After the first month, of a new season, without Griffey or Dunn, the Reds are keeping their heads above .500 with small ball. This post is not only a way for me to channel my optimism through the internet, it is a way for me to enjoy the way that this season isn`t really falling into the hands of sabermetrics thus far.

I enjoy all of the statistics provided on this website, I must admit, that I was never much for even OBP in the past. Even when I played baseball, I hated walking...hated it. It was this baseball version of purgatory, where I didn`t have the satifaction of a hit, nor the pain of a K. Now, having said this, I always respected a walk while watching the game and still do, but as a player...f that.

Outside of OPS, I have been reluctant to accept any newly created stats, there is a time when to me, numbers cannot compensate for the game, and cannot really explain the game. Kepp was a good player to me; he didnt have power, or a prolific glove, or overwhelming speed, but he always made contact, and had a high BA. There is a luck factor in baseball, and sometimes it decides whether or not the ball is going to drop. You might hit the ball square, but it doesnt always mean a hit, but when you are constantly putting the ball in play, you never know what can happen.

This year the Reds are being carried, absolutely carried by Votto, and Im sure any stats that are used on this site will support the fact that he is a beast. When you are`nt a beast though, things slip through the cracks of SABR, and the team gets lost in this focus on single player statistics. But, that is what baseball fans do, I spend plenty of time myself on Baseball-Reference.com looking up stats of players of today and yesterday in order to compare them.

Lets take Willy T as an example, he is not doing great right now, but when he does get on base, and when our failing 2 spot platoon behind him k`s, Votto can get him to home from first with a single...often. His speed covers an upsurd amount of ground in the OF as well, that isnt in OPS.

Lets take A-Gonz as another example, his batting average is definately sub-par right now, but his defense has compensated so much up the middle, and I said it at the beginning of the year, I think he is the most important part of this team if we are to be good this year. When you are relying on one consistent player, and a group of inconsistent rag-tags around him in the batting order, the SS has to be an absolute black hole at D. I think A-Gonz is that, and I don`t think anyone can replace him, BUT after this year I do look forward to seeing something from Chris V. (I dont think our line-up is full of rag-tags, but so far in April it is)

Another example...Edwin. Least favorite player on the team. He goes down with an injury and all of the sudden Rosales is making him not so missed. I feel like SABR and SABR fans perpetuate this notion that the HR is the most important thing in the game. This isn`t true, the HR is something that can make a person who has never played the game sit in awe of a sport that is...well pretty boring. The HR gets people to watch. That why nobody wanted Dunn for the price, except the Nationals, they need people to watch.

You can be a good baseball player without holding the ability to hit the HR. Dunn has a high BA thus far and a great OBP, but he is on a crappy, crappy team. So right now, the only stat that matters to me is this...6-17, thats the Nationals record. The Nationals have the #16 team BA in baseball, the Reds are #28. The Nationals are #17 in HR and the Reds are #24...we are 13-11 with no offense. None.

So here is some optimism, we can pretty much be sure that the number of players on our team batting under .220 will decrease, we can hope Phillips will stop trying to hit home runs and just hit the ball, and we can hope that Aaron Harang doesnt break his hand while punching things after his starts. Hopefully this all happens soon, because I feel like Leo in Titanic...above water, but cold, not dead, but waiting for some help to get out of the water...if we stay in the water, we are going to die.

Apart from optimism I have questions. "How good would we be if Dusty was not the manager?" "When is he going to screw this up?" "How long can we stay afloat without the bats?" "Why is Brantly an announcer?" "How many people are going to get laid on singles night this year?" These my friends, are questions I release into the universe and ponder every night.

So in closing, I will say a few things, we won`t win if we keep this up, there is no way. If we do, I will be on the edge of my seat all season and smugly happy about the fact that Adam Dunn fans will just be confused. I always say SB and baserunning are important parts of the game, some people disagree. When you have smart speed on the bases, the ability to put the ball in play, and a solid glove, that, to me, outbalances the HR, it gives the player a more complete game. I dont want a hall inductee on a bad team, I want a World Series ring, a good experience to get boozed up during, and something to brag to my little Reds fan children about.

