Jay Bruce called up!!!!!

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

Nope. Will not.

Nothing was "lost" about this season at the beginning. Heck, it's not lost now. I simply refuse to accept that foisting horrible baseball on the team and fanbase to save a few dollars and hold back a guy that was clearly ready to help this team be better than it has been was worth it. I just don't.

This whole things hasn't been about money. Jock made a good point on that, as they have carried Cueto all year, not worrying about his "Super 2" status. No, this has been about inflicting Corey Patterson on the fan base. It has been about bending over backward to preserve Jr.'s feelings as he ruins this team in RF. It has been about watching plentiful at-bats wasted in the 1st and 3rd spots in the line-up, and balls go falling gently into RF in front of the statue that is Jr., for reasons that have nothing to do with money, and everything to do with prolonged horrible baseball judgement and deference to guys that the manager is familiar with and respects.

No more, no less.

So, yeah, "about time". And then some.

I don't expect Bruce to "save" this team or this season, I simply expect him to be a marked improvement over the absolute dreck that has been passed off as major league caliber and has held him in AAA against all logic and reason for two months.

14 out 15 in the NL in pitching.

This season is beyond lost.

[membengal]

Nowhere to go but up. We've been down this road before, you and I, and I still agree to disagree. With Volquez and Harang anchoring the top of this staff, and Arroyo trending back to his norms, they are better than their overall numbers have shown so far.

Better defense overall, and a more consistent offense would do wonders for this team. Getting Bruce up here is an obvious step in that direction. It has taken FAR too long to make that step. About time.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

Nowhere to go but up. We've been down this road before, you and I, and I still agree to disagree. With Volquez and Harang anchoring the top of this staff, and Arroyo trending back to his norms, they are better than their overall numbers have shown so far.

Better defense overall, and a more consistent offense would do wonders for this team. Getting Bruce up here is an obvious step in that direction. It has taken FAR too long to make that step. About time.

You've watched this team for the last decade, and you still say, "Nowhere to go but up"?

Seriously?

Who do the Reds have to call up? How exactly has Arroyo trended anywhere but down the last 5 or 6 months of pitching he's thrown over two seasons? Does Cueto show any signs of "improvement"? Aside from Cordero and occasionally Affeldt, who inspires confidence in this pen?

[mth123]

Originally Posted by reds44

Fay seems to think Patterson is going to get the boot.

I understand everyone's joy at Bruce replacing Patterson. He will improve the offense immensely. But there will be no upgrade on defense and no domino effect that it would create on the pitching staff. Bruce for Griffey would improve the offense too, IMO. Maybe not as much as Bruce for Patterson, but, IMO, the defensive and resulting pitching improvement will have a greater overall effect on improving the team than simply upgrading the offense. Bruce will no doubt be better than Patterson, but he has the potential to be OBP challenged as well. The real gains that are to be made here are on the defensive, run prevention side. Leaving Griffey in the line-up punts all that away.

Bruce' legs better be in shape if he is to play between Griffey and Dunn. I hope it doesn't sap his strength on offense. Leg drive is important at the plate.

[The Baumer]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

Just as I thought. A lot of teeth-gnashing for nothing.

LOL! Sometimes I forget how dumb we are, you remind us.

Does anyone really think Jay Bruce "legs" will hold up playing everyday? I mean he has had his "share" of "leg issues" in the minors.

[gm]

What a slacker, Jay Bruce hasn't updated his yardbarker page since Feb 19, where are his priorities?

(All it took was an 18-inning setback to finally get Walt O'Jocketty off the pot)

Will it be the Dunn-Bruce-Griffey "shop at the Gap" OF the Pirates face tomorrow night?

(I dont expect either Adam or Junior to be taking the night off...)

[membengal]

FCB:

Seriously.

At no point in the last decade have I seen arms arrive in Cincy like have landed here in 2008. I am sanguine about what has transpired so far, but then again, my prediction for this season was 81 wins. They can still do that. In fact, I fully expect them to.

The bones of a good staff are in place. They need to get rid of some obvious driftwood and keep bringing along the real talent that is close, and make some more deals that emphasize quality arms in return and the corner that is currently being turned will actually get turned. Watch and see.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

FCB:

Seriously.

At no point in the last decade have I seen arms arrive in Cincy like have landed here in 2008. I am sanguine about what has transpired so far, but then again, my prediction for this season was 81 wins. They can still do that. In fact, I fully expect them to.

The bones of a good staff are in place. They need to get rid of some obvious driftwood and keep bringing along the real talent that is close, and make some more deals that emphasize quality arms in return and the corner that is currently being turned will actually get turned. Watch and see.

If the Reds pitching turns around it will be because Jocketty got aggressive and did what he's done so many times in the past.

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

I don't see where he's "damaged" the team. I can count the number of questionable decisions he's made so far on one hand.

It has to be Dusty, FCB. The players are wonderful...except for Griffey. He's fodder.

[deltachi8]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

In a lost season, protecting Bruce's Super Two status is the way to go. You'll be praising their restraint in a year or two.

That is something I can agree with.

[membengal]

FCB: Fair enough. I hope he does. The pieces are around for him to make deals and get rid of driftwood and add on to what is here. So, make deals, Walt. Get to it. I am waiting. But Harang/Volquez/Cueto/Cordero is a nice base to add onto. Heck, Arroyo/Burton/Bray are useful pieces. Beyond that, it gets iffy.

So, yeah, get to work Walt. I am waiting. But it is NOT building from nothing. Far from it. Some heavy lifting has already been done. Now he needs to help move some of the next pieces into place.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by The Baumer

LOL! Sometimes I forget how dumb we are, you remind us.

When I picture you, the mental image I get is of a chubby Mii covered in Band of Horses stickers.

[membengal]

Originally Posted by deltachi8

That is something I can agree with.

As noted above from me, for all of the reasons I have laid out, you will NEVER hear me praise their "restraint" if it had to do with the Super 2 thing.

As I noted above, I actually do NOT think it had a thing to do with Super 2...

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

Fair enough. I hope he does. The pieces are around for him to make deals and get rid of driftwood and add on to what is here. So, make deals, Walt. Get to it. I am waiting. But Harang/Volquez/Cueto/Cordero is a nice base to add onto. Heck, Arroyo/Burton/Bray are useful pieces. Beyond that, it gets iffy.

So, yeah, get to work Walt. I am waiting. But it is NOT building from nothing. Far from it. Some heavy lifting has already been done. Now he needs to help move some of the next pieces into place.

Dude, it's awfully close to nothing; it's two starters, a closer, and an empty cupboard in the minors.

[Patrick Bateman]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

In a lost season, protecting Bruce's Super Two status is the way to go. You'll be praising their restraint in a year or two.

Agreed.... looking at Braun's contract, the super two is worth 6M, and that's on a discounted contract. For a player of this magnitude, holding Bruce back a month could be worth in the 8-10M range. With this team's many problems, that seems like a pretty nice trade off for the Reds IMO.