Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are off to a decent start having won three straight and going for a sweep of the Brewers in Milwaukee. Cincinnati's future is bright with a solid core of young pitchers and position players throughout the organization. 

Continue reading "Chris Dickerson should be playing everyday"

The news came out today that the Reds officially have interest in Gary Sheffield. Really? Sheff was a great talent in his prime, but it seems to me like he's another Griffey right now. He has great career numbers, and still gets respect at the plate (499 career home runs) but he's been hampered by injuries the past couple seasons and hasn't been at his best. There's a reason Detroit cut him when they did.

Continue reading "The Reds and Sheffield"

In seperate interviews today with Jocketty and Castellini both said that the shopping for the offseason is over, with at least one big hole left to be filled. The payroll is at the budget limit, and unless Obama can miraculously revive this economy before baseball season and the Reds sell out their stadium with season tickets, that budget ain't changing. With no other major free agent signings, and this budget supposedly in place since the fall, it makes me wonder if they really had any intentions of going after that left fielder at all? They did take on a little salary in Hernandez, but I don't think that was more than what they were expecting to take on for the catcher they wanted (and let me reiterate that I still think that was a bad trade: we picked up an overpaid mediocre catcher. I reserve the right to take back my comment should he have a career year and be that hitter we were looking for all along). Taveras also cost a little money, but again, they knew they were going to have to spend that money all along, and should have been planning on that as well.

Continue reading "I guess that's it then..."

One of the free agent names that is still looking for a job this season is 11 time gold glove winner Omar Vizquel. I started thinking if he would be a fit with the Reds and thought why not? Right now there's still uncertainty whether Gonzalez will be able to start the season healthy, and I'm just not sold on Hairston as an everyday shortstop right now. Vizquel played 92 games with the Giants last year, a part time role, and I think he could do the same very well in Cincinnati. Start the season as the everyday guy until Gonzalez gets back and then play the role of defensive replacement or fill in when Alex needs a day off (which might be good to have since he's coming off the injury). Basically he would be insurance...a very good defensive insurance. His hitting has gone down in recent years, but he was never known as a hitter to start with. He reminds me of someone we carried for a few years named Juan Castro, anyone remember him?

Continue reading "could another piece to the Reds puzzle be Vizquel?"

Speculation over at www.mlbtr.com (quickly becoming one of my favorite websites) has the top 20 free agents left and the most possible suitor for them. Included in the list was Bobby Abreu (easily in the top 20) coming to Cincinnati. Right away I was thinking "how would this work?" He's really not exactly what the team is looking for, or needs, but if you were going to pick from what's left he's gotta be looking pretty good. Not so many years ago he was considered a great player, and he's been putting up average numbers over the past couple years. I've never heard much about his defense but I don't think he'd be any worse than what we threw out there before. The only problem I can think of is that if signed then that would mean a middle of the lineup featuring Bruce, Votto, Abreu, and Philips. Signing him would not help with what we struggled with last year (left handed pitching) but would certainly make this team better. And I really don't see much else out there that have a chance of coming to the Reds that would improve the offense that much. MAYBE Ty Wiggington but I'm not convinced he would make the team that much better. Any thoughts on what else Abreu would bring to this lineup?

Continue reading "Bobby Abreu? coming to Cincinnati?"

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/01/hairston_returning_to_reds.html 

It's being reported in the hot stove blog that the Reds have re-signed Jerry Hairston Jr. And from the first news coming out about the contract it sounds like a very good deal as well, only $2 million guaranteed, with up to $4 million in incentives. From what I was hearing it sounded like he would take no less than $4 million guaranteed. The article mentioned that he is expected to be the starting shortstop since Alex Gonzalez is scheduled to be out for another year (chalk that one up to a bad contract; we paid him two years to do nothing).

Continue reading "Hairston returns to Reds"

While reading columns about the Reds that I frequent (Hal McCoy's blog and the official Reds web site) I saw two articles about the same thing, the Reds moves this offseason. One was very negative (McCoy) while Mark Sheldon, writer for the Reds website, was looking at the positive side of things. To glance at the moves the Reds have made wouldn't shock anybody, even though I think they did sign some key players to fill needs. McCoy ( http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/) says that much more needs to be done, and that they haven't done enough to move out of 5th place. I hate to do it, but I'm gonna disagree with you here.

