Since All-Star Break...

[RedLegSuperStar]

The Reds are 6-15 since the All-Star break.. This trend can't be sitting well with ownership and doesn't bode well for the fan base. This team is missing the simple things of the game and making game costing mistakes day in and day out. I love this team but it's so painful to watch anymore. Especially as a season ticket holder.

It poses the question as what can fix this mess? Free Agents look at this team as a team with 7 straight losing season on the brink of 8 seasons. Ownership has to over pay to lure players.

All I can think of is September call-ups and the offseason.

:thumbdown

[Will M]

Originally Posted by RedLegSuperStar

The Reds are 6-15 since the All-Star break.. This trend can't be sitting well with ownership and doesn't bode well for the fan base. This team is missing the simple things of the game and making game costing mistakes day in and day out. I love this team but it's so painful to watch anymore. Especially as a season ticket holder.

It poses the question as what can fix this mess? Free Agents look at this team as a team with 7 straight losing season on the brink of 8 seasons. Ownership has to over pay to lure players.

All I can think of is September call-ups and the offseason.

:thumbdown

1. pay up for a big free agent pitcher, re sign Dunn & sign Orlando Hudson ( Phillips to SS )
2. trade Harang, Arroyo & Cordero. big time rebuild with youth.
3. tweek the team and try to win as many games as possible but not spend too much. try to go 82-80 and sell tickets

Now, which do you think is the Reds plan?

[RedLegSuperStar]

Originally Posted by Will M

1. pay up for a big free agent pitcher, re sign Dunn & sign Orlando Hudson ( Phillips to SS )
2. trade Harang, Arroyo & Cordero. big time rebuild with youth.
3. tweek the team and try to win as many games as possible but not spend too much. try to go 82-80 and sell tickets

Now, which do you think is the Reds plan?

I like the way #1 sounds but #3 is the Reds plan it seems..

[RedFanAlways1966]

Starters...

Last 4 games...
>> 9.31 ERA, 2.12 WHIP.

6 August losses...
>> 9.45 ERA, 2.18 WHIP.

[Joseph]

Ownership gives lip service to building a winner, but does nothing tangible to facilitate that success. Is it any wonder the team is lethargic and lifeless?

Losing is the only outcome when the recipe is baked with empty talk and player apathy.

[AmarilloRed]

John Fay made some good points on his most recent blog:

This wasn't a very deep roster to begin with. With the injuries to Aaron Harang, Jared Burton, Jerry Hairston Jr., Ryan Freel, Norris Hopper and Alex Gonzalez, it's gotten a lot thinner.

The trade of Ken Griffey Jr. thinned it a little more. Griffey was one of blog's favorite targets, but since the trade Corey Patterson has gotten the bulk of the time Griffey would have gotten. I'd still make the trade. But that's a severe drop off.

And it goes on the down the line. Homer Bailey is getting starts Harang would have gotten. Gary Majewski is getting innings Burton would have gotten.

Jeff Keppinger hasn't been the same player since he came back from the injury. He's hitting .209 since he came off the DL. Sit him and Jolbert Cabrera plays shortstop. Cabrera's played well but he's a 35-year-old guy who was last in the big leagues in 2004.

If everyone's healthy, Patterson is behind Freel, Hopper and Hairston on center field depth chart.

We didn't have a very deep roster at the start of the season, and the injuries have played a part in this year's season. What would the season be like if Gonzalez had been healthy at SS the whole year? We are counting on bench players to be replacements for starters, and they simply can't do it.

[KronoRed]

We can't make any moves, we're trying to win as many games as we can.

[fearofpopvol1]

How about since KGJ left the team? Maybe it's the Jr. curse...

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by AmarilloRed

John Fay made some good points on his most recent blog:



We didn't have a very deep roster at the start of the season, and the injuries have played a part in this year's season. What would the season be like if Gonzalez had been healthy at SS the whole year? We are counting on bench players to be replacements for starters, and they simply can't do it.

Not only was it not deep, it was disfunctional. Not having a regular shortstop has hurt, but another hole was in center field which led us to Corey Patterson. The catching is beyond bad and our starting staff was made up of a real ace, a 4 starter masquerading as a 2, a kid from Texas who hadn't proven anything, a rookie, and Josh Fogg (or Matt Belisle--your choice).

The roster was poorly put together, that's not in question. And for those ready to hang Baker and Jockkety, keep this in mind. No one wanted our junk and weren't offering the impact players we needed. Over the winter, I fully expect a number of Reds to be gone with some new faces all around. I trust Jockkety to make the needed changes. Then we'll see how Baker does. God couldn't win with this bunch.

[Az Red]

That tiny winning streak before the All Star Break fogged up the rose colored glasses. The Cass and Jock thought they could cross their fingers and hope for a miracle. Unfortunately, the real Reds came back from break.

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

How about since KGJ left the team? Maybe it's the Jr. curse...

Since Junior was traded, the Reds are 1-7. The starters have a line like this:

IP     H   R    ER  BB  SO  ERA
38.2  59  33  31  14  34  7.23

The relievers have been quite good with a 4.31 ERA balooned only by Cordero's numbers tonight.

The offense has scored 28 runs (3.5 rpg), while the opposition has scored 52 (6.5 rpg).

Anytime a staff gives up 6.5 runs per game, and you offense scores 3.5, you got problems.

[MartyFan]

Now I know how the Pirate fans feel...

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by MartyFan

Now I know how the Pirate fans feel...

Better than we feel right now.

If anything we are worse than we were when BobC took over thanks to some really bad blunders.

In 2005 at this point, the Reds were 50-67.

In 2006 at this point, the Reds were 60-57. Improvement! Wow!

In 2007, we dropped to 50-67.

In 2008, we've imporved to 52-65. A full 2 game improvement in 3 years. Hallelujah.

In the meantime, the Pirates have gone from 50-67 in 2005 (compare that to our 50-67 in 2005) to 53-62 this year, a full 2 games better than the Reds. And we have the guts to slam the pitiful Pirates when we have done worse. This team is simply horrible, and even more horrible than the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates who traded away their stars and still have better record than we do over the last three years. We are at the bottom and I would suggest that our organization is now worse. That said, we have no right to put down other teams. The Reds are at the bottom and we had better just accept that. Time to retool and give up on keeping players.

[MrCinatit]

Originally Posted by WVRedsFan

Better than we feel right now.

If anything we are worse than we were when BobC took over thanks to some really bad blunders.

In 2005 at this point, the Reds were 50-67.

In 2006 at this point, the Reds were 60-57. Improvement! Wow!

In 2007, we dropped to 50-67.

In 2008, we've imporved to 52-65. A full 2 game improvement in 3 years. Hallelujah.

In the meantime, the Pirates have gone from 50-67 in 2005 (compare that to our 50-67 in 2005) to 53-62 this year, a full 2 games better than the Reds. And we have the guts to slam the pitiful Pirates when we have done worse. This team is simply horrible, and even more horrible than the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates who traded away their stars and still have better record than we do over the last three years. We are at the bottom and I would suggest that our organization is now worse. That said, we have no right to put down other teams. The Reds are at the bottom and we had better just accept that. Time to retool and give up on keeping players.

Only three years separate the time each team has been in the playoffs, as well (Reds, 1995, Pirates, 1992). And once a team is over double digits in years between playoff appearances - well, it hardly makes a difference.

[Matt700wlw]

Originally Posted by WVRedsFan

but another hole was in center field which led us to Corey Patterson.

That hole was created....for Volquez.....which lately has become another hole......