The Positives thread

[chico ruiz]

"ALL the contending teams can be beaten. The Reds aren't going to do that making a mistake an inning and pouting every game. A little anger, emotion, adrenalin wouldn't hurt."

and being aggressive on the base paths wouldn't hurt either. jay runs well. send him. i was at the rays/yanks series this past weekend and saw maddon's team get caught stealing twice on sunday. they ended up losing in 11, because soriano, of all players, stole third with one out, and got into position for a sac fly. he didn't do it with raw speed so much as guile and experience. you know, baseball.

ps. the assessment of what i think is your bad form is incorrect johnu. in psychology circles they call this displacement. the proof of your bad form is the second line of the above post. unseemly for a man of your age and intelligence. that's why i'm sure you know exactly what i was talking about in that previous post.

 

[chico ruiz]

the intensity level. i've had the opportunity to see many of the contending teams in the last month up close and personal. and i can say, without hesitation, that kansas city, tampa bay, yankees, washington, st. louis, pittsburgh, and arizona are all playing with playoff intensity right now. 1507 calls it anger, emotion, and adrenaline. he is right. having been a professional player you're more intimately aware of it. from my perspective, being at the various yards, it is palpable. the aforementioned teams are playing extremely aggressive baseball. the reds don't seem to have notched it up to that level yet. it's not necessarily the losing. it's the way they're losing. my fear is that this team won't, or doesn't, know how to turn it on when it counts. sadly, from what i've seen out of these other teams, the reds are not a lock for a playoff spot. not by a long shot. there are a bunch of games left, and washington, arizona, and pittsburgh believe they will be in the playoffs. i can see it in their intensity levels.

 

[JohnU]

ps. the assessment of what i think is your bad form is incorrect johnu. in psychology circles they call this displacement. the proof of your bad form is the second line of the above post. unseemly for a man of your age and intelligence. that's why i'm sure you know exactly what i was talking about in that previous post.

I didn't join this board for lectures, approbation or an evaluation of ways I could endeavor to undergo corrective character measures. I am far too old to care about that.

I don't much care what you call it. I really don't.

I have nothing more to say on these forums.

 

[Redsfan1507]

These issues are what the Reds called "leadership" that was "missing" when they brought Rolen here to solve. Rolen is gone now... I think it speaks directly to Dustys inability to lead, and IMO, THAT is a problem.

You know why it's so tough to repeat a huge success in any sport ? Lots of reasons, but a primary one is that an elite level, competition is extreme...and talent level is never so far ahead of the next best team, that you have room to relax, gain a pound or two, lose a step, or get complacent. Salaries increase, coaches push less, fans adore you, you buy a few new toys, smell the roses... Security...Just not as hungry anymore...or as hungry as the teams beating you now.

Managers that allow this without winning a single post season home game in his entire 6 year tenure is satisfied too easily for my tastes. "Relentless"is the character of the manager, players, and teams that consistently excel. "Patience" is the enemy, when you are talking about winning. You can't ask for charity, good will, fair play, or the forebearance of "destiny"...you have to rip wins put of the hands of other deserving people.

 

[eburg5000]

The Reds have won the central 2 out of the last 3 seasons and have a chance to do it this year. If leadership is a problem, (god knows there is a problem somewhere with this team) Then you would think someone would step it up. But it looks like they could care less. I am not sure I have ever seen a Reds team play like I have seen this team play.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Amazing, all it usually takes to cure the blahs is a few wins. Kinda catch-22. The Reds gotta win some.

I like BP in the 2 hole a lot better. Tougher to pitch around anyone to the 5 hitter now.

 

[Redsfan1507]

1-1/2 games back with a couple of weeks to play...lots of head to head with the Pirates left...The Bucs finally have a .500 season after more than a two decade drought, but after their 81st win, have they won a single game ? I don't think so- a 4 game losing streak during our Reds 4 game wobbling streak, allowing the Cardinals to take the division lead by just playing .500 in their last 10 games.

Need to win the division...any one game playoff might as well be a coin toss.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

With a win today over the Cubs the Reds can draw to within 1 game of the idle Cards. The downside is that they'll still be two losses behind in the loss column. Need a little help to catch the dirty birds.

With the Cards propensity to lose to weaker teams more often than the Reds it should be a interesting last three weeks.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Well, the Reds are in control of their destiny, and that's rare justice. My paranoia tells me the Reds are susceptible to looking past the game today, at playoff scenarios- a deadly mistake. I know BP and others are gimpy, but everyone is this time of year. Much like I believed they HAD to keep playing Votto, BP has to play as well...and he needs to be the 2 hitter to give the Reds the most difficult task for the opposition. It's a wasted opportunity if the Reds don't gain ground playing the Cubs.

