Dreary Realities in Redleg Nation

Being that the Redlegs have now won three in a row, I feel like there is something to gloat or be excited about. However, recent history and the predictions of naysayers have taken hold of the best optimism I have and shoved it elsewhere.

But, I started thinking tonight about my own fandom, which is immense and resembles idolatry at times, and the fandom of all Redleg Nation. Its hue, scent, and/or simple makeup seems to be much unlike that of the regular powers; the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, to name a few of recent memory. It seems to me that when those teams go on bad sprees of play (i.e. Giants losing 8 in a row last week) their fans hate it and there is doubt, but there isn't the type of doubt that resembles the doubt of our own Nation. Perhaps we have something that is uniquely different that within the proud history of the Reds which has won 5 world championships, had a few of the most spectacular players, and arguably the greatest team of all time. I know certainly we don't have the defiance of reality that those North-siders in Chicago have, or the simple dread fans have in cities where they have good teams year and again yet simply don't win the big ones. No, I believe, that at some point the fan base of the Reds, perhaps contracted by the emanation of perpetual substandard results by that other Cincinnati pro sports team, became so cynical that the very energy that fans create when the Reds lose just 3 game in a row, or are 'expected' by national outlets to be bad, so affects the psyche of the base and therefore of the team itself that there is perpetual expectation and resulting bad fortune.

I don't like it, but there is something to the cynicism of being a Reds fan these past few years. And, to put it plainly: it ain't good.

+NS

Fashioned of our heroes

When we awake to Ebbets field

How will we envision the faces 

Faces of the rough and rougher, dark sprinkled with unshaven visages of apparent avarice

but splendid, child-like joy

Where weekend ball played, in fields we’ve never seen

but dreamt of

rivalries rolling through the peanut vendor’s hands at Veteran’s

underneath Hudepohl signs at old Crosley

the whipping wind at Wrigley

Still standing, and gasping in the breath of antiquity

while faces bathe in translucent light, on yet another blue afternoon.

It’s where we take the time to be children,

whether we’re there or we fasten

to the radio, the way our father, grandfather, or great-grand father did.

The sound of summer on steamy evenings,

with the mosquitos, as we drift further and further 

in the mitts and mystic of our ‘beautiful game’ 

fashioned by our heroes.

All-Star Brake, Now Let it Off #goReds

Now that we've all gotten over one of the games elite starters being left out of the All-Star game (not to mention the same going for second basemen eloquently penned as 'Dat Dude'), it is now time to focus on the destination, rather than the journey thus far. As Mr. Fitch has penned it, we are all about the destination, having enjoyed the journey in 2010.

So our Reds find themselves one game behind their unlikely rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates - too young in their success story to come up with a snide-back door nickname. We all know what the Cardinals are capable of, with La Russa or not, and we all know the Cubs never had a chance. Personally, I'm optimistic for the second half, and I don't see how with the Reds being gluttons of pitching cannot win the division, and go further.

It is worth the thought to have Chapman do some starting down the stretch, however with the way Latos wrapped up the first half, All-Star (for all intents and purposes) Cueto mixing it up Luis Tiant-style, and the rest doing their thing I think the Reds are set for continued success 1-4, at least.

The Drew Stubbs-experience needs to end, as it's reach more terrifying heights than the LSD-infused boat ride of Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The outfield has been underwhelming, and Jay Bruce - at times - has looked like a little leaguer, fielding fly balls. Ludwick isn't poised to even repeat the numbers he's put up, and Heisey works hard, is a ball player...is that enough? 

The infield aside from the geriatrics of Scott Rolen has been above average, but how could it not be with the best player in the NL at first base carrying much of the load? Phillips has been Dat Dude, and Cozart, and Frazier have both impressed. One can only expect they'll continue to get better - as long as old toothpick doesn't give the green light to Rolen, day-in and day-out.

As I've alluded, pitching doesn't concern me. Catching has been mediocre, but not a detriment to the team. Again, i don't think it can get worse, but better.

No, what I want to happen is an influx of what is working. Keep Rolen, albeit on the bench and have him continue to groom the young infielders. Move the base-stealing monster that resides in Bakersfield to AA, see how he fares for a few weeks and then get him up here after he's stolen 20 more. Can you imagine calling in Billy Hamilton in a pinch down the stretch, and then watching him proceed to go all Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez on an unsuspecting NL club?

I don't have faith in the Pirates, and in the rest of the NL Central for that matter. I plan on sipping non-alcoholic champagne by the time October rolls around, and you should too.

What have we learned?

The season is now one week - and one day - old. It begs the question of what we have learned about this team; and are they, unlike teams of the past decade, ready to take a step toward, at least, mediocrity?

Apparently Scott Rolen is immortal, at least compared to the rest of team, in terms of hitting. But, right now Mama Cass would probably put Jay Bruce to shame.

The pitching staff is okay; I'm just hoping Massett and company settle in like they did last year. But, this is a different year, and the bullpen was unbelieveable last year - I don't think we can ask for that every year.

Johnny Cueto is no Johnny Cueto of his first start of 2008. The Cueto of old - rather, one start - is wildly inconsistent with his pitches and looks more like Ramon Ortiz than the promised Pedro Martinez, we all knew wouldn't show. But, he's still young.

Harang, Arroyo; ehhh.

Week in Review

I will start, at least, doing a week in review section upon what the Reds have/have not done, in that span of time.

This week I'm focusing on the lack of movement, not only on the side of the Redlegs but from other teams with needs, and there are many. One could argue all teams have some type of need.

The Reds seemed set on signing/acquiring a corner OF with some pop and have yet to do so. At this point you are looking at an opening day lineup that would include Jay Bruce, Willy Taveras and Chris Dickerson across the OF.

