Are the Reds Better today than one year ago?

[Joseph]

Following the lead on this thread:

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59797

what is your opinion on the state of our Redlegs vs 1 year ago today?

69-94 over that time span. [Yes thats 163]

Are the players better? Are we turned in the right direction and just chugging uphill? Are the minors better? Is there a plan everyone feels good about?

[pedro]

I think the overall organization is in better shape.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by pedro

I think the overall organization is in better shape.

I agree but the major league team is much worse off. The record speaks for itself.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I agree but the major league team is much worse off. The record speaks for itself.

They're playing worse, that's for sure. Regardless, I'd still take this years roster over last years. I think there are more "keepers" than there were last year.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by pedro

They're playing worse, that's for sure. Regardless, I'd still take this years roster over last years. I think there are more "keepers" than there were last year.

I'd love to see what this team would do with a decent bullpen. If I'm WK I make it a priority to upgrade this bullpen. I think that alone would make a huge difference in the fortunes of this team

[PuffyPig]

Originally Posted by pedro

They're playing worse, that's for sure. Regardless, I'd still take this years roster over last years. I think there are more "keepers" than there were last year.

Exactly. We may be losing more, but the addition of Hamilton, and the continued development of guys like Bailey, Votto, Bruce etc., brings us closer to having a competitive club. The extension given to Harang is huge.

[bucksfan2]

Here is the thing I see. Phillips has answered doubters saying that he was a one year wonder. Hamilton has shown that he has unlimited potential. Harang has actually improved off of a good year. Bailey is up and has pitched good in a couple of outings. The pen has been awful but the likes of Count, Salmon, Burton, and McBeth have all gotten their feet wet in the bullpen. Last year at this time their best prospects were Votto and Bailey in AA and Bruce in low A. Now they have one in the bigs, one hitting the ball well in AAA waiting for the call and one absolutly tearing the cover off the ball in AA. You have a team that will not try and add spare parts to make a run at the playoffs. Narron's days HAVE to be numbered as the reds manager. I just think when you add it all up this team organizationally is in a better position now than it was a year ago.

[KronoRed]

Team is about the same, just no one having a career year this season.

Organization? too early to tell.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by pedro

I think the overall organization is in better shape.

I would agree with this sentiment, but clearly this club is not playing as well as they should - this club in theory should be playing better ball. Alas, it's not.

[REDREAD]

I see less talent on the major league roster. The talent we do have is a year older.. There are definitely a few bright spots. IMO, the ML team has declined.

I think the minors are about the same as they were last year.

Frankly, I'm scared to death of the trading deadline. If Wayne is active, this might have the biggest impact on the future since the 1997-era (positive) and 2003-era (negative) fire sales.

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by KronoRed

Team is about the same, just no one having a career year this season.

Organization? too early to tell.

This almost mirrors my feeling, Krono.

1B - last year we had Hatteberg/Aurilia, this year it's Hatteberg/Conine. Same.
2B - Bandon Phillips. Same,
SS - Royce Clayton last year and Alex Gonzales this year. Better
3B - Aurilia/Freel/Ecarnacion last year and Encarnacion this year. Wash.
LF - Adam Dunn - Same
CF - Junior last year and Freel/Hamilton/Hopper this year. Worse.*
RF - Freel last year. Junior this year. Better
C - Larue/Ross/Valentin last year and Ross/Valentin/Moeller this year. Worse
SP - Better, but that's not saying much
RP - Better. See above.

So, we're better at SS, RF, SP, and RP. We're worse in CF (overall--hitting included) and C. We're about the same at 1B, 2B, and 3B.

Not much improvement. And when you consider that last year, Ross, Phillips, and Arroyo were having career years (and they're not this year though Phillips might break out) and no one is this year, you see the problem.

[Ron Madden]

Originally Posted by REDREAD

Frankly, I'm scared to death of the trading deadline. If Wayne is active, this might have the biggest impact on the future since the 1997-era (positive) and 2003-era (negative) fire sales.

I agree REDREAD,

I hope everything works out in a positive manner for WK and the Reds, but some of the moves made by Wayne in the past have me very afraid.

[Ron Madden]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I'd love to see what this team would do with a decent bullpen. If I'm WK I make it a priority to upgrade this bullpen. I think that alone would make a huge difference in the fortunes of this team

WK has spent a great deal of money, trading chips, and most of his time on upgrading the bullpen. The results should scare the hell out of all of us.

I for one have lost what little faith I did have in Wayne.

[Ltlabner]

The record sucks, no doubt about that.

However, Philips has not imploded as some feared he would. EE continues to be a fixture at 3B his vacation to Louisville notwithstanding. Jr got moved to RF with a minimum of fuss. Hamiltion has shown that he's not completley overwhelemed at the MLB level after being gone so long (not that he doesn't have more lumps to take, but he's not collapsed either). Ross sucks wind at the plate compared to last year but his solid arm and good defense behind the plate offsets that a little bit. Dunn has lost weight, improved his D in LF (somewhat) and contines to do what he does best, get on base and crush mistake pitches. Gonzo, while struggling in the field (see hammy, tweeked and child, critically ill) he's not been a complete dud at the plate. He may tail off over the year but isn't a run created in April as important as one in Septemeber? Harrang continues to be Harrang after a slow start. Milton has finally been shuttered away so he woln't take the mound for the Reds anymore.

How people can gloss over these small details is beyond me. Sure the record sucks canal water (more on that below) but you have to go out of your way to gloss over these obvious positive things.

The bad things are obvious. Narron's just isn't cutting it with his poor handling of the pitching staff, wacky lineups and poor late inning game management. Castro, Moehler and to some degree Javy. Yecch. Makes for a horrable bench that costs us runs in later innings. Last year was a banner year for late inning wins, this year..............[insert cricket noises].

Loshe was a decent gamble with a one year deal but he's been horrable. Belisle has been ok back end of the rotation fodder (be intresting to see if he has the stamina to go the whole year). Bronson has been dissapointing. Whether it's by overuse, a regression or a combination he's been dissapointing. Weathers has been decent in the closer role. On a solid bullpen he'd be a good guy to have around. On a disaster bullpen he makes a horrable "stud" guy. I like McBeth and Cooter and think they could be usefull if managed well and in an orgization that knew how to develop pitching. Cofeye has been in headcase land, hopefully he'll figure out how to harness the tallent in his arm.

Krivsky has spent a lot of time and money on the bullpen and it sucks. That's bothersome. Conine/Hatteburg has been decent but the rest of the bench sucks. The starting rotation has been patched together and has been medicore.

So while the record is far worse than 2006 (2006 lucky to the good side, this year lucky to the bad) I don't think it's all doom and gloom. Krivsky aquitted himself well in the draft. His final early reportcard will come with this trade deadline.

[Joseph]

So nearly 80% of the most intelligent Reds fans in the land believe that are better than before [small sample size acknowledged]. Wonder what % the Reds ownership and FO are in?