Paul Daugherty: ka-boom?

Saturday, April 26, 2008

ka-boom?

I'm a charter member of the It's Early club. The problem with that comes when you keep seeing the same, dispiriting way the club plays, night after night. No life, no passion. Nobody hitting but, um, Hoss Harang. When does a slump become a trend? And is it reversible?

"Blow up'' is already being tossed around. OK, but this isnt Fantasy Island. Dunn can't be traded until after June 15. Junior won't be traded until after 600, if at all. Who else would another team want?

Arroyo? Making 9m next year, 11m 2010.
Freel? 3m this year, 4m next.
everyone else is a warmed-over leftover or semi-untouchable.

Methinks they're stuck, unless the Big Man wants to eat even more money and let loose Patterson, so Bruce can be called up, and/or Fogg, to make room for David Bailey. Coffey could go to 'Ville, someone could suddenly develop tendinitis etc...

Changing cultures isnt an overnight thing.

I'll stick with the 80-win pick I made March 1. It's getting harder.

23 Comments:

at 2:27 PM

Unknown said...

Maybe changing cultures means "get more rah-rah into the clubhouse, but keep the same players." If it does, then we have to agree that these are the best players that the Reds can field at this moment.

Serious question:

At this point in time, for each position on the team, who is the very best player in the entire Reds organization, major or minors? Be hard on yourself and choose just ONE name for each position except pitching in which you get to rank order the top five starters and top 3 relievers.

The Best:

C
SS
1b
2b
3b
lf
rf
cf
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
r1
r2
r3

at 3:43 PM

Unknown said...

Gee Paul, the Reds are so boring that there has been only one comment in the last 4 hours. People are starting to expect less than they used to expect from the Reds. Griffy and 600 home runs doesn't mean much to me unless the Reds are winning.

at 3:48 PM

Anonymous said...

Well, its good to know now that we have a owner who can/or will absorb a contract..either way, it's an interesting position to be in..something needs to be Dunn,opps, sorry, slipped.. pitching is better than its been, average to above average, but the hitting, this is where i scratch my head and can't quite figuer it out.. oh well, thought i'd throw my two cents in..well gonna try to watch another game tonight...see ya...PIZZA GUY

at 3:49 PM

Haystacks Calhoun said...

C - No one, all the ones here stink.
SS - Keppinger
1b - Votto
2b - BP
3b - Cabrera
lf - EE - He would be my everyday left fielder
rf - Griffey
cf - Bruce
p1 - Harang
p2 - Volquez
p3 - Cueto
p4 - Bailey
p5 - Thompson
r1 - Cordero
r2 - Burton
r3 - Bray

at 4:39 PM

Bearcat Ben said...

Paul,

You got it about right. I don't understand what blowing up the team would mean at this point. As you mentioned, Dunn can't be moved until after June 15 and is there anywhere Jr. would accept a trade to? Blowing up a team that was never completely built makes little sense. That said, they need to find a way to bring up both Bruce and Bailey by mid-June. In a worst case scenario Dunn and Griffey stay the whole season, the Reds let them both walk and then use the $24 million from these two players to find some power and speed in the outfield.

at 5:37 PM

robby said...

I thought 81 to 85 wins were possible, but at this point 75 would be optimistic. The amazing feature of this team is that the chemistry seems to be worse and the team clearly is not responding well to Baker. There are no quick fixes because as you noted there is little or nothing in trade value and the contracts some of the players have make moving them very unlikely. I think there stuck for now. How could Castellini and Krivsky really think this team might compete for a Central Division crown? There is one very big change I would make in the offseason that no one ever mentions, but I would move the fences back at GABP. It is not a fair stadium and moving the fences back will help the pitching and maybe convince players like Brandon Phillips to stop swinging for the fences on every pitch.

at 6:32 PM

Paul Daugherty said...

537... I have lobbied for moving the fences in print... am told it would be cost prohibitive....but it's still necessary...

at 9:16 PM

Anonymous said...

