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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2009 22:53:27 GMT -5
CINCINNATI (AP)—Scott Rolen(notes) agreed Saturday to a two-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds that guarantees him an additional $13 million while converting almost half of his 2010 salary to a deferred signing bonus.
The deal, which runs through 2012, clears a little bit of payroll room for the Reds and shows how much they value the 34-year-old third baseman as a clubhouse leader. Rolen missed time with a concussion last season, batting .305 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs in 128 games with Toronto and Cincinnati.
A seven-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, Rolen had been due to make $11 million next season, the final one in an eight-year, $90 million deal he got from St. Louis. Instead, he gets a $5 million signing bonus that will be paid over the next three years, a $6 million salary next season and $6.5 million in each of the following two seasons.
Cincinnati is expected to trim its opening-day payroll from the $71 million it had last season. The Reds drew 1.7 million fans during their ninth straight losing season, their smallest attendance since 1986.
When they got Rolen in a trade with Toronto in July, they set up a logjam at the top of the payroll. Four players would account for nearly two-thirds of the payroll next year: Rolen, starter Aaron Harang(notes) ($12.5 million), starter Bronson Arroyo(notes) ($11 million) and closer Francisco Cordero(notes) ($12 million).
The Reds are looking to trade at least one of the pitchers, and have had talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers about Harang, who is coming off two straight disappointing seasons. Arroyo also could be available.
By acquiring Rolen before the trade deadline for third baseman Edwin Encarnacion(notes) and pitchers Josh Roenicke(notes) and Zach Stewart, the Reds put themselves in a payroll bind. General manager Walt Jocketty values Rolen’s leadership, something that was missing in a clubhouse that has lost a lot of veterans in the past two years.
“Scott’s signing is an indication of his feelings toward the club and the direction we’re taking,” Jocketty said in a statement. “He wants to stay here, and hopefully he can end his career as a Red.”
Rolen grew up in Evansville, Ind.—less than a four-hour drive away—and attended Reds games as a youth. He was excited by the trade in July, but a concussion diminished his playing time during his first two months in Cincinnati.
Rolen was hit in the head by a pitch from Colorado’s Jason Marquis(notes) on Aug. 2, giving him headaches and limiting his availability. He went on the disabled list Aug. 11. He appeared in 40 games for Cincinnati, batting .270 with three homers and 24 RBIs.
The 1997 NL Rookie of the Year, Rolen is a .284 career hitter with 283 homers and 1,129 RBIs in 14 major league seasons with Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto and Cincinnati.
AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2009 22:55:17 GMT -5
Rolen is a great leader in my opinion. Some of my Reds buddies are not happy with this though. Personally I think Rolen is one helluva player.
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Post by MIZ-SIU on Dec 20, 2009 22:56:08 GMT -5
Brings good leadership to a young team. Good move IMO
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2009 22:58:47 GMT -5
Brings good leadership to a young team. Good move IMO Exactly! I love this move. Rolen is a helluva leader and this young team needs a leader like Rolen.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2009 22:59:04 GMT -5
What are your thoughts BTB?
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 21, 2009 0:07:38 GMT -5
What are your thoughts BTB? Sorry been real busy this weekend. I am not in love with the move, but understand the reasoning. Rolen has been injury prone of late, and is getting up there in age. He does play great defense though. He is also a solid and strong guy to have in the clubhouse. He can be one of those guys who 'fits' well with the team. I just hope that a team without a big budget doesn't spend so much on a player that the can't count on to play most of the games. Overall I would still lean to this being a better move than not.
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Post by tophb21 on Dec 22, 2009 8:19:15 GMT -5
I feel like a dumbass for not knowing he was with the Reds.
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Post by dawgggystyle on Dec 22, 2009 9:36:41 GMT -5
BOOTSY ROLEN ??
You people like Bootsy Rolen ? come on man
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Post by Bradimous1 on Dec 22, 2009 10:20:58 GMT -5
who is Scott Rolen? and who are the Reds?
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 10:51:26 GMT -5
who is Scott Rolen? and who are the Reds? The team that spends 100 million less than your team.
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Post by Bradimous1 on Dec 22, 2009 15:15:42 GMT -5
who is Scott Rolen? and who are the Reds? The team that spends 100 million less than your team. oh, I remember the Reds... that team that Eric Davis played for... I liked that guy and thought it was a great story. and don't act like my team pays for than most teams... the Sox weren't even in the top 3 in payroll last year... Yanks, Mets, Phils in that order... myth, that is all it is.
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 15:46:25 GMT -5
I don't buy that payroll is the only factor, I think you know my comment was in jest.
The Reds are that team that dominated a good deal of the 1970's and had some of the best players in the game.
Sigh...they need to work to build a better organization in order to compete.
I do think that they MLB should do something about the international prospects...and the draft, but that is for a different time.
Mets are proof that payroll doesn't equal wins.
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Post by Bradimous1 on Dec 22, 2009 16:25:15 GMT -5
I don't buy that payroll is the only factor, I think you know my comment was in jest. I did understand that. I wouldn't think you would seriously bait me... I was just making sure that the myth that the Sox and Yanks pay more than anyone is known to be a farse to all I do think that they MLB should do something about the international prospects...and the draft, but that is for a different time. Mets are proof that payroll doesn't equal wins. can I ask what you mean by this... I understand that payroll isn't everything though.
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 16:46:16 GMT -5
The part about the international players:
They are not required to enter the draft. Thus the best international prospects just turn into a bidding war. This prevents some of the best players from even entering the draft.
