W&W: Is Eugenio Suarez better fit for Reds than Kyle Schwarber?

Wittenmyer & Williams is a regular point/counterpoint column from Enquirer Reds reporter Gordon Wittenmyer and sports columnist Jason Williams. This week, they debate whether Kyle Schwarber or Eugenio Suarez was the best free agent for the Reds.

Williams: Fantastic move by the Reds getting Eugenio Suarez. Even he called it “perfect” after signing his one-year deal. Can you imagine a better fit for this team?

Wittenmyer: I know the Kool-Aid’s tasting pretty good right now, but you might want to check your short-term memory. Weren’t we saying the same thing about Kyle Schwarber a couple of months ago? You know, the hometown kid with the 50 home-run power who was going to launch this team to October victories.

Williams: It’s you who needs to check your short-term memory. Schwarber wasn’t coming anywhere near this team, not with the Phillies giving him $150 million. The Reds ended up with a Schwarber-like guy. Suarez has 40-50 home-run power and is a great clubhouse guy. And don’t forget this is a homecoming, too, maybe more so than Schwarber would’ve been. Suarez has already hit 189 home runs for the Reds, and the fans in Cincinnati love him.

Wittenmyer: Holy crap, it sounds like you’re saying this is an even better signing if they had landed Schwarber.

Williams: Well done, Captain Obvious. If we’re talking about right now – and even this two-year window with Tito Francona and the young core – I like this signing better than Schwarber.

Wittenmyer: You’re out of your freaking mind. Schwarber is not only one of the great power hitters in the game, but he’s also one of the great clubhouse influencers and winners in the game. Schwarber has never finished with a losing season and been in the playoffs all but one year of his big-league career. That’s no accident. And he grew up a Reds fan. There’s no better fit than that.

Williams: One of these two guys came up one run short of playing in the World Series last fall – and it wasn’t Kyle Schwarber. Suarez has been to the postseason four times with three different clubs, including the Reds. Geno had a huge ALCS. He hit over .300 with a .956 OPS, including two home runs and seven RBIs. Don't tell me this guy can't be a force in October.

Wittenmyer: I'm just saying there aren't very many guys in baseball who have proven their impact on winning teams everywhere they go. And you seem to be forgetting that Schwarber, if anything, seems to be getting stronger as he gets into his 30s. And at 32, he's almost two years younger than Suarez.

Williams: Who cares? The Reds didn't have to give Suarez a five-year deal like Schwarber commanded. And it's not like Suarez is decrepit. He can actually play a position in the field, unlike Schwarber, who's almost exclusively a DH who can sometimes hide in left field for a game at a time. Suarez can play first base as often as the Reds need him, and he might still be at least a league-average third baseman. Look, I love Schwarber. I wish it could've worked out. It would've been awesome to see him lift his hometown team. But for this team in this moment, hard to top what the Reds are getting in Suarez, especially when it comes with financial flexibility beyond the next year or two.

Wittenmyer: Geez, man, did you just get invited to the Castellini's barbeque? You're giving them credit for extending one of the smallest payrolls in the game by a few bucks to get the bat they've desperately needed all winter. It's better than not extending the budget, but it's not exactly going big for a star like Schwarber, either.

Williams: Go big? They had $125 million on the table for Schwarber. That would've been a franchise record for a free agent. And Suarez is no stiff. This guy is a two-time All-Star, including last year. This guy is a star, too. Suarez has hit 30 or more homers in seven seasons. Guess what? That's the same number as Schwarber. No reason to think Suarez won't do it again this year, coming off a career power season and coming to the best hitter-friendly ballpark in baseball. This is exactly the guy the Reds needed. So yeah, I am giving owner Bob Castellini some credit.

Wittenmyer: Enjoy the barbeque, suck up. I like Suarez a lot, too. But you're not going to convince me that this was a better fit than Schwarber. I hope you're right. But the problem is that if you're not, where you gonna go?

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Is Eugenio Suarez better fit for Reds than Kyle Schwarber?