1999 April record (life isn't that bad yet)

[arkimadee]

I look back at the 1999 numbers and the reds were 9-12 in the month of April. That would put this years team on pace to finish with that record or close to that record this month. So a slow start isn't going to kill us. If anything it might be better for us to start slow and pick it up in May and June. We just need to stay in some sort of striking distance of 1st place and continue to atleast split a home stand if nothing els

Positives :
-Jay Bruce is starting to hit a little.
-Cueto and Bailey pitched a little better this weekend.
-Arroyo typically has a slow April and atleast a few bad starts. There was a couple of games last year he didn't get out of the first inning. He will improve.
- Rolen has been solid at the plate.
- Votto is going to get hot anytime soon.
-Mike Leake has been pretty good and will only improve as time goes on.
-We still have a 100mph pitcher hurling for the riverbats awaiting arrival.

Negatives (things that need addressed):
-Harang is showing no signs of improvements
-Gomes SUCKS as a left fielder. I see why he pinch hit so many times last year.
- Drew Stubbs just doesn't look comfortable. Maybe the lineup shift will help him out.
- We can't get early run support for the most part. Other than a couple of games we can't get out to early leads and the ones we do, the bullpen blows them.
- Is it the pitching coach? This rotation was alot better with Dick Pole as the coach. I'm just saying.
-Our crowds are pee poor. I understand its early but there are few teams that has less attendance than we do. Do we need more days games? Better promotions? I don't know but it's depressing that our crowds are starting to rival the Marlins crowds.

[kfm]

Nice post. You know you forgot the slow start of Brandon Phillips and how did Brandon start out last year and what did he do the rest of the year. He really tore it up after april last year.

I remember that 1999 team very fondly. A nice mix of veterans and young players not much expected out of them and they really hung around .500 until the all star break and they turned it on. The bad thing about that year is that so many guys on that team had the best year of their careers, guys like Pokey, Taubensee, Steve Paris, Ron Villone, Gabe White, and even the mayor had arguably the best year of his career. Greg Vaughn hit 45 and drove in 118. He never hit more than 28 hr after that season and never drove in more than 82 runs. Had that team made it to the postseason and won a world series, it would have been one of those one hit wonders a team no one saw coming and one that would not be heard from again.

[Vottomatic]

Nice post. I agree with most of it, but way too early to draw conclusions on the new pitching coach. Dude did well in Arizona.

[kfm]

Nice post. I agree with most of it, but way too early to draw conclusions on the new pitching coach. Dude did well in Arizona.

It is early and I agree to small a sample size to make any definititve conclusions, but I was wondering when someone was going to say look at how these guys, especially the young guys were progressing with Dick Pole vs what we have seen so far. I think th thread starter was pointing out that it was early as well, but it is something to watch and if it continues will people be willing to at least look at the possibility that Dick Pole wasn't as bad as people thought.