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THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1997-The Reds trade Jeff Brantley to the Cardinals for Dmitri Young. During Young’s four seasons with the Reds, he accumulated a .304 batting average, with 143 doubles, 67 home runs and 296 RBI

MLB.COM Reds open to filling 5th rotation spot with FA GM Williams also hoping top prospects 'ready to step up' By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | November 9th, 2016 + 8 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Although the Reds' rotation struggled mightily this past season, it showed improvement in the second half. There was enough progress that Cincinnati feels comfortable knowing that Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Homer Bailey and Dan Straily will be the first four starters.

That fifth spot is wide open, though. During the General Managers Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., Reds GM Dick Williams did not rule out using the free-agent market to mine potential candidates.

"There's certainly a chance we could sign starting pitchers," Williams said on Wednesday. "Whether they'll be targeted with a Minor League deal to serve as a Triple-A starter or whether we'll go after a starting pitcher remains to be seen. We have good competition there, but it's young guys. We have a bunch of young guys for that last spot."

Some of the Reds' top prospects will certainly be contenders for the fifth spot -- including Cody Reed, Amir Garrett, Robert Stephenson and, possibly, Rookie Davis. Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen are also possibilities, if they aren't chosen for late- inning roles in the bullpen. Tim Adleman, signed to a Minor League deal last year, emerged with some nice outings during 2016 and will be in the mix, too.

"I wish I had a crystal ball. I think they'll come in ready to compete, and we hope some of those young guys are ready to step up," Williams said. "They'll certainly have opportunities to pitch in the rotation this year."

Williams did not specify which free agent might fit the Reds' needs, but there are several starting pitchers on the market likely in the lower price ranges. They include Bud Norris, Tim Lincecum, Clayton Richard, Colby Lewis and Jonathon Niese. The Reds' attempt to sign a veteran starter that could eat innings this year backfired when Alfredo Simon earned $2 million as he went 2-7 with a 9.36 ERA in 15 games. Simon is a free agent not likely to be re-signed.

Cincinnati's rotation has much to improve on in 2017. It sported a 4.79 ERA with 155 of the Major League-record 258 home runs allowed in '16. It ranked last in innings pitched and first in batters hit by a pitch while also throwing two complete games.

There is optimism that Bailey will be ready, after his comeback from Tommy John surgery later in the season was cut short to six starts because of a right biceps strain.

"He's having a full regular offseason," Williams said. "The last couple bullpens he threw in September were good."

Meanwhile, in Arizona this week, the Reds will continue to lay the groundwork for potential moves. Nothing has gotten serious.

"I'd say we're early," Williams said. "We're not far along with free agents at this point, but we've made initial contacts with a lot of the targets we're interested in. Trade talks are trade talks. We've talked to everybody. We have an idea of what people are looking for and we have an idea of interest level, but nothing has progressed."

Reds GM: Mesoraco may be back for opener Club optimistic about 's progress, but also exploring options By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | November 8th, 2016 + 199 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- When it comes to and the Reds' catching depth, general manager Dick Williams is expecting the best and preparing for anything short of that.

Considering that Mesoraco has been limited to 39 games -- including 18 starts -- over the past two seasons, Williams really has no other choice than to survey the market landscape. In May, Mesoraco had season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. In July, there was another surgery to repair the labrum in his right hip. It was a procedure similar to the one that was performed on his left hip in June 2015.

"I think it's important to prepare a contingency plan," Williams said Tuesday during the General Managers Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. "We probably have to do some of that now. You can't wait until after mid-January to come up with a plan. The fact that we're optimistic that he'll be back means you're not going to try to go big on catching. We still anticipate him for the next two years of his contract being part of what we've got to do behind the plate."

Mesoraco, 28, has two years left on his four-year, $28 million contract. The 2014 All-Star is slated to be ready to perform catching drills again in mid-to-late January. Williams is using the GM Meetings to lay the groundwork on future talks. The Reds are also seeking bullpen and bench help, while also keeping an eye open for deals that could move Zack Cozart or Brandon Phillips to free up space for younger talent.

