The Reds At The 1/3 Mark

A third of the way through the season and the Reds are 25-29, pretty much where I expected them to be. To the start the year, they looked like a 75-80 win team, and they're on pace to hit that number. But I've got to be honest, I actually like the team better now then I did on opening day. Call me crazy, but I think this Reds team can actually finish the season above .500, which, in the dismal NL Central, means you're in the playoff hunt until August (no, I don't think the Reds will make the playoffs; I just think we won't be out of it come the end of July).

Why the sudden optimism? Jay Bruce (yeah, I pulled a hamstring jumping on the Jay Bruce Bandwagon). But its not that one guy's going to turn it all around for the Reds; the kid's good, but he's not that good. It what him being with the big club represents. People here in Cincinnati can sense it; there's a change happening with the club. I think we're getting close to that right mix of seasoned veterans with fresh, young talent that can really win some games. I mean, with young guys like Bruce, Joey Votto, Paul Janish, Johnny Cueto, and Edison Volquez, with not-quite-old guys like Brandon Phillip (who should be wearing the captain's "C" that no one's had on since Barry Larkin), Jeff Keppinger, Edwin Encarnacion, Norris Hopper, and Aaron Harang, there's a lot to be excited about here in the Queen City, for this year and for years to come.

However, as much as it pains me to say, I don't think either Ken Griffey, Jr. or Adam Dunn will finish the year with Cincinnati. Now, I'm the biggest Griffey apologist around, and I would love for him to retire a Red, but he's made his intentions known (about retiring in Seattle), and I respect that. Later in the year, I can see us moving him to Seattle for some prospects to help build our farm system (because I'm not seeing anyone on the M's roster that could help us out right now). Dunn is a different case. I like Dunn, I really do. And lately, he's been playing as well as he's ever played for the Reds. It seems like the presence of the young guys, especially Jay Bruce, has had a positive effect on Dunner. But he's a free agent at the end of the year and he's expensive. There's no way mid-market Cincinnati resigns Dunn at the end of the year, so instead of letting him go for free, why to trade him and getting something back. Are you telling me there aren't teams, especially in the American League, that couldn't use a monster left-handed bat in their lineup? Dunn for some pitching late in the year would be a move I could get behind. Speaking of pitching...

Why is Josh Fogg getting another shot in the rotation? He was brought in to hold Matt Belisle's spot in the rotation. And he wasn't very good. Then Belisle came back off the DL and Fogg was sent to the bullpen. And Belisle wasn't very good. So we bring Fogg back into the rotation? If we're going to have a guy go 1-2 with a 9.00 era in 3 starts, I'd rather it be Homer Bailey, not Josh Fogg. We've made the move with Votto, Bruce, Cueto, and Volquez; where's Homer? As John Fay of the Enquirer wrote, he was last year's Jay Bruce. And now he's mired in AAA instead of learning and getting experience at the big league level. They've already started the youth movement with this team, this year. Why not finish it off, call up Bailey, and see what these young guys can do (and maybe call up Daryl Thompson at the end of the year for a few starts as well). Let them learn something from some of the veterans before we get rid of them all.

So, I'm predicting a 58-50 finish for the Reds, ending the season a much-improved 83-79 and heading into next season with tons of optimism.

{Note: The Reds just called up Homer Bailey from Louisville to start on Thursday against the Phillies.}

Greetings

Okay, so I'm starting a blog. Why? Same reason anyone starts a blog- I have an overinflated sense of self-importance.

So what am I going to write about here? Good question; I don't even know yet. Odds are I'll be all over the map. My interests run far and wide; I'm kind of a pop culture sponge. I can move easily between conversations on a variety of topics, from sports to musical theater (why I chose those two as diametrically opposite, I'll never know).

I was a band dork in high school, and was one again in college. I still care about how my high school fares in sports. I miss being at college, not being in college. I regret not buying that X-Men arcade game. I usually think the book is better than the movie. I take the Beatles over the Stones. I curse my cell phone every time it rings. And I can beat you in Tetris. Wahoowa.