Very true Admiral! :-):-):-):-):-)
[Reply]

Some, such as Stubbs, better be playing winterball instead of golf.
[Reply]

Time to hit the links. There goes the two game win streak. :-)

Stubbs finishes the season strong batting .189 with 27 K's in September. I wish Dusty didn't sit him down the stretch to see how many he truly could have gotten. He could have easily been in second place all time. 7 hits in his final 15 games, and that includes two 3 hit games. :-)

Now as the Reds move to the offseason, their needs include:
LEADOFF HITTER - Stubbs is NOT the answer, put him at 8 and watch him bat .260
Left fielder - Heisey should get the starts in CF, so maybe hide Stubbs there
Closer - Please don't bring back CoCo, his defense saves more games than he does
Ace - The bottom of their rotation sucks and there is no go to guy
A bat to protect Votto - Preferably on either side, Stubbs is not the answer in the 2 spot either

There are obviously many more issues, besides that they got lucky to win the division last year. :-)
[Reply]

Hopefully we make some good moves in the offseason. Come on Jocketty/Castellini :-)
[Reply]

White Sux "superstar" Adam Dunn ended with a .159 batting average and 177 Ks in 415 At Bats if it makes you feel any better, Adam. :-)
[Reply]

Wow, I kind of feel bad for him. Well, maybe not because he makes a ton of money. I really liked him as a Red, and I miss his slugging when he was here.
[Reply]

Adam Dunn is a power hitter and has always struck out, he is an all or nothing hitter. 66 hits and 177 K's is certainly not good, but no one expects him to be the leadoff hitter and score 90 runs a season. Dunn also has more walks, and an OBP less than 30 points from Stubbs. Stubbs passed his Reds record for K's in a season. Stubbs has been made out to be the next Rickey around here and is far from it. :-)
[Reply]

I agree with most of this.
Doesn't sound like the Reds are gonna keep Alonso (at least that's what Fay and others are saying right now). I'd like to see what he could do over a whole season, though. He could (notice I said could) be the guy to protect Votto.

We need pitching, pitching, and more pitching. I think Arroyo will bounce back next season, but I saw nothing good from the rotation or the pen other than Cueto, Leake, and Lecure. CoCo needs to go.

BP needs at least a 3 year extension.

We need a reliable guy at third. I think Rolen is not gonna be the Man next year, like everyone is thinking. Not sure about Francisco. He seems too much like Encarnacion to me.

Stubbs needs to go.

I'm not sold on Cozart, but don't want another has-been coming in like we've done the past few years. Reyes is gonna be out of our price range.

Right side of the field is gonna be great.

D-Mez and Hanigan will be ok (despite D-Mez hitting poorly after he got the callup).

Does Hernandez walk away free, do we offer arbitration and hope for draft picks, or please Lord no don't let him get re-signed.
[Reply]

Chapman made his first start in the fall league. He only pitched one inning, but it's a start.
[Reply]

He pitched one inning a lot this year. He also walked one batter, as is his traditional outting. The jury is out on him until he gets to his 5th or so lengthy start. Even starting in the preseason won't show if he can be a starter of if he will be destined to be an average setup man. :-)
[Reply]

I am anxious to see how he is as a starter.
[Reply]

The media and homers have already annointed him, he is likely to fail. :-)
[Reply]

I don't think anyone has annointed him just yet, but if we're gonna get our money's worth out of him, then he's got to be a starter, IMHO.
[Reply]

In Cincinnati, they certainly have. He is supposed to be the next big thing (see: Stubbs, Volquez, Bailey, Janish et. al.) :-)
[Reply]

Good thing I don't live in Cincy.:-)
[Reply]

Phillips and Votto get Gold Gloves. Kind of surprised by Phillips when Walker had more chances, more games and the same number of errors, but when you win one, you have to lose it the next year and he didn't play too bad. :-)

Chapman already misses a start in Fall ball with a sore shoulder. :-)

Reds declined the option on CoCo, at least they have made one good move so far this offseason. Although they will likely be watchers instead of buyers trying to upgrade issues. :-)
[Reply]

I was glad to see Phillips and Votto win. Phillips definitely deserved it. Honestly, I don't follow Walker, so I don't know if he got robbed or not.

I think they will re-sign CoCo. They just want to pay him less. CoCo said he would like to remain in Cincy and I want him back. He makes things look ugly sometimes, but he get the saves in the end.
[Reply]

Good to see they didn't pick up the option, but there's still a good chance that CoCo is in Cincy next year.

Jared Burton declined being sent to Louisville and is now a free agent. Good riddance.
[Reply]

chapman can play fall ball and winter ball to get stretched out, but he's only gonna get a few starts next year (if they do use him as a starter). Despite the total runs we had last year, which is very misleading, I'm more worried about the offense than I am about pitching. Yet we aren't gonna do crap next year without bringing in at least one legit starter, some bullpen help, and a cheap closer who can get the job done. Still, I'm more worried about a legitimate four hole hitter who can get the job done. Let's trade Stubbs to get at least one of these.
[Reply]

I would trade Stubbs for some nice maple bats and a bucket of sunflower seeds. He is worthless at the plate and overrated in the outfield. :-)
[Reply]