August 11, 200816 yr I'm anxious to see how well the young team does now! Getting rid of Ross and calling up Hanigan was a great move in my opinion. I just wonder if they will call up Dickerson to take dunns place? Getting the youngsters playing time now means a better season next year. Cant wait.
August 12, 200816 yr Ditching Dunn and Griff save the Reds nearly $25m next year. I think the Reds payroll is in the 75-80m range this year. One problem is the free agent market doesn't look too hot. Maybe they're go after CC Sabathia. I usually get annoyed with the Reds by the All-Star break, but I've been hanging with them because of the young guys. I have a weekend in AZ planned to watch them. They'll be in the middle of a pennant hunt. ;-)
August 12, 200816 yr From Lance at Lot D: Baking and slicing the '09 pie Money owed next year: Dusty 3.5 mill Cordero 12 mill Gonzalez 5.3 mill Arroyo 9.5 mill Freel 4 mill Harang 11 mill Phillips 4.75 mill Total: 40.05 mill
September 22, 200816 yr That Freel contract looks worse all the time. They should have about $35 million to spend, at least (I refuse to include Dusty's salary in the team payroll). Assuming that these guys are starters: Votto - 1B Bruce - RF EE - 3B Phillips - 2B There would seem to be four spots that are unsettled: SS - Could be Gonzales if he is healthy (and they're on the hook for $5 mill. to him) C - Hanigan? He's been okay so far. He can't hit any worse than Bako and Ross did. CF - ?? Has Dickerson done enough to merit a shot? Hairston? LF - ?? Rotation should be: Volquez Cueto Arroyo Harang Rodriguez/Daryl Thompson/Homer Bullpen: Cordero Bray Burton Lincoln (if they re-sign him) Here's what I think I would do with the lineup: * Sign a left fielder in the Carlos Lee mold -- a guy with power (preferably a righty) who will drive in a bunch of runs. Will probably cost 12-15 mill/year. * Sign a servicable catcher to share time with/groom Hanigan. There has to be a Molina brother available, right? * Decide what you want to do at the leadoff spot. If you think Dickerson is the answer, put him in CF and let him play. If you think it's Hairston, do the same thing. I would like to bring back Hairston but I think he played over his head this year, and he has injury issues. He would be a fine utility guy, though, and you know he would get plenty of AB's that way. * Put Homer in the 'pen. He seems determined to only throw two pitches anyway; might as well make him into a stopper of a short reliever. * Find the fifth guy in the rotation and let those guys go to work. They've actually been pretty good this year; if Cueto can take a step to the next level, they'd be a top-half type rotation. * Prepare for the day in a couple years where Yonder Alonso hopefully makes it to the bigs.
September 22, 200816 yr Oh, and one more thing: They should seriously consider turning Micah Owings into a position player. That guy can flat rake.
September 23, 200816 yr Is it just me or does it seem like Alonso is going to be trouble later down the road? He demanded a major league contract and he strikes me as the type who always wants things to go his way. I'll admit that i havent really researched him that much so hopefully i'm wrong. I definitely agree with moving Homer to the BP. They should at least give it a shot and see how it works out.
September 23, 200816 yr Alonso is apparently in the mold of Ryan Braun, which is just fine with me. I'm not too worried about the major league contract -- that's not too uncommon for the very top prospects.
November 6, 200816 yr Phillips wins Gold Glove http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20081105/SPT04/311050116/ Brandon Phillips is obviously talented. His range, arm and hands make him a great second baseman. But he probably wouldn't be a Gold Glove winner if he hadn't finally decided he needed to develop that natural ability. On Wednesday, Phillips was awarded the Rawlins Gold Glove for National League second baseman. He’s the first Red to win a Gold Glove since Pokey Reese in 2000. Phillips was as excited with winning the Gold Glove as he was disappointed when he didn't win last year. “It feels great,” he said. “I put defense first. This is more important than 30-30. Defense wins games. Everybody knows that. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. This is what I do. This is my passion. I love it."
November 7, 200816 yr One positive from the season. Well, there were a few more, but when we're routinely out of contention by June every year it wears me down.
November 7, 200816 yr Cincinnati Reds plan high-def board, revamped club for 2009 The Cincinnati Reds will make a multimillion-dollar investment this offseason in two major improvements to Great American Ball Park by installing a high-definition video scoreboard and renovating a popular stadium club. The moves are the latest in a series of additions the Reds have made to the ballpark since owner Bob Castellini took over in January 2006. Those include the addition of the Frontgate Outdoor Luxury Suite behind home plate and the Cincinnati Bell Riverboat Deck and Technology Pavilion beyond center field. Full story at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/11/10/story10.html
November 7, 200816 yr ^The new HD screen the Arizona Diamondbacks have is wild. It's so large, it almost overwhelms everything else. I'll post a pick of Jay Bruce on it.
November 19, 200816 yr Well Affeldt's gone to the Giants and Weathers probably won't be back. Both players said that Jocketty had made little attempt in negotiating for them to come back. He's probably leaning toward our young players for the bullpen which probably isn't a bad thing. Hopefully they can bring back Lincoln and Hairston though.
November 21, 200816 yr Thank you westsiders... More listeners know Reds are on the radio The Cincinnati Reds will brief advertisers next week on a new ratings study that shows more people are listening to Reds radio broadcasts than previously thought. “It’s about 40 percent more,” said Mason Meyer, manager of custom and sports research for Arbitron Inc. “Over the course of a season it’s a pretty big difference.” Full story at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/11/24/tidbits1.html
December 10, 200816 yr Well Weathers accepted arbitration so he'll be back for at least another year and Lincoln signed a 2 year deal with us. That leaves us Hairston left to sign. Ryan Freel, Brandon Waring, and Justin Turner were just traded to the Orioles for catcher Ramon Hernandez and $1 Million. Personally I'm not a fan of this trade but I guess Jocketty knows what he's doing. It's also reported that free agent lefty Arthur Rhodes has his choice of teams narrowed down to 3, with the Reds being one of them. All news releases are on cincinnatireds.com
December 30, 200816 yr Reds ink Taveras to two-year deal Center fielder brings speed, stellar defense to Cincinnati By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com CINCINNATI -- In one transaction on Saturday, the Reds believe they met two of their offseason needs. By signing free-agent speedster Willy Taveras to a two-year contract, Cincinnati now has an experienced leadoff hitter and center fielder heading into 2009. Financial terms of the contract weren't immediately known. "This was a need we felt we had to try and fill this winter," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "Besides acquiring a catcher in Ramon Hernandez [earlier this month], we have a center fielder that can play good defense and lead off." Read more at www.mlb.com
December 30, 200816 yr He's fast, no doubt. But he's also a judy-hitting, low OBP CF. Sound familiar? I hope he doesn't turn out like Corey Patterson. If he gets his OBP up in the .360's like a couple years ago then I'll be happy. Otherwise......well, I'm glad it's just a two year deal.
January 7, 200916 yr Pretty cool article from C. Trent on the Reds' young OF Chris Dickerson. I post this article for two reasons. 1) It would be a huge boost for the Reds chances in 2009 if he has another year similar to last year and 2) Really neat initiative he is starting with his Weplaygreen.org web site and trying to get MLB teams to waste less and conserve more. He is obviously environmentally conscious and even has a quote in there about riding the train more. Perhaps he could use his semi-celebrity to support and advocate for streetcars and lightrail in Cincinnati especially if it comes to a vote? http://www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog/2009/01/06/red_dickerson_plays_green
January 8, 200916 yr I'm hoping for a winning season but preparing for mediocrity. Although I'm not too excited by the off-season moves, I generally understand them and I'm mildly encouraged for 2009. STRENGTHS: Pitching - strong starters with Volquez, Cueto, Arroyo and Harang (assuming he returns to previous form) - decent middle relief with Lincoln, Weathers and Rhodes - good closer with Cordero WEAKNESSES: Hitting and defense - need to make up for the loss of Griffey and Dunn at the plate - overall defensive play needs to improve (losing Dunn helps here!) QUESTIONMARKS: Young players and new veterans - Will Votto have a sophomore slump? - Can Bruce improve after his late season slide? - Will new veterans Hernandez and Taveras help or hinder the team? The Reds look to be in the same boat as many smaller market teams. They're trying to keep and develop their young (and cheap) talent, while trying to fill the gaps with older (and affordable) veterans.
January 19, 200916 yr Reds pick Coke over Pepsi for ’09 season Business Courier of Cincinnati - by Terry Lefton Courier Contributor Coca-Cola has signed a five-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds for exclusive beverage rights at the Great American Ball Park. Pepsi has held beverage rights at Great American since it opened in 2003, and its relationship with the Reds dates back more than decade. But the most recent manifestation of red versus blue sees Coke coming on board, with broad-based exclusive beverage rights that include soft drinks, isotonic, juice and energy drink rights. Full story at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/01/19/daily13.html
January 19, 200916 yr By god, we might just win the bloody series this year!!! :wink: Dusty, have a Coke and a Smile!
January 19, 200916 yr "Cincinnati's an iconic team brand in baseball and thats really why we wanted them, because we think of ourselves that way also," said John Cordova, Coke's director of sports transaction management. While I don't particularly care which brand of soft drink is served at the stadium, that's a nice sentiment.
January 23, 200916 yr I've never seen Ellen before now, honest, but I thought this was cool. That photo she gave him is an all-time classic.
January 27, 200916 yr One of my personal favs from the Reds. Sean Casey is retiring from baseball. A classy guy retiring in a classy way. Friendly 1B Sean Casey retires after 12 seasons Jan 27, 3:30 PM EST By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) -- Chatty first baseman Sean Casey is retiring after a dozen major league seasons with five teams, headed for a second career that suits him as well. "The Mayor" is hitting the airwaves. Casey announced his retirement Tuesday and his move to the fledgling MLB Network, a 24-hour channel launched this month to about 50 million homes. He'll be a studio analyst initially. The 34-year-old Casey came up with Cleveland and was traded to Cincinnati for pitcher Dave Burba a day before the Reds' 1998 opener, a surprising twist to start his career. Quickly, Casey became known for base hits and friendly banter. Casey became a three-time All-Star during his eight seasons with the Reds. He later played for Pittsburgh and Detroit, finishing his career with Boston last year. He had a lot of highlights - a Pittsburgh native who got the first hit in the Pirates' new ballpark; two homers and a .529 batting average for Detroit against St. Louis in the 2006 World Series; a .302 career mark and 1,531 hits. Yet his signature was his congeniality. "It means a lot to me if I'm looked at as a good guy in the game and a pretty good player," Casey said. "It's a nice combination." Full story at http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBO_CASEY_RETIRES?SITE=OHCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
February 12, 200916 yr NYC band pens new Reds song http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090212/SPT04/302120002/1055/NEWS If Cincinnati Reds tickets are selling tickets like hotcakes, the team can thank the Hotcakes. The Reds have built their preseason marketing campaign around a song called “Paint The Town Red” by the Hotcakes, an unsigned garage band in New York City. “During the season I see a sea of red coming into the ball park. It felt right,” says Karen Forgus, Reds senior vice president for business operations. Forgus first heard the song in September, after getting a call from Hotcakes drummer Lee Leshen. He had contacted various professional and college teams with “Red” in their titles, offering them the song. Forgus was the first to call back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF_c4bPfHFg&eurl#normal
February 17, 200916 yr Why the Cincinnati Reds Will Be This Year's Tampa Bay Rays Don't look now, but the Cincinnati Reds are the underdog favorites to win the National League pennant in 2009. Can the Reds follow the Rays' success by taking the baseball world by storm? Similar to a year ago, when experts and columnists were writing about the Rays being a year or two away from competing, the Reds find themselves in the same fork in the road. Management have put together a team to win in the future, but the future may be this year. With pitching being the Reds' Achilles' heel since moving to the Great American Ball Park, they need to strike now with the best staff that they have assembled since 1990. So place your bets in Vegas; the Reds will win the division and face the Mets in the NLCS. Full story at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/125092-this-years-tampa-bay-rays-the-cincinnati-reds
February 17, 200916 yr The guy who wrote that article was drinking some serious Kool-Aid..... But damn, I'm ready to believe. Let's get it done Cincy!
February 17, 200916 yr The guy who wrote that article was drinking some serious Kool-Aid..... I have more respect for the Bleacher Report than I do ESPN any day.
February 18, 200916 yr I don't even really follow baseball that much, but the thought of the Reds even going to the Playoffs makes me ecstatic. Can't wait for baseball season, nothing like a Reds game on a warm summer night...
