This season has left much to be desired for Reds fans and, as always, has left a lot of concerns to be dealt with.
A concern for many Reds fans isn’t exactly issue numero uno, but it is still an issue that I would like to bring attention to.
Hitting Coach Brook Jacoby.
What exactly does he do? Jacoby has been given plenty of talent to work with: Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, etc., but the results we see on the field and on the baseball cards have been spotty at best.
I will freely admit that I know very little about Brook Jacoby or the job he does as hitting coach. I will also admit that I have no idea how much he is to blame for Jay Bruce’s .240 BA over the past two seasons, or the lack of consistency we see from Brandon Phillips. With that being said, I’m not going to attempt to make a case against Brook Jacoby, but I do think that the coaching staff needs to be shaken up beyond replacing Dick Pole.
The reason I bring up Brook Jacoby is not so much because I think he’s a bad hitting coach (even though I do), it’s more because I think Rudy Jaramillo is a great hitting coach.
Rudy Jaramillo has been with the Texas Rangers since 1995, but has recently stated that he will not be returning to the club as hitting coach in 2010. Jaramillo is well-known for being one of the best hitting instructors in the game today. In fact, Mark DeRosa likes him so much that he hired him to be his personal instructor this past off season.
With a guy like that on the market and the Reds organization being so full of young hitters, why not make a move for this guy? It probably won’t be cheap, but the results could pay out in a big way for the club.
In my opinion, this would go a long way in showing the fans that the Front Office is committed to producing a winner. I’m not saying that Rudy Jaramillo = success (because Texas obviously hasn’t enjoyed much of that), but when a coach of this caliber becomes available, you should try to add that piece to your puzzle.
After 17 years of broadcasting Reds baseball with the “crafty lefthander,” Chris Welsh, George Grande has decided to retire. George surprised everyone in Redsland with the news that Sunday would be his last game as a full-time employee of Fox Sports Ohio, thus bringing the longest active broadcast partnership in Major League Baseball to an end.
While many, including myself, have been critical of George Grande over the years, citing his annoying and inane remarks for which he is best known, he will certainly be missed. George can be aggravating at times, but I will contend that he is better than many in the baseball broadcasting business.
Who is George better than, you might ask?
- Tim McCarver – Tim McCarver is terrible. If you want to watch a game and not learn one thing about baseball, just listen to a Tim McCarver broadcast. I’ve tried and I can’t do it.
- Joe Buck – Talk about the antithesis of George Grande, Joe Buck is an arrogant A-hole and a far cry from the broadcaster his father was.
- Chris Berman – The sole reason I don’t can’t watch the Home Run Derby. Stick to football, Boomer.
- Rick Sutcliffe – If you want to watch a baseball game between the Brewers and the Cardinals, but hear about the Red Sox and the Yankees or some other team the entire time, tune in to a Sutcliffe game (or really any ESPN game).
- I’ve tuned into a great deal of broadcasts and listened to other personalities call games and not many are as good as George Grande.
With that said, I’m not necessarily going to miss the guy. It wasn’t my favorite thing to watch a Reds game in which they’re down eight runs and hear George talk with a rainbow shooting out of his… well, you know what I’m talking about.
Moving on, who might the Reds select as George’s replacement? My money is on Jim Kelch of the Louisville Bats. In his time as a fill-in on the radio and on TV, Kelch has done a fine job and is very knowledgeable about the game. Jim works well with Chris and I don’t think FSOhio or the fans would miss a beat if he came on board.
Of course you won’t hear Jim Kelch say “Six, four, yessirree three!” And that’s not exactly a bad thing.
With nine games left to go in 2009, the Reds are actually playing good baseball, and have been for some time now. They are also shaping a record that might deceive a fan who hasn’t followed this team the entire season. True Reds fans should be used to this annual September blast though.
It’s a long shot, I know, but if they can win out, the Reds can overtake the Brewers and finish right at .500. I know. It won’t happen. But I figured the possibility should be mentioned. Had they played only marginally better through July and August, a .500 season might be in the bank. And don’t forget that before the season began, the majority of fans said they would be pleased with a .500 record – myself included.
The Redlegs need to go for the throat this weekend against an Astros team that has been struggling and is still reeling after the kick-to-the-groin when Cecil Cooper was fired. This is the Reds’ chance to place the ‘Stros solidly in the division’s five-hole and set their sights on the Brewers who are only three games up. Let’s hope they make the best of their opportunity.
