Only offensive stat that matters to me is games scoring 4 runs or more

 

Feel free to look it up.

Feel free to look it up.

 

 

No need. It hasn't been good up to this point.

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.

 

How exactly by saying the Reds have 3 good players am I saying anything at all about other teams? Give me a break.

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.

 

Are starting rotations only two deep now or will they still only get roughly 40-45% of the starts?

How exactly by saying the Reds have 3 good players am I saying anything at all about other teams? Give me a break.

 

The way your are saying it, it does make it sound like you think that they won't do well since they only have 3 good position players. So people just pointing out that most teams don't have more than 3 good position players either. So the Reds are in the same boat along with the other teams especially in the other division. The season right now is still early, and the other players like on the Cardinals have started off well. The Reds have a team that could do really well this year, but wouldn't be a big surprise either if they are a lot like last year.

Are starting rotations only two deep now or will they still only get roughly 40-45% of the starts?

My post was a reference to a comment about both teams' #1 and #2 starters.

I have season seats in the right field terrace and I watch him get awful breaks on fly balls hit directly at him.

 

Is it crucial to get a good break on a ball hit directly to you?

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.

 

Agreed with most of the above, but I'd take Freese as the best 3rd baseman. I'd also take the Reds as the best bullpen, particularly with Chapman in it.

 

The Cardinals have the most overall talent, but will they be able to sustain it over 162 games? If so, I'd be absolutely shocked. Beltran, Berkman & Furcal are all household names who are not going to play a full schedule. If one or two go down for an extended period of time, the Cardinals become much, much more vulnerable.

The way your are saying it, it does make it sound like you think that they won't do well since they only have 3 good position players. So people just pointing out that most teams don't have more than 3 good position players either. So the Reds are in the same boat along with the other teams especially in the other division. The season right now is still early, and the other players like on the Cardinals have started off well. The Reds have a team that could do really well this year, but wouldn't be a big surprise either if they are a lot like last year.

 

While it's obviously way early I don't expect them to be better offensively than last year. Rolen is a year older. Stubbs seemingly hasn't figured it out. Left Field probably hasn't improved. SS looks promising but he's awfully young and at some point he will cool off. Their best hitting catcher left and they replaced him with a talented prospect but he probably won't out hit the guy that departed. Latos hopefully is a dramatic improvement from Volquez, but really that's the only improvement they made.

 

I think the Cards have more than 3 good players. I'd say it's at least 5 and possibly 6.

Agreed with most of the above, but I'd take Freese as the best 3rd baseman. I'd also take the Reds as the best bullpen, particularly with Chapman in it.

 

The Cardinals have the most overall talent, but will they be able to sustain it over 162 games? If so, I'd be absolutely shocked. Beltran, Berkman & Furcal are all household names who are not going to play a full schedule. If one or two go down for an extended period of time, the Cardinals become much, much more vulnerable.

 

 

Agree with everything you say. However if any of the Reds big 3 miss significant time it's a much bigger deal than if any of the Cards 5 good players miss time.

Is it crucial to get a good break on a ball hit directly to you?

 

I didn't say directly to him. I was referring to the angle when I said at him. He seems to judge the balls better if he has to go right or left.

While it's obviously way early I don't expect them to be better offensively than last year. Rolen is a year older. Stubbs seemingly hasn't figured it out. Left Field probably hasn't improved. SS looks promising but he's awfully young and at some point he will cool off. Their best hitting catcher left and they replaced him with a talented prospect but he probably won't out hit the guy that departed. Latos hopefully is a dramatic improvement from Volquez, but really that's the only improvement they made.

 

I think the Cards have more than 3 good players. I'd say it's at least 5 and possibly 6.

 

That is understandable. The things you just said is why I was not overlyhyped about the Reds this year as some other may have been. They made some good moves this offseason, however it was not moves that definitely puts a team over the top. It was moves that gave them a shot to be good, but definitely no guarntee.

I didn't say directly to him. I was referring to the angle when I said at him. He seems to judge the balls better if he has to go right or left.

 

I think almost anyone who ever has played baseball judges the ball better if they have to go right or left. The hardest ones to catch as an outfieder are the ones hit straight at you, especially the ones over your head. It really is hard to judge those.

That is understandable. The things you just said is why I was not overlyhyped about the Reds this year as some other may have been. They made some good moves this offseason, however it was not moves that definitely puts a team over the top. It was moves that gave them a shot to be good, but definitely no guarntee.

 

Agreed. They desperately need a pretty good right handed bat. I think Jocketty thought that would be available closer to the deadline so he went with Latos now and will look to improve LF or 3B during the season.