"In Dusty, Nas TRUSTY"

Agreed Nas. Their talent scares me more than anybody else in the division with the possible exception of the Cardinals. It'll be interesting to see what guys like Votto and Bruce can do after a full year in the bigs. Those guys could be monsters. If Harang returns to form, they are very dangerous.

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

No. Apparently Bulldog Scott agrees with you. So there are two of you.

If the Cardinals has a different manager I would be way more comfortable. That jackass has a way of getting more out of teams that just about anyone else.

I had not considered the Reds talent much lately, but it seems to me that their pitching is going to be the key. If Harang is back to form and their bullpen is decent they could be a contender.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

no way. Name me the starting rotation for the Reds. Then tell me with a straight face they'll make the playoffs. They play in a bandbox...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

and those pesky astros always get hot in the second half of the season like it's a bodily function.

The Reds really could've used another big bat in left field. I read they plan on hitting Phillips 4th, not exactly your prototypical cleanup hitter. Their defense and bullpen is also suspect. I think the Cards will make a serious run at the division this year.

One thing is for sure -- he won't try to have Adam Dunn bunt men over anymore.
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/05/this-has-to-be-joke-part-deux.html
This has to go in the modern day hall of shame for most inexplicable in game strategy.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Yeah, since Dunn will be a Washington Nationals uniform, having him bunt would be difficult without pis sing off the Nationals manager.

Adam gets a cell phone call from Dusty Dusty: Bunt him over son! I have also read the T.Dungy book and have seen the light! Dunn: I don't play for you anymore, please stop calling me or I will be forced to block your calls. Dusty: It's cool man, cool.

Decent pitching staff...good lineup...probably not a lot of depth...ill say 84-78

It really depends on what your definition of "challenge" is. Does that mean tehy could win it? Unlikely. Does that mean finish within 10 games of the Cubs? Highly possible.

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he was dazzling in the first half, but he was average at best during the 2nd half last year - 4.60 era post all-star break. he needs to show a full season before i call him a "stud".



he was terrible in the first AND 2nd half last year. who is to say he will get better? lots of guys with good arms never make it in the major leagues.



he was terrible last year, after a couple of decent starts in april. he has been a much better hitter than pitcher.

all of these guys have "potential", but none of them have put together a consistent season. yeah, they have a chance, but that rotation is hardly imposing.

the lineup looks promising, but for this team to contend it would have to be lightening in a bottle.

"In Dusty We Trusty"...Not a chance!

Sure, maybe they have the second best players and pitching staff in the division. Dusty will get them to play like the 4th best. That's what Dusty does. He will never, ever elevate a team's potential. He will always reduce the overall talent that a team has.
I venture to say that Dusty might be one of the worst active managers in the league right now.
Who else can pull TWO illegal double switches? Didn't they bat out of order more than twice last year? How does that possibly happen on a major league level?
Answer: Dusty. I'm not sure that man is qualified to manage a Fantasy team much less a real one.
Look, the Cubs were AWFUL in 04, 05, and 06 with Dusty. They barely broke over 500 in 03 and were lucky to win that 4 gamer with the Cards in early Sept and set themselves up for the division. In 04 and beyond the Cubs routinely played below their talent level.
Do I worry about the Reds? Not with Baker leading them. Not at all.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Good post.

If the Cubs do that again this year, the Reds will be players in the division. If not, 80-83 wins probly.

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What scares me is that the Cubs will play to their talent level.
In 07 and 08 I believe the Cubs did indeed play to their fullest potential. They did nothing unexpected on either side of the stat sheet.
I imagine you'll see the Cubs with about 88 this year. Will taht be enough? With a depleted Brewer team and a Dusty led Reds team, it probably will be enough.

Now, take a look at the Cards to see an anti-Dusty type manager. I hate LaRussa with a passion man, but he ALWAYS elevates his team potential. He always seems to squeeze an extra couple wins from a weathered starter, a few extra saves and a few extra hits.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Darkie I pretty much agree on La Russa but Im also pretty sure LaRussa is pro steroids. Him and Dave Duncan are cheating somehow...itll come out eventually.

See Jeff Weaver's 06 for evidence.

Don't you think there's too much scrutiny going on right now with randomized testing and all that to get away with juicing?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

If Dusty truely MANAGED, and went out to calm his pitcher down, or have the pen up and ready after the Bartman play, or at the very least, after the walk and wild pitch, the Cubs would have played in the 2003 WS.

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Darkside...Ive considered that...but remember the drugs are always a few steps ahead of the testing...and I mean the evidence continues to mount.

I understand Duncan is a guru...but if he's so good Why do the pitchers suck right after they leave him? Do they not retain what he taught them...is it a matter of calling pitches?