One thing that definitely will not happen this season: the Cubs will not clinch the division in Cincinnati. Mostly because the teams don’t play again until Spring, but also because the Cubs post-season hopes are dead. At this point, that’s almost as good as the Reds winning out.
For the past several days, life has been quite hectic. By tomorrow morning, life will be hectic like I’ve never experienced before.
I’m currently sitting in a hospital room with my wife as she is set to deliver our first child tomorrow morning. So I consider my umpteenth excuse for not writing a pretty darn good one.
Anxiously awaiting father or not, there hasn’t been a whole lot to write about concerning the Reds.
They did manage to string together five consecutive wins, including a sweep of the faltering Brewers.
They also managed to play five extra-inning games in their last 12 contests. I have scored only three games this season from the comfort of my living room (or the comfort of a hospital room), and all three have gone to extras. This has given me a new found respect for the official scorers who have to juggle all the pitching changes, double switches, and other scoring nuances.
Quick thoughts
I’m still not the biggest fan of the Scott Rolen trade, especially in light of the fact that they traded a promising young starter knowing full well they would be without Edinson Volquez for the majority of 2010. Even though I had become something of an Edwin apologist, I have to admit that Rolen, when healthy, does legitimize the lineup a little more. Also, no one can argue that he can make plays at third base that Edwin can only dream of. If (and that’s a big IF) Rolen can stay healthy for the majority of 2010, he will certainly be a major contributer.
Bronson Arroyo has pitched himself back to respectability and hopefully back to quality trade value. I would be highly surprised if the Reds don’t move Arroyo, Harang, or Cordero. They almost have to trade at least one of them and I wouldn’t be shocked to see all of them or a combination dealt away.
Apparently, the Reds are going to bring back Johnny Cueto in the next week or so. My only question: why? What is the point in rushing him back at this point in the season? I have no idea how severe his injury was, but I would be careful with a guy who has thrown a ton of innings this year. I would be tempted to shut him down for the rest of this season and put him in winter ball when he goes home.
I know Drew Stubbs has been a AAA stud, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a guy strike out and the pace he does. Please don’t get me wrong; I’m not getting down on him, I’m just making a thought.
If the Cincinnati Reds want to get people like me excited about next season, they should give Brandon Phillips a few starts at shortstop. I like Paul Janish, but I’ve seen the back of his baseball card. Were Janish on a team that could hide his offense, he could be an every day starter. There’s no doubt the guy can pick it. With that being said, I wouldn’t be too upset were he our starting shortstop next year.
The Reds brass need to have the nuts to admit when they’ve royally screwed up. They need to release Willy Taveras and eat the stupid contract they gave him.
I’m not sure when I’ll be able to post again, but I’ll try to let you know how my new little Reds fan is doing.
I go on vacation for one week and return to find a lot of changes in Reds nation. Unfortunately, losing is not one of them.
David Weathers to the Brew Crew?
Gonzo to the Bo Sox??
Harang and Arroyo clear waivers??? (Not really a surprise.)
Scott Rolen on the DL??? (Again, not really a surprise.)
Amazing.
What I found funny about each of the two trades was Walt Jocketty’s comments. Walt made it sound as though we were doing these two a favor by trading them to contenders.
Speaking of favors, Walt could do everyone a huge favor by releasing Willy Taveras and just eating that mistake of a contract; but that’s neither here nor there.
Perhaps trading Stormy to the Brewers was a favor to him and the Brewers. It won’t be a favor to Bob Uecker’s blood pressure, that’s for sure.
Trading Gonzo to the Red Sox was a definitely a favor to him, but more like a cannonball shot to the side of the Red Sox’ vessel. They say they’ve had problems at short stop this season, but I’m not sure this is the band-aid they’re looking for.
Anyway, hopefully there’s a sucker out there willing to take a flier on the likes of Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang. I honestly hate writing that about Harang because I like the guy a lot, but the Reds Community Fund is only a charitable side operation of the organization.
Last but not least, I can’t help but wonder how many times we’re going to have to read the words: “Rolen to the DL.” Granted, this time it was a result of a nasty pitch he took to the head against the Rockies – a fluke-type of injury.
Is anyone else as ready for September call-ups as I am?
Of all people, it was Justin Lehr who stepped up and put a stop to the Reds’ eight game skid. Lehr dazzled the Cubs with his 89 mph fastball rendering them to only four hits. He really does have a pretty nice curveball.
Lehr, in only his second Major League start, pitched a complete game shutout against the stupid Cubs. This automatically places him in my “hero” category.
The savior of the Reds, Scott Rolen, finally got a chance to hit and did so, belting a two run homer.