Just watched Brandon (the Man) Phillips loop a tough pitch into left to score a run and then side-step the tag at second. No one else on the team makes that play!
He even looked like he CARED.

Griffey/Dunn wouldn't have even LOOKED at second base. Freel would've tried but been out.

Dusty's got a leaderless team and can't figure out what to do with it - not sure I blame him..

at 10:22 PM

Anonymous said...

This club couldn't win 80 if you gave them the first 30. They are so busy being "cool," they've forgotten how to play the game.

Couple of suggestions:

> Get rid of the bubblegum. You can't run to first while blowing bubbles. Your lungs need oxygen if you are running as hard as you can.

> Is it too much to ask to run 90 feet flat out four times a game? Stop the ambling. If you can't run, sit down and make way for those that do. Some of these guys couldn't run hard for 90 feet without tripping over their tongues which are hanging out of their mouths from panting.

> How about coming to spring training in the best shape of your life? You don't get into shape during spring training. You arrive in shape ready to play your tail off from day one.

> How about losing that excess weight? I've never seen so many bulging uniforms, front porches and sagging behinds.

> How about teaching these guys how to bunt? Maybe Norris Hopper could conduct classes. Most of the National League pitchers can't field their position. Bunting would expose them while getting some runners on base. Why are some Reds exempt from bunting?

> Ever hear of advancing a runner? When the opposition overshifts, why do some of these prima donnas insist in hitting it right into the overshift?

> Whatever happened to watching every pitch into the catcher's mitt when you don't swing? Many of these guys lose sight of the ball about a foot in front of home plate when they swing. If you practice watching the ball on each pitch, then maybe you can make contact because, by habit, you will see where the ball is.

> Whatever happened to infield practice? You think you can make plays during a game when you don't practice game situations before the game? Johnny Bench nailed runners because he worked hard throwing to second and third during infield practice.

> Why not learn how to hate losing? Then maybe it would intensify your efforts to win.

This group is unwilling to do what it takes before, during and after games to win. They are disgusting to watch.

I wonder what was the purpose of spring training? Play 30 games to develop your tan?

at 6:59 AM

JackBlueAsh said...

robby moving the fences back has absolutely nothing to do with the poor play of the Reds. The Reds are not losing because of homeruns hit against them nor is Phillips trying to hit home runs everytime he bats.. Quit listening to sportscasters and their garbage

at 7:33 AM

Anonymous said...

In 1990 the Reds started the season 33-12. They played 500 ball the rest of the season and won the world series. 2 years ago, the Cardinals had the best record in baseball by June and barely won the division. The Cards also went on to win the world series. Early matters Doc.

at 8:59 AM

Anonymous said...

Instead of huge contracts, make players earn it. Few of us start our careers at the salaries of a ballplayer and increase so quickly. Have specific increments and requirements to move to the next monetary level. The requirements could be specific to a particular position. If you don't meet the requirement, you stay where you are and are put on probation w/ ceretain criteria placed on you for improvement. If you don't, you can be asked to leave. That's how my place of employment works and others, I'm sure.
If they love playing baseball enough, perhaps they'll make the needed changes.

I don't like everyone I work with, but I love my job...teaching kids...and am grateful to have a job!

at 10:27 AM

Mike said...

Until the Reds develop a farm system that supplies talent they will continue to lose. Unfortunately it will take several years. The Reds have wasted valuable time on building a farm system since the early 1990's.

at 9:48 PM

Anonymous said...

Please, Please, enable dates on comments! XXXXXOOOOO

at 7:42 AM

Another losing season said...

Annonymous is my new favorite poster. Dude get a screen name through Google...it's fast and easy. Love AND COULD NOT AGREE MORE your comments, especially at 10:22 PM.

at 10:48 AM

Unknown said...

Haystacks, if I had to rank order the catchers, I'd say Bako, Colina, Ross, Valentin.

