What if Bruce was here from the Start?

[James B.]

I think we can all agree that if Bruce started the year with the Reds he would have done better than Patterson did. Bruce has given the whole team a lift since his call up and tonight had a hand in all three runs that the Reds scored. The question a have is, would the Reds have a better record if they had let Bruce start the season in the majors? How much difference could he have made?

[NorrisHopper30]

Then we'd have him under a small contract for 5 years instead of 6.

[757690]

I want to preface this by saying that I was one of the many Reds fans who wanted Bruce starting the season with the Reds in Center. I am sure you can find me saying it many times in earlier posts. However....

The Reds are only three games under .500, 8 games out of first, and 6 1/2 out of the wild card. If the Reds play .600 ball, and go 64-43 over their remaining games, they will win 90 games, which should get them in the playoffs. They only need to play .550 ball the rest of the way to win 85 games which won the Central last year, although I think at least 90 is needed to win it this year, but less might be needed to win the wild card.

Either way, I think that is possible, and they way they are playing with Bruce, almost likely. They are playing .640 ball since May 12 and .550 ball since April 26, most of that without Bruce. It is easy to see them competing for a playoff spot at least the rest of the season, now that they have Bruce.

So basically, the Reds are still in contention for this year, and have Bruce cheap for one more year, which will save them around $8M in a few years, which they can spend on building a better team around him then.

Granted, they might have won more games, and have been in a better position this year for the playoffs if Bruce had started the season in the majors, but we don't know that. Remember, he had lackluster spring, in his first look at major league pitching. I saw him at Spring Training, and he definitely did not look this good then.

How do we know he would have been this good at the beginning of the season if he started in the majors? Maybe he needed that first 6 weeks in the minors to gain the confidence he needed to be successful once he got up? I am not saying that is the case, but we really don't know and never will.

[Hondo]

I want to preface this by saying that I was one of the many Reds fans who wanted Bruce starting the season with the Reds in Center. I am sure you can find me saying it many times in earlier posts. However....

The Reds are only three games under .500, 8 games out of first, and 6 1/2 out of the wild card. If the Reds play .600 ball, and go 64-43 over their remaining games, they will win 90 games, which should get them in the playoffs. They only need to play .550 ball the rest of the way to win 85 games which won the Central last year, although I think at least 90 is needed to win it this year, but less might be needed to win the wild card.

Either way, I think that is possible, and they way they are playing with Bruce, almost likely. They are playing .640 ball since May 12 and .550 ball since April 26, most of that without Bruce. It is easy to see them competing for a playoff spot at least the rest of the season, now that they have Bruce.

So basically, the Reds are still in contention for this year, and have Bruce cheap for one more year, which will save them around $8M in a few years, which they can spend on building a better team around him then.

Granted, they might have won more games, and have been in a better position this year for the playoffs if Bruce had started the season in the majors, but we don't know that. Remember, he had lackluster spring, in his first look at major league pitching. I saw him at Spring Training, and he definitely did not look this good then.

How do we know he would have been this good at the beginning of the season if he started in the majors? Maybe he needed that first 6 weeks in the minors to gain the confidence he needed to be successful once he got up? I am not saying that is the case, but we really don't know and never will.


I wanted Bruce up very bad, but ya know... Maybe him having such a great start at AAA, will make him an even better Player this year for the Reds... Ya never know, if he had started the season in Cincinnati... Dusty might have platooned Patterson with him, and he may have not gotton off to such a great start. Atleasy Corey played himself off the 25 man roster, and Bruce did so well, that now Bruce is the starter in Center the rest of the year...

So I am happy about that... Just as long as Jay Bruce is starting and not being sat, unless for a day off...

On contending... I really feel if Walt can just make 3 moves... this team can win this division...

#1 Get another Starter... Don't go to WAR with Fogg or Belisle ever again.

#2 Power Set up man in the Bullpen. Need one more drependable arm...

MY WISH * this offseason, sign Kyle Farnsworth to a 3 year deal to set up CoCo...

#3 Right Handed Hitter with Power, either 3rd, C, or SS...

I have been looking and looking... there really isn't one out there.

[Nuxhall41]

Then we'd have him under a small contract for 5 years instead of 6.

Yeah, but they also paid Patterson 3 million for a month and a half of garbage.

[ChatterRed]

3-1 with Bruce.

I was in the camp that wanted him to start the season with the team.

[mlbfan30]

MY WISH * this offseason, sign Kyle Farnsworth to a 3 year deal to set up CoCo...



So a guy with ERA's of 4.36/4.80/4.24 the past 3 years, with a career 4.46 ERA and 1.40 WHIP?
The guy who's already 32 and entering his decline?

