Bandwagon revolving door

[JohnU]

Wait, you expect her to look it up for herself? NO!

Really, go to Google and type in Reds sch ... and the thing will come up front and center.
It's not like home games haven't started at 7:10 since McPhail added lights to the ballpark.

 

[JohnU]

TODAY'S STUPID COMMENT:

Redsfan1071, on the MLB board, says Bailey wasn't ever hurt and was just faking it.
Therefore, a guy with a $100 million salary who had a 4-0 lead and gave up 3 runs before skipping out on the game is to blame for the Reds losing it -- 6 innings later.
As I insist, you just can't make this shit up.

 

[redsfan03]

That kind of stuff really makes me wonder why clowns like chico ruiz think this board is loaded with bandwagon fans. Until you've visited sites like Facebook or ESPN, you ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to bandwagoners.

 

[chico ruiz]

here's what this particular clown will be doing during the all-star game.
Baseball Gifts - Bergino Baseballs

 

[Redsfan1507]

In no doctor, but Bruce's meniscus kept him out 3 weeks. Votto has limped for 2 seasons. I think that's odd. Although Bruce isn't hitting great, the lineup is better with him. I think that is true for Votto too... But for whatever reason, he isn't playing. That's a problem. I don't think it's one dolled by trading him either, because you can't get what they signed Votto to be, in return. This team is going to have to play the cards they've dealt themselves a little better, I think.

 

[JohnU]

That kind of stuff really makes me wonder why clowns like chico ruiz think this board is loaded with bandwagon fans. Until you've visited sites like Facebook or ESPN, you ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to bandwagoners.

I swear. some of the comments on various boards makes me wonder exactly how stupid some so-called fans really are.
They want pitchers sent back to the minors and hitters just released.
One dingbat today was sure that Soto is a legitimate No. 2 hitter and that Lutz would just "play left field or somewhere else."

I stayed off the Reds.com boards today after last night's loss. I couldn't bear to read any more about what Price did wrong again today and why Jocketty has been sitting around doing nothing while the Yankees signed Jeff Francis.

The funniest rant I saw that went on for several days was why Walt didn't "sign" Giancarlo Stanton this winter when he had the chance.

These brain-dead idiots don't know a contract from a minor-league option. You'd think, by accident, someone who follows the team would somehow just learn something about the game.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I hear you. A lot of so called fans think they could get Stanton for Santiago. Not willing to give up Chapman or Cueto for Stanton...and not sure with what little he costs them they would either.

 

[eburg5000]

They seem to think that the Reds can get anyone they want. I believe that fantasy baseball is the cause of this.

 

[Redsfan1507]

There are lots of good reasons why big impact trades are rare. You don't get studs for scrubs you know. It's become easier in many ways for teams that have cash to spare, to sign a free agent- the problem is, big names cost ridiculous money...it's always about the financial bottom line, so teams like the Reds often choose to sign their own instead- Votto, Bruce, Bailey, etc. they have some more pending choices with Chapman and Cueto. It won't be long until Leake and Latos will pressure more cash. Frazier, Mesoraco and Hamilton won't be cheap too long if they perform. Votto, Phillips, Bruce, Bailey all get big raises over the next few years.

The Reds have done a pretty good job signing players (assuming they don't all go in the long term dumper), but it requires more cash each year, AND replacing more expensive fill-ins and expiring contracts with cheaper farm talent that are on the way up the talent ladder. It's a real tough puzzle, and development of farm talent doesn't always jive with the roster timing you need. There are usually always gaps.

Gotta be careful reacting to short term problems with players that cost you long term. I think Ludwick was a bad value under the circumstances, for instance. The Marshall trade wasn't a great long term move. Madson was a total waste. On a different note, I think the money they spent on Broxton was great if he was going to close and send Chapman to the rotation, but they somehow sidetracked themselves out of that because of complacency with status quo- which is prett good, just not congruent with the financial and strategic plan that was in place at the time...and possibly limiting even better results.

