Reds Insider: The moves

Monday, March 31, 2008

The moves

From the Reds:

Today the Reds placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to 3/21, RHP Matt Belisle (right forearm) and SS Alex Gonzalez (left knee) and, retroactive to yesterday, C David Ross (lower back); designated for assignment LHP Mike Stanton and LHP Jon Coutlangus; purchased the contracts of non-roster invitees C Paul Bako (#9), RHP Johnny Cueto (#47), RHP Mike Lincoln (#57), LHP Kent Mercker (#50) and OF Corey Patterson (#23)...another spot on the 40-man roster will be cleared after 1:00 p.m. today.

Coutlangus is a bit of a surprise.

24 Comments:

at 11:27 AM

Jake said...

Why the surprise with Coutalangus?I wasnt expecting him to make the club.Have you been hearing anything about the front office working on a trade?A couple places are reporting this

at 11:40 AM

John said...

Unless I'm wrong, that's Hanigan, Ross, Tatum, Valentin, Bako on the 40-man.

I gotta think they'll take a catcher off. You just don't need 5 catchers on the 40-man. You hardly even need 3 on the 25-man.

Surprised about Coutlangus. What happened there?

at 11:43 AM

stew said...

What happens at 1:00 today? Trade?

at 11:44 AM

Bengal43 said...

Couter is not a surprise to me for he wasn't that good last year and the other pitchers have more potential. How old is he?

at 11:47 AM

redfuture said...

John, do they get a 10-day period to entertain trades with Cout also? If so, it probably means they think there is a better chance to get a prospect who doesn't have to be on the 40-man.

at 11:47 AM

Unknown said...

I'm shocked with Coutlangus. Really thought that he just needed some "seasoning" at AAA. Guy pitched pretty well for the most part last year.

But I guess it shows how much more depth is in the farm system.

at 11:50 AM

redfuture said...

John, I forgot to ask why is another spot being cleared later today? Trade? Signing?

at 11:51 AM

JO said...

Why is Coutlangus a suprise? What was the other option?

at 12:06 PM

Rob Dicken said...

Coutlangus getting released does surprise me as well. He was actually pretty reliable for the Reds as a middle reliever.

I never did understand why he was sent down last year towards the last half of the season. He was pitching well.

He's a bit better than Todd Coffey, but then again, that's not saying much.

He will definitely be picked up by someone needing a decent middle reliever.

at 12:30 PM

Bengal43 said...

Couter was a lefty specialist that didn't get out lefty's.

at 12:40 PM

Mr. Doom and Gloom said...

at 12:55 PM

Jaybee said...

I think this move shows that the Reds are finally getting to the point we've all wanted them to be at for the past 15 years - enough quality depth in the farm system that they have to axe a quality player from time to time. I liked Couter and felt he had decent big league potential and I agree that he probably won't be out of a job for long. However, I imagine that Walt and Wayne felt that he wasn't one of the top 40 players in the organization right now and if they are right then that's a good thing. Everyone has different opinions as to the value of each player on the 40 man roster but the only ones that count are the ones who eventually are responsible for spending Bob's money.

JMO

at 12:57 PM

soulacious said...

I think some people have short memories. Coutlangus was horrific last year, losing games for us almost entirely on his own at times, and many people were screaming for him to be demoted or released. Krivsky showed ridiculously foolish confidence in him during most of the season and paid a heavy price. It's not a surprise that he was released; the surprise is that it wasn't done a year ago. Some people simply aren't meant for the big leagues - they just don't "get it", as Bob Boone used to say. The same is true of Belisle, but I guess he needs to prove that again to Krivsky, only this time as a reliever. It's Krivsky's stubbornness that's the main problem with the Reds' pitching. He can't admit failure with these guys until it's too late.

at 12:57 PM

docproc said...

Coutlangus doesn't surprise me at all. He was brought in several times this Spring to get out a left-handed batter and he blew it almost every time.

at 1:04 PM

REddlegg in Colorado said...

LETS PLAY BALL!!!!!!

at 1:18 PM

Rob Dicken said...

memory problems or what? coutlangus sucked last year, especially after about his first month with the club? look at his numbers.

couldn't get lefties out, couldn;t stran inherited runners, and walked WAY too many. surprised a little they DFA'd him, but i really don't know what the other options would've been.

There's not any memory problems involved in this. He didn't "suck in getting lefties out." Left handed hitters held a .231 batting average against him last year. That's pretty darn good! Couter's only fault was walking too many people, but even so, he wasn't a terrible middle reliever. He had a 4.39 ERA, which for middle relief isn't "terrible." He only got lit up during the last few appearances he made last year. And you need to remember, last year was his rookie season!

So many people are quick to say someone sucks on the Reds without even looking up statistics to back their accusations...jeez!

at 1:26 PM

Bengal43 said...

Rob Dicken...Serious question, what was Couters walks per innings pitched?

at 1:34 PM

Mr. Doom and Gloom said...

you're just looking at the wonrg stats, BAA and ERA are worthless for relievers.

Look at his OBP against vs. lefties....388. Nearly 4/10 lefthanders reaching vs. a LH specialist?

BAA and ERA look low cause the guys he was allowing to score were inherited and he walked so many guys.

at 1:38 PM

RotoJeff said...

Even still, Coutlangus was the fourth lefty reliever at best for the Reds, behind Affeldt, Mercker and Bray. With all the non-roster guys they're adding to the 40-man, he seems like a fairly logical choice. Lefty specialists like him are fairly fungible.

at 1:40 PM

Rob Dicken said...

Couter walked 27 guys in 41 innings...So that's 0.66 walks per inning pitched.

I said that he had problems walking people earlier. But, even so, he wasn't TERRIBLE.

at 1:55 PM

jc said...

mercker, bray and affeldt made him expendable. can't keep everybody.

at 2:29 PM

Unknown said...

They're leaving a spot open for Neifi Perez?!?

:)

at 2:41 PM

KingsPoint said...

So, Richie Gardner was just claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers. Was he one of the players taken off the 40-man roster to make room for guys like Mercker? Is so, was it worth losing Gardner to keep a guy like Mercker?

at 4:04 PM

reaganspad said...

Rob, You said "So many people are quick to say someone sucks on the Reds without even looking up statistics to back their accusations...jeez!"

Then said that "Couter was better than Coffey." Wow...

Couter was situational last year. Coffey was the second best pitcher on the team in 2006, 81 games, 3.58 ERA Look it up.

Might check out Todd's spring numbers while you are at it... 0.96

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Monday, March 31, 2008

The moves

24 Comments: