Topics for discussion today:
Worried?: Reds are 23-5 vs teams with losing records/6-13 vs teams with winning records
Which way?: Reds Way vs Cards Way...which is better?
Here are the 20 types of depressed sports fans. Which one are you?
Would you rather watch sports in person or on the couch? See what the survey says.
Are you really going to tell me NBA action is not fantastic after watching this?
Is Andy Dalton just your average NFL QB?
Show preview
6:05, Sports Talk, 700 WLW, listen HERE
Guests
Chris Mack, 7:05
Bob Hurley, Sr, 7:35
Where and when you can find me
Friday: I'll join Mo Egger live from Holy Grail, 3:05, ESPN 1530, listen HERE, Inside Pitch, 700 WLW, listen HERE
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Who they are beating? What's it to you?
Maybe you've heard, the Reds are 6-13 vs teams with a winning record and 23-5 vs teams with a winning record. The 6-13 seems to be a big talking point for some.
Record by +.500 opponents:
1-2 Braves
0-3 Pirates
2-4 Cards
3-4 Nationals
But what about these talking points?
Reds beat Nationals 15-0, allowing just 5 H, pounding out 6 HR (most lopsided loss since return to DC in 2005
Beat Nationals/Stephen Straburg, pounding for 9 H, 6 R (season high/T-career high) in 5 IN
Beat Nationals 5-2, allowing just 5 hits, behind 11 K by Tony Cingrani
Rallied with 2 runs in bottom 8th and 2 runs in bottom 9th, before losing 7-6 (11) to Nats
Beat Cards 13-4, scoring 9 runs in the 9th
Beat Cards and Adam Wainright (2.38) 2-1
Beat Braves and Craig Kimbrel with back to back bottom 9th HR's
Lost 3-1 to Pirates on night Johnny Cueto was injured in 5th inning.
You can talk bad teams, but consider:
Beat Mets with Matt Harvey (1.51 entering game) allowing season high 9 H, 4 R in 6 innings
Beat Phillies in start by Cliff Lee (2.48) and two starts by Kyle Kenrick (2.82)
Beat Marlins twice in games started by hot-shot rookie pitcher Jose Fernandez
And, last, but not least, the Reds have climbed to 29-18 while losing Johnny Cueto (6 starts), Ryan Ludwick (Opening Day), Sean Marshall and Ryan Hanigan for stretches.
Reds/Cards
Reds Way vs Cards Way
Much is being written about the St Louis Cardinals, their "way" and the direction of the franchise. What I find interesting is the St Louis change in direction began with the Cardinals firing of Walt Jocketty and the Reds change in direction escalated with the hiring of Walt Jocketty. The belief inside the Cardinals organization was that Walt's model was not sustainable. There was a philosophical divide. Not enough emphasis was being placed on drafting and developing and too much emphasis was on trading for players and using free agency. Walt engineered trades to bring the likes of Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Darryl Kile, Larry Walker, Mark Mulder, Woody Williams, Will Clark, Scott Rolen, Chuck Finley and Edgar Renteria to St Louis. There was also a split within the St Louis organization about Walt's old school scouting/stats approach vs new school sabermetrics.
The Cardinals have made major decisions, such as choosing not to go toe to toe with the Angels for Albert Pujols. They instead, allowed a franchise legend to leave and redistribute his money. Today, the Cardinals have the best record in the NL and the best rated farm system in baseball. Their model has allowed them to create organizational depth and cover their losses to injury this year with ML ready prospects. 19 of 30 players that have appeared on the roster this year are homegrown. Despite two starting pitchers, their SS, and closer being on the DL, the Cards are 30-16. They have 11 wins this year from rookie staring pitchers.
Meanwhile, Jocketty came to Cincinnati and added to a foundation laid by Dan O'Brien and Wayne Krivsky and engineered a turnaround of the franchise. The Reds broke a string of nine consecutive winning season and have now made the playoffs two of the last three seasons. Like in St Louis, Walt opted to parlay minor league prospects into major league pieces with deals for Shin-Soo Choo, Mat Latos, Sean Marshall and Jonathon Broxton. He's dipped his toe into the free agency waters with Ryan Ludwick and veteran pieces (Cairo, Hannahan). He's scrounged up pieces like Xavier Paul and Derrick Robinson. The moves bolstered the ML roster, but depleted the depth from the minor league system. Injury replacements parts have ranged from Willie Harris, Mike Constanzo and Corky Miller on the low end to Donald Lutz and Tony Cingrani on the higher end. The system cupboard is not bare, it's just more of the talent sits lower in the system at the moment. Walt also expanded the organization scouting reach around the globe. Walt's biggest decisions include opting to spend $250-million to keep Joey Votto and nearly $70-million on Brandon Phillips. Tough questions and potential big dollars remain with players like Homer Bailey and Mat Latos and the futures of Shin-Soo Choo and Billy Hamilton.
Both organizations are having success.
Cards: 385-309 .555. (2009-2013)
3 playoff appearances
Won 2011 World Series
Lost in 2009 NLDS, lost in 2012 NLCS.
Reds: 374-321 .538 (2009-2013)
2 playoff appearances
Lost 2010 NLCS, lost 2012 NLCS
Is one way better than the other going forward?
Cards success starts at the top
Bernie Miklasz, St Louis Post-Dispatch
“From a strategic standpoint, the organization shifted gears,” Mozeliak said. “Bill was the one that was very aware that we did not have a sustainable model. He believed that for us to have success, we had to look at this more organically than just simply ‘free-agent market, trade market.’ So he changed it.”
Cards know how to fill in the gaps
Derrick Goold, St Louis Post Dispatch
“We have more flexibility today than we did five or six years ago in terms of how we operate,” Mozeliak said. “The reason is we’re having such success being able to bring players up. This organization’s way now of staying healthy is not being tied to those outside markets to fill needs. I feel like the way we’ve managed this to date has allowed us to be flexible in any way of thinking. … Having some young players step up like they are now gives us additional flexibility when we’re going to need it.”
Votto forges bond with Rose
ESPN
"Early in my career, Pete kept an eye on me," Votto said, "and the one piece of advice he gave me was, 'When you get the second hit, get the third hit. And when you get the third hit, get the fourth hit. And when you get the fourth hit, get the fifth hit.' That really stuck with me, because it's a genuine challenge when you're tired, or you're sick, or the score is mismatched, or you're facing a tough pitcher, or you're not in a good mood that day. Whatever it is."
Mets may Choo fat next year
NY Post
Choo said he hasn’t given much thought to where he could be next season. But when asked if he could see himself in Flushing next season, he didn’t rule it out.
“With New York, you never know. If I have a good opportunity, I’ll take it,” he said.
Arroyo's last stand
Matt Steinmann, MLBReports.com
Bronson Arroyo is in the final year of a contract with the Reds and Wily Mo Pena is in the Japanese League. With all the talk from fans for the team to sign Shin-Soo Choo to a long term deal, the name not being mentioned is Bronson Arroyo.
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Flashback
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Stuff
Wow: Heartbreaking and Heroic....46 photos of the tornado
UC baseball
We are in!
I'm taking Peyton to see the Columbus Crew vs Houston Dynamo next Saturday night.
