Corey Patterson signs with...not the Reds!

[GAC]

True, those guys could scoot,and alot of guys on this board probably never saw Vada play but I'll promise you the guy could flat out run.

I guess I'm one of the few who is old enough to remember watching Vada play. One of my all-time favorite Reds. Pinson combined power, speed and defensive ability. He had some great seasons with the Reds, and many thought he was on his way to be a sure HOFer. But after the Reds he pretty much became a journeyman OFer.

But I loved the guy.

His best season was 1963....led the NL with 204 hits and 14 triples. He batted .313 with 22 homers and 106 RBI, as he know hit third in front of Frank Robinson. Add in 37 doubles, 96 runs, 27 steals, and a .514 slugging mark, and you have a very good season all the way around. He was also one of the 3-4 best defensive outfielders in the league.

He is ranked 17th among the Top 50 all-time at CF

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/posit...ankings/CF.php

I've always wondered how he would have performed had he played in today's game?

[Chip R]

It boggles my mind how Jim Bowden continues to have a job as a MLB general manager. The man has no knowledge of how to build a baseball team.

I would say he does have some knowledge but it just isn't very good.

[TRF]

I would say he does have some knowledge but it just isn't very good.

And yet he put together that 99 team that rejuvenated my interest in baseball.

He HAD the ability. but after 2000 he turned into a parody of himself. He became enamored with the idea of acquiring the next KGJ. He didn't want to draft him, he wanted to steal him. I'll give him this though, his 2009 Nats are starting to remind me a lot of his 99 Reds. Not exactly, but he's pretty close.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'll give him this though, his 2009 Nats are starting to remind me a lot of his 99 Reds. Not exactly, but he's pretty close.

The 2009 Nationals will be lucky to win 65 games. They have hardly nothing in common with the 1999 Reds.

[TRF]

The 2009 Nationals will be lucky to win 65 games. They have hardly nothing in common with the 1999 Reds.

I disagree. The OF is remarkably similar. 1st and 3B also similar. The rotation is similar. He's lacking at 2B and SS, and perhaps in the pen. C is unproven, but I'd take Flores on the Reds. Now that I look at the Nats pen, I see it has some potential. The rotation is iffy, but Olsen is an upgrade, and Cabrerra is a wild card.

The 99 team kinda stunk for the first 2 months with a weak rotation held together by Steve Avery.

I'm not saying they are going to win 90 games, but there are similarities.

[OnBaseMachine]

The Nationals rotation is pretty bad. John Lannan was their best starter in 2008, and his peripherals were ugly. I wouldn't expect a repeat out of him. They also lost their top reliever Rauch.

I agree, they have a nice outfield but it's mostly potential right now. Dukes is a great talent but can he stay out of trouble? Will Milledge breakout? Can Kearns or Willingham stay healthy?

Again, I'd be shocked if they won 65 games.

Jim Bowden is one of the worst GM's I have ever seen. I'm amazed that he still has a job.

[TRF]

the '99 rotation had one guy make 30 starts (Harnisch) the rest of the rotation was Tomko, Neagle, Villone, Parris, Guzman (half a season), Avery and Bere. Parris had a career year, Harnisch was rescued from the scrap heap, as was just about everyone else. Tomko quit on the Reds. The bullpen was unheralded but outstanding. The top 5 in the pen were all under 30.

The Nats pen is a bit older. Hanrahan might be a legit closer. He had several outstanding months. They have three candidates for the pen that are 25 and younger. My comparison is not to what the 99 team did, but as to what they started out as.

hmmm. if the Reds sign Taveras mebbe I'll become a Nats fan.

[OnBaseMachine]

hmmm. if the Reds sign Taveras mebbe I'll become a Nats fan.

Good luck with that.

That organization is a LONG way from contending for anything.

BTW the 1999 Reds finished with a 118 ERA+, the third best in the NL.

[4256 Hits]

It boggles my mind how Jim Bowden continues to have a job as a MLB general manager. The man has no knowledge of how to build a baseball team.

I am still waiting for the Reds to replace him with someone who will do the job better then he did. I have hope that Walt will be better but he hasn't done enough yet to prove it to me.

[TRF]

Good luck with that.

That organization is a LONG way from contending for anything.

BTW the 1999 Reds finished with a 118 ERA+, the third best in the NL.

I love underdogs.

BTW, you are comparing what the 99 team did with who they were when they started. On paper, that was an awful rotation. Greg Vaughn was Dunn-like. There were 5 OF's for three spots. Reese was an unproven 2B, casey was coming off that eye injury in '98. No one really knew what to expect from anyone not named Larkin.

[Chip R]

I am still waiting for the Reds to replace him with someone who will do the job better then he did. I have hope that Walt will be better but he hasn't done enough yet to prove it to me.

By all means we should judge Walt on what he's done here over the past 8-9 months of being in charge.

[KronoRed]

By all means we should judge Walt on what he's done here over the past 8-9 months of being in charge.

Worked for Wayne did it not?

[4256 Hits]

By all means we should judge Walt on what he's done here over the past 8-9 months of being in charge.

We only have 8-9 month of Walt as Reds GM to judge him by. Based on what he did in STL I believe he will be a good GM for the Reds but he hasn't done enough yet (hasn't had enough time) to prove that he will be a good GM for the Reds. I am optimisit that he will be.

[REDREAD]

And yet he put together that 99 team that rejuvenated my interest in baseball.

He HAD the ability. but after 2000 he turned into a parody of himself. He became enamored with the idea of acquiring the next KGJ. He didn't want to draft him, he wanted to steal him. I'll give him this though, his 2009 Nats are starting to remind me a lot of his 99 Reds. Not exactly, but he's pretty close.

He also built the 95 team.

Bowden has some skills in talent acquision. He generally wins most of his trades. Milleage and Dukes were picked up for practically nothing (for example).

After 2000, Allen + Lindner decided they were just going to pinch pennies and not try to win. They thought just running Jr out there every night (hurt or not) would sell a lot of tickets. No GM could've thrived under that situation, not even Beane.

Bowden inherited a huge mess in DC. He had to basically start from scratch.
I don't know if he'll ever turn it around, but he's made some good moves.

[TRF]

He also built the 95 team.

Bowden has some skills in talent acquision. He generally wins most of his trades. Milleage and Dukes were picked up for practically nothing (for example).

After 2000, Allen + Lindner decided they were just going to pinch pennies and not try to win. They thought just running Jr out there every night (hurt or not) would sell a lot of tickets. No GM could've thrived under that situation, not even Beane.

Bowden inherited a huge mess in DC. He had to basically start from scratch.
I don't know if he'll ever turn it around, but he's made some good moves.

With the exception of Larkin, the '99 team was all Bowden. the '94-'95 teams he added parts to, but the core was already there.