Not much difference between them.

at 1:07 PM

Steven Ross said...

Unless Dung...I mean, Dunn goes on an absolute tear and/or the Reds are contending, there's no way we'll keep him after June 15th or the trading deadline. He's NOT worth the $$$ and has become the poster child for many of the Reds failures. Look for Bruce to finish the year in LF.

Griffey will last the year but I'd be shocked if we picked-up his option for next season. Time to move on from these two.

at 1:32 PM

Anonymous said...

Reds fans never cease to amaze me. Hey, 10:22, Pete Rose is retired. Move on. It's amazing someone hasn't hired you to manage in the bigs yet. How's your team of 13 year olds looking this year?

And 8:59, you (and me) aren't nearly as good at your job as anyone on the Reds is at his. Comparisons are inapposite. Learn to live with the fact that people make a lot more money than you.

at 5:01 PM

Anonymous said...

Adam Dunn is the reason why this team is horrible. He is the worst left fielder in the league. He doesn't make too many errors because he's NEVER close enough to the ball to commit one. He is horrible in the clutch. He takes a ton of pitches he could flick into gaps. He has a horrible arm.

And we pay him 13 million this year. He is the worst player on our team. He is a major reason why the Reds have been under a cloud since he showed up 7 years ago. Who wants a full decade of Dunn?! I sure don't.

At least these pitchers are fun.

at 5:36 PM

anti-media said...

Paul,We will be far better off when Dunn & Grif are gone!! As players & people they have major flaws....dumb,lazy,soft,fat and spoiled !!Also,W.K. proved how Cluless he really was when he said he was shocked when fired...he should have been fired long ago!!Would you be fired if you were incompetent for over 2 yrs. ????

at 10:33 PM

robby said...

Brandon Phillips swings from the heels on almost every pitch. I can see that for myself.

If you are a free agent pitcher and the money is equal, where are you going to sign to pitch? In Cincinnati? Where many fly balls that are outs in most stadiums are home runs. Or do you sign to pitch for a team where an opposing player has to legitimately hit the ball hard to get it out of the stadium? Most pitchers if the money is equal will avoid the Reds like the plague. The stadium is not fair.

Secondly, if a team is trying to develop a young pitching staff does management want the pitchers to get confidence by pitching in a pitching friendly stadium or do you want them to be shell shocked pitching in a stadium where the ball flies out?

Finally, the development of hitters is also hampered by the stadium in the sense that young hitters learn bad habits when the stadium encourages swinging for the fences instead of learning to hit to all fields. Many years ago I remember hearing players talk about how playing in Fenway and Wrigley messed up their swings because it tempted them to swing for the fences instead of just trying to make contact.

Are the Reds awful because of GABP? Of course not. But playing in a stadium that is so hitter friendly does nothing to help the Reds improve.

at 1:12 PM

ewad said...

Its only 3 games... but since you put this up the Reds have started hitting. Last night the bullpen held a lead over several innings.
How long has it been since we could say that? I'm not quite willing to throw in the towel yet.

at 10:46 AM

Dan said...

I agree about GABP. I don't know if it makes the Reds worse (though I do see the point about pitchers not wanting to sign here, definitely).

My perspective is, rinky-dink HR's are boring. It's much more fun to watch a game in San Diego or Detroit where there's actually a lot of room out there to cover. HR's are legitimate, and they actually have exciting plays like triples! (If I remember correctly, that's the most severe thing about GABP -- it crazily lowers the number of triples, I guess b/c there just are no distant nooks anywhere to hit a ball. And triples are really exciting!)

Now the Reds are painted into a corner b/c even if they did want to push the fences back, they can't b/c the stands are right there and it's prohibitively expensive.

Detroit got it right -- they decided they built their park TOO big actually (at least in LF and LCF), and they brought the fences IN, and it was (I assume) easy, cheap, no problem.

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Saturday, April 26, 2008

ka-boom?

23 Comments: