Will the Reds make any trades before the deadline?

[Slyder]

First, it is 40-18, which is a big difference from 40-12. THe 1990 Reds went 40-19 to start the season, and the BRM went 50-20 in the middle of 1976, which is better than 40-18. Also there exactly four teams ahead of the Reds.

My mistake, but with the way this team has been playing Id feel fortunate with us going 500. And theres 5 teams if you count LA (I thought Atlanta was still ahead of us). The Five teams: LA (50-52), Milwaukee (59-44), St. Louis (57-48), Philly and Florida (55-49).

But regardless, I am not talking about winning the wild card, I am talking about being competitive. There is a very big difference. To be competitive, the Reds probably need to go 35-23, which is very doable. That would keep them in the hunt until the very end.

I guess "in the hunt" is one of those things where you ask 50 people and get 50 different responses. Because in my opinion theres no difference between finishing more than 8 games out in any standings. Beyond that games are pretty much worthless games in September. I want to see a team built where were playing for ourselves in September not trying to play spoiler like the last decade or so.

The experience of being in the playoff hunt is valuable in and of itself. I think the problem with the Brewers last year is that they had no experience of being in the race. They folded at the end last year, but if they had been in the hunt the year before, they might have handled the pressure better. Last year seems to help them this year.

And again were not in the race as it is right now. Were afterthoughts with the exception of trade rumors, theres no pressure on anyone now just like the last decade. There wont be any pressure until we build a team that can actually play above 500 ball for more than a week.

Also, I would have no problem trading Griffey, but he doesn't want to be traded, has a full no trade clause, and nobody would give up anything good for him anyway. Would you?

Id give him to anyone that wants him for a bag of balls, nothing against Griff, but we need to start investing time in guys we dont know rather than hold on to the hope that Griffey is going to magically return to being the ticket drawer and 40+ hr man.

I can see trading Weathers or Affeldt, since they won't be a Reds next year, and losing them doesn't hurt that much. But I was talking more about Dunn. If I thought the Reds could get something that could really help them the rest of this year, and especially next year, that would be one thing, but after the Marte-Nady trade, I just don't see that happening.

Why cant we resign Affeldt? He's been a good arm in that pen this past year. He (after Dunn) would be 2nd on my list of FAs to be to get resigned. If he likes Cincy and wants to stay I would do everything in my power to try and make that happen. But we have seen that this team is what it is (about 500) as constituted. Why not go ahead and throw Jerry Hairston (if healthy before the end of trading), Bronson Arroyo, David Ross, etc out there and see what you can get and expand the farm system and see if you cant find another Brandon Phillips or Josh Hamilton among the roster moves. Use the farm rather than keep the same team thats proven its a 500 team and see exactly where we stand with in house options and maybe get the diamonds in the rough that farm systems need to produce in order for teams to succeed without blowing 90+ mil a year in order to try and buy competitiveness.