That's the way I'm reading the situation, too.Originally Posted by WVRedsFan
That's the way I'm reading the situation, too.
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
Yet Jocketty consistently constructed some of the best defenses in baseball from 2000-2006. It must have been all luck.
“And when finally they sense that some position cannot be sustained, they do not re-examine their ideas. Instead, they simply change the subject.” Jamie Galbraith
I'm not quite sure Walt gets to call the shots he wants to call in Cincinnati.
From the outside, it looks like it might be a "too many cooks (or kooks)" situation.
"Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?" ~ Jim Bouton
If I recall, he didn't do it with the likes of Willy Taveras, Alex Gonzalez, and Ramon Hernandez.
He had better scouts and advisors in StL. That's why I was jabbing at the Front Office as a whole rather than singling out Jocketty.
"I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful
So, given the state of the 40 man roster as it stands right now, how would you create the optimal defensive/offensive team and starting 9?
I'd go with this lineup:
Dickerson CF
EE 3B
Votto 1B
Bruce RF
Gomes LF Needs a platoon partner badly
Phillips 2B
Hernandez/Hanigan C
Janish SS
P
Bench:
Kepp
Hairston
AGon
Taveras
Richar
That leaves 11 pitchers.
I'd hide Janish' weak bat in the 8 hole and have him stabilize the IF defense.
Last edited by TRF; 01-28-2009 at 11:02 AM.
Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.
Serious question. Do you really believe that the Reds will be "good" in any phase of the game in 2009? Pitching, hitting, or defense? I can't believe that the hitting or defense will be tolerable, much less, "good". The pitching has a chance.
"My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger." -Josh Hamilton
LF Chris Dickerson (good OBP guy)
1B Joey Votto (better OBP guy, more at-bats, tends to be walked when runners are in scoring position)
3B Edwin Encarnacion (good OBP, good SLG)
RF Jay Bruce (lacking OBP but drives in runners)
2B Brandon Phillips (lacking OBP but has decent power and speed)
C Ramon Hernandez (makes a lot of contact; can get the runners over)
SS Alex Gonzalez (anemic OBP; good power)
CF Willy Taveras (singles hitter; can steal second and be bunted to third by the pitcher)
Ryan Hanigan (obviously)
Jeff Keppinger (good contact skills; versatile)
Danny Richar (often over-looked but left-handed, skilled, and versatile)
Jonny Gomes (right-handed power bat, destroys left-handers)
Norris Hopper (can play all three outfield spots, makes good contact)
Too bad Eradi's not the GM. He's a smart cookie.
That's not too bad although Gomes is a butcher in the OF from what I've read. At least you're only weak at two spots with that group though, 3B and LF.
Jerry Hairston, Jr. doesn't make your team?
Eric Stratton, Rush Chairman. Damn glad to meet ya.
3B is likely batter with the addition of Janish as SS. dunno how much better, but 2007 was EE's best year defensively and only time he had a decent SS to his left.
Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.
I always forget him for some reason. He'll probably be injured more than half the year anyway.
Ya (ya it's reasonable to assume the staff could give up 50 fewer runs), unless luck really isn't a lady.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
I think the team will be a lot less "bad" than is being predicted right now by 98% of this side of the board. They'll not be great and probably not good, but they'll be okay, with the outside chance of being good.
I think they'll be better than last year's team. It all boils down to what Cueto's able to do.
“And when finally they sense that some position cannot be sustained, they do not re-examine their ideas. Instead, they simply change the subject.” Jamie Galbraith
I agree, FCB. The Reds should be better than last year just by having less dead weight. We probably won't have a ~8.00 ERA coming from our fifth starter slot, no one should be Bako or Patterson bad, and the defense is improved, if only slightly. On top of that, the young core will hopefully develop more.
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