Where ist art thou, Walter?

[malcontent]

By all rights this team should be trailing the Redbirds by 4-5 games.

The fact that it isn't speaks of good fortune that won't likely persist, particularly if some major issues continue to be ignored.

Jocketty's inertia is unbearable at times.

[Ironman92]

Unbearable inertia? Lol

Never heard that one.

Has Jocketty ever accomplished anything without LaRussa? Serious question.

[dubc47834]

The team had the best record in baseball as of yesterday over the last month and people still complain about little stuff, there is no perfect team in baseball. I think some just like to complain for attention.

[Hondo]

Going multiple seasons in a row one player away is frustrating...

LF, SS, Power Right Handed Hitter, Lead Off Hitter...

Spends all that money then blows 2.5 million on Ludwick rather than spending 8-9 million on a veteran right handed bat to play Left and bat 4th.

[malcontent]

The team had the best record in baseball as of yesterday over the last month and people still complain about little stuff, there is no perfect team in baseball. I think some just like to complain for attention.
You doubt my sincerity?

:duel:

[malcontent]

This is what Jocketty's outright refusal to do his job has perpetrated upon us: people are now openly pleading for a return of Paul Janish or Willie Harris.

:explode:

[UPRedsFan]

Ludwick was supposed to be the right handed clean up hitter between Votto and Bruce. Just hasn't worked out that way

I think the other option they had was Francisco, but that plan fell thru when Madson and Masset went down and they had to get some bullpen help.

Walt did a great job of finding Hoover and picking up Simon. He hasn't been asleep at the wheel. He pulled the trigger on two moves that have turned into one of the best bullpens in all of baseball despite losing Madson, Masset and Bray!

He has to find a left fielder with OBP who can hit right handed pitching now at the trade deadline. I predict he'll do something to sure things up. Would be nice if Ludwick starts to hit though, at least left handed pitching.

[malcontent]

Walt did a great job of finding Hoover and picking up Simon. He hasn't been asleep at the wheel. He pulled the trigger on two moves that have turned into one of the best bullpens in all of baseball despite losing Madson, Masset and Bray!
I won't argue that point.

Simon looked like a steal, based solely on stuff.

Hoover I wasn't happy about at the time. I didn't want to lose one of the last LHH standing in JF. But he's been lights out so far.

[brm7675]

Exactly whom did Walt not get that people believe he should have?

[RedsBrick]

Yeah, I don't get the Jocketty bashing, either. To me, the guy has done a fantastic job of both collecting pieces to win now and ensuring key pieces are in place to win down the road.

Unlike fantasy baseball, you can't just go out and get whatever player you want...the finances do have to work out.

[Assembly Hall]

Well maybe the Cards are just fortunate to be where they are in the standings?

I agree that Ludwick, Harris, and Valdez have been less than stellar. But I like what I see from H-C, Mez, Frazier, and Cairo(he has proven his worth in the past).

[miamiredskin]

Going multiple seasons in a row one player away is frustrating...

LF, SS, Power Right Handed Hitter, Lead Off Hitter...



You want him to find one player to do all that?

[Larkin88]

Going multiple seasons in a row one player away is frustrating...

LF, SS, Power Right Handed Hitter, Lead Off Hitter...

Spends all that money then blows 2.5 million on Ludwick rather than spending 8-9 million on a veteran right handed bat to play Left and bat 4th.

This sort of thinking is where I take issue. It's the end of May and the Reds are off to a great start after really scuffling out of the gate. The division looks like it's going to be a two-team race. This team hasn't played its best baseball yet, but still, the roster is fluid and is subject to change over the course of the year as it stands.

Ludwick hasn't stepped up at clean-up. Our lead-off guy can't get on base. But if you sunk $9 million on a guy who likewise didn't work out, you lose the flexibility to make improvements at the deadline or as the season progresses. Cash is a real consideration for this team in any trade or acquisition after the spending spree that the team went on this offseason, both in dollars and prospects.

Ludwick was a pretty low-risk, potentially high-reward player at $2.5 M if he had a renaissance of power in GABP. He hasn't yet, but still (although unlikely) might. I wasn't thrilled about the move at the time, but if he keeps scuffling, the team can make a move at the deadline... a luxury they would NOT have had if they literally spent every dollar in their coffer before opening day.

This division is very winnable and I think Walt realizes that. The pieces we are missing are not drastic. We need role-players that can thrive where the team is otherwise deficient: getting on base to let our few good RISP hitters a chance to knock them in. You just can't have $10M stars at every position in a market like ours. I don't think you've seen the team make its last roster move for the season, and think that keeping some flexibility in that sense was a good move by the front office.

I'd rather have a half a 2012 season to base production predictions on and a prorated rental pricetag for the type of cog we're missing. About 2/3 of the teams in baseball don't know if they're going to be buyers or sellers yet. How often do you see significant, or even less-than-signifcant trades this time of year? What glaringly obvious move has Walt not made that's been dangling out there? This isn't fantasy baseball.

