OK, OK.... Starting...... NOW...

[Edskin]

That's been my mantra this season....

The Reds really shouldn't be in any sort of contention right now. We have not played well as a team at all. When certain areas have come through others have tanked and vice versa. We are two games below .500 and in 4th place in the worst division in MLB. We should be playing out the string already.

But the standings keep sucking us in. 4 games back... And we start the second half against a team we are chasing.

13 of our next 16 are at home...we get going against the Cards and then Pirates.... Milwaukee is starting an 11 game west coast roadie. It sure seems like if the Reds are ever going to make a run, it needs to be now.

Let's say we come and tank right off the bat... Let's say we go 2-4 against the Cards and Pirates and find ourselves 6-7 games out. At that point, it would probably be time to throw in the towel. So, we could be as close as one week away from the season virtually ending. Or.... One really good week and we close in on the division lead.

This division stinks. And we still might be the most talented team in it.

We've seemingly had many chances to regroup and restart and each time we've stumbled. This time you'd have to figure is our last chance.

So, the season starts......now!

[BuckeyeRedleg]

That's been my mantra this season....

The Reds really shouldn't be in any sort of contention right now. We have not played well as a team at all. When certain areas have come through others have tanked and vice versa. We are two games below .500 and in 4th place in the worst division in MLB. We should be playing out the string already.

But the standings keep sucking us in. 4 games back... And we start the second half against a team we are chasing.

13 of our next 16 are at home...we get going against the Cards and then Pirates.... Milwaukee is starting an 11 game west coast roadie. It sure seems like if the Reds are ever going to make a run, it needs to be now.

Let's say we come and tank right off the bat... Let's say we go 2-4 against the Cards and Pirates and find ourselves 6-7 games out. At that point, it would probably be time to throw in the towel. So, we could be as close as one week away from the season virtually ending. Or.... One really good week and we close in on the division lead.

This division stinks. And we still might be the most talented team in it.

We've seemingly had many chances to regroup and restart and each time we've stumbled. This time you'd have to figure is our last chance.

So, the season starts......now!

Say they play better in the 2nd half, win a weak central division, and then get the Phillies again in the first round. Then what?

I follow the Reds because they are my team and it's the thing I do to past the time in the spring and summer. They are a habit to me. I'll watch them and pay attention to them regardless of how good they are, but I just don't look at this team and think they are worthy of anything more than being a little above average.

I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but if they even can pass three teams and win the division, they get Philly again. And if so, I wouldn't expect different results than what we saw last year. The only positive I can think of is that we won't have to see Volquez start a playoff game again and the odds are we won't get no-hit, but other than that, I can't see a different result.

Then we are back to where we were last winter. Then what?

[Ghosts of 1990]

I say we grow over .500 beards starting if they win tomorrow night. If they are over .500 or at .500 (second half record only) the beards stay. If we go under at .500 (second half record only) at any point then we shave.

[kaldaniels]

Say they play better in the 2nd half, win a weak central division, and then get the Phillies again in the first round. Then what?

I follow the Reds because they are my team and it's the thing I do to past the time in the spring and summer. They are a habit to me. I'll watch them and pay attention to them regardless of how good they are, but I just don't look at this team and think they are worthy of anything more than being a little above average.

I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but if they even can pass three teams and win the division, they get Philly again. And if so, I wouldn't expect different results than what we saw last year. The only positive I can think of is that we won't have to see Volquez start a playoff game again and the odds are we won't get no-hit, but other than that, I can't see a different result.

Then we are back to where we were last winter. Then what?

Then we give it another go. Strive for improvement. It will be difficult for the Reds to ever be a team built both for the regular and post-season,given the payroll structure. I'm not saying it's impossible, and I'm not saying I am perfectly content as is, but in the scenario you mention, I'd be amped looking forward to the 2012 season. The playoffs are a crapshoot my friend...make it a habit to get there and good things will eventually happen.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Then we give it another go. Strive for improvement.

I would have liked to seen that happen last off-season.

[Patrick Bateman]

Say they play better in the 2nd half, win a weak central division, and then get the Phillies again in the first round. Then what?

