25 man roster concerns....

[redsmetz]

I dislike Dusty insistance on doing as well as possible in any given season. once you are out of it why do 70 wins matter versus 75, you still had a losing season. He places his personal record as a manager over the improvement of the orginization. He did it in Chicago in 2005 and he is doing it here. I think Walt has to mandate a change in philosiphy or we won't get to see who might play a role in 2009.

I would disagree. I'm not interested in running a team out there and not expecting to win. We'll have time to look at players like Dickerson and Hanigan to see if they have value for 2009, but the club better be going out there to win as often as they can. While they may look like they're just playing out the string, I'd like to see the team's feet held to the fire to win, period.

[REDREAD]

Why are we still carrying 3 catchers and Corey Patterson? Patterson certainly didn't EARN his promotion from Louisville. As for the kids down at Louisville...at the beginning of the season we didn't have any viable options for CF or C. That's not true right now. Both Hannigan & Dickerson have CONSISTANTLY hit and played d all season long.
.

I know you may disagree, but Walt probably doesn't think much of Hannigan and Dickerson.

Here is the problem. Let's say Dickerson is marginally better than Patterson. I do not agree, but let's assume that.

You release Patterson and bring up Dickerson. Then you get another OF injury. What do you do?

This team is paper thin. The young talent is very questionable at best. No point in giving playing time to another Anderson Machado type. (Or other very marginal prospects the Reds have wasted playing time on).
I don't know much about Hannigan, but Dickerson seems to be purely organizational fodder, to be called up in an emergency only.
Let's assume the Reds' scouts think Dickerson has no ML future. If we go under that assumption, we might as well just keep Patterson, since we are paying for him, and he is better than Dickerson.

In summary, Walt probably doesn't agree that Dickerson and Hannigan are ready. Or if they are ready, he doesn't think they are part of the future. Walt had no problem with bringing up other kids that he thought could help, so I doubt he's prejudiced against Dickerson.

[REDREAD]

I dislike Dusty insistance on doing as well as possible in any given season. once you are out of it why do 70 wins matter versus 75, you still had a losing season. He places his personal record as a manager over the improvement of the orginization. He did it in Chicago in 2005 and he is doing it here. I think Walt has to mandate a change in philosiphy or we won't get to see who might play a role in 2009.

It's Dusty's job to try to win every day. The people that buy tickets expect the Reds to try to win.

Skilled baseball people don't need to give every AAA player a couple hundred at bats at the major league level to see if they can make it. This whole philosphy of just throwing junk against the wall over and over again and hope something works needs to change too.

Walt has given chances to the following relative youngsters: Bruce, Thompson, Homer, Bray, Coffey, Maj, and the pitcher we got for Jr.

If he thought Malony or Dickerson could help, he'd call them up in a heartbeat.

[OnBaseMachine]

I would be willing to bet money that Chris Dickerson could come up and hit better than Patterson is right now, and play just as good defensively.

[nate]

I know you may disagree, but Walt probably doesn't think much of Hannigan and Dickerson.

Here is the problem. Let's say Dickerson is marginally better than Patterson. I do not agree, but let's assume that.

You release Patterson and bring up Dickerson. Then you get another OF injury. What do you do?

Waiver wire city, baby!

This team is paper thin. The young talent is very questionable at best. No point in giving playing time to another Anderson Machado type. (Or other very marginal prospects the Reds have wasted playing time on).

Why not?

I don't know much about Hannigan, but Dickerson seems to be purely organizational fodder, to be called up in an emergency only.
Let's assume the Reds' scouts think Dickerson has no ML future. If we go under that assumption, we might as well just keep Patterson, since we are paying for him, and he is better than Dickerson.

Let's not assume that. Let's find out if he's greater than or equal to Patterson.

In summary, Walt probably doesn't agree that Dickerson and Hannigan are ready. Or if they are ready, he doesn't think they are part of the future. Walt had no problem with bringing up other kids that he thought could help, so I doubt he's prejudiced against Dickerson.

I don't see how one could say that with any degree of certainty whatsoever.

[OnBaseMachine]

This is a stubborn organization when it comes to cutting loose bad players. Paul Bako, Corey Patterson, and Gray Majewski should have been gone a long time, especially with better options available and yet the Reds continue to run them out there nearly everyday. It's frustrating.

[HokieRed]

Keep the faith, OBM, I'd be surprised if any of the 3 you mention is back in 2009.

[IslandRed]

I would be willing to bet money that Chris Dickerson could come up and hit better than Patterson is right now, and play just as good defensively.

It is possible to be clearly better than Corey Patterson and still just be organizational filler.

Personally, I think Dickerson would probably be okay as a reserve in Cincinnati, but as a fifth-outfielder type. Like I said earlier about Hanigan, not someone to make plans around.

Let's not assume that. Let's find out if he's greater than or equal to Patterson. ... I don't see how one could say that with any degree of certainty whatsoever.

What REDREAD said:

Skilled baseball people don't need to give every AAA player a couple hundred at bats at the major league level to see if they can make it.

Sometimes, if you're running a ballclub and you're on the fence about a guy, you give him the trial run and see what happens. But if you've made up your mind, you either trust your judgment or you don't, and the latter doesn't tend to keep a job very long.

[REDREAD]

This is a stubborn organization when it comes to cutting loose bad players. Paul Bako, Corey Patterson, and Gray Majewski should have been gone a long time, especially with better options available and yet the Reds continue to run them out there nearly everyday. It's frustrating.

That's the point though. Walt probably doesn't agree that they are better options. Based on the moves Walt has made, don't you believe he'd call them up if he thought they were better options?

Anderson Machado was hailed as having potential, based on his minor league numbers and defense too.

Some people want Maj cut and Harrera to replace him too. Herrara does not project well at all. The league will figure out his gimmick pitches when they see him more. As someone else said, younger isn't automatically better. It can get worse.

[Chip R]

Some people want Maj cut and Harrera to replace him too. Herrara does not project well at all. The league will figure out his gimmick pitches when they see him more. As someone else said, younger isn't automatically better. It can get worse.

As Judge Smails said, "The world needs ditch diggers too." He could have said "middle relievers" and been just as accurate. Majewski, Santos, Whoever is in that spot is usually not someone who you have your future hopes pinned on. They are expendable. There are bigger fish to fry.