Reds lose 4 run lead

Homer Bailey looked pretty good in the first 5 innings, but then had trouble in the
6th do to some seeing eye hits and three walks on the night. Homer frankly deserved a better fate. The usually golden Francisco Cordero had a poor outing and presto the Reds lose another game 8-5.

Frankly, these games are games that the lowly Reds should lose. Tim Lincecum is not often going to give up 5 runs in the first 3 innings, and the Reds let another golden opportunity slip away. But the Reds should not beat Lincecum, tonight’s starter Barry Zito, or series wrap pitcher Matt Cain. That they took 2 of 3 in San Francisco last week is an anomaly, they will not repeat it. Why? The Reds are batting .241 and that Redlegs fans is dead last in the Major leagues-worse than Pittsburg, worse than Washington. Once again how does Brook Jacoby (and Dick Pole) keep his job?

This team clearly needs change at the coaching staff level. Dusty will not loose his job this year but his long term employment picture darkens. Neither Dick Pole nor Brook Jacoby should be retained.


So who should be gone before spring training next year or hell right after the season ends?

Coaches: Dick Pole, Brook Jacoby
Players: Infielders: Catcher Craig Tatum (batting .121), Infielder Drew Sutton
(batting .167), 3rd baseman Adam Rosales (batting .205)
Outfielders: Willy Taveras (money could be spent elsewhere, better) Kevin Barker (why is he here?)
Pitchers: starters: Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo (contracts are almost up): relievers Francisco Cordero and Arthur Rhodes (both are waste on this uncompetitive team, may as well start over).

It going to get much worse, but this team is not close in spite of Bob Castellini’s assertion that it is. Teams that are close do not bat .241 and do not have team era's
of 4.5.

Big D

Not ready for prime time or any other time

All right, I realize that Dusty Baker has been dealt some bad cards, but Dusty is not helping himself any, nor is Walt Jocketty or Bob Castellini. Yesterday the Cincinnati Reds had a line up that was worth 5.7 million dollars and they looked every penny of it. Here's a clue for Dusty, you can not put out a line up where the starting pitcher has a higher batting average than 3 of your God damn starting players!

Drew "the Dumb ass" Sutton is batting second with a mighty .167 average! Why this no good is allowed to profane a Cincinnati Reds uniform any longer is freaking beyond me! Adam Rosales, I am sorry folks who love his hustle, is not going to make it. He is batting a mighty .209 and is the freaking Titanic at 3rd base. Frankly he is Edwin Encarnacion without Edwin’s home runs. Paul Janish is a great defensive shortstop, but is an offensive liability, and part of this weekend Dusty persisted in catching the God awful Craig Tatum who is batting .121, for the love of Christ!

Frankly, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. The Reds are carrying 12 pitchers and that is unheard of even in today’s game. The Reds 2 high priced pitchers Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang have cleared waivers. I expect both to be gone by the first of September. I also would not rule out a trade of Coco Cordero and Arthur Rhodes.

So what will the Reds look like? It’s pretty freaking grim! Johnny Cueto needs a blow. He needs to go back to throwing his change up more, his slider less. Homer Bailey and Justin Lehr are your next 2 starters with Micah Owings coming back off the disabled list. This means that you bring up Matt Maloney, Daryl Thompson, or Ramon Ramirez maybe all three.

My best instinct tells me that the Reds should keep Rhodes and Cordero, but Harang and Arroyo will go. It is going to be a long rest of the season, bring on the Bengals!


Big D

Gonzo had to go

Alex Gonzalez had to go. This was a clear case of the Reds needing to dump salary. The Reds also sent a hefty pile of coin along, and all they got in return was a guy (Kristopher Negron) so highly regarded he was immediately sent to A ball in Sarasota.

This trade was not about Alex Gonzalez and it was not just the Reds being cheap. What this is about is the 2 top draft choices (pitchers Mike Leake and Brad Boxberger) being unsigned and the deadline being today August 15th. The Reds had to clear some salary away.

Yesterday the Reds 2 high priced starters Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang also cleared waivers. This is a move before trading them. Most teams in contention want these trades concluded by August 31st; the last day that those players traded can be eligible for the current post season play.

It will be interesting to see if the Reds can sigh one or both of their first round picks, but make no mistake the future in now for the Cincinnati Reds. Make no mistake, this core team has failed and dismantling process started last year with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. This year Edwin Encarnacion is traded and now Alex Gonzalez too.

Frankly, that team was too slow, too poor in the field, and too dependant on the home run. The movement of Harang and Arroyo will complete the removal of a core that did not succeed.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Big D

Most interesting things

Some casual fans wonder why even pay attention to the rest of the season, the Reds are out of it, but to a serious fan, this seasons remaining games are part of the beginning of next year.

