While the Reds have made plenty of bad trades over the years, historically they haven’t gotten torched for signing the wrong free agents. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t five worthy candidates.
Willy Taveras
The following players have sucked money out of the Reds wallets like a vacuum while giving the team next to nothing on the field. Highway robbery indeed.
Yeah he was only with the Reds for a year, but his awful performance gave Reds fans nightmares all last summer. His prediction of swiping 90 stolen bases before the season excited Red fans. Cincinnati hasn’t had any speed in the lead off position in years. Finally a guy that could get on base, cause havoc on the base paths, and a solid center fielder was going to play at Great American Ballpark. That was the idea anyway.
Instead he was one of the absolute worst everyday players in all of baseball last year. Speed is great when you can get on base, but Taveras couldn’t figure out the first part. His OPS (.275) and 18 walks were abysmal for a guy batting in the eight hole—let alone a lead off hitter.
Dusty had plenty of excuses for the guy since he convinced management to drop 6.25 million over two years on Taveras. But even he backed off after the All-Star break. Taveras was shelved with a bogus hamstring injury and was a spot starter for the rest of the season.
The Reds were forced to play a rookie fresh off the farm prematurely in Drew Stubbs just to ensure they could cut ties with this small market money killer. He was traded to the A’s in the off-season. Good riddance.
Jimmy Haynes
The Georgia native actually pitched pretty well with his first year as a Red in 2002. He went 15-10 while posting a 4.12 ERA (which is excellent for Reds pitchers during this time frame).
Once again a free agent, the Reds re-upped on Haynes. Whoops.
Haynes got absolutely rocked throughout the ’03 campaign—to the tune of a 2-12 record with an eye-popping 6.3 ERA. His 1.8 WHIP was down right frightening, until he pitched again in 2004.
How do you follow up a 14 winning percentage? How about a 9.6 ERA and win less record? Needless to say, this was Haynes last season in the majors.
Joey Hamilton
After posting a 5.89 ERA with the Blue Jays in 2001, the Reds took a stab at him, and was named the opening day starter in ’02. What high hopes G.M. Jim Bowden had.
A 4-10 and 5.27 ERA later—the Reds still refused to give up on the one time solid hurler. Once again Hamilton disappointed the Reds, getting rocked to the tune of a 12.66 ERA before the Reds said enough is enough and released him.
How bad was the ’02 Reds rotation for this guy take the hill for opening day? No wonder the playoff drought is 19 years and counting.
Corey Patterson
Dusty Baker’s first big move as manager of the Reds was to severely over pay a player that had never lived up to expectations. The sad thing was, Baker witnessed Patterson’s terrible bat as head honcho of the Cubs.
Dusty saw something in him that clearly nobody else had seen. The Reds threw $3M to the guy right before spring training began. If he was still available right before the season, clearly his phone is not ringing off the hook. They could have had him for a fraction of the cost.
And how did Patterson return the favor? The opening day lead off man mustered a comedic .205 average, 16 walks (nine caught stealing), and a .238 OBP in 366 plate AB’s. He failed in every single offensive category. The stats speak for themselves.
What you don’t know from the back of his baseball card is the comedic reactions Dusty received anytime he was asked if Patterson was playing just because he was dating his daughter at the time. He was the ’08 Taveras. Will somebody please stop Dusty from making any more decisions on lead off hitters!
Eric Milton
A fly ball pitcher in Great American “Small” Park? Not exactly a match made in heaven. The 2004 Reds pitching staff was abysmal. Jose Acevedo (5-12 5.94 ERA) was the third starter!
So G.M. Dan O’Brian figured he needed to make a splash in his first full off-season with the team. He threw $25M small market dollars to Milton.
Too bad it turned out to be a tidal wave of disappointment. In ’05, Milton was the equivalent of a pitcher throwing to hitters at the home-run derby. He gave up 40 dingers and 134 total runs. His 8-15 record matched his 6.47 ERA and 1.55 WHIP.
In his three year stint with the Reds Milton went 16-27 with a 5.83 ERA. The Reds shelved him after going 0-4 only six starts in ’07 as common courtesy to a guy that was getting beat to a pulp. The Reds released him as soon as the ’07 season came to an end.
Congrats Milton, you are the worst signing in the 140 plus years of the Reds franchise.
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