Quote:
Originally Posted by traderumor
Ironic considering just last winter, before the Latos trade, there was the ongoing joke in various forms of WJ being asleep at the switch, that Dusty is an ignoramous, and hiring Bavasi would be the end of the free world. And that from people who seem like they know what they're talking about  Did I leave out the rants about Buckley's drafting weaknesses? |
Considering that prior to last winter Jocketty hadn't made any significant successful moves for several years the "asleep at the switch" analogy was spot on. Maybe he was just waiting for the right time to strike. But to say Jocketty built the club was way off. Prior to last year the only true feather in his cap was the signing of Aroldis Chapman (and even that one was risky, when you take the $30 million into consideration for a middle reliever, didn't truly justify itself until 2012 when Chapman became an elite closer.) Jocketty inherited a great foundation and waited a long time until he felt the time was right to juggle some pieces and take a shot at a championship. When he finally woke up and took action his moves worked like a charm.
Dusty is an ignoramus when it comes to lineup construction and in-game strategy. Some of the most basic tenets of modern baseball are over his head. Fortunately for the Reds Dusty's people skills are outstanding.
Bryan Price is the unsung hero who has really put the Reds over the top in my opinion.