Opening Day 03/31/2008

[WVRedsFan]

I gotta tell ya: I'm not feelin' it yet. I'm not excited. Wasn't excited before the game. In fact, I only watched about 1/3 of the game.

This team hasn't captured my imagination at all yet. Who's with me? Anybody else having a crisis of faith?

Well, it was baseball and it was the Reds, but that was all.

Not to sound mean, but I've been waiting for that move that would put the Reds over the top. I had high hopes for seeing Votto at first, Bruce in the outfield and finding a new catcher who might be able to hit higher than the interstate. Instead, we got the same team that opened in the very successful 2007 season <tongue in cheek> with the notable exception of Kepp at short rather and Gonzo, Patterson in CF rather than Freel, and Valentin behind the plate. In none of those incidences was any one of them better choices.

It's like I said in the game thread earlier. I felt like I was on the set of the Groundhog Day movie. No matter who the manager is, we seemingly refuse to go with youth over geezers, and we get the same result every time. Below .500 baseball.

Oh, how I hope for a better tomorrow, but like the movie, the same things happen over and over again. And the result is the same thing over and over again.

[Screwball]

I had high hopes for [...] finding a new catcher who might be able to hit higher than the interstate.

Ross can hit higher than .071. Maybe even .075.

I agree with you on your main point though. I think we're going to have to be patient and wait for Thursday and Saturday to get a glimpse of the new look for the 2008 Reds. Watching Cueto and Volzuez go against a potent lineup should be very exciting, if not adventurous.

Oh, and I really like having Francisco Cordero in the bullpen.

[WVRedsFan]

Ross can hit higher than .071. Maybe even .075.

I agree with you on your main point though. I think we're going to have to be patient and wait for Thursday and Saturday to get a glimpse of the new look for the 2008 Reds. Watching Cueto and Volzuez go against a potent lineup should be very exciting, if not adventurous.

Oh, and I really like having Francisco Cordero in the bullpen.

Of course (and excuse me for not mentioning), the pitching staff, at least the starters, are much improved. I wasn't much in favor of the Hamilton for Volquez trade, but it just might work out. Cueto looks like he'll be an improvement over what we've had. Good. And watching Cordero today was what we've needed for a long time, but Bruton's performance showed that they hit him hard even when he got outs. Not a good sign and the bullpen worries me considering we just DFA'd a younger guy for (apparently) ancient Kent Mercker. But...

We scored two runs, and they scored four with our best pitcher on the mound. We got three hits, and one of them came from Aaron Harang, the pitcher. Patterson played a good center field, but left three men on base. Why is he with this club? Is there an answer? And why is he leading off?

Sure, it's just the first game. The optimists will be saying that it's just May and it's just June when we still are mired in below .500 baseball. Trouble is, take out an error by Encarnacion (who continues to do this when it's least needed) and the Reds still lose by a run because we couldn't hit the pitching. I guess there's no cure for that except less gopher balls. That might be a problem at homer friendly GABP.

[Big Klu]

No changes yesterday.

Updated Reds HR list (players in italics are active):

Reds All-Time Home Run Leaders
1. Johnny Bench - 389
2. Frank Robinson - 324
3. Tony Perez - 287
4. Ted Kluszewski - 251
5. George Foster - 244
6. Adam Dunn - 238
7. Eric Davis - 203
8. Barry Larkin - 198
9. Ken Griffey, Jr. - 195
10. Vada Pinson - 186
11. Wally Post - 172
12. Gus Bell - 160
13. Joe Morgan - 152
13. Pete Rose - 152
15. Lee May - 147
16. Dan Driessen - 133
17. Reggie Sanders - 125
18. Ernie Lombardi - 120
19. Sean Casey - 118
20. Frank McCormick - 110
21. Dave Parker - 107
22. Chris Sabo - 104
23. Dave Concepcion - 101
24. Gordy Coleman - 98
25. Paul O'Neill - 96

[Matt700wlw]

I gotta tell ya: I'm not feelin' it yet. I'm not excited. Wasn't excited before the game. In fact, I only watched about 1/3 of the game.

This team hasn't captured my imagination at all yet. Who's with me? Anybody else having a crisis of faith?

Not excited for opening day? What kind of fan are you??!?!

[Big Klu]

I was there yesterday. It was my tenth Opening Dayin a row, and my 11th overall. Without a doubt, the best part of the day was the introduction of the team, and all of them wearing Joe Nuxhall's name and number of their backs. I got a little misty-eyed.

It's only one game, folks. I'm still upbeat about the season. I think it's always harder to take a loss on Opening Day because we fans have two days to stew over it, instead of just one. As soon as the Reds pick up their first win (hopefully Wednesday with Bronson on the mound), everybody will feel better.

[Matt700wlw]

Season's over, you know that

[GAC]

Condolences to the Maupin family today, as well...

They were in the parade and received loud cheers and applause.

I would have loved to have seen one of the family members throwing out the 1st pitch. They had a moment of silence for the family during the game.

On a different note..... looking at where that Toyota truck is positioned, it will be nearly impossible for anyone to hit that thing. It's safe IMHO.

They ought to have a drawing on Fan Appreciation Day.

[Screwball]

On a different note..... looking at where that Toyota truck is positioned, it will be nearly impossible for anyone to hit that thing. It's safe IMHO.

Yeah I remember reading somewhere that because of how far away (not to mention high) it is and the direction from home it's positioned at, it's basically impossible for a lefty to hit it. Maybe, maybe a righty who absolutely crushes one - Pujols, perhaps, if he got a perfect meatball.

So yeah, I'm not sure that we'll see too many dents in that thing anytime soon. However, Grande alluded to the fact that it might be used somehow after the Reds hit a home run. I'd like to see whether that's true or not tomorrow night.

[GAC]

Yeah I remember reading somewhere that because of how far away (not to mention high) it is and the direction from home it's positioned at, it's basically impossible for a lefty to hit it. Maybe, maybe a righty who absolutely crushes one - Pujols, perhaps, if he got a perfect meatball.

So yeah, I'm not sure that we'll see too many dents in that thing anytime soon. However, Grande alluded to the fact that it might be used somehow after the Reds hit a home run. I'd like to see whether that's true or not tomorrow night.

Maybe they could put it in the BP to drive Coffey to the mound and save his legs? :