first place

[redsupport]

just think back to all the bonehead trades, blown bullpen saves, blown leads, and general entropy of the last month and realize that only four game separates it from the pennant. Through Joe Mays, andMakewski, Coprmier and Franklin, Griffey and garbage start after garbage start. There wont be a year like this again where the pickings were so easy.

[NJReds]

How about the walkoff wins and comebacks? If we're going to count games we blew; how about tallying up those that the other team gave us?

[RedFanAlways1966]

It is so easy to forget, however... that Cards and Astros fans can be saying the same thing about wins that should have been but were not.

[TOBTTReds]

Wait, you mean other teams blow leads too? This is baseball, redsupport.

[NJReds]

The Cubs gave us that one today...

[RANDY IN INDY]

The Reds tried to give that one away in the first inning. That's why they play nine.

[SeeinRed]

I for one can't blame the people in charge for the Reds falling out of contention late in the year. Its kinda hard to when by all rights they shouldn't have even been in contention in the first place. Overall, this season was a huge improvement over the recent ones. The ownership actually ponied up and let the GM make some moves. Lets be honest, there wasn't much on the market for Krivsky to work with. At least not enough to make a difference this year. Narron may not have made the best call all season, but his players didn't exactly perform to their abilities all year either. Thats baseball. You can only do as much as the talent in you clubhouse will let you.

Its a rebuilding project, not a one year miracle turn around. Improvement every year is the goal, and this year was an improvement. If you are so quick to condemn Krivsky and Narron, I say this, give them a full offseason together to get the team to where they want it. I think they will reshape this team together. Yeah, it won't be the explosive offense that Cincy fans are used to, but that hasn't exactly worked out in the past has it? It will be a more fundamental team that evolves. More defense, more pitching, more situational hitting, and yes probably more scrappy much to the dismay of some here. I see a team with less star power, but much better all around in a few years.

After they have an offseason to put truly put their stamp on the club, then start condemning if you please, but based on what the team does next year. At least give them that. A lot of people tend to forget that this ownership had limited time in the offseason to shape this ballclub. This is still not a Wayne Krivsky team. Free agency will give him an oppurtunity to change what he couldn't do by trades. Lets see what happens.