Continue reading "A look at the NL central"

Yes, I know I'm late to the party with this one, writing about something that happened last week. But I figured I'd throw my two cents out there since the news about the financial details just came out today. It turns out thathe two year deal is only worth $6.25 million: $2.25 in 2009 and $4 million in 2010. If he does here what he is capable of doing then I think that's a pretty good signing.

Continue reading "Thoughts on the Willy Taveras signing"

I was just sitting here watching the Holiday bowl (I’m rooting for the Ducks by the way - Can’t get much more intimidating than that) and my mind drifted (as it sometimes does) to the Reds starting rotation for 2009. And the thought hit me: I’m not as nervous about the pitching as I have been in recent years. Now, in the era since I started following the Reds I’ve been introduced to the likes of Greg Vaughn, Dante Bichette, Ken Griffey Jr, and Adam Dunn, among other prolific hitters. Never in recent memory have the Reds had a pitching staff that is shaping up to be as good as what they have for 2009. I’m not saying that they will be as dominating as the Yankees look like they will be with CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. But they will most definitely be better.

Continue reading "The starting 5"

Ok, so there really is no truth at all to the title. Walt Jocketty has even denied any interest in offering Sosa a contract. But a recent story this week ( http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3793001) made me think about all the "what-ifs." It's been no secret that the Reds have wanted to add a right handed bat in the outfield to the starting lineup this off season, preferably a power bat to replace Adam Dunn. Pat Burrell was the first name on the list, but it looks like he would be too expensive and in my opinion too much like Dunn. The strikeouts are lower, the average is higher, the defense is about the same, and the walks are lower: so it's not a carbon copy. But there was a reason the team traded Dunn, simply because that's not the kind of bat (or defense) we need. The deal with the White Sox for Jermaine Dye fell through, presumably because of the money. What other options are out there?

Continue reading "Sammy Sosa to the Reds?"

Oh boy, so much for trying to have a regularly updated Reds blog. Of course, as soon as I posted the first entry, I got sick and then a bunch of other stuff got in the way, but hey, I'm back for a reboot here. Let's try it again.

Continue reading "Restart and Why Taveras Is Not the Answer"

Greetings and welcome to my brand-spanking new Reds blog. We currently boast a readership of, well, let's not talk about that right now, but we're growing! That's the idea. GROW!

The Reds just finished their 400th miserable season in a row, and, as always, there's talk of competing next year, but the question is, is it possible?

Continue reading "What to Do with 30 Million Dollars"

It's my opinion that the Reds don't think about what they are doing when they trade away a player. So far I have agreed with most of the trades they have done. Especially the Griffey trade. I know most Reds fans adore Ken Griffey, but I think it was a good idea at first, but when we finally got him he was injury prone and wasn't that great of a player. Yeah I know what your saying, he is a future hall of famer, but come on the money we were paying him could of got us a good pitcher and we all know that is what the Reds need to be sucessful!!! The one trade I didn't like was Josh Hamilton. He was an excellent player and got even better at the Rangers. If we kept him we could have been a little better than what we are now. Now I wasn't a big fan of Adam Dunn, but he was a decent player. Now the next year we would not be able to aford him, but I don't think we got anything good out of the deal. But now that we have gotten rid of Dunn and Griffey. I think the Reds can focus on more important thinks like pitchers. With our very young team I think we can have a good chance to go somewhere next year.

Continue reading "Reds management don't think before trading!!!"

Arizona has just traded for Adam Dunn, reports Baseball Digest Daily, bolstering their outfield to offset injuries to Eric Byrnes and Justin Upton, as well as to counteract the Dodgers' recent acquisition of Manny Ramirez. That Dunn passed through waivers is both an indication of his big salary for the year, as well as his undervalued status among GMs.

Continue reading "Arizona Dunn-Backs"

It’s the annual midpoint of the baseball season, and for the brief span that is the All-Star break, all eyes are upon the Bronx. As everyone is well aware of, this campaign is the last go around for the world’s most famous, largest, and most prominent ballpark, Yankee Stadium. It seems hard to believe, and even more sacrilegious that this living legend’s days are numbered. Built in 1923 and christened by the greatest ballplayer to ever live, Babe Ruth, the cathedral of baseball will never truly be replaced. Although the Bombers will move a block to Yankee Stadium’s heir, the Mecca of America’s Pastime will still live on in our hearts. Whether you’re a diehard Yankee fan, or Yankee-hater, you still can respect the history and awe that the stadium brings. So when the All-Stars take the field Tuesday night, sit back on your couch, crack open a cold one and soak up the history of Yankee Stadium, as its final chapter is unveiled to all of us.

