of course it's too early to panic

Or maybe not. The panic clock is at least ticking. It'll speed up if the Reds don't go 4-1 the rest of this homestand... they're 7 back already and showing no sign of turning things around... and they're losing to teams they should beat: almost half their games have been against Pittsburgh, Houston and St. Louis... six games loom in LA and SD starting Friday, then 3 in Cleveland... 3-6 isn't farfetched on that trip, and then what?

W. Krivsky isnt shy about dealing, but he seems sincerely fixed in wait-and-see mode. J. Narron isn't the leader this team craves. The Reds remain one of the worst defensive teams in the league, the Little Things mantra is being ignored (reflection on the talent, but also on the manager) and the bullpen, well, we know about the bullpen...

It's not out of the question to suggest we'll have a very good read on the whole season by May 21, when the Reds return from the road. Live big, Norm Charlton.