February 19, 200916 yr I think we've been burned once too many times by sports in this city... Too many "this year is different" years ... IMO, on paper this year IS different. I will go on record and state that we will have a winning record and we will go neck-&-neck for the NLC title.
February 21, 200916 yr I've spend a few days in cincinnati in the past few weeks and I keep hearing on the radio that the reds are better coming into the spring...is there really any truth to this.?.
February 22, 200916 yr I've spend a few days in cincinnati in the past few weeks and I keep hearing on the radio that the reds are better coming into the spring...is there really any truth to this.?. Yep, I posted an article a few post up titled why the reds will be better.
March 6, 200916 yr Cincinnati Reds upgrade lounge, tickets All-inclusive packages in new club boxes will feature alcohol, buffet, other perks The Cincinnati Reds have revamped a portion of their club seat program at Great American Ball Park, developing an all-inclusive package for 1,650 seats. The project also includes $2.5 million in physical improvements, paid for by concessionaire Delaware North Sportservice. The money went to renovate and rebrand the ballpark’s largest indoor hospitality space, a 13,000-square-foot lounge midlevel behind first base, and build outdoor club boxes down the right-field line. The club boxes, which replaced 150 club seats, have 62 chairs divided among tables for four, six and eight. Seats in the boxes, under cover and supported by an open-air bar, sell for $85 to $100 a game, depending on the size of the group. A buffet and two drink tickets for alcoholic beverages are included. Full story at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/03/09/story4.html
March 13, 200916 yr Awe snap! Dusty Might Have a Winner I don't know if Dusty Baker's Cincinnati Reds have enough to reach the postseason this year, but few teams in either league will be more interesting to watch. This young, promising club marks a huge departure for Baker, always associated with power-laden veterans, and he looks to be completely at ease. I've got no time for the built-in skepticism that follows Baker around, all these wise guys claiming he's strategically flawed, wears out pitchers, stifles young talent, whatever. Then again, I've known Dusty since his playing days with the Dodgers in the early 80s, and I've never met a cooler, kinder, more well-rounded sports person . . . Posted By: Bruce Jenkins (Email) | March 12 2009 at 08:00 AM Read more at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/threedotblog/detail?&entry_id=36869
March 14, 200916 yr It looks like the 5th starter spot is going to either Owings or Bailey. Both are having fantastic outings so far but I think the big question is whether or not Homer could keep his form through the regular season. I really hope Dusty doesn't pull another Corey Patterson and choose Jacque Jones to be in his "platoon" of left fielders. Gomes, Dickerson, and Hairston could all handle the job quite well. I'm so anxious to see how well the team does this year.
March 14, 200916 yr I say give the 5th spot to Homer, he's earned it so far. Put Owings in the pen as long relief and for spot starts, and for his bat. It would be pretty awesome if our number one pinch hitter had to run in from the bullpen....
March 14, 200916 yr I say give the 5th spot to Homer, he's earned it so far. Put Owings in the pen as long relief and for spot starts, and for his bat. It would be pretty awesome if our number one pinch hitter had to run in from the bullpen.... I like this, REK.
March 15, 200916 yr Cincinnati Reds upgrade lounge, tickets All-inclusive packages in new club boxes will feature alcohol, buffet, other perks http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/03/09/story4.html The lounge, originally called the Fox Sports Ohio Club 4192, honoring Pete Roses all-time hit record, has been rethemed and renamed the Fox Sports Ohio Champions Club to celebrate the Reds five World Series titles. Are they eradicating Pete Rose-related stuff intentionally? Did Bud Selig (who has kept the ban on Pete) have anything to do with this?
March 17, 200916 yr Reds put Opening Day seats up for auction Didn’t get your tickets for Opening Day yet? The Cincinnati Reds are giving fans a chance to watch the team open the season from the new club box seats. The Reds are auctioning off packages of four, six and eight tickets, with proceeds benefiting the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. And winning bidders also will receive annual memberships to the museum. The club boxes have an outdoor bar area, in-seat service and access to the all-inclusive FOX Sports Ohio Champions Club, formerly the 4192 Club. The auctions, which end at noon March 20 and March 27, can be found at http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/ticketing/clubbox_auction.jsp. The 2009 Opening Day game is April 6 at 1:10 p.m. against the New York Mets. Full story at Full story at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/03/16/daily11.html
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