7 games in: What are you observations?

[GriffeyFan]

What has surprised/pleased you? What concerns you already?

Me:

Positives
- Bronson Arroyo
- Eric Milton and Dave Williams give up only 2 runs in 1st start...we'll see...
- Offense...Dunn, Kearns, Felipe, Freel, etc.

Negatives
- BULLPEN
Weathers and Coffey have been ok, but Hammond, Rick White and Belisle haven't been dependable at all so far.

I know, it's only 7 games and things could change drastically in the next 7, but this is my opinion over the first 7.

[captainmorgan07]

positives
arroyo
starting pitching
felipe continueing from last year
lineup

Negatives
Bullpen
Sometimes shaky defense and errors

[Caseyfan21]

Positive:
-Starting pitching
-Offense

Negative:
-Defense, terrible so far, players are not calling balls and Adam Dunn has had several Wily Mo'esque adventures
-Bullpen, it's really been pathetic to see some of these 4 to 5 runs leads become nail biters. I thought we were over that once Graves was gone.

[wheels]

Everything is obvious right now.

It's too early to say anything is surprising or disappointing.

I'll chime in with something significant in a month.

[GriffeyFan]

speaking of Wily Mo, did you guys and gals see Wily's assist with a Toronto HR today?

[reds44]

Positives:
Starting pitchers
offense

Negative:
bullpen

[DoogMinAmo]

I have not given up on Belisle, but I honestly thing that the reds are less than 5 players away from being "serious" playoff contenders. Included in the 5 are a #1 starter, 2 mid-relievers, 1 closer, and another second baseman. J/K, my fifth change would be a rangy CF.

Ignoring my sad attempt at humor, getting a true #1 would bump the last rotation guy to the BP, upgrading that automatically. A true closer that would strike fear into the hearts of other teams would be nice, and would help catapult a mediocre bullpen to playoff-worthy. A defensive upgrade in CF would seem to help the pitching and could save the legs of Griffey Jr, with a move to somewhere else less-demanding.

I would then feel comfortable plugging a defensive guy like Phillips at second and letting him hit out of his funk, and helping to offset whoever gets bumped to 1B from the outfield.

Keeping all this in mind, I think the Reds are set for playoffs next year, and serious contention the following year. I know, I know, another 3-year-plan, but doesn't this seem a whole lot more feasible than anything OB or JB threw out there? (Or does the recent success Kool-Aid really taste so sweet that I am ignorant of a greater problem?)

[dougdirt]

speaking of Wily Mo, did you guys and gals see Wily's assist with a Toronto HR today?

Im not sure it was an assist....that thing would have gone out if he wasnt standing there. He should have caught it, but he didnt make it a home run, it was a home run if no one was there.

[edabbs44]

The 2 biggest positives for me have been Arroyo and Dunn. Forget the fluke HRs, but he has done an excellent job on the mound. And Dunn looks like a different hitter. Not as many Ks, hitting the ball to all fields, actually hitting a couple of SFs. He hit for a good avg in the minors, could this be the year?

[Mario-Rijo]

The bullpen has been the negative and I will agree the defense has been at times awful. But I think we are better than last year. How much I am not ready to say. The starters have done well, Harang (got squeezed in game 1), Arroyo and Milton in particular have have looked good. And the offense is actually better by the lesser guys getting timely hits. If that keeps up we should surprise.

[BoCcc2832]

Positives:
Austin Kearns (.310 avg), Ryan Freel (5 steals in only 14 at bats), Adam Dunn (4 HR's, .417 avg), Bronson Arroyo (1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings, 11 K's, 0 BB's), Eric Milton (2.57 ERA in 7 innings, 3 K's, only 1 HR given up)

Negatives: Chris Hammond (72.00 ERA in 1.0 innings), Matt Belisle (9.00 ERA in 3.0 innings), Aaron Harang (8.49 ERA in 11.2 innings), overall defense (Dunn 2 errors, Encarnacion 2 errors)

Overall however, our starting pitching is much improved from last year, and our offense is unbelievable. If Busch Stadium III is considered a hitter's ballpark, I wonder how many runs we're going to put up there too?