Perhaps what’s more amazing is the fact that Willy Taveras got a hit and actually stole two bases shortly thereafter. And then, to beat it all, he even scored a run! Unbelievable. Willy must have figured he was a little behind pace to get those 100 steals he was blathering about in spring training and since he never gets on base, he should make the most of the rare opportunity.
I guess now it’s time to go on that “winning streak” Dusty was talking about the other day. No one must have told him that Homer Bailey is scheduled to face Tim Lincecum in the first game in San Francisco Friday night.
Where are they now?
Former Reds prospect and Blue Jays All-Star closer, B.J. Ryan, was released from the Cubs organization yesterday. Apparently his fastball was topping out at 86 mph in the minors. It sounds like it’s time for Ryan to make his triumphant return to Cincinnati.
Ryan Freel was designated for assignment Wednesday from the Kansas City Royals. I didn’t even know he was with the Royals, but if you can’t catch on there or in Baltimore, perhaps you should take the hint. This just makes moving Freel for Hernandez, a need that we had at the time (or at least thought we had), look even more brilliant.
The Oakland A’s signed Brett Tomko to a minor league deal. Who knew he was still in baseball?
Elmer Dessens was outrighted to the minors on Monday by the Mets. Again, who knew he was still in baseball?
Corey F’n Patterson signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. Three words: Waste. Of. Money.
The Indians DFA’d Mike Gosling Saturday. Remember him?
In another deal that has nothing to do with the Reds, Mark Prior was released by the San Diego Padres last week. You think Dusty’s interested? You better believe it!
The good things about today
It’s an off day, so the Reds can’t lose tonight. Also, an off day after a win (especially over the Cubs) is nice so you can savor it a little while longer. These wins are becoming more and more cherished as they’re becoming fewer and less frequent.
Isn’t it about time we see some action on the waiver wire? Stay tuned and cross your fingers that Bronson’s gone before his next start. (It won’t happen.)
A conversation I had yesterday concerning the Reds went something like this:
Friend: At this point, I consider myself a moderate Reds fan. I just enjoy watching good baseball.
Me: Yeah, same here. If you want to see good baseball, watching the Reds is not what you want to do. They set the game back 75 years every time they take the field.
That’s the type of Reds-related conversations I have every day and they always begin with “Man, the Reds suck.”
But how could they not suck, honestly? Their lineup consists of a few couple solid guys (Votto, Phillips) and a plethora of AAAA players, yesterday’s news, and old vets who have given up PED’s in favor of Geritol. Welcome to the club Mr. Rolen! (I’m not suggesting that Scott Rolen has taken PED’s, but I wouldn’t be surprised at the latter.) The men “setting the table” for Joey Votto couldn’t get a hit if they were playing underhand softball – and they’ve got the numbers to prove it.
The starting rotation, which was once regarded as one of the club’s few strengths, is in shambles. Of course you know by now that Edinson Volquez had Tommy John surgery yesterday. He’ll be out for at least a year. Is it fair to blame the WBC yet or not? Johnny Cueto seems to have lost his groove. Bronson Arroyo is more miss than hit nowadays and even if Aaron Harang pitches well enough to win, he continues to get no run support. Micah Owings is out but I’m not sure which this hurts more, the pitching staff or our pinch hitting options.
So now that this season is a wash, what are the Reds brass looking at now? Perhaps the better question is what should they be looking at now? The problems that Walt Jocketty must deal with this off season are numerous, but here are some issues that any Reds fan with a brain should be able to point out.
Problems that must be dealt with in no specific order:
1. Shortstop: AGon is done. Surely Walt Jocketty is not stupid enough to pick up this guy’s 2010 option. The question is, who will replace him? Chris Valaika or a free agent signing?
In case you were wondering, here are the available shortstops on the free agent market as of this Fall:
- Bobby Crosby
- Orlando Cabrera
- Adam Everett
- Khalil Greene
- Marco Scutaro
- John McDonald
- Miguel Tejada
- Jack Wilson
My vote is for Valaika.
2. Center Field: Can anyone remind me why we signed Willy Taveras in the first place? Who, exactly, were we in competition with to sign him? There had to have been some competition in order for us to offer the ludicrous two years/$6.5 million ($4 million of which he earns in 2010).
Here we are stuck with Corey Patterson, Jr. for another season while guys like Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey are lighting up the International League. I love being a Reds fan!
