Well, We've Hit That Time of the Season Again...

[Edskin]

I dread this day, I really do.

Each year it's different and it comes under different circumstances. Lately, it's come MUCH earlier, which is a good thing. But overall, it's still pretty depressing that it comes at all-- and that it almost always arrives well before the end of the summer.

I have officially hit the point in the 2008 season where the individual games don't matter to me.

Anyone who has read my posts this year knows that I am far from doom and gloom right now. I actually like the general young core of the team, and for the first time in awhile, I have some faith in the direction of the organization. So, with that in mind, I certainly still CARE about the Reds and how our young players progress and I certainly have interest in what moves they make, etc..

But, in the end, baseball is about the games. And we've hit that point in the season where a win brings me no joy and a loss brings me no pain. Just playing out the string....always stinks, even if the circumstances might be a little better this year.

Obviously, I knew MONTHS ago that the Reds weren't winning the World Series. And it was also pretty clear that the Reds weren't making the playoffs, given the division they play in. But I still wanted to see them enter into at least the fringes of a race... maybe get above .500 and just assert themselves a bit.

I thought this 10 game homestand following the AS break represented our last chance at doing anything interesting this year. But with a 5-5 record at best, it's pretty clear that there will be no such run.

I'm not crushed by any means. Like I said, I never had any hope of the Reds actually making a serious playoff run, but I was hoping for a tease at least.

On the bright side....this is the last weekend until early February that there won't be actual football games to watch

Still, it stinks.

[BCubb2003]

You know, we struggle and yearn for a .500 team and never get there, and right now teams like Milwaukee and Boston are 16 games and 15 games above .500, like it was nothing.

[Edskin]

If the current standings remain as they are and the Rays and Brewers make the playoffs...

Nationals
Royals
Pirates
Blue Jays

Those will be the ONLY teams with playoff droughts longer than ours.

Yikes.

And 21 different organizations have made the playoffs this decade. And 20 different organizations have made the playoffs in the past 5 years.

And in Cincy...........

[BCubb2003]

But we've had three owners, three general managers and six managers in 10 years.

[HokieRed]

Edskin, would this line keep you at least interested: .305/.362/.553/.915, 24 HR's 103 RBI's? Most exciting player to come through here in some time. Didn't stay long enough.

[Edskin]

Edskin, would this line keep you at least interested: .305/.362/.553/.915, 24 HR's 103 RBI's? Most exciting player to come through here in some time. Didn't stay long enough.

Honestly, at this point, individual performance is most definitely NOT enough to keep me interested. Obviously, I'd like to see young players do well because it will most likely increase our chances of team success in the future.

But after this much losing, a below .500 with a few "exciting" players does not "do it" for me.

I don't care how they do it. I don't care if we're the most boring team in MLB history. I don't care if no one on the staff throws harder than Jamie Moyer and I don't care if anyone hits more than 15 HR's. I want wins. I want contention. Period.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Nothing does quite as good of a job every year of getting me excited for football like the Reds

[RedlegJake]

But we've had three owners, three general managers and six managers in 10 years.

Yep, that's a huge part of the problem. Can you imagine any business thriving with that kind of turnover at the top? No continuity. Constantly changing plans which means each successive guy is strapped with decisions of his predecessor that don't fit his own plans. The players don't know from one season to the next what's going to happen except that they are going to be also rans early on - and they play like it. The Rox are a very similar team roster wise but you can see the energy difference and outlook of the two teams in this match up. The Rockies seem to know they can go on a roll and get back in it - the Reds, although they are farther back, could still get a roll going toward a wild card but they play like they don't believe they can do it. It's not that they don't care - I think every guy on the team cares a heckuva lot, but I wonder if they really believe in their hearts that it's possible. And hearing your GM and owner spout off about just getting to .500 sends a message, too - "These guys are only good enough to maybe get to even."

The best thing Cast could do is to give Jocketty free rein within reasonable financials to remake the club top to bottom. Beane didn't build Oakland overnight, Ryan didn't build Minnesota immediately, and Jocketty didn't remake the Cardinals in a single year. Personally I'm torn - there is a nice core here but there is also a lot of dead weight and some heavy contracts coming up that might not line up with the best shot at winning. One day I feel like they could tweak things to get this team pretty good, other days I just want to blow it up and start rebuilding from scratch with only the very youngest guys (the under 25 club). Really, right now I'm just disgusted. I had hope until the Rockies came in here and simply beat the Reds in every facet of the game.

[WVRedsFan]

This team has fundamental problems. The first baseman has hit in spots but he has defensive lapses, once again,at times. Our second baseman is an impatient hitter who the manager insists on hitting cleanup. We do not have a competent shortstop--not a major league on anyway. The beloved third baseman gets hot and then goes cold, all the time making every throw to first an adventure.

The outfield is made up a left fielder who's bat is fine, but the fielding is suspect. Our centerfielder is a rookie who is down to .261/.317/.728 and is batting leadoff (he's also 11 for his last 46 - .239 - in a complete fall from grace). In rightfield we have the Kid who can't run, but still has a good stick (and arm, too). At catcher we have three backup catchers. I see nothing to be optimistic about with the offense or defense.

If we think we have a strong youthful corps to build around (Votto-Phillips-Encarnacion-Bruce), keep this in mind. Only Phillips would be starting for any of our rivals. Think about it. Two hits and two errors made a statement tonight. We need a complete overhaul. Dunn is the only player I'd build a team around at this point.

[KronoRed]

You know, we struggle and yearn for a .500 team and never get there, and right now teams like Milwaukee and Boston are 16 games and 15 games above .500, like it was nothing.

Because they set a goal of making a team that would win it all, not a team that would get to .500.

[Unassisted]

Maybe the lesson for you is to be like the rest of us and give up in May?

[CTA513]

Edskin, would this line keep you at least interested: .305/.362/.553/.915, 24 HR's 103 RBI's? Most exciting player to come through here in some time. Didn't stay long enough.

He wouldn't have that many RBIs with the Reds.

[LoganBuck]

Hey it is Shark Week!

[Degenerate39]

Edskin, would this line keep you at least interested: .305/.362/.553/.915, 24 HR's 103 RBI's? Most exciting player to come through here in some time. Didn't stay long enough.

He wouldn't have that many RBI's in the leadoff spot for the Reds.

[KronoRed]

Maybe the lesson for you is to be like the rest of us and give up in May?

Come on now, I gave up in April