Cincinnati was quite pleased with how Tucker Barnhart stepped up to a regular catching role in 2016 without Mesoraco. Although Barnhart is known his defense and game calling, his switch-hitting offense was far from a liability.

The Reds had Ramon Cabrera backing up Barnhart, but wouldn't mind having more veteran depth. There are a handful of available backups on the free-agent market that include Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Geovany Soto, A.J. Ellis, Drew Butera and former Reds like Ryan Hanigan and Dioner Navarro.

Perhaps none of these backups will ultimately be needed. So far, Williams is enthusiastic about Mesoraco's progress.

"I've seen Mes first-hand rehabbing down at the ballpark," Williams said. "He's down there most every day since the end of the season. He'll go home for a little bit. The rehab is going well. The timing is he had surgery at a fairly comparable time to last year, within a few weeks. The timetable will be fairly similar.

"We're optimistic he'll open the season ready for catch, but probably on some sort of schedule. We'd probably prevent him going out there and catching the first 14 games of the season. It's probably some sort of timeshare arrangement to make sure he's eased back in. It's hard to say for sure. The doctors said that really mid-January is when they'd be able to tell us with a lot more precision what the timetable looks like."

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds aren't looking to trade Joey Votto C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 7:18 p.m. EST November 9, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Reds still owe 33-year-old Joey Votto $179 million dollars on the extension he signed in 2012, but even if other teams had interest in him – and they do – Reds general manager Dick Williams doesn’t see the team trading Votto.

“I've said it, Joey's a guy we're building around, we're not in active negotiations with anyone,” Williams said Wednesday at the General Managers Meetings. “We haven't talked to him about waiving his no-trade. We have not had that conversation with him. He's peaking right now, he's so valuable to teaching our young guys. I foresee him being part of what we've got coming.”

After a slow start to 2016, Votto was one of the game’s best hitters, hitting .326/.434/.550 with 29 home runs and 97 RBI. He led the National League in on-base percentage for the fifth time in the last seven years. In the second half, Votto hit .408/.490/.668.

Votto, Homer Bailey (three years, $68 million) and Devin Mesoraco (two years, $20.45 million) are the only big-money, multi-year deals remaining on the Reds’ books moving forward. Both Bailey and Mesoraco are coming off two straight years with injury issues, making their trade value extremely low. However, Votto’s surge in each of the last two seasons coupled makes him as attractive as any older player on the Reds’ roster.

“I know it was a huge commitment to make for a franchise in our stratification, our market size, but we always thought that with the continued inflation in salaries, it was appropriate,” Williams said of Votto’s extension. “He's played well, if not better than anticipated. Inflation in salary has increased as much or more than we thought. I think his value right now, is very high.”

But that’s not to say he’s been approached with any specific deals, he said, or that he wouldn’t listen if he were. Williams and the Reds have been steadfast in their belief of building around Votto, not using him to build up the organization. Other teams know that, he said, but have said if that changes, make sure to let them know. There were talks with Votto’s hometown team in Toronto in the summer of 2015. Teams that have broached the topic of Votto with Williams recently have been more of the broad discussions and a declaration of interest if the situation arose.

Votto addressed his no-trade clause last year at RedsFest and has declined to address it again since. Last year he said, “I don't think of myself as anything but a Cincinnati Red. That's one of the really cool things about having a no-trade clause, being one of the rare players that has that, I get to stay a Cincinnati Red."

So even if other teams were interested, Votto would have to approve a trade, something he hasn’t expressed much interest in. The Reds are rebuilding, but both Votto and Williams have said they expect Votto to be playing first when Cincinnati returns to contention.

The Reds could still trade away shortstop Zack Cozart and Brandon Phillips, who are entering their final years before free agency. Left-handed reliever Tony Cingrani is entering his first year of salary arbitration and could receive some interest from other teams. But other than that, Williams feels the tear-down portion of the team’s rebuild is finished.

“That's sort of the nature of the beast when you've put in the hard work of trading off assets and now collecting young guys and give them a chance to play,” Williams said. “Our movement will be more on the periphery.”

The Cubs were in the same position not that long ago, Chicago general manager Jed Hoyer said at the GM meetings.