One thing is certain- the more long term contracts they have, the less flexibility they have too. Odds are, they won't all work out as planned, and punting a player with $30-$130 M still on contract, is a problem.

 

[JohnU]

Reds and other teams also sink sizable chunks of money into signing their top draft picks, knowing that most of them end up playing indy league ball after 5 years.

I did read this particularly troublesome thought pattern from a delusional "fan" who fully understands the importance of the game. Buckle up:
The AL was going to lose the All-Star game because Derek Jeter was in the lineup. Jeter of course, was elected by the fans but this particular genius wasn't interested in that.
Jeter, in his 3 innings, would singlehandedly cause the AL to lose the game, which would mean the NL would get home field for the World Series.
The Yankees, who naturally would be IN the World Series because of ... well, not Jeter ... would lose the WS because Jeter had played so poorly in his 3 innings in the AS game that the AL would lose because of that. Apparently, that last game on the road would be the end of the Yankee Dynasty as we have known it. All because the fans across the world, many of whom aren't Yankees fans, voted Jeter into the starting lineup.
I swear, that was something the idiot kept insisting on.
You just CAN'T get enough of this.

 

[JohnU]

Anyway, the one commenter who posted on a rather reliable board, was quite certain that all the Reds needed to do was "sign" Stanton. Just do to Miami and sign the guy. Never mind he had a contract till 2017 ... you just go and "sign" him.sk

Some other beanbrain read where Tulowitzki, when asked, said he'd not be totally opposed to being traded. It's like most of us would consider a different job -- depending.
This ying-yang decided that the Rockies were going to trade Tulo and we should ask about what it would take.

Duh.

 

[eburg5000]

I thought the "Yankee Dynasty" ended years ago. I'm not a big Jeter fan, mostly because he plays for Yankee's, But I would have been very happy if he played his career in Cincinnati.


I didn't watch the AS game last night, but I heard that fox, went way over the top last night. Sounds like all they talked about was how great Jeter was or is. Which made me glad that I didn't watch it.

 

[redsfan03]

I thought the "Yankee Dynasty" ended years ago. I'm not a big Jeter fan, mostly because he plays for Yankee's, But I would have been very happy if he played his career in Cincinnati.


I didn't watch the AS game last night, but I heard that fox, went way over the top last night. Sounds like all they talked about was how great Jeter was or is. Which made me glad that I didn't watch it.

It was a Jeter love fest. Sickening. I'm neither a Jeter fan nor a Jeter hater, but they went way overboard with honoring him. He shouldn't have even been there in the first place. I think it should start being illegal to announce "this is my last year" before the season begins. I don't care what Waino says, he grooved that pitch to Jeter. I have no problem with that if the ASG is an exhibition game, which it should be. But this decides home field advantage and Waino did his best to ensure the NL would not get home field.

 

[eburg5000]

I heard that he said Wainright didn't groove that pitch, but that was 2nd hand information. I don't watch ESPN much and my friend does, so I assumed (made an ass out of u and me) that he heard it there

 

[eburg5000]

Also, No person that plays a game. Deserves that kind of attention and honor IMO. Maybe someone in the Military or a fireman. Anyone who puts their life on the line for others. But not someone who plays a game.
Who also I might add, wouldn't hardly have been mentioned if he played for anyone outside of the Yankees

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Back to Reds baseball tomorrow. I see that Mike Leake will open the NYY series followed by Simon. Price is giving Cueto a couple extra days off along with Homer and Latos. The latter two coming off knee and back issue related shortened outings and Cueto looking fatigued his last time out.

