and Yandy will be the same, I guess we hope. Only difference is Yandy is 27.

I didn't mention Yandy. Just saying home runs is not one of the top things I would judge a young hitter on.

if the Indians are looking for "Reasonably Priced" talent, you would think Michael Brantley at $16M for two years would be a pretty good deal. Yan Gomes at $6M too.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi says the Indians and Reds are talking about a Corey Kluber deal.

Given that this has been going on for at least a couple of weeks now, one wonders if a deal might be close.

A trade between the two sides would almost surely include one of the Reds' three top-notch prospects (Nick Senzel, Taylor Trammell or Hunter Greene). Major leaguers Scooter Gennett, Jesse Winker and Tucker Barnhart would also make sense for the Indians team that intends to remain atop the AL Central.

This is the type of thing I still think the Indians are focused on. It only makes sense, baseball front office 101 forever.

You trade from an area of strength to build up an area of weakness. The Indians' area of strength is their rotation - their area of weakness is their offense.

And if you can get younger, cheaper and better athletically and offensively....well this line of thinking is pretty obvious to me.

And when I say younger, you might want to deal Kluber BEFORE his age shows.

We say it again that Bauer, Carrasco and Clev. is still a very dynamic top 3 starters I'd take into a playoff series. More offense please!

Repot today that Dodgers, Phillies, and Brewers are all still talking to Tribe about Kluber too.

Trammel and Senzel are both kind of hitters I like. High Ave and OBP guys.

Kind of surprised we weren’t looking for a good young reliever in package though, like Iglesias.

Read an article yesterday that the market for relievers has been very icy this year and that could help a team like the Tribe later on, swoop in and grab a guy more affordable, like they did with EE.

Midseason BA Top 10 for the Reds:

1. Nick Senzel, 2B/3B
Triple-A Louisville (disabled list)
Age: 23

Senzel has hit everywhere he’s been since the Reds drafted him and was on the verge of reaching the majors just two years after being the No. 2 overall selection. But then, the injury bug hit. He suffered his second case of vertigo and missed most of May, and on June 26 he had surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right index finger, ending his season after just 44 games. He performed when healthy, batting .310/.378/.509 while showing plus or better hit, power, arm and run tools, and he showed well at second base. Senzel will compete for a major league roster spot upon his return next year, and remains a cornerstone of the Reds future.

Post-season: Rated NO> 4 on the BA Top 100


Nick Senzel

Reds 3B/2B

Notes:
Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Speed: 55 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60
Scouting Report: Scouts see plenty to like about Senzel from a tools standpoint, but those who have seen him time and again like the intangibles just as much. He runs hard, grinds out at-bats, takes extra bases, plays smart in the field and leads his team. He's not only the best player on the field but plays the hardest. That mentality is coupled with a good approach at the plate and a short, compact swing with good balance and bat speed, leading to high exit velocity off the bat. Opponents say they rarely see him get fooled, and he constantly barrels balls. While many questioned his power coming out of college, he has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Among his 10 Double-A homers were multiple shots to center field and the opposite field. Though not a prototypical burner, he still shows above-average speed to go with good instincts on the bases. Defensively, Senzel has shown the potential to be a plus defender at third with a strong, accurate arm that he has shown he can use on the run. He played shortstop and second base in addition to third base in college, but he has proven to be a quick study at third.


2. Taylor Trammell, OF
high Class A Daytona
Age: 20

An uber-athletic but raw outfielder the Reds drafted 35th overall in 2016, Trammell has taken a major step forward in 2018. Trammell hit .297/.392/.431 with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases through 81 games in the offense-stifling Florida State League, all while playing above-average defense in centerfield, and he was named MVP of the Futures Game after going 2-for-2 with a triple and a home run. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefthanded hitter has shown an improved approach at the plate in his second full season of pro ball, improving his walk rate and lowering his strikeout while establishing himself as one of the top prospects in the game.

