Hope Springs Eternal - the 2011 Spring Training Prediction/Dream Thread

[Brisco]

I confess... I am going crazy this Spring. I have never been as excited about an upcoming Reds season... not even in 75, 76 or the Year of Griffey. Do I think we will win the series this year? Maybe not, but that in no way tempers my enthusiasm. All signs point that we are just starting a golden era for Reds baseball. I wonder if this is what it felt like in 1970 (I was too young then to pay attention to things like this).

Can anyone remember a time when there was so much to be positive about?

Sure, there is a lot to improve, there always is... even in Spring 75 and 76 we saw weaknesses and lamented the Reds' problems on the mound. As far as relatively unproven teams go, is there any roster with LESS holes than the Reds?

What is great is that we are NOT in a hurry. We are a very young team... in fact if I was gonna list the three greatest descriptors of this roster they are: pitching, youth and depth. I cannot think of three more important things to focus on for a small market team.

Ok... all that aside, its time to make preictions about this year's Spring Training. The first game is Sunday. Between now and Opening Day what do you hope/think will happen?

(Please do not use this thread to make one more complaint about a player, coach or manager... like a "I hope X has a horrible spring training so that Y will have to cut or bench X" comment... you can do that sort of thing in lots of other threads. This thread is for hopes for good things and/or predictions of good things that will happen)

My predictions:

1. By the end of Spring Training Redszone will be preoccupied with who the 25th person on the roster will be, just like last year with Miguel Cairo... and if the disagreement lies with the 25th person, things are going pretty well.

2. We will have so much pitching depth that, even though he does not plan on making any moves, Walt will receive an offer for an arm (probably a bullpen arm) that is simply too good to pass up.

3. The battle for LF will turn out to be the most hotly contested and bring 2-3 players to the very top of their game.

4. We will enter April with no more than one significant injury to anyone currently on the 40 man.

5. More than one fan of another team will post on Redszone how they wish they were in our position.

6. Of the potential starters, only one will put up Spring training numbers that scream they should not be in the rotation... and that will be Bronson Arroyo.

Ok... those are my six Spring training Predictions - What are yours?