[reds44]

Im not sure it was an assist....that thing would have gone out if he wasnt standing there. He should have caught it, but he didnt make it a home run, it was a home run if no one was there.
Actually, if my memory serves me correct, WMP did the EXACT same thing last year when we play @ Fenway.

Anybody else remember that?

[wally post]

It seems we all basically agree in general abuot needing to inmprove the defense and the bullpen. The information that is missing is; Was Dunn unhappy moving to first base? Did his move back to the outfield happen becauswe of his wishes? Same goes for Griffey Jr.... if he is unwilling to move out of centerfield, then what can we do (other than try to trade him, which is unfortunate in my opinion). Do any of you know about these two issues?

[guttle11]

Playoff lineup, decent starting pitching, Little League bullpen.

[reds44]

Playoff lineup, decent starting pitching, Little League buulpen.
You can fix a bullpen much easier then a rotation.

We are making progress.

[KronoRed]

Playoff lineup, decent starting pitching, Little League bullpen.
That's an insult to little leaguers everywhere.

[KronoRed]

I'm not ready to say the starters are fixed, it's been 1 start for the unknowns, lets see where they are at the end of the month.

[guttle11]

That's an insult to little leaguers everywhere.

I think we should all chip in and buy Hammond a participation trophy, cause you know, he tried.

[WVPacman]

Positives:

Our offense

Our starting pitchers

Bronson Arroyo's at bats


Ryan Freel,Adam Dunn,Griffey

Negatives:

Bullpen is TERRIBLE!!

Our defense gives the opposing team to many extra chances and outs.

[MaineRed]

Good topic.

I've seen or listened to every game except the rain delayed game on Friday.

The Good:

Bronson. Yes he is 2-0. Yes he has a pretty ERA. No he hasn't walked anyone. Sure he has hit 2 HR. But the best thing in my mind? The fact that the two wins followed Red losses. If he is not an ace, fine. I'll take a stopper. Just saw on Sportscenter that he is tied for something like 4,730th on the all time HR list with 2. He is tied with about 700 players.

The other starters: Harrang got knocked around in game one but came back on Saturday with a nice performance that got the job done. Clausen and Milton each contributed to wins and Williams could of had one had the Reds offense not taken the day off (is it just me or do the Red bats usually sleep on Sunday?). They aren't Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz but 7 games in, each of our 5 starters has given us a quality (in Red terms) start.

The Offense. Everyone is contributing and the Reds are making it look easy. Not sure if the numbers back it up but the Reds seem to be striking out less and grounding into less double plays than I remember. If true that obviously helps.

The Bad:

The Bullpen: We need Scott Sulivan in his prime. Boy would the Reds be dangerous then.

Playing Time: Things are working out just fine right now but you have to wonder where the plethora of middle infielders will take us. Will Dunn try first again? Will Kearns get traded? Will someone else get dealt? And if not will everyone stay happy?

The Fans: Where are they? Put on a sweatshirt/sweater/jacket/whatever and go to the games. I hope I won't be looking at a half empty stadium all season. Sure the Reds aren't perfect but its too bad that a guy like Ken Griffey Junior has to play in an empty stadium. He and the players deserve better. Cincy is too good of a baseball town.

GABP: Not a bad thing as long as the Reds are winning but Coors Field is now referred to as Great American Ballpark West.

[jnwohio]

Actually, if my memory serves me correct, WMP did the EXACT same thing last year when we play @ Fenway.

Anybody else remember that?

I was remembering that on the one last year that if he did not touch it, it actually had a chance of staying in the park. This one was going to go unless he caught it. Small (mostly sarcastic to point it out) difference.

[Nugget]

I think the a real problem is going to be the bullpen if the White and Hammond don't pull their fingers out (and to a lesser extent Beslisle but he seems to be lacking consistency more than anything). The Bats have also been having trouble with their bullpen, as have the lower minors as well.

