Most overrated former Red by RZ'ers?

[gm]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

As for ex-Reds, Kearns was considered by some (blush) to be similar to HOF RF such as former Tiger Al Kaline.

I also made that comp. Hey, after the '02 season, who could blame us?

At the time someone (princeton? westofyou?) mentioned something to the effect of "why don't we wait about 10 years before comparing AK Jr. to AK Sr.?"

(and now we know why...)

BTW, I still like my Dunn = McCovey comp...except for the "Stretch will switch to 1b" part

[Big Klu]

Originally Posted by tixe

The Deno bit was largely joking

You really think so? Because although the Denorfia/Chuck Norris schtick seemed to be a joke, I always got the feeling that people were serious about him being a cornerstone in the OF and a major contributor in the future. On the other hand, I figured that he was fourth OF material--yet another in the long line of Steve Gibralter-Mike Frank-Pat Watkins type players, and if he were lucky, he might have a career like Brady Clark. I was all for giving him a shot in RF after Kearns was traded, and I would have been willing to give him a chance in CF instead of Freel at the beginning of last season, but then he suffered the injury and the point became moot.

[gm]

Originally Posted by tixe

If we're going back to pre-Redszone days there's always Santo Alcala, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, Manny Sarmiento, Tom Carroll, Bernie Carbo....and later on, the guy the Reds should've kept instead of Larkin, Kurt Stilwell.

and don't forget Hal McRae

[wolfboy]

Originally Posted by Sabo Fan

Me personally: Austin Kearns. I still believe he'll be a good OF, but just isn't going to approach the level I thought he would.

I also was a huge Josh Hall fan. Really thought the Reds had found something there that no one was paying attention to. Might have been useful if his health didn't betray him time and time again.

The Board in general: yeah, Denorfia is probably tops, but I remember a few years back a certain Jose Acevedo being heralded as a coming ace. One game thread in particular where the ACE in Acevedo was emphasized. Probably was a small, devoted group, but that one always stuck in my head.

Jose Acevedo and Ben Broussard.

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by gm

and don't forget Hal McRae

Yes, the Reds should have kept Hal; he is certainly not overrated: 2000 career hits and 1000 RBI.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcraeha01.shtml

Quick (before you look!) who was he traded for??

PS- had they kept him, where would he have played on the BRM? Maybe LF, and no need for George Foster?

[gm]

Originally Posted by Always Red

Yes, the Reds should have kept Hal; he is certainly not overrated: 2000 career hits and 1000 RBI.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcraeha01.shtml

Quick (before you look!) who was he traded for??

PS- had they kept him, where would he have played on the BRM? Maybe LF, and no need for George Foster?

Maybe LF, or maybe platoon with Griffey in RF. But Howsam probably knew HM's knees were made for DH-ing and not running into OF walls. Still, it's always hard to watch one of your team's former players getting over

(Kinda like how princeton picked Lance Berkman in his draft instead of Brandon Larson? Ouchie)

I don't have time to look...I'm guessing a pitcher for Hal...Leibrant?

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by gm

I don't have time to look...I'm guessing a pitcher for Hal...Leibrant?

I did look: packaged with Wayne Simpson for Roger Nelson and Richie Scheinblum.

PS- I had a chance to meet and talk with Johnny Bench a couple of years ago at a local HS sports stag, and I asked him who threw the hardest of all the pitcher he ever caught. He never hesitated: "Wayne Simpson wore me out." He said it was a shame Simpson hurt his shoulder, because he would have been one of the best Reds pitchers ever. Simpson's rotator cuff injury is something that was not able to be repaired back then, but is today.

Simpson also suffered from being overused- The Reds ultimately had a role in ruining his arm by having him pitch 162 innings in Triple AAA Indianapolis in 1969, followed up with 151 innings in winter ball in Puerto Rico. Then, he pitches 40 innings in Spring Training , then 147 innings by the All-Star break, which is a total of 499 innings, in a year and a half.

That makes those 129 pitches thrown in a game by Arroyo last year seem like nothing!

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by gm

Guilty. The 10 year-old SN article where BL said he "eats, sleeps and craps baseball" was my buy in

(I eventually dropped that stock, wayyy too late)

Yes, I only remember the gaffes.

[marcshoe]

Originally Posted by Always Red

Yes, the Reds should have kept Hal; he is certainly not overrated: 2000 career hits and 1000 RBI.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcraeha01.shtml

Quick (before you look!) who was he traded for??

PS- had they kept him, where would he have played on the BRM? Maybe LF, and no need for George Foster?

I originally had Nelson and Scheinblum on my list, but took them off because I figure Redszone would have eaten them alive.

McRae I didn't include because he was really pretty good, iirc.

[RFS62]

Dan Dreissen's replacement of Doggie would have been epic if RedsZone were around back then.

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by RFS62

Dan Dreissen's replacement of Doggie would have been epic if RedsZone were around back then.

That would have been big but I don't think as big as Dick Wagner letting Pete leave after the 78' season.

[MrCinatit]

Originally Posted by George Anderson

That would have been big but I don't think as big as Dick Wagner letting Pete leave after the 78' season.

...and imagine the reaction after Sparky had been fired.

[marcshoe]

Probably similar to my reaction off the board. I think my young brain collapsed in on itself; I naively didn't believe such things could happen.

[princeton]

Cueto's not a former Red, I suppose.

[Matt700wlw]

Adam Dunn....

(ducks for cover)