new to board

[votto08]

really like the young core of reds and hope dusty baker and mangement keep with youth movenment for 09 i want to see how joey votto and jay bruce perform with year under there belt, i want to see full year of chris dickerson in center field, i want to see ryan hanigan as catcher in 09 , course i also want to see brandon phillips batting 6th where i think he could have another 30/30 season and i hope edwin finally turns corner defensively .

starting pitching is in good hands , Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Ramon Ramirez.

relief pitchers - Francisco Cordero, Jared Burton, Bill Bray, Danny Herrera, Josh Roenicke, Micah Owings,

i would give jerry hairston 1yr deal to keep seat warm for drew stubbs.
give jeff keppinger 400 bats as sub at ss and 2nd base.
sign juan cruz to 3-4yr deal to fill out bull pen .
sign kevin mench too a 2yr deal to platoon with jerry hairston in left field

i know its not flashy but to me 09 should be about young kids , and not about spending alot of money on veterans .

[Ghosts of 1990]

Let me be the first to say welcome aboard.

[ChatterRed]

Originally Posted by votto08

really like the young core of reds and hope dusty baker and mangement keep with youth movenment for 09 i want to see how joey votto and jay bruce perform with year under there belt, i want to see full year of chris dickerson in center field, i want to see ryan hanigan as catcher in 09 , course i also want to see brandon phillips batting 6th where i think he could have another 30/30 season and i hope edwin finally turns corner defensively .

starting pitching is in good hands , Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Ramon Ramirez.

relief pitchers - Francisco Cordero, Jared Burton, Bill Bray, Danny Herrera, Josh Roenicke, Micah Owings,

i would give jerry hairston 1yr deal to keep seat warm for drew stubbs.
give jeff keppinger 400 bats as sub at ss and 2nd base.
sign juan cruz to 3-4yr deal to fill out bull pen .
sign kevin mench too a 2yr deal to platoon with jerry hairston in left field

i know its not flashy but to me 09 should be about young kids , and not about spending alot of money on veterans .

I disagree. Every year that passes, the young guys get more expensive or approach that date when they get a big paycheck. Detroit, the Rays, the Angels and others have proven that young talent can step up at any moment and be ready to contend. I think management has to be ready to contend, and fill in the needed pieces this offseason.

I don't want another year of tryouts.

Welcome to the board.

[tommycash]

Originally Posted by ChatterRed

I disagree. Every year that passes, the young guys get more expensive or approach that date when they get a big paycheck. Detroit, the Rays, the Angels and others have proven that young talent can step up at any moment and be ready to contend. I think management has to be ready to contend, and fill in the needed pieces this offseason.

I don't want another year of tryouts.

Welcome to the board.

So you disagree that we should keep with our young players and that instead we should "contend" by going with veterans, but you point out that Detroit, Tampa, and Anaheim have won with youth. I don't get your point. If we stay with Dickerson, Bruce, Volquez, Cueto, etc. wouldn't that be similar to what Tampa is doing right now.

[ChatterRed]

Originally Posted by tommycash

So you disagree that we should keep with our young players and that instead we should "contend" by going with veterans, but you point out that Detroit, Tampa, and Anaheim have won with youth. I don't get your point. If we stay with Dickerson, Bruce, Volquez, Cueto, etc. wouldn't that be similar to what Tampa is doing right now.

No. The point I disagree with is the last line of his post: " know its not flashy but to me 09 should be about young kids , and not about spending alot of money on veterans . "

I agree about the young kids, but not about the veterans. They need to sign some veterans to fill in some holes.

I have been very adamant about going with the young guys. But I don't want to fill a hole with an unqualified young guy. I like Bruce, Votto, Phillips, Dickerson (so far), Kepp, Volquez, Cueto, and Ramirez (so far), Bray, Burton...........but if it takes trading for Matt Holiday or signing Pat Burrell, or signing Derek Lowe to put this team in contention, I say we do it now and not just spend next season having more tryouts with the young guys. I think "most" of the impact players from the minor leagues are up here right now. Time to fill some holes.

[tommycash]

Originally Posted by ChatterRed

No. The point I disagree with is the last line of his post: " know its not flashy but to me 09 should be about young kids , and not about spending alot of money on veterans . "

I agree about the young kids, but not about the veterans. They need to sign some veterans to fill in some holes.

I have been very adamant about going with the young guys. But I don't want to fill a hole with an unqualified young guy. I like Bruce, Votto, Phillips, Dickerson (so far), Kepp, Volquez, Cueto, and Ramirez (so far), Bray, Burton...........but if it takes trading for Matt Holiday or signing Pat Burrell, or signing Derek Lowe to put this team in contention, I say we do it now and not just spend next season having more tryouts with the young guys. I think "most" of the impact players from the minor leagues are up here right now. Time to fill some holes.

Ok. Thank you for clearing that up. Wasn't quite sure what you meant.

[RED VAN HOT]

Originally Posted by votto08

i know its not flashy but to me 09 should be about young kids , and not about spending alot of money on veterans .

First, welcome aboard. I only started posting in July, but did not have the courtesy to introduce myself.

I agree with your statement with some qualifications. The 2-3 year contracts to mid level major leaguers on the down side of their careers can be disastrous. Not only is there a risk of injury and declining production, it ties up payroll and blocks younger players from advancing. It seems to me that most other clubs are trying to get younger.

I see a number of young Reds needing another year to improve their games. Bruce, Votto, Encarnacion, Cueto, even Volquez need to improve some facets of their games. They are not yet complete major league players, but they will get there. Dickerson and Hannigan show promise, but are even less experienced. On the veteran side, Gonzalez could have a good year, or he may not even play. No one knows how to figure that one. Could all of this come together next year? Yes, but it seems unlikely to me.

Addition of proven right handed power bat in left field would improve the odds of success significantly. Still, I think 2010 is more likely the year for the Reds to contend. Other than LF, I would stand pat for now. I think the FA market will not be favorable for players this year. If needed, I suspect the Reds will be able to get a hole filler on a one year contract as late as Feb.

[GOYA]

New here too and it seems I can't start a new topic.

I just wanted to point out that Hawaiian Winter league is streaming some of their games.

http://www.oc16.tv/index.php

Frazier, Alonso and Valiquette are playing for the Waikiki Beach Boys.

[ChatterRed]

Originally Posted by GOYA

New here too and it seems I can't start a new topic.

I just wanted to point out that Hawaiian Winter league is streaming some of their games.

http://www.oc16.tv/index.php

Frazier, Alonso and Valiquette are playing for the Waikiki Beach Boys.

.......down in Kokomo?