I`m not saying the real elaborat stats are wrong, they are numbers, Im not going to preach against them like its evolution, and look like I reject math. I just think when some things get so complex, simple things that make up the sport get lost in the numbers. Numbers like words, can be contorted.

 Oh yeah, and speaking of numbers and SABR......did I mention our pitching has been lights out? Fans of SABR and fans of rankings can both appreciate that.

I love me some loose women.

The World Baseball Classic has been interesting to say the least. Before last night, the most exciting time watching team USA was against "Die Niederlander". Not the game itself, but wondering if they were going to clear the benches.

Davey Johnson proved that he can piss everyone off by leaving in Peavy to get shelled, to then use his "pitch count" as an excuse. Baseball is American, shouldnt we give more of a damn about showing up the rest of the world?

Pitch count?!?!?! Pitch count?!?!?!?!?! If you are eating innings to get a pitch count, why the f*ck are you here? You didnt have to come, you could have stayed in Spring Training and got your damn pitch count. If Davey is going to coach this team like a Spring Training, Id rather have Coach K. come out of his sport to coach this team. AHHHHHHHHH PITCH COUNT!!!!!!

I do think after last night our team will have some more fire in them, but so far I think we have been kind of an embarassment. If youre on the roster you should be ready to play, period. If you arent, then dont play...its that easy. But I do think after last night, we are going to be in this thing. Thank you Brian Roberts.

Chipper Jones dogged Canada for no reason. Our pitcher threw at a rag-tag Netherlands player for hitting a home run when they had no chance of winning. Davey is talking about pitch counts, and it just doesnt have the feeling it should.

Here are some things that have pissed me off....A-Rod, you were born in America, I`m glad you got injured. The DR was already stacked coming into the thing, and A-Rod joined the DR. I dont care where your heritage is from, what the fu*k?! You are an American baseball player. My head could burst into flames. He deserved to get hurt, for other reasons too.

Here is another, Puerto Rico...first off the players should be on our damn team to begin with. You sholdnt have to beat Puerto Rico in come-back fashion, its a small NOT EVEN COUNTRY. Its part of America.....

The idea was great, I think that WBC has so much potential, but really right now, it isnt what it could be. Who knows, last night was great, I`m not going to lie, I was pumped. For me, this team and the Classic has a chance to redeem itself, but I still have a good amount of beef with how this thing has played out.

With the start of a new season comes the feelings of hope and the settling of the "anything is possible" attitude; unluckily for the Reds, both of those feelings are usually faded by July. This season will be interesting on many levels, whether we have a contending team or if we bottom out by mid-season. Again.

The end of a long and painful chapter in Reds history culminated last season with the trades of Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. Some think the moving of Dunn was stupid, uncomprehensible, and ignorant. I respectfully disagree with these people, and in my former RR life, disrespectfully disagreed. Griffey was old, and I blame the evil curse Marge put on our franchise for ruining his career in Cinci. Good luck wherever you end up Griffey, and may your offspring find their way to Cinci, without the injuries.

ON to the drama of this 2009 roster. The Reds have a good track record of surprises and taking chances, (Burton, Phillips, Hamilton, Aurilia, etc.) so it will be interesting this year to see how the attempted turnarounds pan out. We have Gomes, a talented rough bumpkin who can hit the ball, and now has a chance. He is young enough to change his legacy in Cinci, but old enough where this is probably his last serious chance of doing that. Alex Gonzales is also looking for a change of luck after a rough season last year, with health and family issues keeping him out all season. If healthy, Gonzales takes a question mark in the line-up, and makes it a period. I think how his season goes will determine how our season as a team will go.

Homer Bailey drama is lingering around the 5th starter spot, but Micah O. is looking to take that spot as well. Both of these guys are touted for their talent, but havent really matched their potential. Micah has an outstanding bat, and personally, I`d rather have him on the bench than Ward or Jacque Jones.