[George Foster]

I have not given up on Belisle, but I honestly thing that the reds are less than 5 players away from being "serious" playoff contenders. Included in the 5 are a #1 starter, 2 mid-relievers, 1 closer, and another second baseman. J/K, my fifth change would be a rangy CF.

Ignoring my sad attempt at humor, getting a true #1 would bump the last rotation guy to the BP, upgrading that automatically. A true closer that would strike fear into the hearts of other teams would be nice, and would help catapult a mediocre bullpen to playoff-worthy. A defensive upgrade in CF would seem to help the pitching and could save the legs of Griffey Jr, with a move to somewhere else less-demanding.

I would then feel comfortable plugging a defensive guy like Phillips at second and letting him hit out of his funk, and helping to offset whoever gets bumped to 1B from the outfield.

Keeping all this in mind, I think the Reds are set for playoffs next year, and serious contention the following year. I know, I know, another 3-year-plan, but doesn't this seem a whole lot more feasible than anything OB or JB threw out there? (Or does the recent success Kool-Aid really taste so sweet that I am ignorant of a greater problem?)

No one is going to give up a true #1 until after the all-star break, and they are out of the race. That being said, a trade for another #2, or #3 and a dependable set-up man, can be enough for 90 wins and a wild card. Our offense is not going to be stopped alot this year. I'm very opptimistic, our great spring cannot be totally ignored. We did win more games than anybody in MLB. We can score a lot of runs.

[Buckaholic]

It goes without saying most of the positives and negatives are pretty obvious.

Personally, I have thought Adam Dunn looks like a more complete hitter thus far, Bronson Arroyo is pitching like the staff ace that Krivsky was wanting out of him and the offense is nothing short of amazing. Through one time around the rotation, the starters have been solid.

Aaron Harang hasn't been sharp thus far, but I really wouldn't worry about him. He'll be fine. The bullpen definitely needs a few more arms and the defense has got to be better, but beyond that, the club looks good through the first week.

[WVRedsFan]

The Positives - everyone has pretty much been right on target. The starting pitching is worlds better than over the last few years. The Williams for Casey trade will, despite some naysayers, be a good one. The Willy Mo for Bronson A will be scads ahead of that one. EdE has been a pleasant surprise (today :-)) and the offense is just awesome.

The Negatives - No one has mentioned Aaron Harang. Although he hasn't been that bad, he's not the same pitcher as last year. Everyone has mentioned the defense and the bullpen. I'd like to add Jerry Narron into the mix for his "habit" of bringing in Chris Hammond every game as the first reliever. Surely to all in heaven, the guy can figure out that Hammond is not the first pitcher you put in. One of my big problems with Narron has always been the "Miley-ism" of having a set reliever (especially one who isn't getting anyone out) come in day after day with the same result. Like Miley with Graves last year. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Oh, I long for an intelligent manager who just might mix it up,, but that's asking for too much, i guess.

[Guacarock]

The Positives (So Far):

Reds batters taking 39 walks, Reds pitchers surrendering 15 walks. Reds batters collecting 17 home runs, Reds pitchers surrendering 11 home runs. Rotation looking strong, keyed by Arroyo, with Milton and Williams making statements, Harang recovering from his flu and Claussen continuing to improve. Valentin delivering in Larue's absence. Freel flicking off no fewer than three competitors. Dunn, Kearns and Encarnacion all hitting their stride at the same time. Acquisition of Phillips proving someone in the front office values middle infield defense. Denorfia looking like the real deal. We're locked in a three-way tie for first place in the NL Central with Milwaukee and Houston.

The Negatives:

It goes without saying: The bullpen. Poorly constructed, with ill-defined roles, too many geezers given guaranteed contracts, too many interchangeable and indistinguishable hurlers, lacking in high heat or out pitches, especially pitches that might set them apart from their colleagues. Redszoners are dumping on Hammond (for just cause), but just as troublesome: Burns and Belisle getting torched by right-hand hitting batters at a .500+ clip, meaning all inherited batters put on base by the starters are practically getting a Free Pass to score. It was O'Brien and Kullman who threw their lot in with the geezers. But Narron and Krivsky made those final roster cuts, sending down Wagner and Shackelford. That was a mistake, compounding the follies of the previous regime. Fortunately, the season is young, and the bullpen woes can be sorted out and tweaked before they become a permanent blotch on Reds tradition.