I follow the Reds because they are my team and it's the thing I do to past the time in the spring and summer. They are a habit to me. I'll watch them and pay attention to them regardless of how good they are, but I just don't look at this team and think they are worthy of anything more than being a little above average.

I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but if they even can pass three teams and win the division, they get Philly again. And if so, I wouldn't expect different results than what we saw last year. The only positive I can think of is that we won't have to see Volquez start a playoff game again and the odds are we won't get no-hit, but other than that, I can't see a different result.

Then we are back to where we were last winter. Then what?

The Phillies like any other team are beatable.

This is baseball. The better team loses all the time.

Get to the playoffs and it wont neccesarily be a slam dunk.

It doesn't mean we are the best team, but I would be happy being the worst team in the playoffs every year because that is sometimes enough, and considering our payroll and such, simply being very competitive is not the worst thing in the world. The trade off is more than likely the Marlins system of play big for a year and stink the rest of the time.

[edabbs44]

My have our standards changed. Give me the playoffs any day. And Philly is no lock in the 1st rd anyway.

[Griffey012]

Say they play better in the 2nd half, win a weak central division, and then get the Phillies again in the first round. Then what?

I follow the Reds because they are my team and it's the thing I do to past the time in the spring and summer. They are a habit to me. I'll watch them and pay attention to them regardless of how good they are, but I just don't look at this team and think they are worthy of anything more than being a little above average.

I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but if they even can pass three teams and win the division, they get Philly again. And if so, I wouldn't expect different results than what we saw last year. The only positive I can think of is that we won't have to see Volquez start a playoff game again and the odds are we won't get no-hit, but other than that, I can't see a different result.

Then we are back to where we were last winter. Then what?

We play three or more playoffs games that has all of us on the edge of our seat acting like a bunch of fools. Even if we make the playoffs and get steamrolled by Philly in embarrassing fashion again, it is still way better than not making the playoffs.

[cumberlandreds]

The next six games are critical. If the Reds go 4-2 or better they are in the race for the long haul. If the go 2-4 or worse it's selling time. I don't think they can recover from being down about 6 games and trying to catch three teams to boot. If they go 3-3 it will tough to overcome but not quite time to throw in the towel. This will make the decision to be buyers or sellers extremely difficult for Reds Management.

[RollyInRaleigh]

I kinda get the feeling that the front office doesn't quite know what to do with the season. I don't get the feeling that they want to make a statement, either way and are just going to let things play out. Don't get a real sense that they know what direction to take with this year's team. Not a real confidence builder for the fan base.

[Edskin]

Like many others, I hope over the next week or so the team decides the direction for the front office. Either way, I hope it becomes obvious. Part of me says going 0-6 would be better than going 3-3.

And for the record, a playoff berth, regardless of the outcome is a success in my book bar none.

[cumberlandreds]

Like many others, I hope over the next week or so the team decides the direction for the front office. Either way, I hope it becomes obvious. Part of me says going 0-6 would be better than going 3-3.

And for the record, a playoff berth, regardless of the outcome is a success in my book bar none.

I agree with you. If they go 3-3 they will probably do nothing which may hurt this franchise in the long run.

A playoff berth is what you want no matter who you play. For the last ten years in MLB the hot team usually wins everything no matter what their regular season record says. Just get in and hopefully get hot.

[TheBurn]

...Say they play better in the 2nd half, win a weak central division, and then get the Phillies again in the first round. Then what?

Reminds me kinda like I felt about going against the Oakland A's back in 1990... a "now what?" type of thing. And that turned out nicely.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Reminds me kinda like I felt about going against the Oakland A's back in 1990... a "now what?" type of thing. And that turned out nicely.

I get what you are saying but in 1990 you only had to get past one team to make the WS.

And this team can't carry the 1990 team's jock.

But, again, I get what you are saying.

[Edd Roush]

I say we grow over .500 beards starting if they win tomorrow night. If they are over .500 or at .500 (second half record only) the beards stay. If we go under at .500 (second half record only) at any point then we shave.

Screw copying hockey traditions. We should start our own Reds' fan tradition. Pay homage to the rally onion, by eating some sort of onion every day the Reds are over .500. No one will know what you are doing, but every one will complain about your bad breath.