Speaking of Ward and Jones, this season also raises the question of, "Who is this year`s C-Pat?" unluckily enough for the Nationals, C-Pat is this year`s C-Pat, but the Reds fans are figuring out odds between Willy Taveras, Jacque Jones, or fat Ward. Ward will not be, because he has no position due to Votto being amazing, if it was last year, Dusty would have kept Votto in the minors and made Ward a starter, but God likes us enough for that to not be the case now. Taveras is looking for a Reds turnaround, after being paid to be the "starter version" of Norris Hopper. Dickerson had an impressive year last year, but that will be drama as well, since Gomes is looking at that LF spot. If Gonzales is healthy at SS, Hairston will be the starting LF on opening day, but nobody knows how long that will last, barring his health. We can only put so many players on this team, and though the competition between these three should end in us having a solid LF, Jacque Jones will pull his "Dusty Card". This means a mediocre Spring Training could for no reason earn Jones a roster spot above someone more deserving.

Fan favorite Jeff Keppinger is looking to be pretty much out of the mix this year if Gonzales is healthy. Kepp sucks off the bench, but is a good #2 hitter as an every day player. Sadly for Keppinger and his cool last name, he is not as good of an anything as Gonzales. Edwin...do something already. Fans have been waiting for Encarnacion to move out of his mediocre ways and become a star in this league. He has the opportunity to be damn good, he can hit and field, but cant do them consistantly. He makes an all-star play, and then two pitches later makes an error on a routine play. I still blame this on his braces, and think if Edwin is solid this year, we could be solid too. Edwin`s woes give Keppinger a roster spot.

With all of the power being taken away with Dunn and Griffey all eyes will be on Bruce and Votto this year. I think both of these guys are going to have solid years and put some of the worries at bay with their power/badassness. Phillips is a lock at 2nd, and a damn good defender, but could tweak his offense a little. I think if he stopped swinging at the first pitch and was a little more patient at the plate he would have a better OBP% and BA, which could result in more runs and steals, or as we have coined it "create more havoc".

This is the best pitching rotation for the franchise I can remember in my short lived life. I remember being happy and hopeful with just Harang and Arroyo two years ago, but now we have Volquez and Cueto. I honestly think we could have the best rotation in baseball this year if Harang can revert to his norm. His W-L looked bad last year, but even worse was how our offense played when he was on the mound. This was before of course he was injured. Micah, Bailey and Thompson all have talent, and they are all fighting for the 5th spot, that makes me very, very happy. No Matt Belisle, no Eric Milton, and no Josh Fucking-Fogg.

The pen is the pen, and honestly who knows what will happen, I wont even pretend that I do. We gave Coco a lot of money last year to not really do anything. I believe most bullpens have four mediocre pitchers and two guys with good stuff, but what really matters is having reliable starters that keep relievers out long enough to not expose their lack of talent. Burton and Coco have good stuff, I can`t say the others do and honestly believe it, unless Micah or Bailey end up in the pen. This post is long, but its going to continue.

Other factors in Spring Training include Wilkin Castillo. You have to appreciate someone who can play anywhere besides pitcher, he might not be a starter or get a lot of playing time, but he could take a spot away from a solid player who is less versatile. Hernandez at C is another rebound story to watch, and Hanigan is a player who will never play even though he should, because of the managing style of "D-Bag".

Now this is pretty optimistic, and unrealistically, I think if everything goes right, we could be a wilcard contender this year. This means long innings for our starters, dominant showings from Coco, healthy Gonzales and Hairston, career revitalizations by Gomes, Taveras, and Hernandez, outbreak seasons by Edwin and Bruce and consistency by Phillips and Votto. I think that this team has taken its meds and may be more of an evened out team. This means we wont have as many goose eggs on the board at the end of the day, but we wont be able to win any 10-9 games either. I think we will average about 4 runs a game, but I think our pitching may be able to avarage 3 (this is of course being overly optimistic) I think there will be many close games this year, and we will actually get to see is Coco can blow a lot of saves or not.

