. Austin Hayes DHD A bunch. Someone's gonna get hurt they're going to need the dh SO to just slot him in as a dh I'm not willing to do that yet.

No, he's twenty one years old. You don't want a twenty one year old dah. You don't want to develop guys as a dh SO.

But he's gonna have to play first are you gonna play? You have to make concessions.

He was a major liability in third He did not play second base very well. It really just leaves first base now. If he gets in better shape, and from what I've heard, he's been working in the offseason to get in better shape, and you hope that that also means he's gonna be a little more agile, and if that's the case, Look, Spencer Steer worked really hard to become a good first baseman. He was, he was a Gold Glove finalist at first base. That that didn't happen overnight.

I love Spencer Steers not at all. You're just trying to work the best nine out there.

But we've also seen him be a more than serviceable outfielder and left field too, So I don't think that's the end of the world. Moving him to left field. The reason I bring up Spencer Steer is the Reds help develop him into a very good first baseman. If they can do the same with Sal Stewart, that I think that really opens up the luxury that you have to maybe go out and acquire a bat where you're

Listen, I think there's there should be some competition on this team. I'm not willing to sit here and just say second base is filled right now. That's a down year there. Yeah, and we're talking about a young guy who has man has some promising talent. We've seen it. But where's that going?

Right?

Where's that going? Are we just gonna pencil that in? Are we gonna have some competition? And light a fire on some under some guys. I think there should be some competition.

Well, you talk about competition lighting a fire under a guy, I would say it worked out pretty well for a guy like noelbe Marte. Sure did. I mean.

He handled diversity more than I mean a few times and some of it was self inflicted, which he just overcame, so that he is a glaring example of yes, it can be done.

He's exhibit A Yeah, no doubt. One eight hundred The Big One if you want to call into the show. Also five one, three, seven, four nine seven one eight hundred The Big One. Five one, three, seven, four nine seven thousand. This is the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF. We are live the BEDMGM Sportsbook inside Tom's watch Bar at the Banks. More to come on the Reds Radio Network. Welcome back into the Budweiser Reds

Honestly, he's pretty good chance. Second in Red's history in saves.

One hundred and fifty of them in a Red use.

Danny Graves is number one in the Reds Hall of Fame. Second in career saves with the Reds.

Pretty good is his career era two hundred and eighty three games in Reds uniform, two point nine to six ERA out of the Reds bullpen. Not bad there either, I mean when he was a Red.

Member of a Division champion team. He had forty saves that year.

Led the Reds and saves four different years from two thousand and eight to twenty eleven. Had as many as forty saves in twenty ten, that's the fourth most in a single season in team history. I mean, this is a guy that certainly deserves a strong consideration.

I mean, oh, he'll eventually get int your second a major category. Granted they back in the day, his position category, no doubt, it's what I'm saying.

Eventually, it's gonna happen. So he is. You can argue he's one of the best Reds closers of all time. Well second Red's history, fifty of them. So yeah, he was top five of the National League and saves a few times as well, Actually more than a few, I don't know. Yeah, you gotta give that guy a strong consideration. An All Star in two thousand and nine and that

They should deserve a longer look. Well, the Roland one is tough for me just because it was he was here such a short amount of time. But he fits the criteria he does of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, and he was You can break down the numbers all you want, the accolades and the gold gloves he was. If someone said, all who was the heart and soul of that team, the one that went through the playoffs in twenty ten, twelve, all that.

Group, it's Roland.

When he came in here, he changed the culture. Well, I mean, so it goes a lot more than the stats with him, But I don't know if the voting will take that into account. So he's an interesting case for me.

You'd be a perfect person to ask, because you know, you look at those teams. They were good teams you just look at look at the Rosters, but they couldn't get over the hump until Scott Rowland got there. So I ask you this, do you do you genuinely believe the Reds would have ever got over the hump and won those two division titles in twenty ten and twenty twelve. If Scott Roland didn't come over.

It's hard for me to say that it wouldn't have happened. In twenty twelve. They had five good starters that made every start outside of a doubleheader, which someone had to come up and make that one start, and they were good. They were good. That was a really good rotation. So I can't say, you know that they wouldn't have But man, did he really he was the He was the exclamation point.

He was kind of the final piece of the puzzle. Yeah, I mean, that's it's tough to say. I when you look at a guy and his value to a particular team, if you guys were more valuable to their team than what Scott Roland meant to those Red.

Seas and he's I mean, he's he's going down as a cardinal, right, So that's where I think people were probably cringing out there. That's probably the cringe. I'll say it. That's probably the cri for rolling. He's known as a cardinal. Okay, he played in the Reds on the back end, albeit successfully on the back end of his career and winning as a cardinal you know, as a as a Reds fan, can you stomach putting a player in the Reds Hall of Fame?

That is in the Cardinals Hall of Fame and that is in the Major League Baseball lines the Elephant.

That's tough.

That's tough. Phone lines open five, one, three, seven, four nine, the Big One. If you want to chat with us. We got a little time to take your calls when we come back and wrap up the show next on the Reds Radio Network. Welcome back in to the Budwiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF Wrapping things up here at that MGM sportsbook inside Tom's watch Bar down here at the Banks. Twenty twenty six single game tickets are on sale now and for a limited time, you

Well, that's been my point for years. I mean I've been on record for several years. This is before all the airs happened that in center field. And this is just my opinion for someone that watches thousands of baseball games. For it seems like a thousand years now and probably a thousand years for the people that are listening. He can be a good shortstop. I believe he can be a.

Great center fielder.

He can be serviceable at shortstop, make great plays, and be a difference maker when he's turn into his arm as a difference maker. But he can be a difference maker in centerfield, like like completely take over the game like difference makers. So where I was going with that, he's going to be a good for where you put him, he will be better. And he talked about hurt way more than we let on. He would not go in the training room, he would not tell people that he

Absolutely, And I'm not trying to say that he can't be a good major league shortstop. I want to believe that he can because I think he can be a game changer short But he's got to prove that he can clean up the air. I mean some of the airs he made down the stretch for costly airs.

Well, there were routine plays. That's that's the frustrating part. He'll make those spectacular play, but then the routine ones get away from him. And I didn't play the game at that level, but those that did say that that's a lapse in concentration when that happens. It's not a physical thing with him, although I will say he is the king bad bounce. He got some bad bounces. You can talk about all you want. There are bad bounces that happen that stadium, across the street. It happens all

Albe Martine moved to the outfield and the bat came around like that. So I'm just.

Saying, now, those guys are buds too.

If you need a way to sell them. Some of the greatest players that have ever played the game were centerfielders, so I don't know. That's all the time we have for you today. Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed it big. Thanks again to Nick Crawl for stopping by, for Jim Day, for Davity arm Brewster, and our studio producer Joe Waddell. I'm Tommy throw thanks for listening. One