“One of the challenges with that is you stop having tradable assets,” Hoyer said. “We found that after the (Jeff) Samardzija/(Jason) Hamels deal (with Oakland), that was it. We're done with tradable assets, now you get to the point where you start up the hill, because the tradable assets you had are gone. You've used that currency.”

That’s where the Reds appear to be headed. Williams said this year, he’d like to see what the team has in young players like Jose Peraza, Dilson Herrera, Scott Schebler and the bevy of young arms, such as Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed and more.

“You've got the Reds and Brewers, candidly, copycatting what the Cubs and Pirates have done,” Hoyer said. “They have smart people running the organization. It's going to be a difficult division, in part, because of that. I wish the Brewers and Reds weren't doing what they're doing because I think they're going to set themselves up down the road. It might have helped us this year and last year, but eventually, those groups are going to do a good job. I think our division is going to be really daunting going forward.”

Notes: Reds OK with Hamilton playing in WBC C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 8:10 p.m. EST November 9, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Reds general manager Dick Williams said he wouldn’t stand in the way of Billy Hamilton playing in the World Baseball Classic if the team’s center fielder were asked.

Teams can block their own players from appearing in the WBC if they finished the previous season on the disabled list, as Hamilton did due to a strained left oblique.

Hamilton hasn’t played in the final game of the season in any of his three full seasons in the big leagues, missing time with a concussion, shoulder injury and the oblique.

“I think it'd be if he's asked and he's healthy, I think we would be fine with him participating,” Williams said on Wednesday at the General Managers Meetings in Arizona. “I don't think we would prevent him based on the fact that he didn't go the full 162. I don't see that.”

Williams said he hasn’t heard anything about any particular players being asked to appear in the WBC, including Hamilton, who would make sense at the very least as a pinch-runner for Team USA. Other possibilities among Reds would include first baseman Joey Votto (Canada), third baseman Eugenio Suarez (Venezuela) and reliever Jumbo Diaz (Dominican Republic). Votto played for Canada in both the 2009 and 2013.

“We're supportive of the WBC. I think MLB has gone to great lengths to make sure that the WBC continues and yet they're sensitive to the concerns of the general managers who have to compete in season,” Williams said. “The commissioner even talked about it today, he's sensitive to our concerns and they're going to continue to adjust the rules and try to change to reduce the risks that any one club is exposed to or any player is exposed. What those rules changes are, I don't know. I know that they're going to continue to try to get better.”

Waiting game

The Reds will likely wait to make many free agency moves until later in the offseason, but they will be looking to sign relievers, bench players (specifically right-handed hitting outfielders) and perhaps a catcher as insurance against Devin Mesoraco’s health.

“Because of the way you go into with the numbers, that allows for us to bring competition. Whether we trade for bullpen or bench guys or whether they are guys we find as free agents, that remains to be seen,” Williams said. “We will certainly add to the numbers so we have more competition in both of those areas.”

Last year reliever Blake Wood was the only free agent signed to a major-league deal before spring training began.

Rule 5 decisions

The Reds currently have 33 players on their 40-man roster and will have to make decisions on which players to protect from the Rule 5 draft by Nov. 18.

Among the players the team would have to protect in order to avoid losing them in the Rule 5 draft are outfielders Jesse Winker, Aristides Aquino and Phillip Ervin; infielders Chad Wallach, Calten Daal, Zach Vincej and Brandon Dixon; pitchers Nick Travieso, Zack Weiss, Keury Mella, Ismael Guillon, Barrett Astin, Jackson Stephens and Jonathon Crawford, among others.

“We have a good idea of what we're going to do,” Williams said. “It rarely works out that you can protect everyone you're worried about getting selected. You see it across baseball. Every year there's a ton of players that get picked. There's some that stick. But, it's a risk that all 30 teams into the same issue. They have young players to protect, there's usually more to protect than spaces.”

Gold Gloves denied

Williams said he was disappointed for both Hamilton and left fielder Adam Duvall, both of whom were finalists for the Gold Glove and didn’t win.

“Duvall deserved a ton of credit for the work ethic and the fact that he put himself in that mix,” Williams said. “I think everyone expected Billy to be a finalist. I'm biased because I watch him every day. I was really surprised he didn't (win). There were other, bigger surprises (Tuesday) night, but that was a big one.”

