The Panic Button (version 2.0)

[Ghosts of 1990]

We're about to have lost 9 of 10. I'm officially wondering if this is anything better than a .500 team when the dust settles.

Does anyone here feel that we're anything better than a .500, third place team?

I saw the Brewers as better than us before the season began. The Cardinals are better than I thought, and they're better by a long ways.

Are we in big trouble?

[oregonred]

If the starting staff continues to struggle with a near 5 ERA, then for sure .500 at best. Maybe a few games over thanks to the Cubs/Astros being in the division.

Figure out a way to get at least one win down in Atlanta and then refocus on the Brewers next week. We'll see what this team is made of over the next couple of weeks.

[edabbs44]

Not worried yet.

[Homer Bailey]

There's just no way the pitching is this bad.

[lollipopcurve]

Definitely worried. If Bailey's arm is bad, that makes 4 of the 6 starters who are broken to one degree or another. And Chapman is in the shop too.

That, folks, is dire straits.

[westofyou]

That, folks, is dire straits.

Money for Nothing

[HokieRed]

I'm not panicking; I've said we're a .500 team all along. We seem a little better than that because of the weakness of our division.

[_Sir_Charles_]

We're about to have lost 9 of 10. I'm officially wondering if this is anything better than a .500 team when the dust settles.

Does anyone here feel that we're anything better than a .500, third place team?

I saw the Brewers as better than us before the season began. The Cardinals are better than I thought, and they're better by a long ways.

Are we in big trouble?

No. We're not in big trouble. Not by a long shot. Getting swept by the Pirates hurt. No doubt about that. But seriously, what were people expecting from a road trip to Cleveland for 3 and Philly for 4...basically the top teams in each league? When we've got multiple offensive players slumping and several injuries...I would've been THRILLED with a .500 road trip thus far. Realistically, I was thinking more like 2-5 or 3-4. Well we failed to catch many breaks, we made some dumb mistakes and our starters failed to go deep at all and we've been scrambling ever since to fill our pen with fresh arms. 1-6 is hardly a surprise. The only thing we need to do is get healthy and get a couple of guys back on track. Dusty fixing the lineup was a solid first step. The offense is fine. We're not getting the timely hits, but we're still getting double digit hits regularly...just not the runs. That worm will turn.

As will the fortunes of the Cards. They are NOT this good. Period. Kyle Loshe is not a Cy Young candidate. Neither is Kyle McClellan. Lance Berkman is not an MVP candidate. These guys will regress. Pujols will likely improve, but I doubt that Carpenter does.

As for the Brewers...they're dangerous. But they're not going to win at the pace that they have been the past couple of weeks. They'll cool off too.

It's a long season and we'll be fine. We're still above .500, we're still only a handful of games back, and we're playing about as poorly as we can. Things WILL improve. Patience. At the end of the season, I STILL think we'll win over 90 games and win the division. We've still got a long way to go boys and girls...a LONG way.

[Will M]

Its hard to wheel and deal, especially this early in the season. However, the wheels have fallen off the bus & IMO its time for Walt to do something. Homer's injury today could be the end for 2011. If he is DL bound we will have 1 starter with an ERA under 5. Thats the biggest issue for me. Yes several of the position players aren't hitting but the starting pitching is looking dire.

1) find a team that needs a catcher and trade Ramon (with Mes to the bigs)
2) move Alonso for a starter
3) find some servicable arm or two to bandaid the bleeding. even a Micah Owings type would help in the short term

Those are just off the top of my head suggestions. If the plan is Leake on friday, Volquez to replace Homer, continued offensive woes and the status quo then we will be big time sellers come July. As much as it pains to say it it may be time to think what we could get in return for Votto. IMO the time is now to fix the team for 2011.

[kbrake]

With Bailey, Chapman, Arroyo, LeCure, and Maloney all hurting the injuries are piling up and yeah I'm worried for the first time this year. If Bailey goes on the shelf I'm really worried. I don't know maybe its just been a tough week and 4 hours of sleep last night and the last two games just have me down too much.

[Blitz Dorsey]

I'm officially worried. Not in panic mode yet, but close. Jay Bruce turning into the masher we all hoped gives me some optimism. But the pitching situation is atrocious and was supposed to be one of our clear strengths.

[Roy Tucker]

I don't like what's going on, but I'm certainly not panicking:

- For whatever reason, the Pirates have the Reds' number this year. Every year there seems to be one team that does that and its the Pirates turn this year.
- The Reds got swept by a very hot Indians team. But two of those 3 games were very winnable and really were fluke wins by the Indians.
- and the Reds were one Brandon Phillip snooze away from a 2-2 split with the Phils at Philly where they hadn't won since 2009.

9 out of 10 is pretty bad. But, this may sound weird, but I don't think the Reds have played all that badly.

[CTA513]

Since sweeping the Cardinals:
Reds are 3-8
Cardinals are 8-2

Leake has been sent down
Volquez has been sent down
Chapman has been sent down
Maloney is on the DL
LeCure has forearm tightness
Bailey left todays game with shoulder spasms

Cueto and Bailey are the only starters with respectable ERAs

[reds44]

I'm frusterated, but not worried yet. Stuff will begin to settle down with the pitching, and I believe Walt will make a move or two at the deadline. Extrememly frustrated, but not worried.

I will say this, just above every moved Walt made in the offseason (Chapman a reliever, no real replacements in LF or SS) have backfried.

[757690]

If Homer is really injured, then I would like to see a real move made soon. But if it was just heat exhaustion, and he's back in a week, I'm just frustrated, but not worried... yet.