I think the Reds can safely assume that in Johnny Gomes they have found the power hitting right-handed bat they have long been searching. Gomes swatted 3 home runs two of which were upper deck shots! One begins to look at the outfield for next year and it kind of looks like, Jay Bruce in left, Johnny Gomes in right, and Chris Dickerson in center (assuming that Dusty can remove his head from his rectum on the bases). Would I rather have Juan Pierre in center? Certainly, but the time for that is past.

The most interesting thing was discussed in the pre game show when Jeff Brantley and George Grande discussed the recent conversion of 2007 draft choice Todd Frazier to second base and speculated that Brandon Phillips might be making the move home to his natural position Short-Stop. If this is so then the infield looks like this Votto at first, Rolen at third, Phillips at short, and Frazier maybe at second? This would be a very potent line-up, with Hanigan catching.

This brings us back to pitching. What the Reds should do is break the bank and go get Roy Halladay. The Reds lack a stopper. Edinson Volquez is out for all of next year and this year is not even over yet! Harang and Arroyo have proven they are at best 3 and 4 spot pitchers on a championship team. The future is beginning to look bright For Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey. Can Justin Lehr continue to baffle them? I would rather he do that from the number 5 spot in the rotation especially considering that he is pitching in Great American Ball Park.

So how does the Reds rotation look? Neither Johnny nor Homer is ready to set up and be the stopper. Justin Lehr does not have stopper stuff. At the most the Reds only have Harang and Arroyo for next year (then their deals are up) and neither suffices for a top of the rotation arm.

The Reds need a stopper and probably another competent top of the rotation pitcher. If Bob Castellini wants to win, this is what he must start looking for and Roy Halliday is the place to start.


Bog D

Bailey Hurt, the beat (down) goes on for the Reds

Maybe some Voodoo priest cursed Bob Castellini? Did Dusty Baker in some prior life kill a holy man? I heard its bad luck. Three batters into the game Albert Pujols crushes a line drive off Homer baileys ankle/foot and Homer has to leave (x-ray proved to be negative, but Homer later said that it has swollen up to beach ball size (thanks to reds.com.)

This season of bad things happening continues to roll onward to its inglorious conclusion (thank God when it’s over).

Still there are things, important things to do for next year. Michael Leake needs to be signed. Young pitching talent must be evaluated. Sensible deals for Harang and Arroyo must get done. In all, it should be a very busy time for Walt Jocketty and the Reds.

Are the Reds going to keep Harang and Arroyo? Let’s look realistically at their performance. On a contending championship team, by their records, Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo are fourth and fifth starters. Bronson Arroyo takes the ball every 4th day and breaks even on wins and losses. This makes him an excellent 4th starter for a contending team. He is no more than that!
Harang for the last 2 years has lost more than he’s won. Yes, he can have overpowering stuff, yes he is a great club house guy, but the fact remains that on a contending team, by his record, he is a number 5 starter. He does take the ball every fifth day and he keeps his team in the game-this makes him a number 5 starter on a good team!

A realistic view of the bullpen is also in order. Coco Cordero is wasted on the Reds. Do I want to see him go? Hell, no, same exact thing for Arthur Rhodes. Nick Masset, Danny Herrera, Carlos Fisher, and Kip Wells are simply not ready for prime time relieving. The trades of Josh Roenicke, Robert Manuel, and prospect Zach Stewart is especially troubling unless the Reds keep Rhodes and Cordero.
Jared Burton and Bill Bray are 2 guys the organization needs to decide on now. My best instinct is to release both, same for Mike Lincoln.

What once seemed to be an item of strength has now turned into a glaring weakness. Some important decisions need to be made and need to be made now, Stay tuned!

Big D

How does Chris Dickerson do it?

How does Chris Dickerson do it? He can play the game of major league baseball with his head crammed firmly up his ass! Dusty Baker is frankly, a kindly old gentleman who wants to see his players succeed, who shields them from intense criticism, and deflects some of their underachieving play. Who wouldn’t want to work for a guy like that?

As a fan however these asinine mistakes can no longer be tolerated. To compound his ineptness Dickerson then drops a ball in the outfield. Even kindly old Chris Welsh (the long time Reds color commentator) could not hide his disgust, and why should he?
Justin Lehr at 32 is pitching his heart out for his major league life and succeeding only to have plays made behind him that would not be tolerated on a high school baseball team. Why should this be sugar coated? Adam Rosales takes 4 steps back on a high hopper, for the love of God Adam, charge the damn ball, ever heard of that one?