3. Left Field: In my opinion, Nix and Gomes have served nicely in the corner outfield spots this season; Gomes especially. (This reminds me of what a brilliant move it was to place Darnell McDonald on the Opening Day roster and keep him there for two months or however long it was. But that is neither here nor there.) However, is Jonny Gomes or a platoon of him and Laynce Nix the answer for the Reds in Left Field? I’m not one to believe that. This club still needs some pop from the right side of the plate. Some would argue that comes from our newly acquired third baseman, but I would argue against that. I’m sure the Reds’ answer will be in the form of either a pricey free agent or a washed up spring training invitee.
4. Catcher: While I wouldn’t consider Ramon Hernandez the Reds’ biggest problem or even say the trade for him was a bad one, I would advocate that Ryan Hanigan should see more playing time. Hernandez’s numbers have gotten progressively worse since 2005 while Hanigan remains the Reds’ only .300+ hitter aside from Joey Votto. Additionally, Hanigan is better defensively and none would argue as to how he calls a game and handles pitchers.
Speaking of catchers, did anyone else find the Jerry Hairston trade for minor league catcher Chase Weems interesting? I didn’t think so, but what I found interesting was how might this affect Devin Mesoraco. Are the Reds’ feelings towards Mesoraco souring a bit?
5. Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang: Similar to the situations at shortstop and center field, the Reds have hamstrung themselves by offering these two players large contracts making them difficult to trade. There is no doubt in my mind that clubs who are in the mix would take a flier on one of these two had it not been for their unappealing salaries. Right now, they are commanding nearly 30% of the Reds’ payroll and I’m pretty sure that $20 million could be spent on better performing pitchers. I must say that if I had to trade one and keep the other, I’d move Arroyo and keep Harang.
6. Manager/Coaching Staff: The odds of Dusty Baker getting fired this off season are about as good as the Reds finishing above .500. While Baker shouldn’t be blamed for everything, he is in part responsible for what we see on the field and the strategic portions of the game. Take last night against the Cubs for example; Baker visits Harang on the mound in the eighth, leaves him in to face Derek Lee, Harang gives up an RBI double. Again, the Reds down three runs with two men on, Baker sends out Janish to pinch hit instead of the Reds’ savior, Scott Rolen. I know Rolen took a shot to the head the night before, but surely he can take an AB. Yet again, in the bottom of the ninth with two on, two out, down two runs, couldn’t Dusty have found someone else to bat for .237 Willy Taveras? Is there not anyone who could play center field in the event that the pinch hitter actually ties the game? Maybe not, but it’s things like this that make you think Dusty’s already mailed it in. Forgive me for turning my Dusty Baker rant into a mini-recap of last night’s debacle. Besides, Dusty didn’t lose the game on his own, he had some help.
Regardless of whether Baker stays or goes, I feel this coaching staff needs to be shaken up. The problem with someone like myself making the point about the coaching staff is that it’s difficult to quantify the effect that a coaching staff has on the players and on the outcome of each game. It’s not Chris Speier’s fault that Alex Gonzalez has lost a step in his range; a coach can only do so much. Outside of Dusty Baker, the coach who obviously has the most affect on the outcome of a game is Dick Pole. At times, his tactics have been questionable at best (i.e. allowing Justin Lehr to walk the bases loaded and fall behind 3-0 to the next batter before even visiting the mound).
You don’t have to have Dave Duncan and Rudy Jaramillo on staff in order to win, but you do need coaches with at least some semblance of knowing what they’re doing.
Positives – the Few and Far Between
There are some things to be positive about. Joey Votto continues to be a stud. He has MVP potential. Brandon Phillips, while not a cleanup hitter and sometimes frustrating, is brilliant in the field and would be fantastic at the plate were he in the six or seven hole. For the most part, the bullpen has been a stopping force. No one is complaining about the Arthur Rhodes signing. Cordero is an All-Star even though the Reds are paying him way too much. Homer seems to have finally found it, whatever it is. Gomes has been a pleasant surprise and Jay Bruce’s .207 average surely can go nowhere but up.
So there are a few things to be pleased with that offer some sort of hope for next season and beyond. But I, like you, am content with being negative about what I see on the field right now and hate myself for wasting hours of my life watching it. All we can hope for now is the right moves to be made once this awful season is behind us.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a quote by Mark Twain given to me a couple weeks ago. It might make you feel better when you see GABP packed with Cubs fans again tonight.
Satan to newcomer, with discontent:
The trouble with you Chicago people is that you think you are the best in Hell – whereas you are merely the most numerous.