All I know is the results they get, especially from pitchers, are suspect

I dunno...everyone/thing is suspect now, but maybe Duncan is just good? I mean, Don Cooper has turned a few pitchers around, he is giving guys HGH?

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Thats what im saying Frank...Cooper has a nice resume of turnarounds...obviously Leo Mazzone did too...but with Duncan its sooooo many pitchers and its so much different when theyre with the Cards

I just think its suspect...maybe he is that good...but then why did Weaver for example, immediately go back to sucking when he left?

And its not neccessarily drugs...maybe he found a way to use a spitter or a red light like they used against Buehrle in texas

The Reds will be better, last year they were 23.5 games back this year I see 12. What the hell is wrong with you boobs?

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Wait a minute, Prior in prime, Wood in prime, Zambrano with over 200 IP and 13 wins, Clement in prime... Sosa in prime... Alou prime, to a lesser extent a high quality 3B in Ramirez... Career year for Borowski ... I remember who he had on that 03 team, and hell yes they should have been the best team on the field the 2nd half of 03. They hovered around the 500 mark until the last 3 weeks IIRC. Dusty had players who should have played better all year that year.
What was he missing in 04 that prevented him for fielding a better team than he did? IIRC they lost 7 of their last 9, losing to teams with a lot less talent in the Mets (2 game sweep), the Reds (lost 3 of 4) and yes, even the Braves (lost 2 of 3). The Cubs were a better team than all three of those clubs but played well below potential those last 14 days of agony.
I mean Lee, Garciaparra, Ramirez, Walker, Alou, Sosa... he did't have players Nas? That was a well constructed team. Now sure what you mean by we forgot who was on those teams. I remember. I still remember expecting a lot more.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

The 2004 Cubs greatly underachieved...there is no arguing that

Don't forget Dusty might have to start however is doing his daughter.

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Hey this isn't "bash" Dusty by intent. This is a thread about the Reds. I think they're a much worse team because of their manager. Will they contend in the central? With Dusty at the helm, I doubt it.
It's not a bash, it's just a fact. Dusty is an awful manager, and I feel that he will have a negative effect overall on the season.
With the exception of a great season in SF in 93, he's never been anything more than a below-average manager. He took a team that won .636 one year to a (strike shortened) .478 the following year.
The cubs teams that won 79 and 66 respectively prove that he couldn't make anything of a team no matter what he had.
He showed an inability to control marquis players, like Bonds who was allowed to do whatever and where ever to the detriment of the team, to a very similar situation with Sosa, who was alowed to do what ever and whenever. You think LaRussa would put up with that kind of shit? I doubt it.
Look, there's guys that will get more out of a player than they should. There's guys that won't get anyone to achieve to their potential. Dusty is definately the latter. No question.

Long story short, I'd be shocked to see the Reds bust 80 wins.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Brilliant.

On sosa, fair enough but hell man he was only .080 off the slugging percentage in the "beginning of his prime" if you call 98 that. Still hit 40 homers and that is still superstar quality. Alou had a career year in AB, Hits (just 6 off his career high of 182) very near his career high in slugging in 03 and 04. Now I reference Wood and Prior in 03 mind you, career year for Prior, KW near his career high in IP in 03, did have a career high 14 wins, 266 K and a career low in WHIP (as a starter).
Not sure what Clement means? 14 wins 201 innings, 171 k and a whip south of 1.23.... WOW...
The Cubs statistically HAD the players. But the head had no heart. I stand by my comments.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Q. How does Dusty not get credit for a team that was predicted....
A. Because predictions aren't worth a goddamn and that's no way to judge the final product on the field. That Cubs team may have made the playoffs and won a playoff series, but that was in spite of the (lack of) efforts on Dusty's part. That team, as I mentioned before, was only 69-66 going into September. Not spectacular. Not WS destined. Just barely over even. That team had PLENTY of firepower and superstar talent, and was barely 500. In my opinion, that team underperformed all year, had a good series against the Braves, and pooped their pants against the Marlins. Dusty did nothing while that trainwreck Bartman incident happened but chew a toothpick. A better manager looks at his LF melting down, his SS boffing the next play, his 18 game winner losing concentration and puts a stop to the craziness. Dusty just chewed his toothpick.

Q. How does Lou not get knocked...
A. Simple. This thread is about the Cincinnati Reds and their manager came up in talks. You want to see me rail on Lou and his fabulous ohfer in the playoffs, start that thread, and you'll hear your share of Lou being knocked. This is staying on topic. Lou does not enter the equation.

What I telling you is that you take a team that will win 82 games on talent, put Dusty in there, you'll probably end up with about 75 wins. Put a better manager in charge, such as LaRussa, that number climbs to 87.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014