Frankly, the not ready for prime time Reds team is beginning to wear very thin. The Reds need Rolen back at third. They need Jay Bruce in left. We even need Ramon back at catcher, no knock on Hanigan who has proved he is a big leaguer but Hernandez is the overall better player, even Dusty does not doubt that.

Gotta love the Cards though, they organize a huge Hal McCoy day for the retiring Reds hall of fame writer. There are worse things than losing to the classy Cards. Since the Reds will once again not break .500, go Cardinals, a team that does it the right way with fans that respect the game and its greats, no matter what uniform they play in or team they cover.


Big D

Harang and Arroyo clear waivers, Let the sell off begin!

In a very under publicized move the Cincinnati Reds top 2 profile pitchers (Aaron Harang & Bronson Arroyo) cleared waivers today. Finally, in a season where the Red have been flat out cursed, the Reds finally have looked to the future. Let’s recap the misery.

First Edinson Volquez goes on the disabled list in April and is finally diagnosed with a torn ligament in his elbow and later has Tommy John surgery in August. Edwin Encarnacion goes out for 2 months (and is later traded). Joey Votto is out for an extended stay with an inner ear infection that won’t go away. Jay Bruce breaks his wrist. Entire Scott Rolen via a trade who gets plucked by one of his best buddies in the game (pitcher Jason Marquee an old teammate) Rolen’s still out. Chris Dickerson dislocates his shoulder and will be out an extended time. I forgot Ramon Hernandez who is out until September with a... I can’t remember them all! Johnny Cueto now has a lower body problem and pulls up lame. Willy Taveras, who finally starts going with the bat, crashes into a wall and I really doubt he plays for a few games. I haven't even addressed the bull pen, Mike Lincoln out, Jared Burton in and out, and recently Micah Owings from the staring staff was just placed on the 15 day disabled list.

Can we call Jose Rijo? We better get a whole farm full of goats for this much bad karma! The 2009 Reds team is "Old Yeller" faithful, but it's time to shoot the dog!
The Reds need prospects, Its high time to go get some.


Big D

Here's a clue: TI Dont Lie

My TI don’t lie-the Reds Lose



Back in collage at the University of Dayton, I had a saying, “My TI (calculator), don’t lie.”

Well Reds fans there is not a lot of mystery why the Reds are losing. All you really have to do is take a look at the starting pitching. There is not one starting pitcher who has a winning record except for the injured Edinson Volquez (who may not return for 2 years, if ever). This is a seriously bad sign, why?

Baseball has evolved into a 6 inning game for most teams. After 6 innings the game comes into the hands of Specialists, Set up Men, and Closers. If your team is behind after 6 innings your chances of winning are greatly diminished. Specialists, Set up men, and Closers have those jobs because they are effective at what they do. If they fail to be effective, they lose those jobs, very quickly on good teams. This makes effective starting pitching even more important than in the past.

Enter the Reds, whose first inning ERA hovers around 10! The team ERA hovers around 4.5 which is bad, but that is misleading because the bullpen (which is pretty good) numbers are included. The Reds team ERA for starters is 5 (5.1)! The Reds, however, only score 4 (3.95) runs per game. Looking at it from a macro view this team should probably lose every game it plays even if you took the entire team ERA of 4.5, the Reds are still short a half run per game! Thankfully baseball games happen in the micro and so the Reds will win some games, but overall as a trend this team is short of run production and too long on runs allowed.

Well what to do?

Your Ace is 5-12 coming off a 6-17 performance last year, your number 2 is 10-10 coming off a 15-11 season but over all for his career, he’s a .500 pitcher (your Ace is under .500 at 74-79). This is unacceptable especially when the rest of your starting pitching staff is very, very young. Considering that Volquez may not pitch again, the Reds have only one solution, go out and spend some money in free agency and bring in some better guys to take up the #1 & #2 roles. This is the only quick fix available to Bob Castellini to sign a guy like Roy Halladay if he will come here (and probably one other effective guy) and pray hard that Cueto, Bailey, and Owings continue to develop. Since this is Cincinnati the chances of this are remote.

Failing that, the payroll needs to be trimmed and Harang and Arroyo are big salaries. Willy Taveras has utterly failed as a leadoff hitter, and Alex Gonzalez needs to be replaced.

So Walt go find some pitching prospects this will not get any better until the ERA drops under 5 and the RPG is over the ERA.

Big D

Time to go for the goat

As soon as the ball left the park for a three run home run, I turned to my son and said well that’s it we’ve lost. All it took was a weak single, a hit batter (who dived in front of the ball) and a GABP home run (a ball that flies out of the park that would have been a warning track out almost anywhere else). One simple fact remains, the opposition hits them and the Reds don’t.

