While making my daily rounds through the internet this morning, a routine I like to call my “A Loop” (this consists of the websites CNN.com, Cincinnati.com, WhoDeyRevolution.com, ESPN.com and of course GearUpForSports.com), I stumbled onto Paul “Doc” Daugherty’s column.  I like Doc’s style and am usually in agreement with his options, which holds true for this article.  I’d like to highlight a few of the key items Doc mentions and add a few thoughts of my own in regards to the Reds acquisition of a power bat in the outfield. (Doc’s thoughts are bold, my remarks are italicized):

Holliday would make a nice addition to the outfield, but not for the price tag.

Holliday would cost the Reds precious prospects and some $7 million in salary for the rest of the year. The chances of him remaining a Red next year wouldn’t be good.

There aren’t a lot of reasons even to contemplate it. Except this one:

It’s a bold move. Without boldness, the Reds will never catch the Cubs, Cards and Brewers.

The Reds have been the guy who stashes his savings in a hole in the back yard, anticipating the next Depression. They’ve planned for a future that has not arrived.

True. I like the moves Jocketty has made so far (Nix, Gomes, Hernandez), but he has yet to make a “big-market” deal.  In other words, he hasn’t done what he did consistently in St. Louis, and what the Cards and Brewers do year after year for a late season push.

The Cardinals, a When team, do not wait for Ifs. When they got DeRosa (13 homers, 50 RBI) they made themselves substantially better.

The Reds will tell you they made a great offer to Cleveland for DeRosa. OK, but meaningless. He’s in St. Louis, in the NL Central, a double hurt in Cincinnati.

Exactly.  Making offers doesn’t win championships.  Not only did we lose out on DeRosa, but now he will be visiting our city in a few days and sitting in the visitor’s dugout.

Is Holliday worth the boldness? Practically speaking, no. Unless Oakland is willing to pay some of his salary – and if the A’s are, they’d ask for more Reds talent in return – the Reds would lose money picking up the rest of Holliday’s money for this year.

Alex Rios looking suave during pre-game warmups.

We’re on the same page again, Doc.  While I think now is the time for the Reds to commit to this season and add some much needed power in the outfield, I do not think Holliday is the solution.  Our farm system is looking real nice, especially at the AA level, and having Holliday’s bat for a few months is not worth taking chunks out of our foundation.  His price tag is just too high to justify his value, especially since his production is down from last season.  I think Matty boy is more a product of favorable altitude which was evident by his days in Colorado.