Easy
Dusty is balck
Lou is ........what the fuck color is Lou??????

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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.

Rex too is suffering from Obamas' plan ................................unemployed!

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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.

I believe I reference that 4 of 5 for the Cubs in early September. Yes, I will give you that the Cubs won those 4 of 5 games. Does that mean that he "outmanuevered" LaRussa? Maybe. Hard to say. There were a couple close games. And also, besides managing there are many other considerations. that was a home series if I remember.... that helps in baseball. But take a look at the overall body of work, not just a single series.
How do you know what a team will win based on talent? Well you don't really, that's more of a figure of speech. You can look at the talent on that 03 and 04 team and say, damn, they should have won more.
Will the Reds make the playoffs? If they do it will be absolutely shocking.
I can't find anything hypocritical about anything I said. Where have I been hypocritical nas? I'm stating that with the exceptional talent that those teams had, they should have won more under Dusty. I think he's a lousy manager. I think with the top tier hitting and starting pitching those teams had they should have won over 94 games in 04. They should have beat the Marlins. Can you look at that series and honestly say that Dusty did NOT get the pants managed off him by Jack McKeon? Again, you can't look at just a single series, I understand that but in the playoffs man you gotta be on your game.
I know where you're going with this. You're barking up the wrong tree. This has nothing to do with how good the managers tan is. it has to do with what he did with what he had, and I think Dusty just didn't prove he can make any team better, in fact I contend that he costs wins of his team.

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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

This reminds me of another manager that i am very critical of. Bobby Cox. 11 straight division titles, won a world series his first year back with ATL, but since then a whole lotta "Lost NLDS" in his record (granted there are two WS losses... ). A manager that has that many division championships has the talent to get there, but blows it in the playoffs.

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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

Nas/Darkside you're both to smart for this! The Reds have a new GM and if the Reds don't get off to a good start, Haste La Bye Bye!!!

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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.

Where did I do this? I'm pretty darn clear, the Cubs underperformed while under Baker's leadership. That's all there is to it.

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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

In regards to Lou, I think his honeymoon phase is over.

Dusty Baker was well liked after his first season, even though they just made the playoffs but not the world series.
He was less liked after his second year. but he still won 89 games that season.
Things went downhill in his third year.

So far, I'd say that pattern has been pretty much the same for Lou, except the expectations for this season are nearly world series or bust.

It's a little unfair to compare how Dusty was treated after four years with how Lou has been treated after two years.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Hey Pompous Ass I read the post and I know it has nothing to do with race.You are a meatball. The whole Dusty thing is so stupid!

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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.

Nas, it's too bad I didn't post in 03. You'd have seen how much I started the year loving the guy and then once I watched his body of work... man. I thought Baker lacked a killer instinct (yes, I believe baseball needs killer instinct) by the end of the year, I thought the Cubs had no business winning a playoff series. hell, Cox nearly won that one (5 games? Is that right?).
I don't hate the guy, but I just don't think he's all that great a manager.
You have to admit that batting order deal (twice) is really embarassing.

Edit...
By the way, I did read your posts. When you say how can we rail on Dusty and not on Lou, I think we both know what you meant by that. Be honest. Wasn't that where you were going?

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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

Rex=Dusty=Loser

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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.

Well, I was actually responding to a post prior to that where you questioned why Dusty would be questioned but not Lou for not having won a PS game...

Well, if I misinterpreted that comment, then I apologize to you.
And Nas, you still write plenty between the lines.... come on man... You know it!
I disagree though. Had Dusty brought the Cubs back to the playoffs a couple years in a row and strung together some wins then we would have a different view of his managerial capacity. Since he did not, with a team that had the necessary talent, his managing is a part of the failure.

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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

You two get a room pleeeeaasssssssssssssssseeee!

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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.

I wouldn't be shocked by any major leaguer exposed as a steroid user but I would be fucking floored if a manager or pitching coach was recommending steroid use.

Why would you be floored? I don't follow. The players and coaches all ultimately want the same thing. If players would cheat, why wouldn't coaches too?

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

Back to the original point of the Reds challenging....Dusty abused some of those young pitchers last season. Does anyone remember them coming back with Volquez in an extra inning game just a few days after throwing 8 innings. I would be shocked if he doesnt experience some arm fatigue. As for the rest of the team I am not that impressed by their offense and I think Cordero is a mediocre closer at best. 78 wins would be overacheiving for the Reds.

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Fox sports:
The notion: Reds have best rotation in NL Central
Reality: They definitely don't. The Cubs, reigning division champs, boast a rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Ryan Demspter, Ted Lilly, and probably Sean Marshall. That kind of depth and excellence is hard to match. To be sure, the Reds have a formidable front three in Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez, and Bronson Arroyo, but behind them there's much uncertainty. Perhaps if Johnny Cueto enjoys some skills growth and they find someone to hold down the fifth spot, then the Reds will enjoy a rotation in the top half of the NL. But even that level of modest optimism is premature. Let's keep in mind that last season the Cubs paced the NL in rotation ERA with a 3.75 mark, while the Reds ranked just 14th with a starters' ERA of 4.97. While Cincy figures to be improved, their starting pitching won't compare to Chicago's or perhaps even St. Louis'

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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.

