Groundhog Day. I can't. Seem. To wake up from this bad dream.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Forgive me in advance for the following rant. I have to let it go.........


Why do I even get excited with this team?

Just as they get close or have a reason to be excited, they choke.

Every September, I tell myself I'm done with this crappy team and organization and every spring I'm back and giddy as a schoolgirl. This spring I was so excited that I predicted a 82-80 record. Can you believe I was so excited to think this was a .500 team? How my standards have been lowered. And look at the run differential. They are not even a .500 team, even though they are a few wins away from making me look like a genius (in my own mind).

Here we are. Another lost season. Three playoff appearances in 30 years, since the end of the BRM. 10 years of futility. Even if the Reds finish 2-2, giving them an 80-82 record, it will be their 6th straight losing season, giving them 8 losing season's out of the last 10. In 10 years, they will have an average of 78 wins and 84 losses and an average run differential of 760 runs scored to 812 runs against (-52 per year).

And now, Juan Castro is re-signed for two more years. Juan Castro! We acquire two Phillies relievers and our team then tanks and the Phillies re-energize and on the verge of making the playoffs. We DFA Rick White and he is decent in Philly. We DFA Dave Williams and he is decent in NY. We give away Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns for crap middle relief. Oh, but they are young. We take a throw-in from that same deal and make him our starting SS. Pitchers with blown elbows. Pitcher's with blown elbows that our Dr. doesn't diagnose until they have detached from the humerus. A CF'er past his prime who should be moved to another position that misses significant time with more injuries. A manager that has no idea how to manage his pitching staff. A team that continually fails in any clutch situation. Horrible defense. More of the same. More of the same.

We are the Milwaukee Brewers (without the young talent). We are the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and Pittsburgh Pirates (without the beautiful stadiums). We were the Detroit Tigers (until they got really good). Dare I say? No. Yes, I will. We are the Kansas City Royals. Small market. Small way of thinking. Small-time. This city deserves better. It's tired and frustrated fans deserve better. This is Baseball Town U.S.A.. No other city has produced the talent that Cincinnati has produced. It's a shame that a once proud organization has basically put their fans to sleep. A long sleep.

I'm Bill Murray and the alarm clock has just gone off. Another September. Another vow to myself that I quit with this team. Do I quit? No. Come March or April, the angst will be worn off and I'll be rejuvenated again, just to be disappointed come mid or late-summer, when the wheels fall off again. This is one time in my life I wish I were older. Old enough to appreciate what happened between 1970 and 1976, especially '75 and '76. I have almost no recollection of it. I was too young. I remember sitting in front of the T.V. playing with my hot wheels as my family went crazy after a play by Cesar Geronimo. I just remember them yelling "Geronimo". That is it. My only memory and I have no idea if it was even the World Series. My first year I cared was 1979 and I remember crying as an 8-year old when the Pirates swept the Reds in the NLCS.

And next year? I'll be excited come late March again.

So excited I may even predict 82-80 again.

[IslandRed]

I dunno. We're not going to make the playoffs again, true. But we can't really say that the last six months have been the Same Old Thing. The destination -- missing the postseason -- is the same. But the journey was a heck of a lot more interesting than it's been for awhile.

For me, in the end, it's still about entertainment. They don't owe me a winning team, although I want to win; they aren't obligated to run the team the way I would, although I happily play virtual GM. All I truly want -- the core difference between the times when I listen to the games and read RedsZone faithfully, and the times I don't -- is that they be interesting. And this year, the Reds have certainly been that.

[westofyou]

We are the Milwaukee Brewers (without the young talent). We are the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and Pittsburgh Pirates (without the beautiful stadiums). We were the Detroit Tigers (until they got really good). Dare I say?

Actually the Reds are better off (so far then the aforementioned teams)

The Pirates and Brewers are on their 14th straight losing season, that's legendary. Only the Phillies (1918-1931 & 1933 to 1948) the Cubs (1947-1962) Browns (1946-1949) A's (1953-1967) and Red Sox (1919-1934) have equaled it or topped that run of futility.

That's the laundry list of losers in the history of the game, and now it includes Buds team and two teams with new parks.

Meanwhile the Tigers are ending a 12 year run that is still more then twice as long as the current Reds run of futility.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Actually the Reds are better off (so far then the aforementioned teams)

The Pirates and Brewers are on their 14th straight losing season, that's legendary. Only the Phillies (1918-1931 & 1933 to 1948) the Cubs (1947-1962) Browns (1946-1949) A's (1953-1967) and Red Sox (1919-1934) have equaled it or topped that run of futility.

That's the laundry list of losers in the history of the game, and now it includes Buds team and two teams with new parks.

Meanwhile the Tigers are ending a 12 year run that is still more then twice as long as the current Reds run of futility.

Ok, I feel a little better.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Originally Posted by IslandRed

All I truly want -- the core difference between the times when I listen to the games and read RedsZone faithfully, and the times I don't -- is that they be interesting. And this year, the Reds have certainly been that.