 

[chico ruiz]

i'll be there hit-n-run. i'm looking forward to watching leake throw. quick response to the previous posts, if you will, and a different viewpoint from a baseball observer who loves the game, the whole game, and nothing but the game. also, with full disclosure, i have had the benefit of watching jeter play 100+ games for each of the last 11 years. so, forget about the yankees, and the over-hyping, in the time it takes you to read this.

rarely have i seen the all-out effort, with such consistency, on every play, from a modern day ballplayer. the only other player i can compare him to is pete rose. jeter played through injuries like no other player i can think of in his 20 years. he simply never complained. my guess is that the ankle he broke v. detroit was already fractured to some extent. he was gimping around on that thing for a month leading up to that 2012 LCS. his even tempered and 'team first' leadership has very few equals. remarkably, these 3 intangibles overshadow the stats and is what separates jeter from the rest.

the numbers. i think it's fair to say that barry larkin and jeter were similar types. hitting the ball to all fields. doing what was necessary to win as first and foremost on the agenda. larkin is in the hall of fame. jeter had a half dozen, or more, years that were comparable to larkin's single best year. i am aware that numbers can be deceiving, but in a couple of weeks jeter will pass the great honus wagner with 3,431hits having played the position of shortstop for his entire career. the 6th most hits in the history of mlb. take a quick look at his overall playoff numbers. yes, he had more opportunity, but he delivered 200 hits.

the yankees will probably not make the playoffs this year. point being; the all-star game was the last opportunity to acknowledge a career that, without too much debate, substantiated the claim of best shortstop in the 150 year history of baseball. so, 15 minutes of acknowledgment for a 20 year hall of fame career doesn't seem like too much IMO.

sickening? watching mark mcgwire hug the maris family after he broke roger's single season home run record, that was sickening. and talk about over-hyped. wow. disgusting to the discerning baseball fan is what that was. there was more pomp and circumstance surrounding cal ripken jr.'s impending retirement send offs. funny thing about jeter, in case you didn't notice - he doesn't like attention. and you would have loved how he took the new york media to task. he never let them get away with any BS question or allowed them to entangle him in some low-level controversy. the way he responded to the wainwright 'grooved it' question tells you all you need to know about him. it was baseball only for his entire career. it started with the 'game' and ended with the 'game.' he is the model for future mlb players in the post steroid era. he's retiring at the right time, and the right way. that is; not prolonging a career as his skills slowly erode - making it painful to watch.

you're right eburg. jeter is not a hero. i understand. let's get some perspective on this whole 'life' thing for crying out loud. it's just baseball. the irony is; jeter understands that and would probably agree with you. but, on the hype meter this registers a 0.5 compared to, for example, the super bowl, which gets an 11. actually, every regular season nfl game gets more hype than the mlb all-star game, or the few minutes allocated for jeter. don't let the yankee brand or fox's mlb coverage diminish the accomplishments of this particular player. i only hope that pete rose gets the same recognition next year at gabp.

 

[eburg5000]

I can't disagree with much of what you said. I never watch The Yankees much, so I haven't seen Jeter play much. But I wasn't really bashing him as much as I was bashing NY, the Media Capital of the world.


New York sort of reminds me of what they say about Texas, at least according to them "everything is bigger and better"

 

[eburg5000]

Oh! enough about my little prejudices and rants. Now on to the 2nd half of the season as Hit-and Run said

 

[redsfan03]

I can't disagree with much of what you said. I never watch The Yankees much, so I haven't seen Jeter play much. But I wasn't really bashing him as much as I was bashing NY, the Media Capital of the world.


New York sort of reminds me of what they say about Texas, at least according to them "everything is bigger and better"

Agreed. Like I said, I neither hate nor like Jeter, but if he played for say the Oakland Athletics or even our Reds, the love would have been dialed down significantly. It would have been more akin to Chipper Jones last year, which was a little more acceptable in my opinion. I'm not denying that Jeter is one of the greats, but the telecast couldn't go two minutes without mentioning his name, showing his face, or showing a replay of his highlights from the game. Like I said, it was sickening. It was simply a case of Fox pandering to its largest media market and the largest fan base in baseball.


However, what was more sickening was the Bud Selig interview during the fifth inning. Rosenthal should have grilled him when he asked him if he could have done something different during his tenure.


Speaking of the Yankees, it sure would be nice for the Reds to take this game in New York today. Needed more production yesterday from the guys who have been carrying the team up to this point. Hamilton, Frazier, and Meso all carried o-fers. It's a lot to ask, but the only way this team stays in contention is if those three continue to do what they've been doing.