Verducci weighs in on the Reds

[CarolinaRedleg]

Hadn't seen this on the site yet...more national pub.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...html?eref=sihp

[membengal]

From that article:

Rookie Travis Wood, 23, allowed the Rockies one run over six innings in his first home start on Sunday, giving him a 2.03 ERA after four big-league starts. Wood was the 60th pitcher taken in the 2005 draft, the 30th selected out of high school.

"Right now he's a solid fourth or fifth [starter]," Jocketty said, "with the potential to be a two or three one day."

[yab1112]

That was a nice mix of "Help is on the way" and the ol' "Yea but look who it was against..."

The Reds have their flaws. They don't have a legitimate leadoff hitter. (Orlando Cabrera, who has a .292 on-base percentage and is the least patient hitter on the team, hits there most often, while overall their leadoff hitters post a .277 OBP, the worst mark in baseball.)

He makes it sound like they switch off when in reality once Dusty flipped them in the lineup it's been Phillips hitting leadoff pretty exclusively. Big difference.

[Chip R]

That was a nice mix of "Help is on the way" and the ol' "Yea but look who it was against..."

Yeah, that bothered me.

[membengal]

I figure it's hard for Verducci to admit he was wrong. That lets him do it. Both he and Heyman have been less than optimistic about Cincy's chances at various points throughout this season...

[Hoosier Red]

I hate the idiotic bandbox of a stadium argument.

GABP has played about as slightly better offensive ball park than Riverfront.
This year it is playing neutral according to Baseball-Reference.(Please let me know if there's a better site.)

The dimensions aside from right field and right center are pretty much average. This was a big deal when the Reds two biggest power hitters were both lefthanded. Admittedly Votto's and Bruce are left handed, but it's not like the cheap right field fence has helped Rolen(17 HR) Gomes, Phillips, Stubbs(13 HR.)

People believed that GABP was a cheap ball park for homers because the Reds throughout the 2000's were a team built for the home run both for and against.

[TRF]

I've always wondered about the "neutrality" of a given ballpark. Were a lot of HR's hit in GABP because of the park or because the Reds pitching kinda sucked?

[Brutus]

I didn't take the "look who it's against" argument to be a shot. I took it at face value: that the Reds won't have a ton of land mines the last month of the season -- which in theory should greatly improve the chances they're in the race until the end.

[Caveat Emperor]

I didn't take the "look who it's against" argument to be a shot. I took it at face value: that the Reds won't have a ton of land mines the last month of the season -- which in theory should greatly improve the chances they're in the race until the end.

Beyond even lacking land mines, they'll be playing teams that will have sold off key components and will be giving the 40 man a once-over in September.

[LincolnparkRed]

Problem is the Indians took the Twins to the woodshed last night and MLB TV said they don't even know how to be afraid and know to lay down. That is what I worry about when you start taking wins for granted against the Astros, Pirates and Cubs of the world. As I recall Seattle swept us and KC took 2 of 3 at home.

[Chip R]

Problem is the Indians took the Twins to the woodshed last night and MLB TV said they don't even know how to be afraid and know to lay down. That is what I worry about when you start taking wins for granted against the Astros, Pirates and Cubs of the world. As I recall Seattle swept us and KC took 2 of 3 at home.

Yep. We've played spoiler ourselves a few times over the past decade.

[Mario-Rijo]

I didn't take the "look who it's against" argument to be a shot. I took it at face value: that the Reds won't have a ton of land mines the last month of the season -- which in theory should greatly improve the chances they're in the race until the end.

The whole thing has a bit of a backhanded compliment feel to it. I guess it's the umpteen times he brings it up. I don't recall the Cards getting hammered for their weak division brethren low these past 10+ years.

Speaking of which we are 5-7 against the Cards which means we are holding our own with the "best" in the division 2 at their place and 3 in ours.

[bucksfan2]

I don't really buy the "easiest schedule" notion. For the most part it balances out over the course of the year. The Reds can't help it that their division sans StL is bad this year. They can't help it that they already have finished their series against Philly and the Mets. They can't help it that the have already played the majority of their games against the Cards.

[Roy Tucker]

The Cubs and the Brewers have some talent and have been playing better lately so I wouldn't list them as creampuffs.

I wouldn't be shocked to see one of them make a run at the Reds and Cards in August.

[Ghosts of 1990]

People believed that GABP was a cheap ball park for homers because the Reds throughout the 2000's were a team built for the home run both for and against.

wiser words have never been spoken.