ESPN.COM NL Central offseason preview: The one big question for each team 9:00 AM ET ESPN.com

With free agency underway, the offseason is about to pick up steam. What are the big questions facing all 30 teams? We've already covered the AL East, NL East and AL Central and now we're moving on to the National League Central.

How do the Cubs set up their outfield?

2016 record: 103-58

Given the free-agent status of closer Aroldis Chapman, many believe the big offseason puzzle for the to solve will be their bullpen. But there isn't likely going to be much headline news in that regard. If Chapman gets a big, multiyear offer, he's probably gone, and the Cubs will augment their holdovers with some low-cost, decent-upside arms. Besides, they can win 100 games again with an average bullpen, all while shaping the relief staff for the 2017 playoffs on the fly.

The more pressing question centers around Dexter Fowler's free agency. Fowler was an essential cog in the title run and the Cubs don't have an obvious replacement for a leadoff hitter. Yet overall, they can turn Fowler's defensive domain in center field over to Albert Almora. The big question: Is he ready for that gig offensively? Almora's glove is good to go, and the Cubs thought highly enough of his overall game to keep him on the postseason roster.

But what if they don't think Almora's bat plays as an everyday guy just yet? Fowler will be 31 by Opening Day and this is likely his last shot at a big, multiyear deal. Knowing that Almora is waiting in the wings, the Cubs are unlikely to commit three or four years to a guy whose numbers are likely to regress. If the market again is a chilly one for Fowler, then maybe the Cubs can scoop him up late in the process as they did last year.

Meanwhile, you've got Kyle Schwarber returning to full-time duty, possibly as a catcher/corner outfielder, and Jason Heyward, who can do spot duty in center and is ripe for an offensive regression in a good way. And don't forget about powerhouse corner outfielder Jorge Soler, jack-of-all-trades Ben Zobrist and the solid Matt Szczur. Soler, of course, may turn out to be the Cubs' best trade piece -- if not this winter, then possibly during next July's search for bullpen help.

Losing Fowler's leadoff on-base ability would be a blow. But the Cubs know that manager Joe Maddon can get creative with his lineup choices, and they have a number of players whose improvement seems inevitable. So are the in-house holdovers enough? If not, is there a short-term option on the free-agent market that makes sense, like Cubs nemesis Rajai Davis? -- Bradford Doolittle

Can the Cardinals close the gap on the Cubs?

2016 record: 86-76

The St. Louis Cardinals feel like they are at their best when they specialize in run prevention, which is why the team's very style irked some people in management positions last season. Now, their intention is to fix what ailed the team's pitching by focusing on the fielding that failed to support it.

What set the world champion Cubs apart in the Central wasn't their lineup. The Cardinals scored nearly as many runs, finishing third in the NL in scoring. While the Cubs shut down other teams' offenses with an athletic young infield and sound outfielders, the Cardinals often fueled big innings with plays not made. Fangraphs ranked the Cubs first in defense and the Cardinals 24th.

General manager John Mozeliak will look to be aggressive in trade talks to acquire a center fielder so he can shift Randal Grichuk to left field. If that doesn't pan out, or even if it does, he also figures to have some conversations about acquiring a shortstop so Aledmys Diaz can move to second base. The Angels happen to have the best center fielder, if not player, in the game in Mike Trout and a brilliant-fielding shortstop in Andrelton Simmons, so Mozeliak figures at least to have a conversation or two with GM Billy Eppler to find out the asking price -- if there is one -- for either player. The Cardinals are less likely to fix their defense via free agency, though they could have some interest in Dexter Fowler if he can be signed on a relatively short-term deal.

Depending how talks go, the Cardinals could have a very different look and feel next spring, and that is by design. -- Mark Saxon

What do the Pirates do with Andrew McCutchen?

2016 record: 78-83

The Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation fell from a 3.53 ERA in 2015, fifth in the NL, to 4.67, 11th in the NL, so they need a healthy Gerrit Cole and big gains from Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow to get back into the playoff race. But the offseason will revolve around McCutchen -- who is signed for two more years -- and whether the five-time All-Star will be in the Pittsburgh outfield in 2017.