Please stop putting Bronson Arroyo in the mix of good pitchers. He is not even average.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Its skewed because he always looks like Babe Ruth against the Cubs. With pitching and hitting.

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thats because their defense was kicking the ball around SO badly that the bullpen was constantly escaping with "3IP, 5H, 4BB 0 ER" all the time.

nah...i will take your word for it. the STEROID FREAKS have bullpen problems of their own.

Per usual Tim Dierkes summed up the Reds pretty nicely:

Additions: Ramon Hernandez, Willy Taveras, Arthur Rhodes, Jonny Gomes, Aaron Fultz, Humberto Cota, Daryle Ward, Jacque Jones, Laynce Nix, Mike Lincoln (re-signed), Jerry Hairston Jr. (re-signed), David Weathers (accepted arb). Midseason: Nick Masset, Danny Richar, Micah Owings

Subtractions: Jeremy Affeldt, Josh Fogg, Gary Majewski, Matt Belisle, Ryan Freel, Corey Patterson, Paul Bako, David Ross, Javier Valentin, Jolbert Cabrera. Midseason: Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr., Todd Coffey

In September I mentioned the Reds as a sleeper candidate for '09, given their rotation depth. Last year's front four are returning. Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto combined for a 4.38 ERA in 754.3 innings. Even with regression from Volquez, I expect them to maintain that performance level. Owings and Homer Bailey are strong fifth starter options. The bar is low - Reds' fifth starters combined for a 7.47 ERA in 140 innings last year.

The bullpen was decent last year, and the loss of relief innings leader Affeldt was treated with the Rhodes signing. Subtract out bad performances from Majewski and Coffey and the pen shouldn't be worse.

Defensively the Reds ranked dead last in the NL according to The Fielding Bible II. The worst culprits: third base (Edwin Encarnacion), shortstop (Jeff Keppinger, Hairston), and left field (mainly Dunn). Reports on shortstop Alex Gonzalez have been positive, and the subtraction of Dunn will help in left field. Last September I pushed for Walt Jocketty to make an aggressive offer for Adrian Beltre, but Encarnacion will stay at the hot corner for '09. Taveras has the tools to play a great center field at help the corner outfielders.

The Reds scored 4.35 runs per game in '08, 12th in the NL. How will they fare in the post-Dunn/Griffey era? Keep in mind that it's also the post-Patterson/Bako era, and the Gomes/Chris Dickerson platoon should be effective. CHONE projections and the lineup analysis tool call for 4.42 runs per game which unfortunately still would've ranked 12th last year. This team still falls short offensively, even with strong years from the team's young sluggers.

Even if I generously put the Reds at 750 runs allowed, they project to win 77 games. It's difficult to see this team cracking .500 as it's presently constructed.

Bottom line: The Reds' rotation looks strong, but Jocketty failed to add the needed offense.

The key is whether or not Volquez and Cueto get damaged by Dusty's overuse of them, as he did with Prior and Wood. I am confident Baker will use these guys much the same. But this is a team with a lot of good young talent that gets less notice than they deserve. If you look at how they did the last 2 months of this past season, you know this is a team to watch. Even though Volquez and especially Cueto, were not as good towards the end of the season, the Reds as a team were solid.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Here are two under the radar guys to watch out for this year:

Jonny Gomes and Micah Owings

Gomes was a rising star in the Rays organization and a big power hitter who has led the Reds in home runs and RBI this spring. I'm not a fantasy guy but Owings can pitch and hit. He'll soon be named the #5 starter after giving up 3 ER's in 18+ innings this Spring. The guys above (plus Volquez and Cueto) are the Reds' future, but I met Gomes and Owings surprise.

If Johnny Gomes was worth a damn he'd still be on the Rays. Micah Owings can't pitch. He can hit but he can't pitch.

Hmmm. Just like the Rays saw Josh Hamilton's future? That wisdom brought Volquez and Herrera to the Reds.

Hamilton was a VERY unique situation. The Rays had to make a decision to keep him on the 40-man roster or expose him to the rule 5 draft. After 6 years of drug problems and suspensions it wasn't a very difficult decision. Hindsight is 20/20

The next Josh Hamilton got sent down to the minors.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... innati.com

This has to be a first. The first pinch hitter the Reds bring into the game on Opening Day - their 5th starter.

Ok - It's Micah Owings, but come on. That's the first guy off your bench? You're #5 starter??

. . . and he struck out.

Sounds like Dusty is in mid season form.

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harang - 114 pitches in 5 innings on opening day. nothing like easing them into the season. spring training is OVER ladies, get your ass out there and PITCH!