Reds fan on death watch (1 Viewer)

[Waggle]

Wednesday, Harang pitches 6 great innings giving up 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 8 and leaves with a 2-1 lead. Narron goes to the bullpen and Todd Coffey, 2/3 of an inning, gives up 3 runs on 1 hit. Cormier 1 1/3 of an inning gives up 3 runs on 4 hits, Reds lose 7-2.

Thursday. Arroyo pitches 7 innnings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, left with a 6-2 lead.

Bullpen, 4 pitchers combine to give up 6 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings. Reds lose 8-6.

Whatever.

 

[Colin Dowling]

It's not your bullpen, silly. It's the CLUTCH HITTING of the Astros.

 

[Waggle]

It's not your bullpen, silly. It's the CLUTCH HITTING of the Astros.

:callsChuckNorris:

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Tigers bullpen stinks also. Bonderman finally had a chance to get a win with three runs and Jones blows his first save of the year then Rodney blows yet another game in extras. It's getting old, quick.

 

[Jene Bramel]

It's a .500 team.

The bottom third of the lineup is horrible, the bullpen will be inconsistent all year, the defense is marginally better no matter how good Alex Gonzalez' reputation is and Milton and Lohse are going to get killed at GABP when the weather warms up.

I'm hopeful for the future as there's a few interesting prospects in positions of need, but the 2007 team is a .500 team unless a number of pitchers have career seasons and the top of the lineup covers for the bottom all year long.

When you send out Alex Gonzalez, Juan Castro and Norris Hopper against the opposing team's closer after leaving a loogy like Jon Coutlangus out against a bunch of tough righties to stay only one run behind, you don't have a playoff team.

I wish it were different. Enjoy watching Josh Hamilton and hopefully the continued development of some of these young guys. This team is a big dog to win 85-87 this year.

 

[Kiddnets]

Will there be a Homer Bailey call up soon? What the heck do they have to lose to see what he can do!

 

[Fear & Loathing]

Will there be a Homer Bailey call up soon? What the heck do they have to lose to see what he can do!

His confidence? His right arm? His mastery of the fine art of pitching?He's not ready. Why rush him? Pitching prospects like him only come around every so often. For the Reds, prospects like him only come along once every 25 years or so. They have to make sure they handle him perfectly.

 

[Fear & Loathing]

It's a .500 team.The bottom third of the lineup is horrible, the bullpen will be inconsistent all year, the defense is marginally better no matter how good Alex Gonzalez' reputation is and Milton and Lohse are going to get killed at GABP when the weather warms up.I'm hopeful for the future as there's a few interesting prospects in positions of need, but the 2007 team is a .500 team unless a number of pitchers have career seasons and the top of the lineup covers for the bottom all year long.When you send out Alex Gonzalez, Juan Castro and Norris Hopper against your team's closer after leaving a guy like Jon Coutlangus out against a bunch of tough righties to stay only one run behind, you don't have a playoff team.I wish it were different. Enjoy watching Josh Hamilton and hopefully the continued development of some of these young guys. This team is a big dog to win 85-87 this year.

There's always a chance things will click into place, and they'll play over their heads. But you hit on all of the reasons why Reds fans shouldn't really get their hopes up for this season.

 

[Waggle]

Will there be a Homer Bailey call up soon? What the heck do they have to lose to see what he can do!

Remeber Bill Pulsipher, Paul Wilson and Rick Ankiel. True, all situations were different and the results were different. But, where are they now? All were "rushed".I think they need Bailey to develop more. Another spring training and then maybe next year.

 

[fasteddie_21]

It's a .500 team.

The bottom third of the lineup is horrible, the bullpen will be inconsistent all year, the defense is marginally better no matter how good Alex Gonzalez' reputation is and Milton and Lohse are going to get killed at GABP when the weather warms up.

I'm hopeful for the future as there's a few interesting prospects in positions of need, but the 2007 team is a .500 team unless a number of pitchers have career seasons and the top of the lineup covers for the bottom all year long.

When you send out Alex Gonzalez, Juan Castro and Norris Hopper against the opposing team's closer after leaving a loogy like Jon Coutlangus out against a bunch of tough righties to stay only one run behind, you don't have a playoff team.

