Outlook for the season?

[RedsMan3203]

I think not, but if Wayne K keeps sitting on his hands we'll all be singing this by Mid July...

The Reds are on fire
The Reds are on fire
The Reds are on fire
We don't need no water let the mother burn
Burn mother burn


Hopefully this isn't the way we sound....

[Sea Ray]

I'd like to see them compete but a fire sale in July might not be such a bad thing. Jettison some of these veterans and try to obtain another Harang or two, then reload for next year. It might be fun to see eager, enthusiastic "kids" playing in Aug/Sept.

[BucksandReds]

Dunn and/or Griffey must go if we fall apart. I just don't see both of these guys in our future. I am really interested into just how much Dunn thinks he's worth. i'd lock him up now at a reasonable rate ($12 million) otherwise trade him and play Freel, Hamilton and Griffey next year in the outfield and get Bruce to be ready by 09. freel is so important right now because of the flexibility he gives us. He can play many positions, he is relatively cheap and he's a very average MLB player (average means better than awful and that's what we are at some spots.) With the Deno trade we either, can't trade an outfielder or we can't trade EE. Conine I guess helps a little but how much longer will he play?

[Yachtzee]

My magic 8-ball says:

"Outlook hazy. Please try again."

[Joseph]

How we lookin'?

Not good.

[Sea Ray]

IMO all future moves should concentrate on the bullpen. With everything that ails this team, the bullpen is by far and away the major reason this team is falling short.

[AmarilloRed]

I would keep the rest of the team together(except for Milton), and restructure our bullpen. Let the young relievers get experience now, and lets see what they can do.I would release all the old relievers(except maybe Weathers )and have major activity in the off-season to try and fix the bullpen.

[Eric_Davis]

I have to disagree. I believe Wayne has done anything but sit on his hands.

In 2006, there was a new G.M. and a new owner. "The Trade" was supposed to net us two quality relievers that we could count on and get things back to normal, where Bray or Majewski would have been a closer". Krivsky got screwed by Bowden. Then, Krivsky took a chance on an ineffective and injury-plagued Guardado for practically nothing. Guardado plugged the hole.....for 15 games...before being shutdown Aug 20th, and eventually having Tommy John surgery. So, they were left with Weathers, Coffey, Mercker, and Belisle for the 2nd year in a row with likewise results.....horrible.

In 2007, nobody's healthy (Majewski, Bray, Burton), so that leaves us with Weathers and Coffey again. Mercker and Belisle are replaced by Stanton and Santos. So, that's why Krivsky is trying hard to find replacements until he finds a couple of guys that will pitch well. He found one in Saarloos, but he's not a closer or setup man. He hoped to find a couple out of Stanton, Santos, Coutlangus, Mcbeth, and it may turn out that Salmon from the REDS' organization or Tyler Pelland who was just converted to reliever after 28 starts and a 3.99 ERA at Chattanooga last year. FWIW, Pelland struck out 6 in two innings of relief on Monday.

What I see is that Krivsky has been addressing this problem for a year now, and it has been extremely difficult. I can see he's determined to have a good bullpen.

I do think it will be fixed, and fixed before June comes to an end.

[Screwball]

I seem to remember a post from last summer letting us all know that the Reds were doomed to finish below .500 because of their Pythagorean W-L record, i.e., they had given up more runs than they'd scored, and it was only a matter of time until the mirage that was a winning record would vanish.

Well, as it stands right now, the Reds have a Pythagorean W-L of 17-16, ~.524 win pct. As hard as it is to fathom, the Reds really should be doing much better right now record-wise. It seems like most have given up on the season already (I can't really say I blame them, with Milwaukee 9 up on us), but the Brewers are on an unbelievable hot streak. Let's all take a step back from the skyscraper rooftops and see how things play out a little more before saying the eulogy to the 2007 Reds season.

[sonny]

We just need to catch a little fire and were right back into this thing. Baseball is a game of streaks, we're just in a funk right now.

[redsfanmia]

I have a bet with a friend that the Reds will lose 90+ games, I think I am looking like a winner about now.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Eric_Davis

I do think it will be fixed, and fixed before June comes to an end.

Where does this optimism come from? Krivsky has shown no eye for bullpen talent. Sure, some of his acquisitions have gotten hurt but to be fair most of us weren't impressed with them at the time of the trade. Guardado had a shoulder issue. Majeski's shoulder issue should have been seen by WK. He didn't do proper checking prior to the trade.

[Redsland]

I keep hearing about how Krivsky won the trade, thanks to the future greatness of Maj, Bray, and Thompson. So obviously the outlook is very, very good. Very.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by Redsland

I keep hearing about how Krivsky won the trade, thanks to the future greatness of Maj, Bray, and Thompson. So obviously the outlook is very, very good. Very.

I keep hearing how Felipe Lopez is an all-star shortstop. What'dya gonna do?

I still think this team wins 84 games. No bullpen is as bad as this one has been so far and the division is really weak this year, recent skull-crushings by the Astro's notwithstanding.

[Redsland]

Originally Posted by pedro

No bullpen is as bad as this one has been so far…

Really? Because I remember one from about a year ago that was.

…and the division is really weak this year, recent skull-crushings by the Astro's notwithstanding.

And the small matter of the Brewers' nine-game lead.