Why Are Reds Fans So Negative About The Reds?

[Krusty]

Maybe it is me but the club did make strides by going 80-82 last season. And this club was in contention till the end of August when injuries to Guardado and Griffey pretty much sealed its fate.

And while the offseason additions don't seem spectacular, I remember Krivsky saying it is the sum of all the parts that matter. But no matter what Krivsky does or doesn't do, he is slammed by Reds fans probably more than stand pat Dan O'Brien.

So is it all the losing seasons that festers this negative attitude towards the Reds?

[flyer85]

I fail to see an upgrade in talent that would allow them to contend outside of another fluky year like th last one. The Reds go in to 2007 and look to be below average in offense, defense and pitching.

[Krusty]

I fail to see an upgrade in talent that would allow them to contend outside of another fluky year like th last one. The Reds go in to 2007 and look to be below average in offense, defense and pitching.

What would you have done in free agency? Overpay for medicore talent? Pay 24 million for Adam Eaton? Pay 6 million for Eric Gagne not knowing if he will be healthy?

In the trade market, who do you got to trade? Dunn's trade value is low. Trade either Harang and Arroyo and you're going backwards instead of going forward.

[kbrake]

I think you confuse negativity with reality. I know there are some people on here that go out of their way to be negative and just try to stir the pot a bit. But, for the most part, I dont think Reds fans are negative. I think most the people on here understand that it is unlikely Ross and Phillips will have similiar seasons to last year. Most realize Griffey, even when healthy, isnt even close the player he once was. Most find it discouraging when Jerry Narron holds this team back. When you are short in talent you can not afford to hit Royce Clayton second and play Junior in center. So I really dont think Reds fans are negative, and I promise you that we all want the Reds to win just as badly as anyone else we just dont see it as something that is likely to happen.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I know what you mean Krusty. I think a lot of Reds fans are also just fans of pessimism.

[MrCinatit]

Guess we got a little spoiled by that 130 game winning streak in '69 and '70. Been downhill since then.

[durl]

I agree, Krusty. While I am disappointed that the Reds haven't made the postseason in quite some time, the constant pessimism only makes worse.

The Reds were competitive until September last year when no one gave us a chance, yet those 5 months are called a "fluke." I see it as a reason to hope for a good year in 2007.

[Johnny Footstool]

Disappointment.

IMO, they were on the verge of being a serious contender. They had 3 big needs to fill this offseason: a #3 starter, a quality RH bat, and a closer. They could have filled all of those needs in free agency by spending some cash. Instead, they went cheap and filled exactly none of those needs. Very disappointing.

Then Krivsky spent millions of dollars on ancient bullpen arms. Even more disappointing.

I'd be less disappointed if some of Krivsky's acquisitions had some reasonable upside. They don't. It's a longshot to hope that Saarloos and Lohse will somehow become effective pitchers. It's a longshot to hope that Cormier, Stanton, and Weathers have anything left in the tank. Sure, the chips could somehow magically fall into place like they did with Arroyo, but it's not something I would count on.

[Always Red]

realism, frustration, history, impatience.

But mostly because everyone here wants, very very badly, for the Reds to win again. And we disagree on how to get there.

[flyer85]

I agree, Krusty. While I am disappointed that the Reds haven't made the postseason in quite some time, the constant pessimism only makes worse.

What you see as pessimism is more likely realism. It takes and overly optimistic view to look at the 2007 Reds and see them as a contender outside a convergence of good luck and another strange season.

What could the Reds have done in the off-season to make them a contender? Likely nothing, WK used his surplus resources last July and got little to nothing in return. Now its time to pay the piper.

However, WKs insistence on blowing millions on over-the-hill players to plug significant holes is ludicrous.

[HBP]

My view on this team right now is a more apathetic stance than pessimistic. Maybe that makes me a bad fan, I don't know. I still believe this team is a non-contender because of the late Bowden year drafts. And I'm not saying it's completely Bowden and Linders fault either, freak injuries happend. But, the chioces they made in some of those drafts created a huge talent gap starting from when Dunn & Kearns came up until now with Bailey, Votto (they did get him), Bruce, etc.

So that brings us to todays team that has only three players that are true products of the farm system (Dunn, Deno, and Coffey). Not until a continuous crop of young talent populates this system will this team be able to be actual contenders.

[AdamDunn]

we like to call it not making the playoffs since 1990

[M2]

Johnny covered most of it. This offseason has sucked the high hard one.

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

"YOU ROTTEN MOBS! YOU OVERPAID WEENIES! MILD THING! YOU MAKE MY BUTT STING! I DETEST YOU! YOU'RE ALL GARBAGE! ALL OF YOU! BACK UP THE TRUCK! BACK IT UP!"

[Heath]

I think most of us have been a part of possibly the most successful 25 years of this franchise (1970-1995). When you have that history, combined with the small-town atmosphere of Cincinnati, the Reds become more than the local baseball team. They become life.

Since 1995, baseball finances have changed, and Cincinnati, with the limited resources, were left behind. Bad drafts, bad management, bad trades, etc sent this proud franchise into a spiral. There have been a few bright spots like 1999, the first half of 2004, and remarkably last year until September.

Most people, by nature, are pessimistic. It's just human nature. When you add bad performance with pessimisim, it's never gonna bloom.