Look at the brightside...

[izzy's dad]

This season has been kind of a bummer. I am a grizzled veteran when it comes to being a pessimist, so finding the positives among the negatives this season has proved to be difficult. But I have forced myself to find some "good" things about this year. These observations are in my opinion the few good things about this season.

1. Joey Votto is damn good. Power, average, gets on base, above average defense.
2. Jay Bruce is young and developing. He plays stellar defense. His natural power is second to none. Starting to hit the ball to the opposite field. Is and will continue to be a middle of the order run producing bat.
3. Johnny Cueto is our ace, and he is getting better.
4. This organization is loaded with cheap, young, talent. Cozart, Alonso, Frazier, Sappelt, Mesoraco, all look like they have the potential to produce in the bigs. The question is will they reach that potential? Because I am trying to be positive I will say yes.
5. Ryan Hannigan is not Mike Piazza. But he is a damn fine defensive catcher, walks more than he strikes out, and handle the pitching staff well. This quality of catcher is tough to find.
6. Brandon Phillips continues to be the finest defensive second baseman in the league.


Thought we could have some positive conversation for once this year.

[Cincy10]

Good points.

Plus if we even made the playoffs this year, what are the chances we get by the Phillies rotation? Zero

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by izzy's dad

This season has been kind of a bummer. I am a grizzled veteran when it comes to being a pessimist, so finding the positives among the negatives this season has proved to be difficult. But I have forced myself to find some "good" things about this year. These observations are in my opinion the few good things about this season.

1. Joey Votto is damn good. Power, average, gets on base, above average defense.
2. Jay Bruce is young and developing. He plays stellar defense. His natural power is second to none. Starting to hit the ball to the opposite field. Is and will continue to be a middle of the order run producing bat.
3. Johnny Cueto is our ace, and he is getting better.
4. This organization is loaded with cheap, young, talent. Cozart, Alonso, Frazier, Sappelt, Mesoraco, all look like they have the potential to produce in the bigs. The question is will they reach that potential? Because I am trying to be positive I will say yes.
5. Ryan Hannigan is not Mike Piazza. But he is a damn fine defensive catcher, walks more than he strikes out, and handle the pitching staff well. This quality of catcher is tough to find.
6. Brandon Phillips continues to be the finest defensive second baseman in the league.


Thought we could have some positive conversation for once this year.

I pretty much agree with all points. I'm still being cautious about getting excited about Jay Bruce. He really frustrates me at times.

I'm glad they stood pat at the trading deadline. Took some cahones to do that knowing the fanbase would be angry they didn't do anything. But there was nothing worth gutting the farm system over and nobody they'd obtain would have gotten them into the playoffs.

I want to see the young guys play, and then I'm hoping this offseason some weaknesses are addressed through trade, unlike last year.

[texasdave]

The Reds were 3 games back on July 24th. There is no rule saying that you have to wait until the 31st to make a deal. It didn't take cajones to stand pat. It was just Walt being Walt. The Reds have had holes in left field and shortstop the entire time Walt has been GM. We keep hearing about all the prospects in the minors and we keep seeing the holes not filled. Not at the trading deadline and not over the winter. I can't call that good GMing.

[bigredmechanism]

Originally Posted by Cincy10

Good points.

Plus if we even made the playoffs this year, what are the chances we get by the Phillies rotation? Zero

You never know.

It's not as if the favorite wins every single year. We probably would lose to them again, but it sure beats not making it at all.

You gotta get a ticket if you want to win the lottery.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by texasdave

The Reds were 3 games back on July 24th. There is no rule saying that you have to wait until the 31st to make a deal. It didn't take cajones to stand pat. It was just Walt being Walt. The Reds have had holes in left field and shortstop the entire time Walt has been GM. We keep hearing about all the prospects in the minors and we keep seeing the holes not filled. Not at the trading deadline and not over the winter. I can't call that good GMing.

I kind of expected this team to fall apart and be 10+ games back about now. They were flirting with it all season.

The moves needed to be made last offseason and they weren't.

If I have any gripes in season, it was sticking with Gomes forever. Maybe not DLing Arroyo earlier in the season and going with someone else in the starting rotation. I've been upset that Chapman isn't in triple A becoming a starting pitcher. Taking too long to bring up Cozart. Shabby lineups. Not using the farm system more this season to see what some of these guys could bring.

It seems like they just stuck with the same old same old til the trading deadline, and we all could see it wasn't working. But they couldn't see it.

But I still maintain there wasn't anything at the deadline to improve this club into a playoff team. So standing pat was the right move.

[Red Rover]

Votto, Bruce, Cueto & Hanigan contracts this offseason are all positives for me.

[plowshareredfan]

I would add Leake to the list of Votto, Bruce, Cueto and Hanigan. Not a staff ace but is as good as a no. 3 or 4 in the rotation as anyone not wearing a Philly uniform. Good to have these two you can build a staff around.

[nux fan]

Leake not proven very iffy, extremly hittable

[plowshareredfan]

Leake is doing what is expected of a young pitcher. Improvement from the year before:more IP, lower ERA, less hits less BBs, more strikeouts and more wins. He is hittable because he is not a strikeout pitcher. He is in the top half of MLB in BA against among starters. There are far more pitchers in MLB who are hittable than non-hittable.

[faffy42]

I would agree with your brightside, except bruce (average defense, mentally not a sound hitter)...AND i would add. A brightside...Chapman being a dominant closer next year.

[plowshareredfan]

I agree totally on Chapman being the closer. Starting September 1 let him finish this year as the closer. Trade Cordero or let someone claim him off waivers.

[will5979]

Originally Posted by bigredmechanism

You never know.

It's not as if the favorite wins every single year. We probably would lose to them again, but it sure beats not making it at all.

You gotta get a ticket if you want to win the lottery.

True, I mean besides Howard Cosel how many "experts" picked the Reds to even win a World Series game in 1990? We all see how that turned out, and granted that probably won't happen again in our lifetime but get there first then see what happens. I for one would gladly like to see us get swept by Philadelphia again this year, beats watching the damn Bengals any day in the Fall.