The Entertainer Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 [quote][size=3][b]Enjoy success while it's here[/b][/size] Long season makes it hard to gauge team on one month BY PAUL DAUGHERTY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER It will take more than effort to lift this ragged team to respectability. The Reds appear destined to play dozens of 10-9 games, and they won't be competitive until they seriously upgrade their (pitching) staff." - Daniel Habib, Sports Illustrated, April 3, 2006 "After a surprisingly fast start, they're fadin'." - SI, May 29 "This team has .500 talent." - Paul Daugherty, The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 1 Paul Who? What I meant to say was, "The Cincinnati Reds will never lose again." What's going on here? Show of hands: How many believed the Reds would be a half-game ahead in first place on June 8? Liars. More likely, after the Reds slopped their way to an 8-3 loss in Chicago nine days ago, you had nine toes off the bandwagon. Given recent history, nobody here trusts success, let alone enjoys it. Maybe we should start. This team has an alchemy that can't be described, only witnessed. Too many strange, good things are happening to dismiss the surge as a nice run of good baseball and better luck. Not only that, the National League as a whole is so-so. The NL Central is so-so-er, especially without Albert Pujols, Derrek Lee, Mark Prior, Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens ... "There's no reason we can't consider ourselves as good as any team in the Central Division," said Scott Hatteberg. Hatteberg is a thoughtful guy, not prone to exaggeration. He's as selective in front of a pen as he is at the plate. Having played on four playoff teams, he knows what he knows. "It's June," he said. "We've got three huge months in front of us, when everybody's tired, everybody's hurt. It's the teams that rise at that point that are playoff teams. Injury-free, luck, pitching: If we get all that, we have a chance." There is no season in pro sports like a baseball season. Storylines change as rapidly as predictions. Truth is a stranger until September, and even then it shows itself only once in awhile. Who are the Reds? Who knows? The Reds of May painted a mustache on the Reds of April. The Reds of June are perfect, and perfectly subject to change. Anybody else think the Cardinals had the division well in hand a week ago? Anybody else notice the Cardinals' confidence sag over the weekend, after Ken Griffey Jr. beat them with that Oscar-winning three-run homer Monday night? The Reds can win the division: When they're patient, their hitters are relentless, their skills varied. They can beat you any way they choose. The top half of the starting rotation has stabilized. As for the bottom half: Who in the division has a good bottom half of the rotation? Todd Coffey is growing into a bona fide closer. The Reds can't win the division: They don't catch the ball well enough. The relief pitching still needs tweaking. Their best player remains beholden to his fragile lower body. Junior Griffey has shown he's still great enough to carry a team; will his body carry him across those "three huge months" Hatteberg described? Mentally, they're in the game. "It's a resilient team, a confident team," Hatteberg said. Said Rich Aurilia: "We played one of the worst games of the year that second game in Chicago. To bounce back and win seven in a row on the road is amazing to me. We're new to this. Hopefully, we're learning as we go." They work for Jerry Narron, an ego-less manager who has managed to keep a deep roster sharp and (relatively) happy. They have Wayne Krivsky, a general manager who continues to pump in fresh, useful blood. The owner will spend if he believes his team merits it. The Reds aren't fadin'. But the six-month season is a blessing and a curse, especially for clubs not familiar with the championship grind. The Reds are in the photo, though. Smiling. Enjoy it until you don't.[/quote] [url="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060609/COL03/606090410/1071/SPT04"]Enquirer.com[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest schotzee Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Junior will get his ring this year Yes with the Reds.I don't seem to remember a lot of slugfests so far either.They showed a lot of resiliency to climb right back to the top after quite a big slump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK Cincy Connection Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 the thing about May is their pitching seemed to improve and it was the bats that went cold... even though I had a foot off the bandwagon I was encouraged by the improved pitching. they keep that up and the Reds can do some very serious damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBandJoeyV Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 If Harang, Arroyo, and Milton all have good seasons and keep pitching like they are we will make the playoffs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK Cincy Connection Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Jim Rome keeps mentioning the Reds are red hot...I think he is going to do a take on the Reds later... Could this be the year of another "Hunt for Red October"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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