Grandal played 3 years at the top level of college baseball. Mes was drafted out of high school. It is the norm for a college player to progress faster than high school players, especially at a position like catcher. I believe it was also mentioned in this thread that the rate of that Grandal has thrown out runners has dropped drastically this year. Both players are 23 with major upside. I liked what Grandal brought to the Reds, but I have no problem with the Reds sticking with Mes. Both will be solid major league catchers.
I want a World Series to....but I would take 10 years of being in 1st place and not winning it than 15 years of what we had before 2010. At least their is a chance of a World Series with a 1st place team. I think most realistic fans want a team on the field that has a realistic chance at the beginning of the season to win it all and a team that plays hard. I think for the most part we have both of those. Aquiring Latos for guys that were blocked by talent that wasn't going anywhere(free agency) for a long while. I agreed with the trade then and still do. Like someone said earlier, you take out 2 horrible starts and Latos' era is pretty solid. I can't believe there are people arguing about what Walt has put on the field.....WE ARE IN 1ST PLACE!!!!
This thread is just filled with the type of stuff that drives me crazy - on BOTH sides of the Matt Latos discussions
Crazy Point #1 - "We should have traded for X, instead of Latos" (X of course being someone who has outpitched Latos this season, which lets face it is ANYONE not named Tim Lincecum). The success rate for people who make predictions AFTER an event has happened is pretty close to 100%. If anyone can to provide a post from back in December saying we should have gotten Gio Gonzales rather than Matt Latos feel free to rant. If not most folks are not impressed by your hindsight. The other point on this is, unless you are in the front office you do not know who the Reds were trying to get, who they could have gotten or who was not available.
Crazy Point #2 - "The guys we gave up were blocked anyway so its no loss trading them for Matt Latos". Pure insanity. The players the Reds traded, at the time of the trade had significant value, especially to teams who wanted them. Whether they are blocked, or turn into dust once they are traded is irrelevant to their value at the time of the trade. If you trade that value and get little to nothing back for it, its a loss no matter how you try to rationalize it. It also ignores the opportunity cost of value you could have gotten in exchange.
For full disclosure, and you can check my posts from the past, I was luke warm on the Latos deal. I thought he could help but that the Reds paid far too much for him. So far he has been a major disappointment regardless of how you spin it.
Sorry DP
For once I agree with you, I'm tired of people saying we have to do this or do that for it to be a succesful season. Those 15 years that we couldn't sniff the playoffs people were screaming for a contender, now that we have one, people are still screaming. Just now they are screaming over crazy stuff!!! BLOWS MY MIND SOMETIMES!!!!
Yes im out of my mind because i expect success from my team that has the talent to make some noise this season, i dont understand how such a post is negative. I guess i dont have the loser mentality that 90% of the posters on here have and they misinterpret such posts as negativity. Good thing you guys arent the head of a big corporation just being content with mediocrity because you wouldn't last long
No, im not content with mediocrity, but I don't expect the world either. I looked thru your previous post earlier trying to find something I thought you had said earlier, and almost everything is negative. I can get past your expectations, but everything else...its rediculous man. I'm in the military, and if my comrades had your attitude life would be horrible!!! Lighten up man, enjoy this team. We are 10 games over .500 and in 1st place. There is always room for improvement. Unless your team goes 162-0 mistakes will be made by all.....the players, the manager, and the front office.
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