Is this same ole same ole or we just in a slump?

[redsfanntheville]

I'd say most on here have watch this core group play for several years now and pretty much know the team. We know EE has slow starts, Dunn can't hit in the clutch, and Griff is good for several double plays. Is our team the same or do we really have potential for good things this year. I like the direction of our SP, still not sold on middle relief, and now some of our dependable guys like Kepp are slumping a bit. This will eventually take a toll on the SP.

If we continue this trend does everybody need to get on board of trading away a few and going young or signing a few FA's.

On my watch list till late June is:
Dunn-clutching hitting, RBI's, hitting with RISP
EE-becoming productive from the right side and not a liabilty at 3b
Freel-when Bruce is ready
Griff-If the package is right from a contender send him to try and win one
Hatty-When Votto is groomed enough
Weathers-Give the setup to Burton

Castro, Coffey, Ross-DFA watch list

Call Ups
Bruce-CF
Bailey
Maloney-Some relief appearances, then into some SPs
Dickerson-If Dunn and Griff are moved, give him a shot out in the OF

[powerofcincy]

I don't want to say after 14 games.
But.

It looks to me like this is starting to go downhill quickly, and I think that, as usual, the Reds came out of the gate with a bang and got our hopes up a little, and that was the real fluke.
On paper, yes, this should be a legitimately contending team in this division, but I think we lack the mental edge, the professionalism, to seriously contend for the title.

I'd like nothing better than to be proven dead wrong, however....

[bkleo504]

I don't know, it seems like another bad break....Harang isn't going to give us that poor of a showing very often. Then that seemed to lead to a spiral downward affecting the bullpen too.

[schellis]

The Reds are a warmer weather team. Things will pick up as the temperature goes up.

That being said they really need to look for a right handed bat that has some pop in it before Phillips decides he's a power hitter.

EE needs to be that guy, but I don't think its going to happen.

Right now I say the Reds have four holes. They need a RH power hitter and a lead off hitter for two of them.

Catcher, 3B, SS, and CF

Keppinger will take either 3B or SS...I perfer 3B.

None of the Reds current catchers are worth anything, a team like the Reds can't give away outs and thats pretty much what two of the three catchers are now, and the third can't really play defense. Honestly I don't think I would have minded signing Kendall on a one and done.

I'd like to see a nice glove at SS for the Reds, Atlanta has one in Lillebridge I believe that could be expendable and they have a need for a starter as well. Who know Belisle and something might be enough.

The problem is that you'd have to find a power hitting CF that is also right handed then and was a great defender to boot. Patterson has the glove, but not the bat. Sure he hits the occasional homer but his OBP and average are low, at best he's a 4th OF.

Its only been two weeks, if this were the middle of June people would right it off.

[powerofcincy]

Harang hasn't really had any starts this year that were particularly impressive, and a few that definitely were not...a little concerning.

[Lark11]

To be honest, I've got some concerns. Of course, I had them before the season even started, so it's not so much that we're starting slow. Hell, Adam Dunn hasn't even gotten started yet.

Still, I don't think our defense is at all better. Our bullpen is only three deep and our offense is still middle of the road.

Thankfully, our starting pitching is better, but is it going to be enough? I'm still not so sure. At this point, I think I'd put the Over/Under at 81-81.

[JHockey14]

Apr 15, 2008 22:22:04 GMT -5 Lark11 said:

To be honest, I've got some concerns. Of course, I had them before the season even started, so it's not so much that we're starting slow. Hell, Adam Dunn hasn't even gotten started yet.

Still, I don't think our defense is at all better. Our bullpen is only three deep and our offense is still middle of the road.

Thankfully, our starting pitching is better, but is it going to be enough? I'm still not so sure. At this point, I think I'd put the Over/Under at 81-81.

honestly ..... id be happy this year with an 81 win season. 81 wins would keep us at least in the hunt in our division all season which would be exciting and more importanly it would teach the young guys how to win. they're only going to get better and I honestly wasnt expecting to be very competitive until next season. id take 81 wins and build for 2009. wheres redlurker and his saying from a few years back when you need him lol, reds will shine in 09

[awnawboi21]

I think we're just in a slump....but the worst of it came tonight....

When you have Aaron Harang facing Ryan Dumpster Dempster you expect to win 98% of the time. The fact that we're slumping so bad as to come across that 2% speaks volumes to how bad we're playing right now.

[The Duke]

Dunn I think will bounce back, and as low as his avg is he has a .407 OBP, he should be hitting 2^nd or 3^rd right now

EE is a notoriously slow starter, but he usually needs some sort of kick in the ass to gt him going, and I don't know if a AAA demotion would do the trick again.

Patterson had a hot first week, but he is reverting back to being Patterson and is now hitting .239 with a sub .300 OBP.

[awnawboi21]

Apr 16, 2008 5:26:10 GMT -5 The Duke said:

Dunn I think will bounce back, and as low as his avg is he has a .407 OBP, he should be hitting 2^nd or 3^rd right now

EE is a notoriously slow starter, but he usually needs some sort of kick in the ass to gt him going, and I don't know if a AAA demotion would do the trick again.

Patterson had a hot first week, but he is reverting back to being Patterson and is now hitting .239 with a sub .300 OBP.

EE being a slow starter is exactly why we need a Jim Leyland moment out of Dusty. There is no reason not to rip into the kid's approach right now. Light a fire for crying out loud....

[dukecrunchybagel]

I'm not at all suprised at the slow start; in the end, Krvisky has not put a good squad on the field.

The fielding on this team, particuarly the outfield, is still not good. EE has been brick-handed at third, neither Dunn nor Griffey have gotten job done well, and Patterson has not really impressed me in center (he's pretty mediocre).

The lack of speed and a lead-off hitter has been as projected.

The upside of Cueto and Volquez has been somewhat offset by the downside of Arroyo.

Not suprisingly, neither Weathers nor Affeldt have really shown anything special in the bullpen. Coffey stinks. On the plus side, Lincoln and Mercker have been pleasant suprises, and Burton looks to be the real thing.

Kriv needs to shake up the roster here fairly shortly, but his mistakes in the offseason are already starting to haunt this team.

If it was up to me, I'd DFA Coffey and Castro, bring up Bray and Jerry Hairston Jr (or Jolbert Cabrera). For now, we're stuck with Hatty due to the lack of left handed bats (neither Drew Anderson nor Chris Dickerson are doing well for the Bats), Freel ($$$), and Fogg (until a better solution emerges from AAA).

I still think we're looking at 76-86 if the current roster remains intact. I don't think it will, and we'll see a big-time fire sale in June -- very likely with Walt Jocketty in charge of it.

[psuhistory]

We still don't have an everyday player who can carry a team through an early slump. I agree with what I take to be the general ideas--that if we can manage around .500 until June to July when the good hitters take off, and August to September when our improved starting pitching could figure, then we have a chance to contend. It does appear to be the kind of team, though, that could be out of contention before its strengths come into play.

I think I've said enough to make myself look like an even bigger idiot later this season.