Reds

• clacey

  Is anybody else surprised that baseball is about to start. I am usually plugged into the reds by now but it seems like everyone has just given them up for dead.
  
  I do have tickets for opening day though!
• jordo212000

  

  Nah I'm not surprised. I've been counting down for a while now. I see them competing for a wild card spot.
• BCBulldog

  

  jordo212000 wrote: Nah I'm not surprised. I've been counting down for a while now. I see them competing for a wild card spot.

  Same here. My favorite time of the year!!!
• jordo212000

  

  I think it's a lock that St Louis is taking the division. But I still think the Brewers and Cubs could both cock block the Reds wild card chances. I like the Brewers slightly better than the Cubs (mostly b/c Fielder and Braun on the same team. Yikes) My fear is that the Central will beat up on each other all season. I didn't even mention the Pirates who could be a nice spoiler. They will be better, I don't see them competing yet, but they'll steal some wins.
• justincredible

  

  I am very much looking forward to the season starting. I am throwing around the idea of going to Opening Day.
• Ironman92

  

  I just can't get excited with Dusty in charge.
  
  Harang...if you had to bet a big number...would it be Harang winning 15 or losing 15? This is a legitimate question and a #1 starter should not make the fans hesitate that answer.
  
  OB% will be low.....swinging for the fences will be way too often and slumps last longer before being corrected.
• jordo212000

  

  ^^^^^
  
  haha
• Ironman92

  

  If I'm wrong....I'll admit it. I'm not one of those.
• Ironman92

  

  Seriously.....you had to bet your car on Harang would it be for him getting 15 wins or losses?
• jordo212000

  

  Ironman92 wrote: Seriously.....you had to bet your car on Harang would it be for him getting 15 wins or losses?

  Yeah in all honesty Harangatang does scare me a little. He has been getting rocked all spring. He does say that this is best he has felt in a long time... I don't know how that works haha.
  
  I was just busting your balls a little for being the voice of reason. Everybody knows before the season starts, you are supposed to predict a winning season for your team, regardless of good they will actually be
• thavoice

  surprised its about ready to start?
  
  Uh..no. The schedule has been out for months so the start of the season is pretty much expected.
  
  I project 86 wins. Where that puts em in the standings...i dont know.......
• Big Red Monster

  I have tickets to one game, and thinking about going to maybe 2 more.
  
  I have been ready for the season to start for a long time and will be kicked back on Sunday Night/Monday Afternoon.
• BCBulldog

  

  Certainly, Harang and Arroyo are potential problems, but I genuinely believe that the Reds have the best #3 through #5 pitchers in the league. Add in a top notch bully and there are a lot of wins to be had even if Harang and Arroyo are mediocre.
  
  The key will be in taking advantage of matchups where Bailey, Cueto and the #5 go up against lesser starters. If Harang can just be .500 and Arroyo maintain last year's non-Toronto performance, then they have a real chance to be in the hunt when the trade deadline comes around.
  
  Hitting, on the other hand, seems to be a huge problem. I attribute that nearly entirely to the piss-poor instruction given by Baker and Brook Jacoby. There is no reason that a talent like Jay Bruce should be so anemic against lefties. And it's not just him, the entire outfield can't hit them. Add in the continued destruction of Brandon Phillips from a hitter into a slugger and it is evident that this is where the Reds will fall short this season.
• jordo212000

  

  BCBulldog wrote: Hitting, on the other hand, seems to be a huge problem. I attribute that nearly entirely to the piss-poor instruction given by Baker and Brook Jacoby. There is no reason that a talent like Jay Bruce should be so anemic against lefties. And it's not just him, the entire outfield can't hit them. Add in the continued destruction of Brandon Phillips from a hitter into a slugger and it is evident that this is where the Reds will fall short this season.

  Jonny Gomes can hit lefties. He can actually hit both pretty well. But Dusty continues to bang his head against the wall and use him as a platoon guy.
• BCBulldog

  

  jordo212000 wrote:

  BCBulldog wrote: Hitting, on the other hand, seems to be a huge problem. I attribute that nearly entirely to the piss-poor instruction given by Baker and Brook Jacoby. There is no reason that a talent like Jay Bruce should be so anemic against lefties. And it's not just him, the entire outfield can't hit them. Add in the continued destruction of Brandon Phillips from a hitter into a slugger and it is evident that this is where the Reds will fall short this season.

  Jonny Gomes can hit lefties. He can actually hit both pretty well. But Dusty continues to bang his head against the wall and use him as a platoon guy.

  For average, but not power. Same with Stubbs. It blows me away that coaches, as clearly incompetent as Baker and Jacoby, get jobs coaching hitters. Talented, young players like Bruce (and to a certain point Votto) should be able to drive the ball to all fields, off both RHPs and LHPs when coached to hit with the correct technique. The problem is that you have two half-assed former players, who know very little about the form of hitting, teaching young players how to hit based off of their own experiences and 'conventional wisdom.' They refuse to adapt to today's game, techniques and information.
• killdeer

  

  I see them flirting with the wild card until the last few weeks, but falling just short.
  However, some interesting developments to watch, both pitching and position players that may be ready to take the next step.
  All in all, in a better position than they were a year ago, with the possible exception of manager.
  If they can at least be in the hunt most of the year...that is a step in the right direction.
  And, they seem to operating from a blueprint, and that alone is different than most GM tenures in the last 15 years.
  If this club can be a winner, I'll throw my hat in with Jocketty.
  
  And...YES! I will be at Opening Day.
• Azubuike24

  

  Can't wait.