Concerns going into the season

[50YrRedsFan]

My concerns going into this season are (and not in any particular order).
Starting Pitching: Bailey, Arroyo, Leake inconsistent in my book.
Relief Pitching: Masset, Bray, Arredondo, Chapman, Ondrusek; this group can get really wild.
Hitting: Entire offense....Too many K's
Hitting production: Heisey, Ludwick, Stubbs, Mesoraco, Hanigan, Harris, ...not a lot of production from these guys during spring training.
A weak bench: with Frazier being optioned, little power coming off the bench.
Let's hope these guys have career (good, not bad) years and put us over the top.

[Kingspoint]

One concern:

We don't make the playoffs and the burden of Votto's contract begins taking it's toll as attendance fails to increase revenue.

[DGullett35]

I agree that bailey is inconsistent. Arroyo was inconsistent last year and I think he will bounce back and a good year but still will give up alot of dingers. Leake was our 2nd best starter last year and for the most part kept this team in every game he pitched so I tend to disagree with him being inconsistent.However he is still very young.

I wouldnt call the bullpen wild. If anything i would call them inconsistent. They also can be very good at times lets not forget and with Marshall they should be better IMO. Arredondo is another year removed from tommy John and I think hes going to be the guy the Angels had a couple years ago. Chapman needs to start and Im not even concerned with masset yet. the guy has to get healthy first.

The offense does strikeout a bunch but its mainly just Stubbs, Bruce, and Heisey doing the walk back to the bench. I can live with only a couple guys doing the majority of the K's. We do have Phillips in a contract year and he will produce and we arguabely have the best hitter in the world in the #3 spot. im not too worried

Spring training stats mean nothing unless you talk to scouts from other organizations about the Reds. Guys work on things and im pretty sure Trusty Dusty and Walt have made it known to this club that we need to win and win now. They ceartainly made it known to the fans. the bench does seem week but I think we have the best bench player in the league in Cairo or at least top 5. The only way id worry about the bench is if one of our starters has a significant injury then im worried. Hopefully harris can pinch hit. Thats all we need him to do.

[joshua]

Pitching, pitching, pitching is the main concern for this club. We did a lot to shore up the bullpen and signed a dynamite closber...who's now out for the season without throwing a single pitch.

IMO Marshall is too good to only have pitch in a closing role. They should have him pitch set-up, or pitch the 7th and 8th inning as much as possible and then go to closer by committee. But we know that's never going to happen.

With the offense, the concern is the same it's always been: Schizophrenia and clutch hits. We will put up a ton of runs, as usual...but we'll see plenty of 7 run games, then 2 run games. I'd like to see that even out a bit.

I just hope the rotation can go deep into games and keep our bullpen rested. I'm very worried about Arroyo's performance this season and hope that if he starts to stink it up, he's DLed or cut instead of letting him fester and cost us games. But seeing how Dusty lets guys "work out" their problems, like Gomes and Janish, I'm sure that as long as Arroyo insists he can pitch (which will be every single date he's due to start, no matter what's wrong with him) Dusty will trot him out there.

[Kevin1476]

My concern would be the health of Scott Rolen. If he can play a full season like he did two years ago and play somewhere between that season and this spring he had, we win the division. So, my concern would be his health!

[brm7675]

One concern:

We don't make the playoffs and the burden of Votto's contract begins taking it's toll as attendance fails to increase revenue.

Votto's deal won't have any real financial impact on this team until like 2017.

[RyanC119]

Bullpen.

[64red]

As odd as this may sound, leadership and motivation. We all saw in 2010 that this team enjoys winning. I'm just not sure that there is anyone who hates to lose bad enough. In so many of the games that we went to last year these guys just seemed to be going through the motions. Sort of waiting for something to happen. No sense of urgency until time for a late inning comeback. Don't misunderstand me, I love this team. I just think a grumpy old veteran to keep guys focused could really be beneficial. I think Rolen has the respect to do it, but don't know if that's his personality. I don't think we're getting much leadership from this coaching staff, and I think the young players suffer because of it.

[smixsell]

Uncle Rusty as our manager.

[The DARK]

The bench. Unlike previous seasons, we don't have any sort of power or breakout potential off the bench, except from Heisey if he doesn't start. Harris and Valdez seem like extraordinarily weak contributors, and Cairo can only do so much as he turns 38 in a month. The lineup is going to have to carry its own weight this season.

[nux fan]

how about a cripple at third base, the worst pitcher in the league arroyo and a whiff machine in center field and a anencephalic manager

[brm7675]

how about a cripple at third base, the worst pitcher in the league arroyo and a whiff machine in center field and a anencephalic manager

Last time I checked our 3rd basemen has never had issues with his legs...which 3rd basemen are you speaking of...oh wait..you speak of the former backup 3rd basemen who had issues with his legs do to poor workout discipline, a overweight body and a lack of desire...don't worry, he is a Brave now....