The other nagging negative -- the steady decline in Junior's defensive abilities in CF, aggravated by his being flanked by Dunn. They are both heroes to Reds fans, legendary Hall of Fame-caliber players with sweet swings, outstanding character traits, lots of offensive power and great dispositions. But if they're both going to remain Reds, someone's going to have to come between them. Which of them will move to 1B or RF and do it willingly for the team? And what if neither budges? That could be a huge distraction in the making. For now, let's hope they both laugh it off, have some fun being a part of a Reds team that's contending, and that they both hit 40-50 homers this summer. And if push comes to shove and the front office is forced to make a trade, let's hope we get equal value in return, and perhaps a No. 1 starter the likes of which we haven't seen since Rijo and Soto.

[Ron Madden]

Positives.. It's Baseball Season.

Negatives..Seems the season ends before we know it.

[GAC]

Impressed, yet still wary, over this starting pitching.

I had no doubts about our offensive production. Even with Pena and Casey now gone.

This BP is a sorry excuse right now. Middle Relief is an oxymoron. I still can remember the days when it was our bright spot.

I'm not a Narron hater (still on the fence). Overall, I like his baseball philosophy. But I hate this approach of "having to get these guys playing time".

Who says?

I was listening to Marty and Steve after yesterday's game, and they were talking how Freel needs to be in there everyday. But then they both stated that there is this fear that when he plays everyday he tends to "wear down" and his numbers fall off.

I just find that incredulous! Let Ryan Freel be the judge of that. Play him, and quit nurse-maiding him. if they are really that "fearful" of this, then utilize a platoon of Freel/Phillips. This crap of having Phillips learn the OF is stupid IMO. If you really are concerned about having another OFer on the bench, then dump Womack and call up someone who plays the OF.... Denorfia.

Quit the experimentation.

Womack should be on the bench period! And utilized only in particular game situations as needed.... pinch runner (speed), late inning replacement when we have a huge lead, or if someone on the bench needs a Coke (again, speed is of the essense). That should be his role.

Use Aurilia like they have been. Platooning with Hatteberg. Kind of a dead end there with not too many other options. Not an ideal situation though.

[edabbs44]

[QUOTE=MaineRed]Good topic.

The Bad:

The Fans: Where are they? Put on a sweatshirt/sweater/jacket/whatever and go to the games. I hope I won't be looking at a half empty stadium all season. Sure the Reds aren't perfect but its too bad that a guy like Ken Griffey Junior has to play in an empty stadium. He and the players deserve better. Cincy is too good of a baseball town.
QUOTE]



Agreed....the fans in Cincinnati should get out to the ballpark a little bit more. It's a little embarrassing.

[KearnsyEars]

You can fix a bullpen much easier then a rotation.

We are making progress.


agree very much. i like the direction and the important pieces are in place just need tweeking

[Heath]

What's my feelings after 7 games -

Well, there's 155 more games to go.

[Falls City Beer]

After 7 games I observe offense.

[tripleaaaron]

I am very happy with amongst most of multiple listed, and disapointed with the same, I am also very happy with the signing of Phillips. Amidst having a uh deap pool at 2b (AAA alike), an infield 3 or 4 years from now consisting of EE,FeLo, and Phillips could be a very entertaining one. Many claim that a player has there prime seasons at age 27-28, phillips only 24, EE 23, and FeLo 25, also Dunn at 26, kearns 25 we have a few great years of "breakout baseball" ahead of us. I hope we wait till there values are at a maximum before selling

[Reds1]

Quality starts from everyone excpet Harang and he left the game with one. The pen, which is my big disappointment blew his QS.

I'm also surprised that all the 2B on this team are contributing. Narron seems to be getting them in there being creative.

To make the playoffs though we need 2 RP including a closer and another 1st Baseman. Today showed that Hatenberg was a catcher.