Right now the local talking heads have started the ultimate insult question, “Will they lose 100 games?” I am sure the Vegas odds makers are working on this one right now. Right now the Reds are in a struggle to remain out of the bottom with Pittsburg who has frankly gutted their team so much so they are referred to as triple A Pittsburg. Yet still the sad Pirates have as many wins as the Reds. The pathetic Pirates ownership did not promise to bring back “championship baseball.” Frankly, the only team that is clearly worse is made up of former Reds, the pathetic Nationals who will lose a hundred games.

The only reason the reds rallied last night was a GABP home run, and the ineptitude of the Cubs bullpen. What would Lou Pinella give to have the Reds bull pen? Note to Cubby fans, after watching these guys, you have no, zero, none, shot at winning in the post season. The Cubbies bull pen lengthens the game. Teams that are in contention are playing 7 inning games, and when you get into the realm of Specialists, Set up men, and Closers, your chances of rallying to win a game are almost nil. This is what the Mets did, and went hog wild with spending money to do it. The Dodgers are trying to do the same thing, shorten the game. The Reds have in their own limited way gone the same route, play a 6 inning game, and let the bull pen shut them down at the end. Their problem, the Reds can’t score any runs to get ahead. The Reds can’t score runs period.
This is why they lose. Frankly, we need to call old Red Jose Rijo, Jose have you got a goat on hand?

Big D

Well what now!

Well, Now that the 2009 edition of the Cincinnati Reds has stunk up the place and is now hotly contending with the triple A Pirates for worst of the worst in the NL Central, let’s assess the damage and see where we go from here.

Ryan Hanigan seems to provide steady leadership behind the plate. He hits for average, very little power, but has a rocket arm and good defensive skills. Frankly, the Reds could do worse.

Craig Tatum is batting .150; this is unacceptable and he needs to be sent down. I realize that he is only holding Ramon Hernandez’s spot, but certainly someone else could/should be tried.

Frankly, the Reds need Ramon next year. He has provides steady leadership and surprising versatility.

The position of Shortstop, long a bastion of Reds fielding prowess, has become a major joke. The disinterested and ineffective Alex Gonzalez needs to be released after yesterdays screw up. Here is another Red batting less than .200. This no longer can be tolerated.

Dusty Baker seems to have so little faith in Paul Janish that he will not play him in front of a guy who clearly does not want to play baseball, so why is he still here? Trade him away, do it now!

The Reds acquired classy veteran Scott Rolen for the inconsistent and petulant Edwin Encarnacion. It was clear from Encarnacion’s reaction to the trade that he wanted out of Cincinnati. Frankly, not too many Reds fans (or Reds pitchers if you could get them to fess up) are sad to see him go.

The Reds have Rolen for the rest of the year and next, this should buy them some time to shore up 3rd base long term.

Second base is the domain of gold glove winner Brandon Phillips who along with Joey Votto are the only Reds delivering as promised. Both seem very frustrated, and why shouldn’t they? Dusty Baker has done a good job of managing Phillips, who needs it.

Joey Votto should be the first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds for a very long time. The inner ear problem is of some concern however. Hopefully this goes away and does not come back.

Right field seems like it will be occupied by slugger Johnny Gomes. This was a great move by the Reds front office and one of the few nice surprises in a season chock full of unfortunate minefield explosions. Gomes is never going to be a great fielder, he just does not move very well, but he’s not Adam Dunn bad either. He is the right handed power bat that the Reds need.

Left field is Jay Bruce’s position for the next 10 years. Hopefully he rebounds from his wrist injury and a sub par opening campaign. His defense is excellent and his cannon arm is a major deterrent to taking liberties on the base paths.

Center field is another hole in the Reds defense. Willy Taveras is a back up player, nothing more. I had wished that the Reds had completed the trade for Juan Pierre with the Dodgers. Chris Dickerson seems to be a nice player but I remain unconvinced he is a stellar centerfielder.

In all the Reds have some big holes at short and center, not good places to have them. The Reds have some guys that need to go, namely Alex Gonzalez and Willy Taveras (you can add David Weathers to this bunch).

Chris Welsh, the Reds long time color commentator, stated that hitting coach Brook Jacoby is preaching the same gospel as other hitting coaches and it seems that the Reds players are not listening. If this is true, and I believe that it is, this is an indictment of the head coach.

Frankly, these Reds are an embarrassment to the city they represent and the storied history of the franchise. Frankly, Dusty Baker, after yesterdays performance, should have made them line up on the right field line and run gassers. If they are going to make high school team mistakes, then they should take high school team punishment.

Big D