Maroth, Franklin

[redsupport]

How come theCards have a real general manager. Maroth could have acquired by Reds. I guess the reds starting staff is god enough. Wonder what franklin thinks of the reds pitching coaches

[reds44]

How quickly you forget Scott Schoenweis last year. Look at his numbers with the Reds last year and compare them to with the Mets this year.

[redsupport]

oh you are right this is a forward thinking effective progressive organization, just because they are mired in last place in the worst division should not cloud my opinion that letting scheonweis go was brilliant.

[reds44]

We'd be a last place team with Franklin too.

[Blue]

Maroth is a soft tossing 30 year old lefty with an OPS against of over .850 the last two seasons. Not sure why we'd want him.

[Reds Freak]

How come theCards have a real general manager. Maroth could have acquired by Reds. I guess the reds starting staff is god enough. Wonder what franklin thinks of the reds pitching coaches

First, could you clarify what you mean by the Reds could have acquired Maroth? Do you have inside information that Krivsky made no effort to call Detroit and make an offer better than that of the Cardinals? I don't see how one can claim "the Reds could have acquired Maroth".

Secondly, you want to acquire a guy who has a lifetime 4.81 ERA in a pitchers park, has only struck out 420 in 880 IP, whom hitters hit .293 off of, and has a 1.38 GB/FB ratio but gives up a fair share of HR's. Someone earlier compared him to a lefty version of Kirk Saarloos. Not a recipie for success especially at GABP as we have seen...

[Doro]

We'd be a last place team with Franklin too.

couldnt have said it any better

[redsupport]

we would also be last with ichiro and a rod, does that mean the reds should have let franklin go, or not train him sufficiently so that he stiunk with one team and excelled with another. you guys must feel real comfortable with this last place dross

[HokieRed]

Franklin story pretty closely resembles Hancock a year ago. Might cause somebody to ask whether there's a reason guys do a lot better in StL. than here.

[jimbo]

Franklin story pretty closely resembles Hancock a year ago. Might cause somebody to ask whether there's a reason guys do a lot better in StL. than here.

Franklin really hasn't been much more than an average pitcher for his entire career so it's not only Cincinnati. Maybe it's more of a case of a pitcher either finally reaching his potential or just having a career year. He also never really accepted the idea of being a reliever last season after being a starter most of his career, maybe this season he approached being a reliever with a totally different mindset.

[joshnky]

we would also be last with ichiro and a rod, does that mean the reds should have let franklin go, or not train him sufficiently so that he stiunk with one team and excelled with another. you guys must feel real comfortable with this last place dross

You certainly felt differently last year:



just think back to all the bonehead trades, blown bullpen saves, blown leads, and general entropy of the last month and realize that only four game separates it from the pennant. Through Joe Mays, andMakewski, Coprmier and Franklin, Griffey and garbage start after garbage start. There wont be a year like this again where the pickings were so easy.

To bad Krivsky doesn't have your brilliant hindsight.

[Redsnake]

I know it's only 1 NL start, but Maroth pitched great last night. Last year when Detroit had a slew of pitchers and I was screaming for the Reds to acquire one of there LH pitchers in Robertson or Maroth.
Now the hated Cards pull off another trade for a player I wanted the Reds to get.

The Cards get it....and the Reds seem clueless!!

[joshnky]

Who would Maroth replace in the rotation? Belisle? Lohse? I'm not sure that he is a better alternative than either of those guys. Comparing the stats Lohse has a slightly better BAA and WHIP than Maroth so why get rid of him for Maroth? We already have enough cast-offs on this team and we certainly don't need another. Maroth lost 21 games on an epically bad Tigers team a few years ago. Care to guess how many games he would lose on this team?

The Reds may be clueless but it is not because they failed to get Maroth or Percival. I would rather build for the future and give some of the young guys a chance.

[HalMorrisRules]

oh you are right this is a forward thinking effective progressive organization, just because they are mired in last place in the worst division should not cloud my opinion that letting scheonweis go was brilliant.

It has been said many times on the radio during games and on this board that the Reds did not let Schoenweis go. He told the Reds that no amount of money would keep him in Cincinnati. He wanted to go play in a big city. And IIRC, he signed for less money than what the Reds say they offered him.

[HalMorrisRules]

One question that I have and this seems like a thread where it can be asked. I really liked the job that Livingston has done when he has been given a chance. Since we dont have a lefty in the rotation and since our bullpen is abysmal, why not move Belisle to the bullpen to try and stabilize it and bring Livingston up for more than a cup of coffee? I think that Belisle has been slipping a bit lately after he goes through the lineup a few times and would instantly be an upgrade over anyone we have out there right now. Thoughts?

[Reds Freak]

One question that I have and this seems like a thread where it can be asked. I really liked the job that Livingston has done when he has been given a chance. Since we dont have a lefty in the rotation and since our bullpen is abysmal, why not move Belisle to the bullpen to try and stabilize it and bring Livingston up for more than a cup of coffee? I think that Belisle has been slipping a bit lately after he goes through the lineup a few times and would instantly be an upgrade over anyone we have out there right now. Thoughts?

I don't have a problem with giving Livingston an extended shot at proving his worth at the big league level but not at the expense at Belisle. I really think Matt Belisle could be a really good #5 starter on this team for the next few seasons. Remember, this is his first full year of starting for a long time, there are going to be a few bumps in the road. He gives the team a chance to win every outing with an occasional brilliant outing which is what you ask out of your #5 starter. This team has been out of it since the middle of May, there's no reason trying to stablize the bullpen now and mess up what Matt Belisle may be able to provide in the future...

[HalMorrisRules]

I repeat, put Belisle in the bullpen.

[HokieRed]

I think this is one of the many problems the team must try to sort out as the season winds on: can Belisle really handle the work as a starter or is he better suited to the bullpen? It would be great if he could be counted on to be the #5 starter, but it's important not to pretend he can do something he cannot. I think he may actually be far more valuable as somebody out of the bullpen who can give you 80-100 innings per year at just south of 4 ERA.