NO. 21 on the Post-season top 100'


Taylor Trammell

Reds OF

Notes:
Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Speed: 60 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 40
Scouting Report: A gifted athlete, Trammell showed improved plate discipline. He has a feel to hit that should help him be an above-average hitter. His bat has untapped power that should come as his body fills out. Trammell's plus-plus speed helps cover poor jumps in the field. He projects as an average defender in center field, but his well below-average arm could limit him to left field. His speed also helps him on the bases where he has shown good instincts, although as he fills out he may trade some of that speed for increased power.


3. Hunter Greene, RHP
low Class A Dayton
Age: 18

Commonly referred to as having the most pure talent of any prospect in the Reds’ system, Greene was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft thanks in large part to a lightning-quick right arm that regularly produces 100 mph fastballs, and he’s kept that velocity in pro ball. While the results were shaky at the beginning of his first full season, Greene has pitched better as of late, posting a 3.02 ERA over his last 11 starts. Overall, he has struck out 80 hitters through 63.1 innings, showcasing his 80-grade fastball, potentially plus slider and feel for a third-pitch changeup.

NO. 42 on the post-season Top 100


Hunter Greene

Reds RHP

Notes:
Fastball: 80 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55
Scouting Report: Greene pitches at 98-100 mph and touches 102 with a top-of-the-scale fastball. What's most notable is how easy he gets to triple-digit velocity. His slider flashes plus and his changeup has been more consistently plus, but he still is inconsistent with both of them. He commands his fastball well, even when nearing the century mark, although scouts looking for nits to pick note that hitters seem to see the ball well coming out of Greene's hand. At the plate he's shown raw power, but scouts worried about his hit tool. A steady glove at shortstop, he also has an obvious plus-plus arm.

Here's a signing I had missed.

Anthony Gose, LHP, he went 2-3 5.89 in 37 innings in 2017 and 2018. That's his entire professional pitching career.
Perhaps some may remember him as an OF with the BlueJays and Tigers 2012-2016. Detroit's regular CF in 2015.
Good way to save money: he could fill both our thin bullpen and our thin outfield

Andrew Miller signs with Cardinals for 2 years.

Yes, this is related potentially to the Tribe. Oh..and even the Dodgers do deals strictly to cut payroll....

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the Dodgers and Reds are nearing a trade that will send Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer to Cincinnati and Homer Bailey to Los Angeles.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Dodgers will send $7 million in cash to the Reds as part of the deal, while Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic says that Homer Bailey -- who had to waive his no-trade clause -- will be released once the trade goes through. The Dodgers will reportedly be getting prospects Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray and international bonus pool money, as well.

They're also freeing up some money, which naturally leads to speculation that they could lure in Bryce Harper or Corey Kluber. We will undoubtedly hear more about this as the weekend unfolds.

They send 7 mill in cash to the Reds to help pay for Puig and Kemp, take on Homer Bailey's 17.5 mill contract, and trade those guys so they can sign Bryce Harper to the largest contract ever. Yeah, they are really cash strapped there...

Some speculation getting the prospects from Reds might help Dodgers in their trade talks with other teams. But I dunno, not the prospects the Indians were rumored to be interested in.

Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
25 minutes ago
The #Dodgers trading for Corey Kluber was more realistic than the #Dodgers trading for J.T. Realmuto at the start of this week, one source told me. L.A. viewed #Marlins' asking price as exorbitant. But now the Dodgers have greater prospect depth from which to trade


Jon Heyman @JonHeyman
54 minutes ago
with big savings for 2019, dodgers can take closer look at big tickets like Corey Kluber/Trevor Bauer (if Tribe does trade 1 of them) and yes, possibly Bryce Harper. JT Realmuto is another star they've been talking about.

Bodies flying all over the place before Christmas.

Is the Tribe going to join in the yuletide fun or are they going to wait for the dust to settle?

Lumps of coal in your stocking leaves a bunch of dust.

Wondering if the Reds now turn around and send Alex Wood or Puig to Cleveland in a package for Kluber? Puig would seem the obvious one but he WAS reunited with Turner Ward, the hitting coach he loves. So doubting that one.

Unless it is that legendary "Clean Coal"