I'm a bit disappointed the front office has not signed anyone or traded some spare parts for someone, but I see that most teams haven't gone after guys that seemed destined, before the free-agency period, to be signed for a lot of money.

According to this, the Reds will enter spring training with what they have. I don't really know if I believe that but right now it seems about right.

Where to go?

It's been a while, but, in the meantime a lot has developed.

The Reds have established where they want to go with the catcher and center field positions.

The question that now lies is: are they finished?

I don't think so and I'll tell you why. Jocketty has probably been one of the most active GM's this offseason, even if there has been little done. Smaller market teams don't have the resources to simply pay out, as we've seen in the Bronx, so, creativity has to be the tool.

And being creative takes time.

Are the Reds really finished in the OF? Is your starting OF: Jay Bruce, RF; Willy Taveras, CF; Chris Dickerson, LF?

IF that is so, it is just ok, provided Bruce has the monster year everyone is projecting. But, if Dickerson produces like Bill James says he is going to: 21 HR, 37 sb, .268/.360/.454 and Taveras repeats 2007, they could have an above-average OF.

Below are the 2009 Reds Projections from Bill James, if you haven't seen them:

Hitter             Age    G   AB   H   2B 3B  HR   R  RBI   RC  RC27  BB   SO  SB  CS   Avg   OBP   Slg   OPS
Bruce,Jay          22   159  587  174  30  4  35  94   90  109  6.75  46  145  12   7  .296  .351  .540  .891
Dickerson,Chris    27   150  564  151  28  7  21  93   74   94  5.74  80  176  37  13  .268  .360  .454  .814
Encarnacion,Edwin  26   148  539  150  37  1  25  83   85   91  6.05  56   95   4   2  .278  .356  .490  .846
Freel,Ryan         33   100  327   87  17  2   3  48   21   40  4.19  33   56  19   8  .266  .342  .358  .700
Hairston,Jerry     33    93  220   58  14  1   4  31   22   27  4.23  18   32   8   4  .264  .333  .391  .724
Hanigan,Ryan       28    33  102   28   5  0   2  12   10   14  4.92  12   14   0   0  .275  .357  .382  .739
Keppinger,Jeff     29   117  439  134  24  2   5  53   43   63  5.34  35   23   3   2  .305  .359  .403  .762
Phillips,Brandon   28   154  601  158  30  4  21  84   76   80  4.60  39  101  22   9  .263  .313  .431  .744
Votto,Joey         25   157  586  180  40  2  30  87  102  120  7.55  74  111  13   7  .307  .386  .536  .922

Pitcher            Age   G  GS   IP   H   HR  BB   SO  HB   W   L   Pct  Sv   BR/9   ERA
Affeldt,Jeremy      30  65   0   77   79   8  34   59   3   4   5  .444   0   13.6  4.39
Arroyo,Bronson      32  32  32  212  222  27  64  152  10  11  12  .478   0   12.6  4.25
Bray,Bill           26  61   0   42   43   4  17   46   1   2   2  .500   0   13.1  4.26
Burton,Jared        28  42   0   45   44   4  20   40   2   2   3  .400   0   13.2  4.11
Cordero,Francisco   34  67   0   68   60   5  29   77   2   4   3  .571  34   12.0  3.53
Cueto,Johnny        23  28  28  154  155  24  52  151  14   8  10  .444   0   12.9  4.56
Harang,Aaron        31  29  29  184  192  25  50  155   5  10  10  .500   0   12.1  4.11
Lincoln,Mike        34  64   0   63   63   8  22   48   2   3   4  .429   0   12.4  4.13
Majewski,Gary       29  44   0   45   55   4  17   28   3   2   3  .400   0   15.0  5.28
Masset,Nick         27  35   0   57   71   6  25   40   3   2   4  .333   0   15.6  5.82
Owings,Micah        26  25  21  118  124  13  43   91  11   6   7  .462   0   13.6  4.52
Volquez,Edinson     25  30  30  192  176  20  95  191  10  11  11  .500   0   13.2  4.08
Weathers,David      39  70   0   71   68   7  30   50   3   4   4  .500   0   12.8  4.00

Alonso is 1B, only

According to John Fay:

The Hawaii Winter League wrapped up Sunday. The Waikiki BeachBoys, featuring Reds' prospects Yonder Alonso and Todd Frazier, won the title.

Both put up excellent numbers: Alonso hit .308/.419/.510, Frazier .295/.375/.547. Frazier led the league in slugging.

"They both swung the bat really well," farm director Terry Reynolds. "Frazier came back OK from the concussion. It was good to see both of them play well."

The plan for Alonso?

"He'll compete for a job with Carolina," Reynolds said. "If that doesn't work out, he'll be the first baseman with Sarasota."

Apparently, the talk of playing Alonso at third base as well as first is over.

"I would doubt that he'll play any third," Reynolds said. "If he does, it would be out of necessity. He's a first baseman."

So - to me - this seems to bring up a dilemma that I don't see the Reds biting into right now.

If Alonso is an everyday 1B and nothing else - what to do with Votto?

Most people say it easily: move him to LF and fill that hole. Excuse me, it's not that easy.

If you make that move, which the Reds need to get on to it, if they are doing it, then you are sacrificing defense, once again.

I feel like I should rename this blog and concern it strictly with defense but the point is - the Reds defense has killed them the last few years. Granted a few other things were tied in to make the last few years dreadful, but defense has been an overarching problem with this club for a long time.

The problem with the Reds mentality is they draft and train as an AL team - HEY people in charge: WE DON'T HAVE A SPOT FOR A DH, or three spots.

So what has to be done, because I have no good idea on this, and spare me of the simple: move Votto to LF; it's not that easy.