If Taveras is successful, who will we Redszone posters choose to trash?

[Rusty the Red]

Since it seems to be a long running tradition around here, I was wondering who the posters to this site will choose to aim their anger at if Willy Taveras ends up having a year more like 2007 than his 2008?

Last year it was CP and it was pretty deserved, he had a horrible year. Did CP cost us a chance at the playoffs? No - we were not close. You could have had a legendary player in center and we would have still fallen well short.

Some of you love to rip Dusty Baker - three time manager of the year, who is now our skipper. Some of you say that he can't make a line-up and that he is clueless on who should play and when. Did he lose his credentials when flying in to the Cincy airport? Did he lose all the respect he is due on the bridge that leads into the city? You can't say, but look at the teams he coached when he was manager of the year unless you want to say the same thing about Sparky. Anybody could will back to back World Series with that line-up of HoFers!

Taveras has been chosen in the preseason, but I think he may actually have a great year - playing a strong CF, leading off and reaching base at a respectable clip, swiping bases easily and scoring runs.

If that happens - who is next on the list to hate on?

My nomination is EE. I want him to be successful. I want to love and respect our 3B, but his long streaks where he looks lost drive me nuts. He has power, but it seems to only show up on rare occasions.

Regardless, here is the big difference, I still cheer for EE and want him to be wildly successful. I think he can be a very solid starting 3B and wish him nothing but the best. Our team is not doomed because he can't field consistently or because he has at bats where he seems asleep.

Who is next to hate on?

[stock]

I am starting to believe in Taveras. He took a boatload of walks in the WBC and is doing likewise in Florida. If Taveras continues to work the count that leave EdE, Alex Gonzalez, Dusty and Ramon (I should be working with and learning my own pitchers instead of playing in the WBC) Hernandez.

My hope is Hernandez, but unfortunately EdE glove will force the issue.

[TheNext44]

Don't worry, we will find someone. That's the fun of a message board. To vent. That is why we are called fans, because we are fanatical. We would be called Rats if we were rational, so I prefer being a fan.

My pick is Cordero and his big contract.

But I think that if the internet was around in the 70's, Redszone would be full of post about how Concepcion's OBP and Geronimo's IsoP are killing the team, and how Sparky overuses his bullpen.

[Eric_the_Red]

Most fans will turn on whoever the radio voice or television box tells them to, like good little lemmings. Say something enough and it becomes true.

I prefer to root for everyone in a Reds uniform and hope the FO is building an organization that allows a call-up to replace any player that isn't producing.

[Jerome]

I don't know how many of you read/post on the Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team message board on bearcatnews (maybe you're a musky fan--congrats on the sweet 16--I played high school ball with CJ Anderson (nutjob)). But the reason I bring it up is this...I stopped reading and using it since the team has fallen into a recession because the board has become depleted of intelligent/entertaining banter and now is nothing more than a whipping station wasteland where diehard fans go to die. This is my first season on Redszone. Am I am for surprises once the season starts? So far I've noticed that players are judged heavily on Spring Training and it doesn't take long for people to start freaking out about someone who plays a week of below average baseball.

If the Reds do poorly this year, I blame the ownership.

http://jeromesredscare.blogspot.com

[mroby85]

I second the EE nomination, in fact, I find him to be the most frustrating player on the team right now.

[roby]

I am starting to get beyond frustrated with Alex Gonzalez. he was hurt again today (Hamstring, they think). He has been absolutely worthless to the Reds since coming here...and yes i do have compassion for his child being sick.

[flash]

I think a prime candidate would be Hernandez. He cannot afford to slip up, he is already behind. Hannigan has done everything necessary to win the starting job, yet it isn't his. If Hernandez doesn't do great immediately he will be a prime target for criticism.

[redsfan1966]

each other?

[Nasty_Boy]

Brandon Phillips... He's the face and the leader right? What if he has another craptastic year at the plate and remains in the 4 hole? Of course Dusty will be partially to blame, but BP must improve at the plate.

My order:

BP/Dusty/Ownership
Cordero
Weathers/Lincoln

[NeilHamburger]

People will still bash Willy no matter what. Look at Aurilia. It really doesn't matter whether someone has a good year or not, this board will never, and I mean never admit they were wrong on someone or anything. Willy could have an OBP of .388 and steal 100 bases and this board would still hate him.

[BLEEDS]

Don't worry, we will find someone. That's the fun of a message board. To vent. That is why we are called fans, because we are fanatical. We would be called Rats if we were rational, so I prefer being a fan.

My pick is Cordero and his big contract.

Post of The Day!!

We are definitely FANATICAL.

CP bashing is nothing compared to Dunn.
It is really going to be hard to replace the bashing of Dunn on here, in fact it's still not fully completed, it still rears it's ugly head from time to time.

I think I'd agree with Cordero. Not his fault, as he might actually be worth his contract - BUT there's no reason to have him here when we aren't going to have many leads to protect anyways. His is a luxury we can't afford to have around with so many other holes on this roster. It's like having a Solid Gold Garage to house a Yugo.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[JayBruceFan]

Most fans will turn on whoever the radio voice or television box tells them to, like good little lemmings. Say something enough and it becomes true.

I prefer to root for everyone in a Reds uniform and hope the FO is building an organization that allows a call-up to replace any player that isn't producing.

Ditto

[Jack Burton]

OP. Dusty apologist? He did a terrible job last year, should have cost him his job, beyond futile.

[Captain Hook]

People will still bash Willy no matter what. Look at Aurilia. It really doesn't matter whether someone has a good year or not, this board will never, and I mean never admit they were wrong on someone or anything. Willy could have an OBP of .388 and steal 100 bases and this board would still hate him.

If Willy can put up that kind of obp and maintain a pace to steal 100 bases I for one will promise to never say a bad think about the guy.

I think that even if Willy does poorly this year Dusty will get beat up more than anyone.