At the minimum, he's probably played his last game in center field for the Pirates. He was charged with minus-28 defensive runs saved last season, the worst of any player at any position. He ranked second worst in ultimate zone rating (UZR), another rating system, so the metrics agree that he no longer has the range to play center. It's time for Starling Marte to take over.

The tougher decision: Was his .256/.336/.430 line just a bad season? Did he play through an injury? Is this the beginning of the decline? Top prospect Austin Meadows hit .266/.333/.536 between Double-A and Triple-A, although just .214 in 37 games at Triple-A. If he's deemed ready, that could put McCutchen on the trade market.

McCutchen's contract -- $14 million in 2017, $14.75 million team option for 2018 - isn't so prohibitive that the Pirates couldn't get a starting pitcher in return. But will teams view 2016 as an aberration or his new level? Don't expect the Pirates to get anything resembling an ace if they do trade him; there's just too much uncertainty here. Yes, trading a fan favorite would be painful, but the Pirates can't afford to be sentimental. They'll make the decision they deem best for the club. -- David Schoenfield

What do the Brewers do with Ryan Braun?

2016 record: 73-89

Braun had his best season since his suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2013, belting 30 homers in his age-32 season while posting a .903 OPS. It invites questions about whether he's an asset for a busily rebuilding Milwaukee Brewers franchise. While the Brew Crew's 73-win season was a nice surprise in the first full year on GM David Stearns' watch, it's going to be a few years before they can punch their way into the same weight class as the Cubs and Cardinals in the NL Central. So why keep Braun around for their next few seasons of aspirational mediocrity?

The problem is that the potential stumbling blocks to a Braun deal are daunting, demanding some extra creativity from the already very creative Stearns. Braun is due at least $80 million over the next four seasons, and $91 million over five if either party exercises a mutual 2021 option. To get the right kind of prospect back in a deal, the Brewers would have to eat a considerable chunk of that contract and make him less of a payroll hit for his new club. Then there's Braun's limited no-trade protection in which he can block deals to 24 teams. In 2016 the happy six-pack he could be peddled to comprised San Francisco, San Diego, both L.A. teams, Arizona and Miami. That's a list with just one DH-league team for a guy heading deeper into his 30s.

Working around all of that to free Stearns to deal with all 30 teams isn't impossible but would involve making it worth Braun's while to agree. And it takes two to tango -- does anyone want Braun that badly, given his checkered past? And do they have the prospects Stearns would want to add to an already-strong Brewers farm system? That's a lot of ifs to answer, but Braun's potential market value will never be higher than it is right now. -- Christina Kahrl

Will the Reds trade Joey Votto?

2016 record: 68-94

In a relatively weak free-agent market, Votto would almost automatically be the most valuable hitter available if the Reds shop him. But that's in present-day value, and Votto is going to be heading into his age-33 season next year. If ever they were going to try and trade him, there's no time like the present.

The challenge for GM Dick Williams is coming up with a deal that Votto would agree to given his full no-trade protection, essentially limiting the Reds to Votto's destinations of choice. So if Votto wants to go back to Canada and play for the Blue Jays (and a shot at contention), then it's on Williams to come up with a deal, one that also makes sense for Cincinnati. And even then, Votto is signed for $179 million through his age-39 season in 2023 -- does anybody want to make a trade for that big a hit on their payroll?

If a team wants Votto, they're going to have to be very close to winning it all and lacking a first baseman and have strong reasons to prefer trading for Votto over signing a shorter-term deal for someone like Edwin Encarnacion. That's all possible but far from easy to put together, and it might involve getting a relatively modest package of prospects while kicking in tens of millions of dollars. Is that even worth doing? The Reds already are stuck with a long-term rebuild, a tough sell in any market -- selling their fans on a Votto trade to boot might be mission impossible. -- Christina Kahrl

TRANSACTIONS 11/09/16

Los Angeles Dodgers sent Chin-hui Tsao outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers. Los Angeles Angels designated LF Shane Robinson for assignment. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Andrew Bailey. Seattle Mariners released C Steve Baron.