[alett12]

Going multiple seasons in a row one player away is frustrating...

LF, SS, Power Right Handed Hitter, Lead Off Hitter...

Spends all that money then blows 2.5 million on Ludwick rather than spending 8-9 million on a veteran right handed bat to play Left and bat 4th.

Who exactly was that veteran right handed bat you're talking about? from what i remember the only one really out there was albert.

[Stray]

I think Walt has done a good job. He's put together a nice pitching staff. There's no doubt our bench is really weak right now, problem is there really isn't anyone in the minors that jumps out at you. Obviously our leadoff spot has been weak forever, and I think we'll be active at the deadline. Even if it isn't a huge move, just some small ones to improve on some areas would go a long way.

[alett12]

A veteran Utilty guy who can hit over .250 would be great.

[fielder's choice]

Yeah, I don't get the Jocketty bashing, either. To me, the guy has done a fantastic job of both collecting pieces to win now and ensuring key pieces are in place to win down the road.

Unlike fantasy baseball, you can't just go out and get whatever player you want...the finances do have to work out.

Right, and it makes the finances harder to work out when you blow $10M on a relief pitcher when you have glaring holes in your outfield. Oh, and he traded a legit leadoff hitter too. He's proven himself to be incompetent.

[Stray]

I liked the Madson signing. Had he not blown out his elbow Aroldis Chapman would be in our rotation right now.

Looking at our bench you have a backup catcher, cool there.
Valdez - Not ideal, but versatile enough that he is valuable if we run into an injury down the road.
Cairo - Love what he's done for us, but at this point he's a slightly worse version of Valdez. The versatile utility guy with slightly worse defense than the other utility player. Cairo can hit a little better though.
Costanzo - Not a major league hitter by any stretch of the imagination
Backup left fielder - okay there

In pinch hit situations we don't really have anyone other than whoever isn't playing LF. You're not going to use your backup catcher to PH, well not usually. I really hope Walt is looking to make a small move to get us a decent bat on the bench. I know we have bigger issues in the everyday lineup, but our bench is bad right now.

[Larkin88]

Right, and it makes the finances harder to work out when you blow $10M on a relief pitcher when you have glaring holes in your outfield. Oh, and he traded a legit leadoff hitter too. He's proven himself to be incompetent.

I'll bite. Who was the legit leadoff hitter the Reds overlooked and traded away? Boy do I hope you aren't talking about Sappelt or Torreyes, who was about 3 years away.

Also, they didn't give $10M to a relief pitcher. But if they had, it would have been about market value for the closer market at the time. Context.

[RedsBrick]

Right, and it makes the finances harder to work out when you blow $10M on a relief pitcher when you have glaring holes in your outfield. Oh, and he traded a legit leadoff hitter too. He's proven himself to be incompetent.

Wait, what? Who's proven himself incompetent? Because I know you're not talking about Jocketty. If you are than I can only assume that you have a huge deficiency in a) just basic general information and history; b) a simple understanding.

[New York Red]

Right, and it makes the finances harder to work out when you blow $10M on a relief pitcher when you have glaring holes in your outfield. Oh, and he traded a legit leadoff hitter too. He's proven himself to be incompetent.
Incompetent? That's crazy. Some people have quickly forgotten where we were before Walt got here.

[joshua]

Yeah, this team was in bad shape not too long ago. We had guys like David Ross, Cantu, Andy Phillips, Juan Castro, Norris, Alex Gonzales, Scott Hatteberg and Corey Patterson as regulars. I'll take this team any day of the week over that.

[The Rage]

Ah, I remember the days Paul Wilson and Jimmy Haynes were considered the Reds ace.

[Ironman92]

Yeah, this team was in bad shape not too long ago. We had guys like David Ross, Cantu, Andy Phillips, Juan Castro, Norris, Alex Gonzales, Scott Hatteberg and Corey Patterson as regulars. I'll take this team any day of the week over that.

Point taken.....but Andy Phillips was a regular?

[fielder's choice]

OK, maybe I was a little hard on Walt. I do wish we'd held on to Sappelt and dropping around $10M on a reliever was beyond stupid. But we weren't very good when he got here, and if he goes and gets a bat at the deadline I'll be satisfied. ;)

[Kcbuckeye22]

I'm thinking Walt is tracking that we need a clean up hitter. Hopefully we can pick one up before the deadline. Once we get "MR. Clean" for clean up we can move BP back to leadoff, and Cozart back to the 2 spot.

Cozart needs to be in that 2 spot, its killing me watching him hit in Leadoff. I think its been quite unfair for him. He hits better than what he is now. His glove has been GG quality.

Stubbs needs to be sent to the 8th spot and Hanny or Mes moved up. Stubbs shouldnt be in the two hole!

HI-C, Hanny, and Fraizer has been Money.