On the flip side, this team could be bad and obviously waiting for 2010. This is interesting, in the mid-season who would go? With players like Yonder Alonso, Juan Francisco, Chris V., and Drew Stubbs waiting in the midsts of this season, the departures of players such as Edwin, Gonzales and even B-Phil could finish a complete transition. These players leaving could bring trade value and cap room. We have hungry young players in the minors who wouldnt hesitate to fill these spots, possibly without missing a beat in the next year.

This may be the longest post of all time, I should have been studying Spanish instead, but the Reds are the most important hispanic entity of my life. Consider this my "season preview" if you will. I believe we have talent and have a promising future, but the only things that are certain this year are J.T.M, Goldstar Chili, and "Paint the Town Red" songs mixed with circusesque announcing, Dusty`s gut shitting all over us fans, and verge-of-death Walt Jocketty press conferences.

So today on the Reds site I looked up the newest articles and saw Bob Castellini flexing his grumpy old man muscles. Not only does he think the Reds will be a contender this year, but he is pretty angry that people like myself doubt this team. (No offense Bob, but after this past decade can you blame me?) So I decided to be optimistic, to be Bob Castellini for a day when looking at the upcoming Reds season. We have a pretty impressive club. The days of small ball are not coming back, especially in a park where "everyone hits 40 HR a year". (One article was also quick to point out the fact that Gomes can have a rebound year with the pop in ihs bat and fact that he has averaged 19 HR a year which mathematically IS 40 HR in GABP).

But when you have a small market team, and cannot afford to sign big bull-testicle sluggers, you have to find different ways to manufacture runs. Our infield is going to be impressive this season if we havent been lied too about A-Gonz. With him and B-Phil up the middle, that`s really a stellar tandem, and two guys that give you more offensive production than is often asked from a SS or 2B. So I will call it an "above .500" middle infield, this of course being an inductive argument. Our corner infielders "potential" is going in one orpheus and out the other. I really think Votto is going to be the guy this year, he sprays the field something amazing, but he can still improve defensively. Edwin on the other hand, is GEESH...he will make an error for no reason followed by an amazing play, and he matches this inconsistency at the plate. But I follow one rule when it comes to Edwin, don`t judge him until he has one full year of playing under his belt without braces. These corner infield spots could be ridiculous, bringing a majority of the RBI and power. Three IF with 30+ HR potential is amazing.

Lets say our new catcher really is just a prick, and his numbers fell off because he decided to give up on the Orioles. Well, I can`t say that is the veteran you should probably want on your team, but since Im Castellini, he will be an all-star again, because egos are nothing new in this business...I myself have one. So everyone in my IF has all-star potential at the worst.

Taveras is a "classic" leadoff man. If we can get him doing more of what he did 2 years ago, slap-bunting and "scrapping" his way onto base, we can get him in SP with his speed. Not to mention the ground he can cover in OF, next to Bruce, who can be looked at to have a Votto like year, and 30+ HR potential as well. In LF we got Hairston, who if can stay healthy, is a badass (this isnt even as Castellini he kind of is a badass). He is intense, screams and cusses when he strikeouts, and brings a spark on the field and in the dug-out. Gomes will have 30+ HR potential because he has hit 19 HR on average every year, and hasnt had the chance to shine...well I am Bob Castellini, and I piss that opportunity like the God of talent. My millions are unconventional, and make people better than they have been in previous years.

The bullpen is amazing, there is a latino named COCO, he is pudgy and burned eyebrows off with his fastball. Arthur Rhodes and Stormy Weathers are old, which = good in the bullpen. This has definately not gotten weaker than last year and if anything, is better, we have lost nothing in the pen. Our rotation is forget about it, one of the best in baseball. Pitching wins championships, and at full potential we have 4 number 1s, followed by the biggest dogfight in the history of a number 5 spot...hahahaha suck my balls Eric Milton.

On the bench we got Kepp, the punchy utility man who is a fan favorite because he has a strange name and looks like he has no business on the field, but has .300+ BA potential, thats a hell of a bench player. Yonder and Stubbs can make this team, I should know because I am rich, and competition drives success. This team is a new era of Reds history...I`ll call it a new tide perhaps a "Red Flow" of success. Nobody besides the Cubs can compete in the division, and God has shown...he hates the Cubs. The fans will worship me, I will make more money, yes.

