Positives I see so far

[ChatterRed]

Okay, I went out to a bar and had a few drinks while watching tonight's game. Also, I am not a big fan of Dunn or Griffey.

Positives:
1. I see this team laying down bunts and just now starting to do the little things that get runs in, unlike earlier in the season. Props to David Ross tonight.

2. Adam Dunn. I can't stand the guy, but hitting the ground ball to the right side of the infield was huge in getting the run in.

3. The rest of the team picked things up when Kepp went down. I see a team that has not given up.

[757690]

I agree on all three. If the Reds are to turn around their woes of the last 8 years, then they need to start with being fundamentally strong. I have been the biggest Dusty apologist, but I have to blame him for the poor fundamentals before today. That is the first thing a manager must establish.

Hopefully, tonight was the night he finally got through to the team.

[jhiller21]

The biggest positive I see is Volquez. He's throwing 93-96 with movement, and tossing up a NASTY chaneup. His delivery looks like Pedro in 1998.

[Moosie52]

I thought Arroyo's performance Saturday night was excellent. If he can do similarly tonight, it will be a real boon to the team.

[ChatterRed]

The pitching staff has the ability to be one of the most consistent and versatile in the league with Harang, Arroyo, Volquez, Cueto, and hopefully Darryl Thompson and Homer Bailey eventually, with Arroyo moving on.

That's 4 young guns and one solid veteran. It will also be cheap.

[BLEEDS]

This Positive is also a Negative - Corey Patterson is 6 for his last 8. Bringing his BA/OBP from .196/.252 to .236/.286 - in TWO DAYS. He is also now out OPS-ing KGJ.

He will have to have his kneecap broke before he will be taken out of the top of this lineup, until at least the ASB.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[redsfanmia]

The biggest positive of this season so far beside Volquez is the fact that the front office seems to willing to finally move on from Dunn and or Griffey. I think Jocketty will be able to convice Big Bob to let Dunn go after the season or trade him prior if he has any value at all. A Griffey trade, even though it makes me sad, is best for both parties.

[_Sir_Charles_]

For me the biggest positives have been watching our young players develop. From Cueto to Volquez to Votto to Kepp to Edwin. From the beginning of the season I never expected us to "seriously" contend for the division, I only wanted to see steady improvement and a constant flow of young blood into the dugout. Hopefully that trend begins with Janish. I'd like to see Bruce and Homer come up fairly soon. Followed this year by Roenicke, Dickerson, Thompson, Herrera, Malloney and possibly Hannigan (or another catcher as I don't see Bako continuing at this pace...we need to start developing a C with some all-around tools...quickly. 3 catchers is NOT going to cut it). Keep it up Reds...GO YOUNG!

[Redeye fly]

I agree on all three. If the Reds are to turn around their woes of the last 8 years, then they need to start with being fundamentally strong. I have been the biggest Dusty apologist, but I have to blame him for the poor fundamentals before today. That is the first thing a manager must establish.

Hopefully, tonight was the night he finally got through to the team.

I'm no fan of Dusty's, but I don't know if any manager can be blamed for it. We've been through umpteen managers and have been a woefully poor "fundamentals team" all this time. I doubt if it's any one person's fault or any one thing causing the problem. It's just been a poor team full of some swing for the fences hitters in a mostly one dimensional offense, and guys who make overly aggressive or just downright stupid mistakes on the basepaths, and probably guys who really are sick of losing and want to do something to turn it around, but wind up doing something monumentally stupid instead.

I'm not sure we have a whole lot of "smart players" fundamentally speaking on the team. They are who they are, and I suspect few fundamentally poor players anywhere are taught to become fundamentally sound at the major league level. They've built up their bad habits for years, and bad habits and all they still made it to the top level of the game, so they probably don't see much need to change. That's players in general, not necessarily any individual player(s) on the Reds. But we've seen this before Dusty, we've seen it so far with Dusty, and we very well may see it after Dusty... though it probably depends on what players are here and how long Dusty is here.

[texasdave]

Edwin Encarnacion has not made an error in two weeks (since 4/28). That has to be a good sign, I would think.

[redsfanmia]

I'm no fan of Dusty's, but I don't know if any manager can be blamed for it. We've been through umpteen managers and have been a woefully poor "fundamentals team" all this time. I doubt if it's any one person's fault or any one thing causing the problem. It's just been a poor team full of some swing for the fences hitters in a mostly one dimensional offense, and guys who make overly aggressive or just downright stupid mistakes on the basepaths, and probably guys who really are sick of losing and want to do something to turn it around, but wind up doing something monumentally stupid instead.

I'm not sure we have a whole lot of "smart players" fundamentally speaking on the team. They are who they are, and I suspect few fundamentally poor players anywhere are taught to become fundamentally sound at the major league level. They've built up their bad habits for years, and bad habits and all they still made it to the top level of the game, so they probably don't see much need to change. That's players in general, not necessarily any individual player(s) on the Reds. But we've seen this before Dusty, we've seen it so far with Dusty, and we very well may see it after Dusty... though it probably depends on what players are here and how long Dusty is here.

I think we all need to admit that the whole organization is bad. How can so many players get to the big leagues and not know how play fundamental baseaball before it becomes an organizational problem?

[Redeye fly]

I think we all need to admit that the whole organization is bad. How can so many players get to the big leagues and not know how play fundamental baseaball before it becomes an organizational problem?


Well I suppose the only flaw with that is that a fair number of players came from and were developed by other organizations. But still, I wouldn't be surprised if you were on to something.

[redsfanmia]

Well I suppose the only flaw with that is that a fair number of players came from and were developed by other organizations. But still, I wouldn't be surprised if you were on to something.

Maybe the Reds have a flawed philosophy and the lack on continuity at the General Manager position has finally caught up with the team. In the 60's,
70's, and 80's there was a distinct way the Reds played and carried themselves from the top down. Players like Eric Davis and Barry Larkin and Tracy Jones have talked about it and I think the Reds franchise have lacked an identity of late. The Reds were once a model organization thats lost its way hopefully Big Bob and Jocketty will stay the course that Wayne Krivsky set.

[Redeye fly]

I can agree with pretty much all of that.

[tommycash]

Maybe the Reds have a flawed philosophy and the lack on continuity at the General Manager position has finally caught up with the team. In the 60's,
70's, and 80's there was a distinct way the Reds played and carried themselves from the top down. Players like Eric Davis and Barry Larkin and Tracy Jones have talked about it and I think the Reds franchise have lacked an identity of late. The Reds were once a model organization thats lost its way hopefully Big Bob and Jocketty will stay the course that Wayne Krivsky set.

What about the 90's. We have had continuity at the GM spot with Bowden. It has just been the last 4 years we have not had continuity. If you want to blame someone for the way this team lacks in fundamentals, look no further than Bowden.

[redsfanmia]

What about the 90's. We have had continuity at the GM spot with Bowden. It has just been the last 4 years we have not had continuity. If you want to blame someone for the way this team lacks in fundamentals, look no further than Bowden.

Bowden as we look back was a horrible GM and its his 5 tool outfielder/scrap heap pitching philosophy is the main reason we have had 7 straight losing seasons. Did Bowden ever draft a pitcher who became a competent starter in the majors? Brett Tomko?

[tommycash]

Bowden as we look back was a horrible GM and its his 5 tool outfielder/scrap heap pitching philosophy is the main reason we have had 7 straight losing seasons. Did Bowden ever draft a pitcher who became a competent starter in the majors? Brett Tomko?

I agree 100%. I don't think O'Brien and Krivsky were given enough time to fix all of the crap Bowden left for us.