Out of Reds

[ondeckb]

I'm bouncing around Yahoo Gamechannel checking stats and I go to the Cincinnati game to check on my Reds: Williamson, Boone and Guillen. Oops...... Seriously, it's a damn shame how this team's been blown apart.

[pkarr5000]

and to think at the beginning of the year, the reds were considered to be in the nl central race.

[benjapage]

ok, i'm done feeling sorry for my reds. i actually believe that this is a good direction for the team. shhh...stop protesting and hear me out.

when was the last time the reds brought up a dominant pitcher from their system? yeah, it's like that.

by shipping out guillen, they get harang (who's at least as good as anybody on the current staff, probably better--and with big upside) and valentine, whom only a month ago was considered the a's closer-to-be.

by shipping out boone, they get claussen. claussen is a pimp. a number one pitcher within the next two years.

by shipping out williamson, they get rid of a huge clump of salary--and hopefully, this is a sign that the reds' front office recognizes that big money spent on closers is wasted money. spend that money on starters. have ryan wagner or now, valetine close it out.

by getting cash, they can afford to bring in some heavies mid-season next year if need be. i think the move is smart. i also like that wily mo pena and ruben mateo get to play. i like that brandon larson gets to play. the team is fresh and young and hungry.

watch what toronto did, what the a's did, what the royals and twins are doing...that gets me--as a born and bred reds' fan--fired up. not sad.

b

[pkarr5000]

good for you

[ondeckb]

Ben.....I hope you're right. I hate to see a great francise like the Reds dismembered.

[benjapage]

ondeckb, they've not been dismembered...they're cutting the fat. it doesn't seem like that to a lot of the casual reds' fans, because everyone here has really connected with willie and guillen and a-boone (not so much gabe white, but whatever)--but they're trimming unnecessary salary.

would i rather go to battle behind jimmy haynes with a-boone at the corner? or have a legitimate number one starter, a loaded bullpen and a heated rivalry for 3b between branyan/larson? obviously (hopefully) the latter. this gives our team flexibility, balance and taller ceilings.

are the fans of other baseball teams as tunnel-visioned as so many of my fellow reds' fans seem? it's so frustrating and embarrassing to hear that when branyan twisted his ankle, people were yelling to "bring in boone!" and when junior got hurt, people were booing. it's just ignorant. people don't think.

i heard one jackass on the radio (probably representative of 30,000 viewpoints, i'm sure) that we should "boycott the stadium" to send a message. simply dull, and tiresome. i would love for john allen to lay out the plan for all to see, to present pure transparent diplomacy, let it all hang out. crap, people still wouldn't get it.

is my frustration with my fellow fans unique? or do you guys have similar frustrations with your fellow fans?

b

[charlie hustle]

I think the fans' concern is that in the next 3-5 years the Reds will do the same thing and trade Dunn, Wagner, Kearns, Claussen because they will be up for arbitration and the Reds will have to pay them millions. If they show a committment in the future to these guys I think the moves made this week will work out for the future

[BayAreaBaseballFan]

Heh, I just think it's ironic that the original poster had the exact same three reds as I do. True, losing Williamson is a blow, but having an Athletic and a Yankee now makes the other two better I think.

Oh, and unless the Reds sign those players with that money they got... this past week has been ridiculous and for nothing. It's just frightening when clubs ask for cash rather than for prospects (see: Williamson deal). It really just goes against the spirit of the game, and is a blatant sign that the clubs with loose change (see: BoSox, Evil Empire Yanks, etc.) can just buy a better team without giving up any future talent in return. Really, how much is 1-1.25 million going to hurt a big club in the future? (granted I'm just jealous because the Giants had to give up Ainsworth... I wish we could have just tossed in a million bucks with the loser Moss)

[Madison]

i also like that wily mo pena and ruben mateo get to play.
b

I watched Mateo play when he was a Texas Ranger. I saw him take a healthy cut at a ball that hit him right square in the center of the chest. I'd be a little concerned if he was a starter on my favorite team.

[benjapage]

they're young, madison, and it's fun to watch them (wily mo and ruben) mature. and charlie hustle, you're right--they need to sign these guys to multi-year deals, and then keep them in the organization. but the problem has been that there is no pitching in their farm system--nobody worth signing, really. these moves show a commitment to dunn/kearns/larson, et al. because they're getting pitchers that are also young and exceptionally talented. this is a gift to the franchise's (i believe, NEAR) future.

i just got back from the giants game today. josh hall is good. d'angelo jimenez is good. ray olmedo is good. adam dunn is good. yes, wily mo pena is good. i like the team, now, and next year, i think people will love the team.

here's to hoping they keep it together.

b