 

[bengaldoug]

6-1 over the last 7, and against the Cards and Dodgers. Dodgers came in 36-9 since the all star break, and the Reds swept them. Pretty impressive. Coming in I was afraid this stretch would put them away as far as the division went, and might even put them in danger of blowing wild card #2. Instead they made a very positive move at the most important moment of the season until now. Now maybe Cueto and Marshall can both return in time for the playoffs. Have to say this is the best I have felt about these guys since early May.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I hear you. I was impressed with the Reds sweep, but cognizant that they also played stupid a few times-2 gaffes by the 3b coach and 2 shaky calls by Dusty, several failed bunt attempts in pressure situations, and still won...I wouldn't take our odds doing the same things again, and it working out that way again.

This team doesn't gain much from lessons learned- they just don't learn...but they do have great pitching, defense and enough hitters to capitalize on rare mistakes from good teams.

Hamilton is a weapon that may get them to post season, but it's unlikely a 25 man playoff roster will contain a PR only spot. I'm hoping Ludwick starts either hitting enough or stops whining enough, that he can play every day, at least that would clarify the lineup more, and hopefull cement Phillips back in the 2 hole, eliminating Dusty's 2 season long self destructive bent on penciling an automatic out there.

I'll breathe better when the Reds are a couple of games in 1st place, instead of chasing home field "advantage" in a one game throw of the Dusty dice in post season. They need to sweep the Cubs. Keep winning. The less I see Hannahan, Izturis, Heisey and Paul, the better I'll feel.

If the can get Cueto and Marshall back, so much the better. Im not sure a post season pitching staff including Parch or Duke is one to be optimistic about.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Positives-
games against the Cubs,Brewers, Astros, Mets should make the Pitates series less important, because the Reds should dominate the W-L against some of the worst teams in MLB before they see the Pirates.

Votto is hitting again, and BP is in the 2 hole more often than not. Cozart is on a hot streak.

Maybe, getting humiliated by the Cubs will fire this low-pulse team up some.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Well, the Reds managed to piss away more wins against the Cubs and Brewers than the number of games they are behind in the division race. They do not have enough games left with the Lastros to make that number up. If they are going to win the division they have to make those games up in the remaining game with the Stros, and a series with the Mets, and 2 with the Pirates...and unfortunately, they have to win 3 more games than the Cardinals do in those few games left. The chances of that happening are about equal to Dusty winning a Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

The positives ? The Reds will likely have at least one game in post season...and since they have 6 with the team they will be playing- the Pirates, they can at least take home field advantage against them in that play in game-IF they beat them in the stretch. The Reds DO also have the opportunity to go in the dumper and lose that low-bar playoff game they've apparently been playing for, if they play the Mets and Pirates like they've played the Rockies, Cubs and Brewers.

Cueto looks fine. Marshall might be back soon. Duke looked bad enough that Dusty might not use him again. I'd like to see if Hamilton can hit so Dusty might consider leaving someone like Hannahan OFF the roster completely. Just saying.

 

[JohnU]

If the Reds manage to forge a tie with the Cardinals for first place (do-able) it turns the post-season into a tizzy. There are playoff games to determine play-in games.

The truth: The 2nd wild card could end up in better shape than the divisional winner.

 

[Redsfan1507]

A road trip to start a 5 game series with 3 away, is never an advantage, IMO. It took Dusty doing a daily dumb schidt dive for the eventual World Champ Giants to win an historic 3 on the road in the first series last year. I don't think we have anything to be concerned about there, if there is any possible way to fuck up a total lock, Dusty will find it. Dusty would dig up buried dog shit just to step in it. To ask him to accomplish something hard ? Hilarious.

Dusty's game plan grasp has more holes in it than the Playboy mansion. The only smart move Dusty has made in his managerial career, is signing with the Reds, who sadly, haven't the brains or the balls to rid themselves of him. The man may have invented underperforming, but even if he didnt, he's damn near perfected it. Dusty could find a way to get his ass kicked if he had Superman, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Moses, David AND Goliath on his team.

 

[Redsfan1507]

But in the spirit of the post...Hamilton is 3 for 3 and hasn't come close to being caught stealing. Wanna guess if he'll be in the starting lineup on Friday ?

 

[JohnU]

The Rocket won't continue to get base hits but he will continue to steal.
Hell the Pagnozzi pitchout was well in advance of the break and he still beat it.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Is it possible they've given Dusty a small ball tool that he can't screw up ?

 

[JohnU]

Dusty won't use Hamilton against the Parrots.
Heisey and Ludwick will blunder through their at-bats, strikeouts or popups, GIDP's.
Dusty will use Hamilton like he uses Chapman.

 

[Redsfan1507]

He can't keep up the pace, but BH is the first player since 1920 to do what he did in his first start.

I'd say he deserves another start.