MrRedLegger
06-15-2012, 02:17 PM
What will it take for Dusty to manage the Reds next year??
The All-Star break is right around the corner and the Reds are in 1st Place. We all wanted it to be like this, but during April who saw this happening...
I won't get into numbers in this thread. But let's say (God Willing!) we make the playoffs. Maybe a run in the playoffs. Maybe a pennant race. Maybe a shot at a championship.
Imagine you own the Reds. What is the minimum that must happen in order for you to invite Dusty back for an additional season(s)?
Considering we have two rookies in our infield, injuries to a few starters, and a tumbleweed rolling through our bench, we are looking pretty darn good under Dusty right now. Considering who this team is and what they've done, it seems to me that no matter how they do this season, Dusty's work with the Reds could be considered "unfinished."
A few positives (that I blame Dusty for):
Phillips BA, OBP, & SLG took a dip after moving to cleanup. Since that decline, they have all increased and are still trending upward. He is flirting with a .300 BA and a .800 OPS (OK, a few numbers) with a boost coming after the Cleveland series. The dreaded move to cleanup, initially unpopular among Dusty critics, seems to be working itself out. For that I blame Dusty.
Our pitching staff has held up and performed above all expectations regardless of a 3rd party opinion of how they'd manage it differently. Given the early setbacks to our pitching staff, we have (by Reds' terms) an ACE, a veteran arm, and 3 young pitchers that are continuously improving. Not to mention the best bullpen in baseball and the most feared closer in the game (who will only continute to benefit this team no matter what point in the game he pitches) For this I blame Dusty.
Never before has the wagging of a finger brought so much support and fire for the team. Since the Lowe debacle and the 17-hit stomping, clubhouse morale is high--and for this, it's also Dusty's fault.
So what will it take for you to want Dusty to manage the 2013 Cincinnati Reds.
The All-Star break is right around the corner and the Reds are in 1st Place. We all wanted it to be like this, but during April who saw this happening...
I won't get into numbers in this thread. But let's say (God Willing!) we make the playoffs. Maybe a run in the playoffs. Maybe a pennant race. Maybe a shot at a championship.
Imagine you own the Reds. What is the minimum that must happen in order for you to invite Dusty back for an additional season(s)?
Considering we have two rookies in our infield, injuries to a few starters, and a tumbleweed rolling through our bench, we are looking pretty darn good under Dusty right now. Considering who this team is and what they've done, it seems to me that no matter how they do this season, Dusty's work with the Reds could be considered "unfinished."
A few positives (that I blame Dusty for):
Phillips BA, OBP, & SLG took a dip after moving to cleanup. Since that decline, they have all increased and are still trending upward. He is flirting with a .300 BA and a .800 OPS (OK, a few numbers) with a boost coming after the Cleveland series. The dreaded move to cleanup, initially unpopular among Dusty critics, seems to be working itself out. For that I blame Dusty.
Our pitching staff has held up and performed above all expectations regardless of a 3rd party opinion of how they'd manage it differently. Given the early setbacks to our pitching staff, we have (by Reds' terms) an ACE, a veteran arm, and 3 young pitchers that are continuously improving. Not to mention the best bullpen in baseball and the most feared closer in the game (who will only continute to benefit this team no matter what point in the game he pitches) For this I blame Dusty.
Never before has the wagging of a finger brought so much support and fire for the team. Since the Lowe debacle and the 17-hit stomping, clubhouse morale is high--and for this, it's also Dusty's fault.
So what will it take for you to want Dusty to manage the 2013 Cincinnati Reds.