They have 3 good offensive players. They start 8 regulars.

 

 

Which team in the division clearly has more talent?

 

I'll be waiting on that answer....

Doesn't matter who has the most talent, its who produces the best and wins games.

Which team in the division clearly has more talent?

 

I'll be waiting on that answer....

 

St Louis by a wide margin. Milwaukee as well but not by as much

St Louis by a wide margin. Milwaukee as well but not by as much

 

 

I can guarantee you wouldn't be saying that if the Reds were in first place right now. What part of the Brewers lineup is better than the Reds? A case could be made for St. Louis but it's not a wide margin at all. St. Louis just has players who are executing better...

I can guarantee you wouldn't be saying that if the Reds were in first place right now. What part of the Brewers lineup is better than the Reds? A case could be made for St. Louis but it's not a wide margin at all. St. Louis just has players who are executing better...

 

The Reds have 3 good position players.

If I was rating the three teams, position-by-position:

 

C: Cardinals have the edge with Molina, and I would take Mesoraco over the Brewers' duo.

 

1B: Votto clearly the best, with Berkman way ahead of Gamel.

 

2B: I would rather have Weeks than Phillips, but I can see the other way ... no matter who the Cardinals go with, they're way behind.

 

SS: No major edge for any team.

 

3B: No major advantage. Ramirez's defense is subpar and his bat will slow down. Freese isn't nearly as good as he was in October. Rolen's just old.

 

LF: Braun clearly the man. Holliday is good, well ahead of what the Reds have.

 

CF: No real edge. The jury is out on Jay as an everyday player. Stubbs is Stubbs. Morgan/Gomez could be the best.

 

RF: For this year ... Beltran, Bruce and Hart. Bruce could easily nudge ahead of Beltran, especially if the knee problems crop up.

 

Rotation: Top two, I like Cueto and Latos slightly over Gallardo and Greinke or Marcum. If Marcum is healthy, he's the best #3 guy. Wainwright is coming off TJ surgery and I don't expect Lohse to repeat last year.

 

Bullpen: Probably the Cardinals, but I don't see a significant edge for anybody.

 

Overall: You can make the argument that the Cards and Reds are close, with maybe the Cards slightly better. Milwaukee lags behind, especially in the position players.

St Louis by a wide margin. Milwaukee as well but not by as much

 

 

How about that Adam Wainright? Dusty ruined his arm causing him to have TJ surgery and now he looks like he has lost it - 0 wins 2 losses, 11.42 ERA.

 

And of course Dusty overworked Carpenter. That's why he is hurt and not even in the rotation.

RE: westsider's breakdown above:

 

I agree with most, except I take Ramirez at 3B and I take Phillips at 2B over Weeks because Phillips defense is so great.

 

You left Carpenter out of the St. Louis top 2. Perhaps that was intentional since he is injured but until they say he is done, I include him and take Wainwright/Carpenter as the best 1-2. (Obviously my post above is tongue in cheek ).

The Reds have 3 good position players.

 

And the Brewers have 2....

 

St. Louis has 3-4.

 

Like I said, if the Reds were in first place I guarantee you wouldn't be saying this.

Once again. The Reds have 3 good position players. Everyone should take Freese over Rolen. If Carpenter isn't shut down they have a clear advantage at 1-2 SP over the Reds. The Reds have 1 starter that I think will hit over .280 unless Phillips does and I don think he will.

Once again. The Reds have 3 good position players. Everyone should take Freese over Rolen. If Carpenter isn't shut down they have a clear advantage at 1-2 SP over the Reds. The Reds have 1 starter that I think will hit over .280 unless Phillips does and I don think he will.

 

There's no hope for you if you think the Brewers have more talent than the Reds.

 

I'm done with this conversation.

There's no hope for you if you think the Brewers have more talent than the Reds.

 

I'm done with this conversation.

 

Who won more games last year? I seem to recall that it wasn't the Reds. Fielder is a big loss but I think it's over stated how much of a loss it was.

Rotation: Top two, I like Cueto and Latos slightly over Gallardo and Greinke or Marcum. If Marcum is healthy, he's the best #3 guy. Wainwright is coming off TJ surgery and I don't expect Lohse to repeat last year.

 

I would have to take Greinke/Gallardo over Cueto/Latos and Marcum way over Arroyo. Just my opinion though.

I would have to take Greinke/Gallardo over Cueto/Latos and Marcum way over Arroyo. Just my opinion though.

In 2010 and 2011:

 

Gallardo ... 31-17, 3.67 ERA, 392 IP, 1.287 WHIP

 

Greinke ... 26-20, 4.02 ERA, 392 IP, 1.226 WHIP

 

Marcum ... 26-15, 3.59 ERA, 396 IP, 1.152 WHIP

 

 

Cueto ... 21-12, 3.03 ERA, 341 IP, 1.191 WHIP

 

Latos ... 23-24, 3.21 ERA, 379 IP, 1.135 WHIP

 

There are some other factors at work ... Greinke spent one season in the DH league, as did Marcum, and Latos was in San Diego. In my opinion, Marcum is the Brewers' best pitcher, but I think he's a health risk right now. He certainly didn't look healthy at the end of 2011 and in the playoffs.

 

I think Cueto and Latos stack up rather well with most 1-2 starters in the NL.

Once again. The Reds have 3 good position players. Everyone should take Freese over Rolen. If Carpenter isn't shut down they have a clear advantage at 1-2 SP over the Reds. The Reds have 1 starter that I think will hit over .280 unless Phillips does and I don think he will.

 

We get that. Yet you ignore that fact that the other teams have basically the same amount of good position players too. St. Louis probably gets a slight edge because I agree with you on Freese for now that he should be given the nod. However people complain about the Reds and the players they have, and act like all these other teams have good position players at every position, and that is not true. Most teams are like the Reds especially in this division. They have 3 to 4 good position players, and the rest are guys you just hope they can get hot and contribute. Right now the Cardinals others guys are going a better job at that, however it is early in the season. The Reds other guys started off great last year and why the Reds started 5 and 0 or whatever it was. Way to early to say anything about any team, especially when they all have about the same amount of good position players since that is what you talk most about.

 

With that said I was not as optimistic about the Reds as other people in this area seemed to be. They have only had one good season under Dusty, and while they made a few changes that could help out. It was not enough to say they definitely would be good, they just have a chance to be.