Please explain this....

[757690]

Yeah, but they also paid Patterson 3 million for a month and a half of garbage.

I agree, that makes much less sense. The only thing that could possibly explain it is some budget rules that I don't understand, like that $3M was going to be spent on whoever was playing CF anyway, or wouldn't carry over for next year. I guess it was the result of expecting too much from Patterson. Still, very hard to justify a guy with Patterson's past getting that much money.

[757690]

So a guy with ERA's of 4.36/4.80/4.24 the past 3 years, with a career 4.46 ERA and 1.40 WHIP?
The guy who's already 32 and entering his decline?

Please explain this....

Never understood why people loved Farnsworth so much. Just awful as a setup guy. Was awful as a Cub, as a Tiger, and now as a Yankee. A sportswriter came up with a new stat, the "bogus hold", is when a reliever gets a hold, but still gives up a run. Kyle leads the majors in bogus holds since 2000.

For some reason the Yankees just moved him back into the set up role to replace Joba. Let's see how that turns out. (Already gave up a homer in his first try tonight)

[Hondo]

So a guy with ERA's of 4.36/4.80/4.24 the past 3 years, with a career 4.46 ERA and 1.40 WHIP?
The guy who's already 32 and entering his decline?

Please explain this....

Of course he had a 2.19 ERA the year before that but you didn't mention that... Just giving ya a lil' hell there...

I like the fact that he usually gives up less hits than IP and he is a Power Right Hander... I don't think he is on a Decline... I think he pitches in New York, for the Yankees...

He only had one real terrible year for the Cubs...

I am a Kyle Farnsworth fan... Maybe the only one here, But I am one.

[Orodle]

If Bruce was tearing it up in spring training he would have been up I believe, but he wasnt.

[Hondo]

I think the only reason he wasn't here from the beginning was the addition of Corey Patterson...

[thatcoolguy_22]

Never understood why people loved Farnsworth so much. Just awful as a setup guy. Was awful as a Cub, as a Tiger, and now as a Yankee. A sportswriter came up with a new stat, the "bogus hold", is when a reliever gets a hold, but still gives up a run. Kyle leads the majors in bogus holds since 2000.

For some reason the Yankees just moved him back into the set up role to replace Joba. Let's see how that turns out. (Already gave up a homer in his first try tonight)

http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)
He is a monster in the mma world. His takedowns of Paul Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt combined with raw ground and pound tactics lead me to believe that he could single handedly crush Rampage Jackson and Kimbo Slice simultaneously...

And anyone that can end the Kimbo's alleged "career" I'm all for paying whatever the asking price may be...

http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/fighting/fighting0030.gif (http://www.generalfinancecentre.com)

[gedred69]

Saw him in 4 games in ST, some good, some so-so. Reds brass wanted to be wowed like Hamilton did the year before. It was right to start him at AAA, but, he was ready, and earned his way up here a few weeks before they finally brought him up. He will give us alot to smile about for years to come.

[Hondo]

Saw him in 4 games in ST, some good, some so-so. Reds brass wanted to be wowed like Hamilton did the year before. It was right to start him at AAA, but, he was ready, and earned his way up here a few weeks before they finally brought him up. He will give us alot to smile about for years to come.

Does anyone think he can Drive in 100 RBI and Score 100 runs?

[AdamDunn]

Does anyone think he can Drive in 100 RBI and Score 100 runs?

next year, not this year.

[757690]

Originally Posted by
Does anyone think he can Drive in 100 RBI and Score 100 runs?

next year, not this year.

Yeah, he is only on pace to drive in 84 runs this year, but he is on pace to score 167 runs.

And BTW, he went 3-5 today and his batting average went down.

[gedred69]

Does anyone think he can Drive in 100 RBI and Score 100 runs?
Are you talking about this year or in the future? If he does it this year he will be annointed the 2nd Coming!!!!

[Ghosts of 1990]

Does anyone think he can Drive in 100 RBI and Score 100 runs?

I'd do anything to see it, but man he'd have to stay this hot till the end of th season and miss only a game or two.

They took 2 months from him.

I will be happy with .300 and rookie of the year

[AccordinglyReds]

I think it still was a good move.

However, I would have been playing Freel in CF rather than Corey Patterson. I can understand Freel's frustration with the fact that Patterson was inserted ahead of him, yet he steps aside for Bruce (and Hamilton) because he knows that they are better.

Hitting well in AAA, which I saw quite frequently, probably helped ease him into the role that he's in now. Going through the minors last year, it was highly unlikely that he would become the starting CF out of ST, so now he's earned the job outright. Plus, the Reds save some money.

:)