As I type this post, the Cincinnati Reds are dropping the last of a four game set with the AAA San Diego Padres, one of the worst teams in baseball, and skidding even closer to the NL Central cellar. Home, sweet home! However, I must say that with the Pirates’ recent fire sale of talent, we may be duking it out with them to see who sucks less. But what else is new?
The other day I wrote that the Reds are now assured to be out of the “buyers” category at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the Redlegs are assured to be out of the “sellers” category as well.
Bronson Arroyo always seemed to be the most logical piece to shop, but now it’s doubtful that anyone is interested. Anyone want a 32-year-old pitcher with a bloated ERA who leads the majors in earned runs and stands to make a ton of money? Anyone?
We all love Aaron Harang, but his name has also been mentioned as one on the block. Any takers on a guy who leads the league in hits allowed and losses and has a 4.50 ERA? I didn’t think so.
To say the Reds were altogether quiet on the trade front isn’t completely true. They did acquire Wladimir Balentien from the Mariners for reliever Robert Manuel. ‘Atta boy Walt Jocketty!
In 2008, Balentien was rated as the Mariners’ fifth best prospect in the organization by Baseball America. He’s hardly lived up to the hype.
In 2008, he batted .202./.250/.342/.592 in 71 games with the M’s. In 56 games this season, Balentien was hitting a whopping .213/.271/.355/.625 before being designated for assignment.
“He looks like a strong young man,” is what Dusty Baker had to say about him. I don’t know about you, but I’m sure that means Dusty is having visions of Corey Patterson dancing in his head. Reds fans are too. Except they’re not called “visions” they’re called “flashbacks.”
I’m not sure what to make of this trade yet. I do know that Robert Manuel appears to be a decent middle reliever. In the handful of innings he got in Cincinnati, he never yielded a run. Manuel also carries a 2.80 minor league career ERA, which isn’t too bad. Of course, Balentein carries decent minor league career numbers too: .273/.345/.526/.871 over six seasons. You can never tell what you’re going to get out of a player in the bigs based solely on minor league stats.
All in all, it’s obvious there are far more upsetting things going on in Redsland to be mad about than this trade.
Here’s to nine straight seasons of losing baseball.
Well, it had already begun, I’m just late to the party.
Of course, if you’re a Reds fan you know that I’m referring to the annual swan dive into the NL Central standings. The Reds are now seven and a half games out of first place and have lost nine more games than they’ve won. That’s what happens when you lose eight out of your last ten games.
It’s safe to say now that the Reds won’t be buyers at the trade deadline. At least I hope not. At least I think I hope not.
It’s no surprise that the Dodgers were the ones to push the Reds’ roller coaster back downhill: it happens every year. Were I a Dodgers fan, I’d buy my Dodgers vs. Reds tickets in advance every year.
And there’s nothing that makes me more sick than being swept by the Cubs. However, what’s worse than being swept by the Cubs is being swept by these Cubs who can’t even hit. How’s that for a commentary on the state of the Reds? Even when the baseball gods seem to be smiling upon the Redlegs (Aaron Harang’s home run – seriously, Aaron Harang hit a home run), they can’t pull off a W.
Like I’ve said before, I haven’t been in the know on the baseball news or been keeping up with the attitudes out there in Reds Nation, so I don’t know how anyone else feels about this club or this season. However, I’m about ready to close the books on this one and chalk it up to 9 years without winning. Sorry folks, I’m losing heart.
For my concerned and dedicated readers out there: don’t worry, I’m not dead, just busy.
I work at a summer camp as the program director and therefore have zero time to even watch baseball, let alone write about it. I don’t feel comfortable writing about something I haven’t been connected with or seen, so I haven’t. I know, summer is a bad time to quit keeping track of a baseball team.
Anyway, I apologize and will try post more often from here on out (or until the Reds are mathematically eliminated – that may not be too far off).
Hopefully Francisco Cordero, the Reds’ token National League representative, will not be the solely responsible should the NL lose tonight as Edinson Volquez was in last year’s mid-summer classic.
Before moving on, whose idea was it to put Chris Berman in the broadcast booth for every home run derby? They should be immediately fired.
Anyway, I really haven’t made up my mind on the exact state of the Reds at this juncture because I haven’t been following things close enough. However, I’m afraid it’s not going to be a good report.
I will say this though: I hate to see Jay Bruce go out the way he did and I hate that his season is over. But on the other hand, I can’t help but think his absence in the batter’s box might not be missed so much at this point. You don’t have to agree with that, I’m just throwing that out there.
That’s enough writing for one day. I’m still a little rusty, so it’s probably best to keep things brief.
GO NATIONAL LEAGUE!
