Can The Reds be the Rays of 2008

Can the Reds of 2009 or 2010 be the Rays of 2008?

That is a great question that requires feedback. What do the Tampa Rays have the Reds don't.

Hmmm, let me think. . . I know one! Defense. What else?

Reds Needs

There is lots of talk and anticipation about next year, already.

And I believe, for good reason.

For once it looks like the Reds have legitimate pitching and a core of good young players who could be great.

The rumours are abound about trading for a Holliday here, an Ordonez there or even a Roberts. That's Brian Roberts for those not in the know.

I say don't trade for any of them. You have ridden it out this far why not let the young players, who have showed promise, actually make a difference for the Reds this year, not the Rockies, Tigers or god love them, the Orioles.

I think Jocketty is working to bring in a solid outfielder but unlike previous GM's he is not going to trade Cueto, Volquez or Bruce to get said OF.

I say ride it out with Freel/Dickerson and see what you can do to get a Coco Crisp type. He would be inexpensive and great defensively in CF. Remember defense, in my opinion is why the Reds have sucked, first and foremost.

I don't think signing Derek Lowe would be a bad idea, if it was reasonable, but I assume he will go further east or stay West.

What do you think? Should the Reds make any move?

Is Dickerson legitimate? Is Homer Bailey?

I believe the educated fan always knows more than the front office realizes. Show me what you know.

2009 Outlook

The Reds need to get something done this off-season to shore up some spots but for the first time in a long time I feel confident in the pitching staff, IF the bullpen resembles the one we saw this year.

Everyone across Reds blogosphere is making their own list of what the Reds need most and in order to do that we need to figure out what the Reds were good at and what they weren't.

Questions are abound about the minds of the franchise. What will the payroll look like? What kind of philosophy will Walt Jocketty show with this team? Who will he get rid of?

Defense

First off, the Reds defense has sucked for years now and the difference between good teams and great teams is their defense. Look at the Cubs last night, you think if they had been playing the defense they played all year that game would have been a little different? Maybe, maybe not.

Anyhow, you don't know what you are going to get from Alex Gonzalez but he HAS been an incredible defensive player in his day and I assume Krivsky was thinking that when he signed him.

IF you can pencil him in that would be good, I believe. I don't believe the Reds need to be hasty and unload their farm system to get a established SS, however a move to bring in Orlando Hudson might not be a bad idea. In that instance you could move Phillips to his natural position and put Hudson at 2nd, but I don't see this happening with youngsters in the minors mashing and destined to be at the ML level soon.

Assuming you do get A-Gon back and healthy, with the same glove he has been known to have; Great! If not, the Reds need to seriously address the issue and playing Keppinger everyday is not what I'm talking about.

Is Encarnacion what we want at 3b or is he not? He is an extremely streaky hitter and WILL be in danger of losing his job when said infield minor leaguers reach the major league level. Juan Francisco and Todd Frazier will be breathing down Eddy's neck before long.

I am not worried about D issues with youngsters Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. They will only get better. With Brandon Phillips you know what you are getting.

RH BAT

To the rest of Reds Nation the largest need for next year is a big power bat from the right side. However I don't think it is as big of a need as they are making it to be, seeing the Reds make a splash in acquiring Matt Holliday would whet my appetite for what this team could do.

C. Trent had a good post here looking at the Reds needs for this off-season. He has the need for the RH bat as #1 on his list.

I too think that the Reds need a bat, at least. If it is a RH bat that would be great but I'm not saying I would pass up on a LH bat if it came my way at a cheaper price and was just as good or better.

The idea of Adrian Beltre is intriguing but is it worth it to trade for him when his stats were eerily similar to Encarnacion's? Moving Encarnacion to left would be OK if you got Beltre but I'm a big believer in letting people play where they were brought up. It just adds more work in converting the player.

I like the idea of Matt Holliday, but at what cost? The Rockies are going to want an established starter(s) and/or prospects. A major trade involving Holliday and Garret Adkins is intriguing, but once again; at what price?

More to come. . .

Redleg Reveries Launches

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. . .Go Reds!