This sums up my day as Castellini, and I must say I am almost convinced we do have a damn good team, or at least the POTENTIAL to be a damn good team, but Dusty eats potential for breakfast and shits out Corey Patterson. So I think that if we did have a manager that did his job we would be good, but I look for Baker to screw this whole thing up. But as Big Bob C. I would say Dusty is a longtime players manager who will keep these guys motivated, and that his resume shows his knack for success and turning teams around.

I made the below post like a week ago, and for some reason it published tonight by accident since it was a draft. Since it is kind of pointless and putting up another post would just be crowding the site I decided to change the topic.... What should we be expecting from our end of the season pick-ups? These guys are on the roster as if they are ready to go, everyone has heard of Owings,and as the best out of the three he isnt sure to have a spot. Should we expect anything from the other two? I`ll play optimistic for a second and think we didn`t make big moves this offseason because we will have the most powerful infield that has ever graced the face of the Earth at the plate. That Wilkin Castillo is a man`s man that can play every position, and Richar`s glove is the same as a black hole signed by Ozzie Smith. Or since neither is listed at short and B-Phil isnt getting moved there, why are they even here? I won`t delete what is below out of principle because I spent time typing it out

In the past week I have been stuck without cable, and the choppiest internet that you can imagine, so I decided to bring back an old medium of entertainment...Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on Nintendo 64. After playing a couple games on my previous season I decided the tv was burning my retna rather extensively, so I quit.

Every now and then I play the same season with the same team. I think the year was 1995 or 1996 when the game came out, so take this time to reflect on Reds players of that year.....

My line-up was as follows....

1. Deion Sanders    CF

2. Barry Larkin          SS

3. Reggie Sanders  RF

4. Fred McGriff          1B     (I traded Ed. Perez and 2 others I cant remember)

5. Paul Sorrento       LF    (Also acquired in this 5 person trade)

6. Brett Boone           2B  

7. Javier Valentin      C    (Picked up from Free Agency to humor myself)

8. Pitch

9. Pokey Reese

Four man starting rotation                                                      Bullpen

1. Dave Burba                                                             Norm Charlton (Free Agent)

2. Brett Tomko                                                            Jack McDowell (Free Agent)

3. Pete Harnisch                                                        Jeff Shaw

4. Mike Remlinger                                                     David Weathers

                                                                                      Danny Graves

Bench:

Brooke Fordyce, Chris Stynes, Willie Greene, Phil Nieves, Lenny Harris, Dimitri Young

So far this team in 50-0.....even though I bunt every time with Valentin and his BA is .000 on the season....I load the bases every time with Weathers and then take him out in the 8th inning of every game, put Sorrento on my team because of his name, and picked up an old McGriff solely to make sure the team has him around to teach the fundamentals of baseball, and hopefully beat that little league team in his commercials on tv.

 

Im undefeated, how do you think this team would finish?

The grinding feeling in my brain is becoming too much to bear, and I really want someone to at least put my mind at rest going into the season somewhat, I can feel the anxiety in my very bones.

Manny isn`t going to happen, and I never thought the Reds would ever look at him, because we are a franchise of vaginas. After Manny, the talent pool is rather talentless when it comes to RHB, making the Gomes signing not bad, but semi-annoying. I just can`t see our LF move being a minor league signing, but if we have already gone down this path, I am guessing there will be one or two more signings of about the same calibur to get some competition to drive talent.

Now if we`re aren`t going to explore a trade, at this point when you look at what is left, signing Andrew Jones is a smart move as opposed to a dumb one, after that Moises Alou, simply because he is rough. Keep in mind this is a platoon scenario, because most of these guys are decrepit.

I looked at Japanese outfielders, and there really aren`t any coming out this year worth going after, or that would fill our needs. The closest is switch-hitting Tatsuhiko Kinjoh, here`s his line .286/.391/.340.

Sammy Sosa hit 21 hr in 2007 in 412 AB and he wants to play this year. There is another RHB....he could be power off the bench, but thats about all.