It would be like NBA teams not having to draft Ricky Rubio, but just signing him (I know he isn't great, but he did enter the draft, and it really hurt the draft for the T-Wolves). Dirk is probably a better example. Great player that would just be up for bid.
The international players need to enter the draft. I don't care if they have a separate one or not. The higher payroll teams put a lot of money in baseball academies and it gives them a pipeline to the best young talent outside of the U.S.
If the purpose of the draft is to give the worst teams the best chance to rebound then they need to change it drastically (including slotting for paying players, see the best players drop because teams know they can't sign them). I know baseball isn't as exact in terms of drafting as other sports, but the impropriety is seriously alarming.
International players can sign contracts at age 16, and those with the best systems (based almost entirely on money) usually get these players. I know teams should dedicate more to it, but a team with a lower payroll already can't take money and put it towards those academies to find the best players outside the US (maybe an allotment or a portion of the revenue should be put towards international scouting (required to be spent there, etc.).
I recently read a little on the topic, ,and it is just a big cash grab, and everyone is benefiting from it, except the small market teams. It unnecessarily makes the gap bigger.
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Post by Bradimous1 on Dec 22, 2009 17:07:48 GMT -5
I think that the owners of teams have plenty of money to spend, I have no problem with it being a bidding war... you think if KC puts a contender on the field, they won't make more than enough to cover what they paid... hell, just his past year, they had the highest increase in revenue probably due to Greinke... I think this is proof that one player can make the world of difference.
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 17:18:38 GMT -5
I think that the owners of teams have plenty of money to spend, I have no problem with it being a bidding war... you think if KC puts a contender on the field, they won't make more than enough to cover what they paid... hell, just his past year, they had the highest increase in revenue probably due to Greinke... I think this is proof that one player can make the world of difference. That is true. The Twins owner is probably the richest man that owns a baseball team. He really should spend more...but it is his investment. As far as one player making the difference, that is true. Was I not clear in the international players part (and was that the response, or something different). Just confused on that point. I mean I agree with it, but it doesn't seem to fit with the previous text (unless I am missing something obvious).
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Post by MIZ-SIU on Dec 22, 2009 17:35:39 GMT -5
It would not be the first time
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Post by dawgggystyle on Dec 22, 2009 18:12:28 GMT -5
they don't call him Bootsy for nothing.
he needs to hang em up
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 18:14:10 GMT -5
they don't call him Bootsy for nothing. he needs to hang em up He used to be the best fielding 3B in the league. Now he is a step below the elite, but is still a very good fielder (especially after seeing Edwin Encarnacion play there for a few years...he was a sieve).
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Post by MIZ-SIU on Dec 22, 2009 18:17:00 GMT -5
Scott Rolen in his prime was the best defensive 3rd baseman since Brooks Robinson. He may have lost a step but he is still better than half the other 3rd Baseman in the league
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Post by Bradimous1 on Dec 22, 2009 20:26:06 GMT -5
I think that the owners of teams have plenty of money to spend, I have no problem with it being a bidding war... you think if KC puts a contender on the field, they won't make more than enough to cover what they paid... hell, just his past year, they had the highest increase in revenue probably due to Greinke... I think this is proof that one player can make the world of difference. That is true. The Twins owner is probably the richest man that owns a baseball team. He really should spend more...but it is his investment. As far as one player making the difference, that is true. Was I not clear in the international players part (and was that the response, or something different). Just confused on that point. I mean I agree with it, but it doesn't seem to fit with the previous text (unless I am missing something obvious). I guess my point was that one player can make a difference in how much you can bring in, and if that player is overseas, go get him, go outbid everyone. Dice-K was paid for within 2 months because of the excitement made about him. I know toph is going to make the arguement that the Sox and Yanks have an overseas market... and they do now. The Sox probably had to work harder than anyone to get that overseas market, and if they can do anyone can. Let's say Pittsburgh would have shelled out $50 million to talk to Dice, then signed him for another $52 million, if they marketed him, they could have been the ones that brought in close to a billion dollars in t-shirt, had, poster... sales... let alone their ticket sales going up. The Sox ticket sales couldn't go up, so they were limited on what they were going to be able to make off of him, but only slightly. This is long winded and I think you get my point... if not, let me know and I would be glad to put together a 10 page thesis for you.
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Post by BTB07 on Dec 22, 2009 22:40:00 GMT -5
Yeah I see what you mean Brad.
There is a point to that. But the Pirates cannot commit almost their entire payroll for a season to just talk to a high priced free agent overseas. It was a huge risk for the Sox, and would have hurt them if they didn't get a deal done with Dice-K. However, the risk is significantly smaller for a large market team.
I suppose my point was that high priced free agents are usually where the disparity is seen. I am including the farm systems that are built by wealthier teams by having baseball academies in foreign countries (most Caribbean). So they are going to win the higher priced guys, but are also using their resources to build baseball academies and sign the best young players when they are young (they can just purchase a lot of them and lessen their chances).
Not complaining about the high priced guys, because basic economics says that the big guys are going to win a lot of those. But the relatively inexpensive (millionish dollar deals for the best prospects out of the US) are being dominated because of the baseball academies as well.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 0:30:22 GMT -5
I am very happy the Reds resigned Scott. He is the best third basemen we have and the Reds really can't afford to let go of a very good third basemen like him.
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Post by dawgggystyle on Dec 23, 2009 16:37:01 GMT -5
he might have been good, but there is no reason to bring Hoover's name into the same sentence as Rolen.
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