Continue reading "National League Looks to End Rut"

One of the All-Star Break traditions: Reassessing our predictions from the first half of the season. Some of mine have changed, some have stayed the same—and some were just damn wrong. Living in the West, I will take the contrarian position and roll from west to east in my choices.

Continue reading "Second Half Predictions"

 

Edinson Volquez SP – Cincinnati Reds

When the Reds received Volquez in the winter from Texas for Josh Hamilton, the Rangers looked as if they got a steal. But come to find out, this could go down as one of the fairest and best trades in recent history. While Hamilton has led the world in just about every offensive category at least at one point in the season over in Texas, the hard throwing righty Volquez is killing the National League with his deadly splitter that is causing an abundance of groundballs and whiffs. The addition of Volquez for the Reds has been monumental given the fact that his style of pitching is a perfect fit for the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. He leads the league with an ERA just over two, and could soon take the title of ace away from the veteran Aaron Harang who has struggled this year. Given the tough task of gaining recognition in the Queen City, a problem endured by Harang the past couple of years, a Cy Young might be too much to ask for, but an appearance in the All-Star game is just about a certainty for Edinson Volquez.

Continue reading "Mic's National League All-Star Team"

The Reds have gone into Yankee stadium and in three consecutive games, their starting pitchers have held the Bronx Bombers, who are just beginning to wake from their early season slumber, to three runs.

Continue reading "Daryl Thompson: One of an Endangered Species"

To Junior, it must have felt like giving birth after a long and complex labor. Hitting his 600th home run last night was probably the most overpredicted and overdue statistical milepost in baseball history. We've been waiting for this to happen for at least ten years, ever since he put up back-to-back 56 homer seasons for Seattle in '97 and '98. When that season wrapped up, he had 350 career longballs at age 28, becoming the fastest player in history to hit that many, a feat he repeated when he cracked his 400th.

Continue reading "Junior's 600"

One of the talked-about items in two of my fave teams (Reds and Mariners) is the possible return of Griffey to the place where he got his start. Seattle's been scouting him, and there's a bit of a buzz, but it's not much more than idle talk at this point, but it's an interesting feel-good possibility that could help out both teams. Let's look at the pros and cons and possible stumbling blocks:

Continue reading "Junior Back in Seattle?"

Two interesting things happened at the end of the Reds-Mets game today. Well, really it was only one thing, but it told me two interesting things. In the top of the ninth inning, trailing 8-3, the eighth spot of the Reds order was due up, and Dave Ross, who had entered the game as part of a double-switch in the bottom of the sixth inning, came to bat. He flied out to right, and Corey Patterson, who had entered in a double-switch in the bottom of the eighth inning, stepped up to the plate.

Continue reading "This Whole Team's Out of Order!"

The Reds went all homer-happy over the Cubs last night, and Edinson Volquez twirled a gem on the mound, leading the Reds commentators and Steve Phillips on ESPN to go all gushy on them, proclaiming the future is now and they're gonna take the NL Central. Is this the case?

Continue reading "Here Come the Reds! (Really?)"

Hey guys, this is my first Prospect Perspective and who else could it be on but super hitting outfielder Jay bruce. There has been alot of hype on Jay and hes just about as old as I am, He's stuck behind a glut of Reds outfielders(where have I seen this story before..) but will likely get to play once the Reds are out of contention at the all star break. The Reds are trying not to rush this power hitting phenom but it wont be long before he's blasting extra base hits and HR's out of Great american ballpark.

Continue reading "Madgear's Prospect Perspective"

ow the Cubs pitching to fall into place, they certainly become the easy favorite in the division.

Cincinnati Reds

After Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, do the Reds have anybody who can pitch?

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: NL Central"

March 6th, 1964.

Tom O'Hara of Illinois finished the indoor mile in under four minutes 44 years ago today.

Yikes!

Myself, I keep an eight-minute pace and I've never just tried to race a mile. It might be an interesting undertaking, if you're into punishment from the pavement like myself anyhow.

Continue reading "This Date in History: Tom O'Hara ..."