Bernie Williams wants to play, and I think he is taking part in the WBC this year, in his last year he posted .281/.332/.436 in 420 AB from switch, if he fares well why not? Because he is a geezer.

What other kinds of trades should we look at? If we aren`t going to spend money why not take a chance? Here are some people we could go after without giving up much at all:

Reed Johnson- The Cubs have depth, and I don`t think he has been able to show his full potential, without enough consistent AB`s....his line is .284/.344/.411 I think he is impressive and has the ability to knock em around if you gave him the chance.

Some others we could look at....Cody Ross from the Marlins, because they will get rid of anyone. I think at this point I would be happy with Swisher, real happy. Gary Matthews is another option,  Willy Mo Pena or Kearns, but ehhhhh.

I would also cream in my pants if Stubbs had a big Spring Training. I think out of all of this I would be happy with Gomes if we signed Swisher, but I just have a feeling it won`t happen. Just pick up Fred McGriff, who will forever be the hardest person that has ever existed, and then we can work on our defensive fundamentals with his video cassette series.

Poll

Which is a worse idea?

23%

A. Willy Mo Pena

5 votes

23%

B. Sammy Sosa

5 votes

14%

C. Tatsuhiko Kinjoh who may be a ninja

3 votes

23%

D.Moises Alou

5 votes

14%

E. None of the above, there is only NOMAAAAAHHH

3 votes

21 votes | Poll has closed

All off season we speak of needing a right handed bat with power to put in the corner outfield, and now as we near Spring Training we still dont have one. The #1 free agent this offseason fits our needs and then some.

I think the fact that we are not signing Manny Ramirez shows the lack of commitment this organization really has to winning. Over and over we have failed to put a respectable team on the field, and with Manny I believe we could win the division or wild card this year, opening the chance for more.

Now I have seen the graphs and such about where our win projections would be with Manny, and how many more runs a game we would score, and I think that is nice, but I think Manny is such a dynamic player that the stats underestimate what he could do for this team.

Think About this line-up....

1. Taveras

2. Votto

3. Ramirez

4. Bruce

5. Encarnacion

6. B-Phil

7. Gonzalez

8. Hernandez

9. Pitcher

This went from being a line-up with little hope of scoring runs, to what looks like a powerhouse....with Manny in between, you could give the young Votto and Bruce confidence early in their careers, maximazing their talent quickly. Youre not just paying for Manny (who is a badass) but the money put towards him makes every player around him more valuable, and it makes the team better, and thus fills the seats.

I know people dont like Willy T.....but when he does get on base he is fast enough to get a pitcher to worry about him and make a mistake at the plate. Votto can spray the field with line-drives...A single could score Willy from first many times....apart from mistake pitches, Manny would be behind Votto, the pitcher is going to go after Joey rather than give Manny a chance.....Votto could have an explosive year. I think Ede and Bruce are interchangeable in the order, both capable of having big years....the rest of the order can put the ball out of the park until the pitcher...christ you have 20 HR potential at the 7 and 8 spots, and 30+ potential in 2-6.

I think there is a well balanced team with the potential to have a good defense. obviously Manny doesnt help it, but fielding balls off the Green Monster probably didnt help his career defensive statistics much. Taveras is fast enough to play half of Manny`s position anyway. Put Bruce behind Ede in LF to back him up then Manny is RF if it is that big of a concern.

I dont think Manny has shown any decline in his ability to play the game, and I think if you signed him to 3 or 4 years you could get a "bargain" for Manny (compared to what others offer) It would show your fans that you actually want to win, and don`t want to just talk about it. I think he could put up some of his best numbers in GABP, His numbers would diminish, that is for sure.

I have heard "win this year" or "win next year" or "win in a couple years" too often, its just excuses. Too often I laugh at the Pirates as an organization, only to realize we havent really done much better.

