Reds questions in Keith Law's ESPN chat

[CySeymour]

Michael(Boston,mass): Keith i hope i can post this early but here goes. could you rank 1st 2nd and 3rd who out of these three will have the best career Adam Dunn, Wily Mo Pena,or Ryan Howard

Keith Law: (12:15 PM ET ) Dunn, Howard, Peña. Dunn is actually only ten days older than Howard, and since he's a better athlete I think he'll have a better career after age 31.

---------------------------
Jack (VA Beach): Will the Reds go deep into the playoffs if they make it?

Keith Law: (12:17 PM ET ) If they make it, they're the most likely team to go three-and-out. No pitching, bad defense, and a tendency to give too many ABs to guys like Castro.

----------------------------
Dan, ny: Should homer bailey and philip hughes be in Triple A by now. I mean they are both toying with hitters in Double A. Both pitcher could learn alot in the next level. agree?

Keith Law: (12:35 PM ET ) I agree ... sort of. The problem is that AAA right now is almost a set of taxi squads for major-league clubs, with teams stocked with 4A guys who largely can't contribute in the majors. I'm not sure how valuable the experience of pitching to those guys is; I think it would be better for their development to bring those kids to the majors and work them in as long men out of the pen.

---------------------

Bradley (Temple): Does it make you sad to see a team as mediocre as the Reds hold onto the NL Wild Card for so long?

Keith Law: (12:42 PM ET ) This is what I hate about the wild card and the three-division format: We're going to get some lousy teams in the playoffs. Even if it's not the Reds - the Padres? Astros? Diamondbacks? These teams are all mediocre. The postseason should be a showcase for great teams and great players, and you don't get that when 83-79 teams make the playoffs.

[redsmetz]

The postseason should be a showcase for great teams and great players, and you don't get that when 83-79 teams make the playoffs.

How is it you guys put it? The National League Champion 1973 New York Mets say "hello" (82-79), as do the World Champion 1987 Minnesota Twins (85-77), the American League Champion 1997 Cleveland Indians (86-75), and the 2000 World Champion New York Yankees (87-74). Sheesh.

[IslandRed]

How is it you guys put it? The National League Champion 1973 New York Mets say "hello" (82-79), as do the World Champion 1987 Minnesota Twins (85-77), the American League Champion 1997 Cleveland Indians (86-75), and the 2000 World Champion New York Yankees (87-74). Sheesh.

Yep. If you subdivide leagues at all, that sort of thing will happen sometimes. And if you don't have divisions, well... let's just say that the golden age of baseball wasn't always so golden. Amid the classic pennant races were a whole bunch of snoozers. This year's National League would have been reminiscent of the pre-1965 Yankees, where they rolled up the sidewalks in front of the other AL ballparks by the All-Star break.

[Z-Fly]

Ouch!

[cincrazy]

Keith Law seems to be a bona fide Reds hater. Rarely do I say that about a writer or broadcaster, but the guy has absolutely nothing positive to say about the Reds or Krivsky and his moves for that matter.

[CySeymour]

Keith Law seems to be a bona fide Reds hater. Rarely do I say that about a writer or broadcaster, but the guy has absolutely nothing positive to say about the Reds or Krivsky and his moves for that matter.

Well, he did say Dunn will be better than Howard...that's positive