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Thread: Some Late Night Observations...(Long)

  1. #1
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    Some Late Night Observations...(Long)

    First and foremost, Adam Dunn is quickly developing into a complete baseball superstar. His plate discipline for someone his age is uncanny. Bonds didn't have it at the same stage. Not even close. Dunn's power may be unequaled at the ML level right now. Not in total distance but in force/velocity. Pitchers are clearly afraid of throwing something hard down the middle against him. You could see it in the ninth inning.

    The ball he hit against Marquis in the middle innings was quite possibly one of the hardest hit bombs I've ever seen. My father was at the game and he said the only person he'd ever seen hit the ball that hard was Richie Allen. I watched it replayed on my TIVO a number of times and it was just amazing. And the word is starting to get around that you don't run on the kid no matter what. He has a canon, and he also has incredible accuracy--just ask Chipper.

    I never thought I'd say this, but if the Reds trade Juan E it will be akin to when they let Frank Robinson get away. I know he's never done anything to show that he'll continue this kind of play over a full major league season, but I gotta tell y'all-- he is a different hitter now. He use to get hung out to dry on curveballs. Not anymore. He's keeping his hands and hips in check all through the power zone. Balls he gets fooled on he hits hard and through the middle.

    He has blazing speed and he really seems to be giving his all. His defense is awesome and he's taking charge in the outfield. In my mind there is no reason to take him out of centerfield anytime soon. Move Junior to leftfield. He's only 26 years old and just coming into his own. I'd love to see the Reds sign this dude to a two year contract. If he falters they can trade him or just go with another five tooler they have stockpiled in the minors. He surely provides the Reds with a lot of

    It is past time to move Sean Casey. Listen folks, I love the guy. He means so much to the Queen City. He is a loveable, blue collar, big fat dude who happens to hit line drives everywhere and will be a no doubt career .300+ hitter. But he doesn't hit homeruns and resultingly doesn't drive in enough runs. How in the world does it make any sense to have a lefthanded hitting first baseman with no power when your team is entering into a new stadium with a 302' "short porch" right field fence? It doesn't. Plain and simple.

    So for all the great things Sean does at the plate and in the clubhouse, the Reds will be a better team with Adam Dunn at first, Juan E playing everyday alongside Kearns,Junior and of course the starting pitcher they'll get for Casey. Can anybody really prove that keeping Casey is the logical thing to do?(not counting his contract as a factor).

    Pitching...Pitching....Pitching. When are the Reds going to get Jimmy Haynes out of their rotation? Surely Brian Reith is better than this guy. OK, he won today, but dude is serving up gophers. He is getting by on smoke and mirrors. The Reds have far too much quality bully depth to not go out and get another decent starting pitcher. What is Bowden waiting for?

    The only thing I can think is that this "EOD" experiment with Junior over the next week or so is a smokescreen to eventually make a bigtime trade getting some starting arms. With Williamson and Pineda in the bully, is Danny Graves really needed as the closer? No. Where does Jeff Shaw fit into the equation. He's coming and soon.

    Speaking of Graves, is it not worth at least trying him as a starter? As good a groundball pitcher as he is, why not give him a shot?

    Well I'm falling asleep as I type this. My prediction tomorrow is that the Reds hammer Greg Maddux. Don't know why, but just have a suspicion.

    Everyone's thoughts?

    SCR


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  3. #2
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    I'd trade Casey but not because of Broussard. It would be to put Dunna at first and keep Encarnacion in the OF. I like the guy. I think I am in the minority but sorry, he's been the Reds biggest weapon this year and I don't think he's gonna suddenly fade away. That said, I'm still betting JB keeps Case and trades Juan.

    I agree we need another pitcher but I am glad JB is running things - he may overprice players sometimes but at least we aren't trading Kearns or Dunn for Colon. Talk about a real "Colon-ectomy". We don't need pitching THAT bad.

    As for Casey, I don't disagree with anyone that he could be replaced but I'm betting JB isn't gonna trade him. Period. Thats the dude making the deals - think he's gonna trade Casey after proclaiming for seasons this would be his greatest trade ever after Griffey's?
    Not even Bowden spins around that quickly. Broussard gets traded this summer or next winter.

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    Either Casey or Encarnacion must be traded.

    With Dunn and Kearns , lack of major leagur service time we will have a little time before we must pay them their worth.

    But no matter how Boone and the Reds try to spin it 5 players for 4 spots will not work.

    Looking at the traditional power corner infield spots 1b-3b we have a combined 5 homer runs. Catcher-2nd base and ss add another 9 homers thats a combined 14 homers for 5 positions in an 8 man lineup.

    Sorry but platooning in one form or another our 4 best power hitters into 3 spots , still leaves this team shy in the power area. Please don't give me Griffey will hit 35 homers, Dunn 40, Encarnacion 30, and Kearns 20 playing 75% of the time.

    Casey has a new contract but sadly dispite his personality and clubhouse leadership either he or Encarnac ion must be moved. We need starting pitching our re-hab projects have done well so far but the charmed life they have lead is showing cracks in the foundation.

    Rijo is now experiencing shoulder trouble, Haynes is no better than 2 good stars of every 5.

    We need the solid 15-18 type winner to head this staff. Curently we lack that .

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    Thanks SCR. I am also in the camp that doesn't want to see Casey traded but the points made are all good. Juan has really been something this year and I wonder what he could do over a full year if he stayed in Cincinnati where he has obviously become very comfortable.
    Pennant or bust!

  6. #5
    PiggyPuff
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    "Surely Brian Reith is better than Brian Haynes". Based on what. Haynes has pitched well in 7 of his 10 starts this year. Reith has a career major league record of 0-7, with a ERA of 7.81. He's not doing any better in the minors than Haynes is in the majors. This may make you ill, but the Reds are satisfied with Hayne's performance, and he's not close to coming out of the rotation.

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    Encarnacion = Frank Robinson?

    I love it when people go out on a limb like this. We've gotta archive this one. On this one, you're light years ahead of everyone else
    2015, baby!

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    Princeton...I agree...I really like Encarnacion but Robby? Wow! That's a lonnnnnnnng stretch...

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    I didn't mean that Encarnacion would be as good as Frank Robinson. What I was trying to say(evidently I worded it poorly)was that losing Encarnacion would have a similar impact to the Reds team as losing Robinson did correlative to the same time period when he left/traded. Sorry I didn't make that more clear.

    It's very obvious Juan gives the Reds more production in every facet of the game than Casey save for batting average. He legs out infield hits, makes spectacular defensive plays, hits for power and drives in runs. He's younger than Sean as well. You could say his "upside"(such a catch-phrase)is higher than Seans now.

    Of course this is the Cincy Reds-- a notoriously cheap organization that rarely pays people their worth. I'm sure if they did come to Juan's agent on a two year deal, they'd offer way below market value knowing they don't have a chance to sign him but they would spin it the other way.

    Today's game is just one of those typical Greg Maddux outings. He gets in trouble every inning but always gets out of it, whereas Reitsma after an error makes one bad pitch and he's down 5-0. I'd say this game is over unless one of the youngstas goes deep in the next two innings with runners on. Unlikely.

    SCR

    BTW...Is Barry Larkin done? His swing is putrid. Lacks bat speed. He may be ultimately our biggest problem as the season progresses.


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