The last time I can honestly say I believed we would be good was right after we signed Griffey, and I can`t say I honestly have ever since. We won`t this year, there is a big dropoff after Manny when it comes to filling our "need" and "priority" for a RH power bat OF. Cough up the god damn money, there is no salary cap in baseball, and the teams that win are the teams that pay. The Yankees arent a dynasty because God likes them, its because they pay money. Look at the Red Sox, god-damn them....they sign top free agents every year, even though the Mick-Rats have a better team that most of the MLB at the end of every season.

The Cubs will win the division this year because they bought their team, the Brewers bought C.C. and it did wonder, the Cardinals have PoopHoles, and with less talent than us, they out-do us every year....this is the ultimate team sport but it is also the ultimate individual sport.....1 man can make a team go from suck-champions..Walt knows what 1 bat can do for a team....so do it.

We should sign Manny, and I think there is more good than bad that could come from it. our young hitters would have gotten to learn from Griffey and Manny, two of the sweetest hitters to grace the game. If our young outfielders were developed enough down the line, we could trade him after 1 or even 2 years for more prospects to dump money.

I think this offense with our rotation is a damn good team.....this is the first year we have relative locks 1-4 in the rotation instead of 1 lock or 1-2 locked up....and we have enough young prospects to make the #5 starter a damn good one.

I think our bench is underrated as well, this team all of the sudden has depth with Hopper, Dickerson, Hairston, Keppinger, and Hanigan...we will see what Richar and Castillo can do....I`m not sure what it will be.

I just won`t accept the fact that he is too expensive, its just a real puss way to play the GM game or the owner game for that matter....its a cop-out, instead of trading for someone, we would lose nothing, but possibly gain everything....I think Manny would make this franchise a lot of money, just think about jersey sales alone. This is how you build a fu**ing dynasty, you dont just wait to get a Colorado Rockies type team that is lucky enough to get to the World Series.....I think that is and has been our approach to this game as an organization for years, try to see what you can do with the minimum effort and money....I`m sick of it. Seriously, suck it front office, I know you well enough, if we did get to the World Series you would just dump all our good players for prospects and start this painful cycle of Redness all over again. Suck. It.

There are a ton of Reds fan in Cinci, throughout Ohio, and the country, if you gave them a team worth spending 3 hours, 1/3 of the year watching then you would get your money back. But for the most part people realize the franchise is phoney B.S. and we dont have the balls to get someone of Manny`s calibur. If you build it.........

I tend to be one of the more not-optimistic people on here, but I think we should calm down a little bit when it comes to this Willy T. signing, I have some reasons why and some ideas of what I think we should do.

1. The Reds have the 18th highest payroll out of 30 teams, so when talking about "contending" money alone would say that is not something we could do. We can`t afford to play the power ball that contenders do, plain and simple. From years of torture, Votto and Bruce give us a chance to have homegrown power, but we are not going to land a Manny or Mark T. calibur player in free agency, and we would more than likely not make out too well by trading for that power. Adam Dunn is gone, and we are not getting him back, we can`t even afford him if we wanted him. Because of our financial past, landing a runner-up for rookie of the year player that stole 68 bases in a year is not a bad thing. Encarnacion gets enough breaks for his "upside" and "potential" on this site, so Willy with a change of scenery should not be such a dreaded pick-up.

2. Speed. This team is fast, this team is scary fast. Willy T, Dickerson, B-Phil, Hopper, and Possibly Hairston. There is a good lead-off hitter there somewhere, though now it is probably less likely Hairston will stay. Thats enough speed to keep the defense on its toes, and make up for defensive plays Ede decides to screw up. Less double plays, more ground covered in the field defensively. These guys can make 1st base scoring position more often.

3. He is not the big pick up. We know We are going to pick up another outfielder, and have younger guys competing in camp. I think we need to give Jocketty a chance, sure taking a job for the Reds was a bad move, but lets at least give him a season before we brand him as an idiot. We are shaping up to have a good pitching staff this year, and pitching wins rings. I don`t think we need to worry about picking up Juan Pierre, better known as "Slappy McPop-up". I don`t know, there are a lot of options, we all know there will be some sort of power in the corner going into camp......

4. He is better than Freel. Diving on your face every play and making a spectacular play when you are fast means you just don`t know how to judge a fly ball. Free was fast but not as fast or young or sober as Willy.