[nux fan]

rolen is a cripple facts are stubborn things

[brm7675]

rolen is a cripple facts are stubborn things

How is rolen a cripple? His health issue has always been the shoulder area, I don't remember him ever having issues with his legs...that was Juan and his strained something every season due to lack of preperation in the offseason.

[nux fan]

how did rolen do last year, Oh I forgot he did well in 1975 like your friend arroyo

[Jr's Boy]

how about a cripple at third base, the worst pitcher in the league arroyo and a whiff machine in center field and a anencephalic manager


I just shot tea out of my nose reading this post.lol
A whiff machine in Center.:laugh:

[brm7675]

how did rolen do last year, Oh I forgot he did well in 1975 like your friend arroyo

He missed a number of games due to a shoulder injury which he had surgery on and says is better, he was never a cripple as you so describe. Do you even follow the Reds and understand the game of baseball?

[brm7675]

how did rolen do last year, Oh I forgot he did well in 1975 like your friend arroyo

He missed a number of games due to a shoulder injury which he had surgery on and says is better, he was never a cripple as you so describe. Do you even follow the Reds and understand the game of baseball?

[nux fan]

how did rolen do in the playoffs
How did arroyo do last year
how did stubbs do last year

Facts are stubborn arent they, you geriatric apologist

[brm7675]

how did rolen do in the playoffs
How did arroyo do last year
how did stubbs do last year

Facts are stubborn arent they, you geriatric apologist

rolen and the entire team played horrible against the Phils, so I guess we should just gut the team...

Arroyo had a horrible season last year and had the Reds handled it better and DL him coming out of ST and allowed him to rest and get better and then bring him back say around the ASB I bet he does better, instead he goes out and eats innings and does his best even while not being 100% because other pitchers (Homer Bailey) couldn't seem to get it going

Stubbs had a horrible sophmore season, so did Jason Heywood in Atlanta, guess if young players come off good rookie seasons to stink it up in their second season should just be released and forgotten...

How do you explain Juan and his inability to even come to camp in shape?

[nux fan]

go study baseball abstract and the metrics of how 35+ year old third base men perform, so you think Rolen is at the zenith o f his career, perhaps you do maybe you want Woody Woodward at short and Cesar Geronimo in center and Gary Nolan on the mound

[nux fan]

who cares if juan was a little out of shape he slugged many homers, what are you a diet doctor, juan f will outperform rolen offensively in every metric whether he eats m and m's or not

[brm7675]

go study baseball abstract and the metrics of how 35+ year old third base men perform, so you think Rolen is at the zenith o f his career, perhaps you do maybe you want Woody Woodward at short and Cesar Geronimo in center and Gary Nolan on the mound

No I don't think Rolen is going to be even close to what he did in 2010, I do think he will perform better then last season. What really hurts is his backup is playing in AAA. Had Frazier been on the major league roster they could have split time with him and Rolen at 3rd along with giving Cairo some starts there. Rolen is key in leadership, if he can give the Reds say 95-110 games in the field then we are good shape. But Walt feels Willie Harris is a better option I guess...

[brm7675]

who cares if juan was a little out of shape he slugged many homers, what are you a diet doctor, juan f will outperform rolen offensively in every metric whether he eats m and m's or not

Coming to camp out of shape tells me 2 things. 1. He is not a dedicated athlete, he doens't have the drive to get better or be great. 2. How can he outperform anyone when he is on the DL, which is what happens when you are out of shape. Did Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Devin Merescco, Todd Frazier or any other young player come to camp out of shape?

[nux fan]

facts, moron juan f has great power baseball players are not poster boys for diet, your boy griffey never met a stretch he could avoid

[brm7675]

facts, moron juan f has great power baseball players are not poster boys for diet, your boy griffey never met a stretch he could avoid


Outside of maybe Prince Fielder, how many fat MLB players can you name? Ask Joey and Jay Bruce what they did in their offseason conditioning wise...

[bounty37h]

how about a cripple at third base, the worst pitcher in the league arroyo and a whiff machine in center field and a anencephalic manager

This guy^ being on our board all season long?

[mu4103]

1. Dusty Baker - Rewards poor play, punishes success, bad at fundamentals and preparing team for post season ...
2. Drew Stubbs - Not very good, potential should be a 4 letter word.
3. Scott Rolen - He's pretty old and can't believe he has an error in the 1st game.
4. Votto - Hopefully he doesn't get the post contract signing slump.