Reds restructure Rolen's deal, cling to status quo

The Cincinnati Reds restructured 3B Scott Rolen's contract to increase payroll flexibility for the 2010 season, giving Reds fans reason to believe that perhaps money is being freed up for a run at a crucial piece via free agency.

However, if you call the Queen City your home, don't hold your breath on any big free agent moves. While the deal was restructured to allow for more payroll flexibility, it's more than likely that the deal was made so that the Reds don't have to trade any big name players such as Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, or Brandon Phillips in order to balance the budget.

Rolen's 2010 salary was lowered from $11 million to $6 million, and the contract was extended through 2012 for a total package of $23.63 million. At first glance, one might assume the $5 million saved this season could be plowed into filling some of the team's holes, including the back of the rotation, shortstop, and leftfield.

Unfortunately, it's more likely that the deal just allows the Reds to keep the status quo. As is normally the case with small and mid market teams, the deal was made to save cash, and to keep from losing even more money. While the Yankees can trade a backup outfielder and a few middling prospects for the Javier Vazquez's of the world, the Reds are left with trying to find creative ways to save every penny they possibly can.

Scott Rolen is a productive player, but he'll also turn 35 at the beginning of April, and has battled a bad back for most of the last several years. Is this deal going to look nearly as good in 2012, when a 37 year old Scott Rolen is making over $6 million a year while playing 3B in a wheelchair for a team with a limited budget?

Since 2004, Rolen has appeared in more than 140 games only twice, meaning it's very likely that at the very least, he'll miss at least 20+ games. The Reds need Rolen's bat and glove in the lineup in order to compete in the NL Central, but with his increased age and history of injuries, don't count on that being a given.

One would think the Reds learned their lesson through most of this decade, as they constantly relied on Ken Griffey Jr. to anchor the lineup, despite his annual battle with injuries. This isn't knocking Griffey, who worked as hard as anyone to be on the field. But when you're the Reds, you have very little margin for error. And relying on an injury prone veteran isn't the way to turn the fortunes of the franchise around.

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This move may very well keep the Reds from being any worse next season, but does it help them get any better? I don't envy General Manager Walt Jocketty, who spends most of his time trying to figure out a way to cling to the player's he already has, as opposed to searching for upgrades.

While GM in St. Louis, Jocketty could make deals for an in-his-prime Scott Rolen, Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, and so forth. While in Cincinnati, he's fighting for his life just to keep the team afloat in the NL Central.

Perhaps the stars will align, Rolen will stay healthy for the length of his contract, the young stars will blossom, attendance will rise along with revenues, and the Reds will be able to improve the team through means other than just crossing their fingers and hoping for miracles.

If that happens, I'll be the first one to build Walt Jocketty a bust outside of Great American Ballpark.

By Jonathan Wagner
ProBaseball-fans.com Cincinnati Reds Correspondent

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