Run Differential

[PuffyPig]

As of tonight, our run differential is 1 run better than the St. Louis Cards.

This is significant for a number of reasons, including:

(1) It's the first time all season (and likely in many seasons) we have been ahead of them;

(2) On May 4 of this year, they led us in run differential by a whooping 72 runs. Since that time we have slowing but surely gained 73 runs on them; and

(3) It's the Cards and we lead them in the standings and in run differential, meaning it's not luck. Over the last 3 months we have been the better team, and it's by a reasonable margin.

Maybe the race isn't over after all?????

[Playadlc]

The Cards actually still lead by 1 run (+70 to +69) but your point is taken nonetheless.

[PuffyPig]

The Cards actually still lead by 1 run (+70 to +69) but your point is taken nonetheless.

You are correct, I guess I naturally assumed the team at the top of the standings were the Cards.

[oregonred]

Agree, the strong run differential is impressive and bodes well. With so many flukish 1-0 losses, Sunday Sleep Walks and such the Reds could (and should) be about 3-4 games better in the month July alone and that would give them breathing room in the division and the WC. This team is seemingly in every single game until the late innings.

[WVRedsFan]

It sure is a difference from past seasons. This season has been a joy and I continue to enjoy the Summer of 2010 because the Reds are always the highlight of my summers,

Yes, I have no life.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'll just post this in here. I was talking with Jason Churchill of ESPN on twitter and he tweeted this:

btw... love the Reds 2011-2013. Bet they make the postseason all three years.

http://twitter.com/ProspectInsider

[PuffyPig]

btw... love the Reds 2011-2013. Bet they make the postseason all three years.

http://twitter.com/ProspectInsider

It's a good thing to remember before we go "all in" for 2010:

Our best chances of winning is still coming. I have no problem trying hard to win this year, but I sure don't want to sacrifice the future for now.

[Falls City Beer]

They're not going to sacrifice "the future" (however widely or narrowly you define that) for this season. Though pretending to know how successful a small market team is going to be two or three years into the future is utterly laughable.

The future was paved with gold bricks for teams like Cleveland and Milwaukee a couple of seasons ago--and now?

[Mario-Rijo]

They're not going to sacrifice "the future" (however widely or narrowly you define that) for this season. Though pretending to know how successful a small market team is going to be two or three years into the future is utterly laughable.

The future was paved with gold bricks for teams like Cleveland and Milwaukee a couple of seasons ago--and now?

Only to the untrained eye, and I'm not necc. calling you out. Only if you bought into that hype as well, especially Milwaukee.

[Falls City Beer]

Only to the untrained eye, and I'm not necc. calling you out. Only if you bought into that hype as well, especially Milwaukee.

I didn't see Milwaukee as a long term threat either. But the argument went: "Hey these teams have major talent and a smart, numbers-beholden front office; there's nothing in their way."

Well, the Reds don't have a numbers-beholden FO and really don't have much more talent in the pipe than either of the above teams. Whether the Reds compete three years from now depends largely on the moves they make going forward (making the correct contract decisions/trades) than what they have right now.

[Brutus]

I didn't see Milwaukee as a long term threat either. But the argument went: "Hey these teams have major talent and a smart, numbers-beholden front office; there's nothing in their way."

Well, the Reds don't have a numbers-beholden FO and really don't have much more talent in the pipe than either of the above teams. Whether the Reds compete three years from now depends largely on the moves they make going forward (making the correct contract decisions/trades) than what they have right now.

I think that's revisionist history. Milwaukee had some encouraging young hitters (and offensively they're living up to that billing). However, they never had any good young pitching sans Yovani Gallardo. I don't really remember too many people thinking the Brewers were well on their way.

[Falls City Beer]

I don't really remember too many people thinking the Brewers were well on their way.

That's just not true. Melvin got a ton of positive press.

[TheNext44]

They're not going to sacrifice "the future" (however widely or narrowly you define that) for this season. Though pretending to know how successful a small market team is going to be two or three years into the future is utterly laughable.

The future was paved with gold bricks for teams like Cleveland and Milwaukee a couple of seasons ago--and now?

The Brewers went all in, in 2008. They made the playoffs, but are now paying the price. i think they are a perfect example of why it's important to not mortgage the future for one shot at it.

The Rays are a good example of a small market team that has built a team that can compete year after year.

[Falls City Beer]

The Brewers went all in, in 2008. They made the playoffs, but are now paying the price. i think they are a perfect example of why it's important to not mortgage the future for one shot at it.

The Rays are a good example of a small market team that has built a team that can compete year after year.

The Brewers gave up one real prospect for Sabathia. A prospect that is currently not doing very much.

They didn't go all-in at all.

[TheNext44]

The Brewers gave up one real prospect for Sabathia. A prospect that is currently not doing very much.

They didn't go all-in at all.

They gave up three of their best prospects who could have been used last year and/or this year in trades to fill their glaring holes. Or they could have used those prospects in 2008 to get a pitcher who would be around this year.

They went all in by using up all their chips to get a guy who they knew would only around for a few months.

I think the fact that they fired a perfectly good manager in the last month of the season, just to motivate the team to win that year, is all the proof one needs to prove that they went all in.