I wish it were different. Enjoy watching Josh Hamilton and hopefully the continued development of some of these young guys. This team is a big dog to win 85-87 this year.

I agree with all but the bolded part. You put AGon at SS, BP at 2nd and Josh Hamilton in CF and you have one incredibly stellar defense up the middle. With Hamilton's range, he can easily help make Dunn and Jr. look good in LF and RF, respectively.The bullpen is still....ugh. Coffey is incosistent. Cormier should not be a red, and David Weathers is a decent closer AS LONG AS NARRON ONLY BRINGS HIM OUT FOR THE 9TH!!! If you look at his numbers, Weathers is horrible when called out for more than one inning of work. Please, Jerry, wake up!

And Homer Bailey should not sniff Cincinnati until at least the ASB. He still has to gain better command on his off-speed pitches. He's done ok in AAA (I follow all his starts), but still walking too many, imo. Give him time.

On an aside, 2 years from now, Dunn, Hamilton and Bruce should be one terrifyingly good OF and Votto, BP, Janish, and EdE make for one exciting young IF for your Cincinnati Reds

 

[Jene Bramel]

It's a .500 team.

The bottom third of the lineup is horrible, the bullpen will be inconsistent all year, the defense is marginally better no matter how good Alex Gonzalez' reputation is and Milton and Lohse are going to get killed at GABP when the weather warms up.

I'm hopeful for the future as there's a few interesting prospects in positions of need, but the 2007 team is a .500 team unless a number of pitchers have career seasons and the top of the lineup covers for the bottom all year long.

When you send out Alex Gonzalez, Juan Castro and Norris Hopper against the opposing team's closer after leaving a loogy like Jon Coutlangus out against a bunch of tough righties to stay only one run behind, you don't have a playoff team.

I wish it were different. Enjoy watching Josh Hamilton and hopefully the continued development of some of these young guys. This team is a big dog to win 85-87 this year.

I agree with all but the bolded part. You put AGon at SS, BP at 2nd and Josh Hamilton in CF and you have one incredibly stellar defense up the middle. With Hamilton's range, he can easily help make Dunn and Jr. look good in LF and RF, respectively.The bullpen is still....ugh. Coffey is incosistent. Cormier should not be a red, and David Weathers is a decent closer AS LONG AS NARRON ONLY BRINGS HIM OUT FOR THE 9TH!!! If you look at his numbers, Weathers is horrible when called out for more than one inning of work. Please, Jerry, wake up!

I'll believe that Josh Hamilton is the everyday CF when I see it. Hopefully it's soon. He's better than Kearns and he'll definitely improve the defense, but Kearns was a very good defensive outfielder. Regardless, nobody can make Dunn look good in LF :X . And maybe Gonzalez is distracted by the illness of his son, but I'm seeing more flash than substance at this stage. He may be getting to more balls but I'm not convinced that he's the best shortstop in the league as some have said. Anyway, that's exactly two positions that have above-average defenders. Dunn, Encarnacion/Freel, and maybe Ross (outside of his decent arm) are below average. Phillips and Griffey are solid, if not inconsistent at times. You may be right about Phillips if you agree with sabermetric ratings, but I'd contend that he's inconsistent enough with the routine plays that the extra balls he gets to are a little less meaningful.

Here's hoping the defense improves as the season progresses as hoped.

 

[Jene Bramel]

On an aside, 2 years from now, Dunn, Hamilton and Bruce should be one terrifyingly good OF and Votto, BP, Janish, and EdE make for one exciting young IF for your Cincinnati Reds :X

Agreed. This is what's driving my renewed interest in watching every night after being so fussy last year. Prioritizing the pitching by re-signing two solid front end starters and bringing Bailey along slowly with Hamilton and Bruce looking like 2/3 of a very good outfield behind some nice IF prospects is the start of a nice future.I'm a little concerned that the emergence of Hamilton will give Narron another excuse to mess with Encarnacion, though. I'd really like to see him play everyday. I get the concerns with Dunn at first base but at this point I don't care. Hamilton must play and you have to find a way to get Griffey and Freel and Encarnacion in the lineup. Hatteberg and Conine are first are nice but not at the expense of 150 AB for Encarnacion.