The season began with high hopes. Of course, that’s the way it goes with most teams these days. With the extra wild card and increasing parity, as many as 25 teams could reasonably hope to compete for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, key injuries and disappointing play have kept the Reds near the basement in the NL Central. Now, Walt Jocketty is listening to offers for numerous players.

At the moment, they are just rumors and rumors are worth about a nickel on the current landscape. You get the feeling that the Reds will either do nothing or do a lot in the next week. They certainly have enough big names for sale. They could possibly get a truckload of prospects for all of their players and those players could suddenly find themselves on contenders over the last two months.

Available Hitters

1B Joey Votto (.288, 16 HR, 46 Runs, 44 RBI, 61 BB, 6 SB)

Admittedly, there are a lot of legs as it pertains to a Votto deal. He’s signed through 2023 with an option for 2024. Anyone know where they will be nine years from now? I suppose if they are willing to pay off some of the deal and take little in return they could unload Votto. He still gets on base 40 percent of the time. He has a lot of value to a team even if the fantasy numbers don’t make you get the vapors. Six category leagues will love the walks, though, and he’s shown sneaky speed this year.

2B Brandon Phillips (.281, 5 HR, 41 Runs, 32 RBI, 16 BB, 11 SB)

Phillips is the anti-Votto. In five category leagues he’s actually quite productive for a second baseman. He might get to ten home runs and 20 stolen bases on the season. The problem is that he doesn’t draw walks. So, he has a low OBP and diminishing power. He simply hasn’t been as productive, and given that he has two more seasons on his contract, his value is about as low as Votto’s.

RF/LF Marlon Byrd (.243, 16 HR, 34 Runs, 34 RBI, 17 BB, 1 SB)

Byrd was a decent one-year gamble, and if they get something for him it will be worthwhile. He can play in both corner outfield slots, so he might have some value as a fourth outfielder on a good team. His .753 OPS is solid, but most playoff contenders expect more out of their right and left fielder.

RF Jay Bruce (.255, 15 HR, 38 Runs, 48 Runs, 44 BB, 6 SB)

Bruce is just a year and a half removed from three consecutive 30+ home run seasons. For that reason, teams like the Orioles have been poking around Cincinnati to see if they can pry Bruce out of the Reds’ hands. He’s had an .800+ OPS in five out of the last six seasons. He has quite a bit more value than the rest of the position players on the Reds, and he is the most likely to be dealt. He’s signed through 2016 with a team option for 2017, so he’s not exactly a rental either. I’d look for him to be gone.

Available Pitchers

SP Johnny Cueto (6-6, 122.2 INN, 2.79 ERA, 0.954 WHIP, 115 K)

Cueto is clearly the prize from the Reds and Walt Jocketty obviously wants to squeeze as much juice out of that orange as possible. His contract is up at the end of the season, so they may not get a king’s ransom. But if they want to get the rebuilding process going, they will deal him this week. The key for Cueto owners will be to keep track of where he goes. He has actually benefitted from good fielding. According to baseball-reference.com, the Reds .704 defense efficiency rating is fifth behind only the Rays, Royals, Astros, and Angels.

SP Mike Leake (7-5, 120.2 INN, 3.95 ERA, 1.227 WHIP, 81 K)

Leake will be a free agent after the season. He’s never spent a day in the minor leagues and has been a solid third or fourth starter type from day one. Like Cueto, you will have to keep an eye on where he’s going because he has benefitted from solid fielding behind him. Since his rookie season, he has never averaged more than 2.5 walks per nine, and he has that rate so far this season. He is also averaging only six strikeouts per nine innings. Obviously, he relies more heavily on the fielders behind him than Cueto.

RP Aroldis Chapman (3-3, 1.56 ERA, 19 SV, 1.165 WHIP, 72 K)

Chapman’s stuff is stupid. He reaches 100+ on the gun with regularity and has hit 103 MPH on multiple occasions. He is signed through 2016, so the Reds don’t have to deal him. They can just listen for now. However, they could get multiple top notch prospects for him. If you simply combine two separate deals for Cueto and Chapman, you would have enough to restock their farm system for quite some time. As for Chapman, getting him to a contender would make him the number one closer on the board no questions asked.