Fox Sports is reporting that the Reds have reached an agreement to sign former Rockies reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a 1 year, $3 million contract. 

On paper, this sounds like a great signing.  After all, in 75 games last season, Affeldt went 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA, 33 walks, and 49 strikeouts in 59 innings.  Clearly, this would be a welcome addition to a bullpen that was nothing short of a disaster in 2007.

Problem is, the source that fed Fox the scoop also told them that Affeldt will compete for one of the two open starting rotation spots.  Now, why is this a bad idea?  I can summarize it in four words:

THE GUY CAN'T START!!!

Anyone that's followed baseball knows that this is true.  Heck, if this report is true, Wayne Krivsky could have just gone to baseball-reference.com to figure this out for himself (maybe he couldn't figure out where the career splits page was).  In 42 career starts, Affeldt owns a 5.41 ERA; in 244 career relief appearances, his ERA drops to 4.21.  His BA allowed is over 50 points higher, OPS allowed is over 100 points higher, and he strikes out over two less batters per game as a starter than he does as a reliever.

This isn't brain surgery, folks.  Affeldt has failed on four separate occassions to be even a serviceable major league starter.  Why bring him in to compete for a role that he's clearly ill-suited for?  What's the harm in bringing in an innings-eater type like Josh Fogg, Livan Hernandez, or Steve Trachsel, in addition to signing Affeldt to bolster the bullpen?  Ask yourself this: if the Reds have decided that they can't afford that option, do you really have confidence that they have the commitment to compete for a playoff spot?

If this is the best the Reds can do here, they might as well have taken the $3 million and set it on fire.  Or better yet, give me a call.  I'm a lefty, and I can hit at least 65 on the Juggs gun.  I'll be waiting for your call.