I think you could say that about every year. The difference this year being that the rest of the league is down. they would have been out of it a long time ago any other year.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Actually the Reds are better off (so far then the aforementioned teams)

The Pirates and Brewers are on their 14th straight losing season, that's legendary. Only the Phillies (1918-1931 & 1933 to 1948) the Cubs (1947-1962) Browns (1946-1949) A's (1953-1967) and Red Sox (1919-1934) have equaled it or topped that run of futility.

That's the laundry list of losers in the history of the game, and now it includes Buds team and two teams with new parks.

Meanwhile the Tigers are ending a 12 year run that is still more then twice as long as the current Reds run of futility.

Not to mention the Reds own history of occasional futility, which I know you've spoken about before, WOY.

The OP is 22 now and his frustration is understandable. But think of someone born in 1919 the year of the Reds' first World Series appearance (and win!). The NL was 8 teams and in the 20 years following that season, the Reds finished 5th 3 times, 6th once, 7th twice and 8th (that's last place, folks!) 5 times (including 4 in a row from 1931 through 1934). From the 1940 World Series win, it was another 21 years before we made it back to the World Series. As a franchise we were incredibly spoiled by 1970's teams which went to the post-season six times - 4 times to the WS - 1 more than Oakland!).

It's always important to look at the the long view.

[RFS62]

I've enjoyed this season.

I had hope for the first time in quite a while.

And despite all who seem to love to wallow in despair, I have hope for the future with the new administration.

If you're a wallower, wallow on. Don't let me stop you.

If not, and you felt a change for the better, don't let any random wallowing bog you down.

Baseball is meant to be enjoyed.

[Razor Shines]

I am feeling better just thinking about my favorite quote from Groundhog's day.

"Why would anyone want to steal a groundhog?"

"I can think of a couple of reasons.....the pervert."

[Heath]

Originally Posted by RFS62

I've enjoyed this season.

I had hope for the first time in quite a while.

And despite all who seem to love to wallow in despair, I have hope for the future with the new administration.

If you're a wallower, wallow on. Don't let me stop you.

If not, and you felt a change for the better, don't let any random wallowing bog you down.

Baseball is meant to be enjoyed.

Originally Posted by IslandRed

I dunno. We're not going to make the playoffs again, true. But we can't really say that the last six months have been the Same Old Thing. The destination -- missing the postseason -- is the same. But the journey was a heck of a lot more interesting than it's been for awhile.

For me, in the end, it's still about entertainment. They don't owe me a winning team, although I want to win; they aren't obligated to run the team the way I would, although I happily play virtual GM. All I truly want -- the core difference between the times when I listen to the games and read RedsZone faithfully, and the times I don't -- is that they be interesting. And this year, the Reds have certainly been that.

I'd concur to Messers. IslandRed & RFS62. I second their motions. Nice.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Originally Posted by RFS62

If you're a wallower, wallow on. Don't let me stop you.

If not, and you felt a change for the better, don't let any random wallowing bog you down.

I would call it frustration. Not wallowing.

Of course, there are more important things in life and in the grand scheme of things, baseball is unimportant. However, thousands of posts on a message board from all of us suggest otherwise, so it's an appropriate medium of releasing frustration. A message board.

Trust me, I have millions of things to be happy about in my life. It's just the Reds are not one of them. And I can't give them up, hence the cause of my frustration.

I hope I haven't bogged anyone down with my rant. It was just a rant.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeRedleg

I would call it frustration. Not wallowing.

Of course, there are more important things in life and in the grand scheme of things, baseball is unimportant. However, thousands of posts on a message board from all of us suggest otherwise, so it's an appropriate medium of releasing frustration. A message board.

Trust me, I have millions of things to be happy about in my life. It's just the Reds are not one of them. And I can't give them up, hence the cause of my frustration.

I hope I haven't bogged anyone down with my rant. It was just a rant.

I, too, dislike passive-aggressive retorts accusing people of small-minded handwringing.

It's been 11 GD years. That ain't "small" and it ain't "handwringing." It's a baseball holocaust in this once-proud baseball town.

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Meanwhile the Tigers are ending a 12 year run that is still more then twice as long as the current Reds run of futility.

Yep, thanks to Marge making the team comptitive and the team having plenty of valuable veteran talent in 1997 that they could trade to reload.

I'm only half joking. I wonder how many years it will take to recover from Allen/Lindner. Probably at least 4. That's about how long it will take for the pipeline to start producing talent on a regular basis. Sure, we've got about 3-4 guys in the minors now that might end up being good ML players, but they aren't likely to be able to replace the attrition over the next 4 years, unless Cast goes on a spending spree.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

I, too, dislike passive-aggressive retorts accusing people of small-minded handwringing.

It's been 11 GD years. That ain't "small" and it ain't "handwringing." It's a baseball holocaust in this once-proud baseball town.

So, wallow on, he said he's not going to stop you.

[REDREAD]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeRedleg

Why do I even get excited with this team?

Just as they get close or have a reason to be excited, they choke.

----

And next year? I'll be excited come late March again.

It's like a bad TV sitcom that you still watch every week for years in hopes of it getting better, when deep down you know it won't.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by traderumor

So, wallow on, he said he's not going to stop you.

Yep. That's what he's saying, isn't it?

And I'll take facing the truth over blinking at abject failure any day of the week; I consider shutting your eyes, ears, and mind from the truth to be wallowing.