Cincinnati Reds: Is keeping Scooter Gennett a mistake?

The latest trade rumors surrounding Scooter Gennett seemed to have quieted. In fact, it now appears the Cincinnati Reds want to keep Gennett for the foreseeable future. Is this a mistake by the Reds?

Scooter Gennett has been a hot name among the MLB trade rumors of late. However, those rumors surrounding Gennett seemed to have quieted. In fact, it now appears the Cincinnati Reds want to keep Gennett for the foreseeable future. Is this a mistake by the Reds?

It was only a few days ago that rumors surfaced regarding Scooter Gennett. The Los Angeles Dodgers were said to be interested in trading for the second baseman’s services. But what a difference a day makes.

Mark Sheldon of Reds.com reported last night that the likelihood of Gennett being traded before the MLB Trade Deadline is now doubtful and that Cincinnati is looking to lock up their All-Star second baseman for the long term. Check out what Gennett had to say via MLB.com:

“Just from the talks that I’ve had with the guys in control of all those things, I feel like they want me here. I feel like, just from what I’ve been told, they want me here for the long term. What I’m getting is [CEO Bob Castellini] wants me here for a while. When it comes to all of the trade stuff, it would be going against what I’ve been hearing.”

So, there you have it. According to Gennett himself, it appears he’d be very surprised if he weren’t still in a Reds uniform after the MLB Trade Deadline passes on July 31st. And while most of Reds Country is probably celebrating their hometown hero staying put, there are some negatives if the Reds decide to keep Gennett long-term.

What position will Gennett play next season?

The question has to be asked, what position will Gennett play next season? While Gennett is quite capable of playing adequate defense at second base, there are other players in the Reds’ farm system that have better potential as long-term solutions defensively at second base. Nick Senzel comes to mind.

Senzel is the Reds No. 1 prospect and likely would have been brought up to the big leagues had he not suffered a season-ending injury to his right index finger. Barring a trade, he will be brought up to Cincinnati next season.

So if we can assume that the Reds infield is set with Joey Votto, Senzel, Jose Peraza and Eugenio Suarez, what position will Gennett play next season? The logical answer is the outfield.

Could Gennett take over in left field? Maybe right field, depending on where the Reds feel Jesse Winker best fits defensively. If that’s the Reds’ plan going forward, then having Dilson Hererra at the Major League-level gives Cincinnati the opportunity to try Gennett in the outfield. Hererra could play second base, and Scooter could play opposite of Jesse Winker.

With Scott Schebler‘s recent production, he may be hard to bench in favor of Gennett, but if the Reds want to move Scooter to the outfield, they should experiment with that idea before they negotiate a long-term deal and remove the thought of trading him away.

Is his age a concern?

Scooter Gennett will be 29 years old about two months into the 2019 season. Is it wise for Cincinnati to commit to Gennett long-term? That depends on two things; 1) How long is long-term? 2) What’s the value of the contract extension?

If the Reds give Gennett, say, a 3-year $35 million contract extension, then that’s a contract most Reds fans can live with. If we’re talking anything more than a 4-year extension, I think we need to hit the brakes.

Yes, Gennett is having a career-year. He was selected to his first All-Star Game. He’s likely to set career-highs in hits, RBIs, walks, batting average and on-base percentage. But, is this an anomaly or is Gennett just a late bloomer beginning to hit his stride? That’s a question only time can answer.

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Gennett is a valuable piece of the puzzle. He’s a great guy in the clubhouse, a fan favorite, a fantastic presence in the community, not to mention he’s been hitting the cover off the ball this season. While there is reason for Reds Country to have concerns about keeping Gennett long-term, there might be more reasons to be cautiously optimistic.