5. Not really a reason but an idea. Why not let Bonds and Sosa come to camp? Chances are they get cut, but if not you have your cheap bat for a year, and more than likely you draw press and crowds from the shear signing. I detest these guys as much as the next guy, but sign Clemens while your at it for cheap. They need money and they want their decency, then we get a higher revenue, its possible they could still play and be productive, at least platooning. If not, cut them, you wont lose much money, nobody else wants them. They used the drugs and used the game so now lets use them and dispose of them after a year. Connie Mack brought Cobb and Tris Speaker back for a year after their alleged game fix, then they split ways the next year and the A`s went to the World Series.

6. Now another not reason but question....player managers.....why not?

Welp it seems that Rocco is treatable after all, and this could be good news for the Reds. Baldelli went to Cleveland Clinic last week and was told that he was earlier misdiagnosed.

This may put his name more in the mix to be a possible pickup of the Reds. The Rays did not pick up his contract for $17 million, but now the question is "How much is his agent going to spin this?"

Baldelli is not going to be wasting away, and instead has been diagnosed with channelopathy, another disease that I have never heard of until Rocco Baldelli got it. I think that it is possible the Reds would be interested, but I think I would let someone else take the chance on this one.

Baldelli had injuries before this not-un-treatable illness made its way onto ESPN 3 to 4 times a week; depending on whether or not a scandal in the NFL occured that could have "gate" annoyingly placed at the end.

We already got lucky with B-Phil and Hamilton gambles, so I think this move would be more of a Krivsky move than a Jocketty one. We have been able to resurrect careers in Cincinnati Reds but we can`t resurrect the franchise.

Do you think this move is something we should consider more closely now? I`m not a big fan of Encarnacion, but I think putting him in Left Field at the age of 26 is less of a gamble than picking up Baldelli-plagued Baldelli at 27.

I figured I could just live in denial over this forever, but I can`t possibly do it anymore, Through scientific proof and writings of Nostradamus, I have found the Reds being a miserable franchise is all my fault.

They have not been relevant in my short and uneventful lifetime, sure they won the World Series when I was four......but I was four. My favorite football team in the Browns, and I was born the year of the drive. Since then, the Browns are no better than the bowel movements they represent in name.....

Favorite basketball player, Reggie Miller, championships 0. Favorite football player ever, Barry Sanders, Superbowls 0. I have been to 12 Reds games, and they have lost every game I have ever been to. This year I watched the Cubs give me two of the most boring and miserable losses ever....I almost went to the Sunday game but instead I listened to the game on the radio on my way home (we shelled the Cubs that day).

I began rooting for the Yankees out of my hatred for the Red Sox in the AL, we have seen how this has panned out. Even better, I decided to root for the Cubs in the post-season, swept by the Dodgers......who then did I root for? The Dodgers, they lost. Just so you know I want the Rays to win the World Series only because Cliff Floyd is cool, so there you have it, your new World Series champions.....The Philadelphia Phillies.

I can`t remember the last time one of my teams has been relevant or even talked about on ESPN without being made fun of. The teams I root for because mine are out of contention always lose. In fact I can`t remember the last time I have been satisfied with the winner of any big sporting event.......I`m not even a racing fan, but I decided I like Dale Earnhardt Jr the year his dad died (geesh).

I thought the Cavs were going to beat the Spurs and I wanted them to. I swear to you I told my step dad in Griffey`s final contract year in Seattle that he would go to the Reds......oh he did, to have his career thrown off a bridge.

I have never bet on a horse and won, I lost 100 dollars when Mayweather beat De La Hoya, and lets not even talk about Ricky Hatten.

If there is one thing to associate me with it is failure, I failed out of college, the first 3 girls I had crushes on would`nt date me (grades 2-5) and I have never been able to dunka basketball, though I have been trying my whole life and broke two toes in the barage of attempts.

When the Reds win the World Series you will know that either I am dead, or that I decided to stop rooting for the team I grew up loving.

Then again maybe it is because of Marge Schott, she was kind of a racist explicative.