Well, here you go, Glenn.
Pitchers (11)
Bronson Arroyo
Matt Belisle
Jared Burton
Todd Coffey
Rheal Cormier
Jon Coutlangus
Aaron Harang
Kyle Lohse
Kirk Saarloos
Mike Stanton
David Weathers
I never expected to say this, but I don't mind the pitching staff too much. For once, they're not resting all their hopes on Jimmy Anderson/Jimmy Haynes/Paul Wilson/Ghost of Pete Harnisch. The staff is a good mix of young and old, but with two rookies in Coutlangus and Burton (the latter a Rule 5 guy), the bullpen could be worse than last year if they implode. If they do well, and they might, then Krivsky looks like a genius. You have to assume that Cormier, Weathers, and Stanton (combined age: Methuselah) will explode time and again before some of the DL'd guys get back. I'm worried about this bullpen all over again.
A rotation of Harang/Arroyo/Lohse/Belisle/Saarloos? Not too shabby. Bear in mind, Sun Woo Kim pitched here last year.
Infielders (6)
Juan Castro
Jeff Conine
Edwin Encarnacion
Alex Gonzalez
Scott Hatteberg
Brandon Phillips
There's a serious implosion factor at stake here. Can Hatteberg hit like he did last year -- which is to say, can he duplicate Sean Casey's production for a fraction of the price and a third of the GIDPs? Can Brandon Phillips repeat his 2006? Can Edwin Encarnacion figure out how to perform routine plays while hitting a ton with RISP? As for Castro and Gonzalez, not much needs to be said. They'll be fine -- catch everything and hit very little. Why is Jeff Conine here again?
Outfielders (4)
Adam Dunn
Ryan Freel
Ken Griffey Jr.
Josh Hamilton
Oh yeah, this is why they got Conine. Because after Junior and/or Freel gets hurt, you have a "can't miss prospect" (because none of those ever miss) who has never played AA ball, let alone the majors. To say this writer is skeptical of Hamilton is understating it a bit. I'd love to eat crow here.
Catchers (3)
David Ross
Javier Valentin
Chad Moeller
There's just no need for three catchers on a team that only has four outfielders and a Conine. Not that I'd prefer DeWayne Wise, but wow. There's got to be a cheap outfielder roaming the earth right now.
And this leaves one roster spot open. As of now, with 11 pitchers, they could add another outfielder (they won't). My money is on adding Victor Santos, but Krivsky has been known to do other things.
I'd love to see him ship Rheal Cormier out for a reserve outfielder, then sign Santos, and call it 25. But I ain't Wayne.
Meanwhile, look at this opening day DL:
Disabled list (8)
Bill Bray
Chris Denorfia
Jerry Gil
Eddie Guardado
Norris Hopper
Jeff Keppinger
Eric Milton
Elizardo Ramirez
Holy crap. At this rate, the 2007 Reds will make the 1989 Reds look like the all-Ripkens.
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1 comment:
The 89 Reds had a much better bullpen. Hell, Franco could make the current squad. He's only 46 or so and he was still pitching in 2005. I'd take him over Cormier (hell, I'd take Tekulve over him too).
Also there's no way Narron (or anyone, really) will bet on this year's team to win every game, even though they're on pace for that.
Finally, speaking of the '89 Reds, rest in peace Bo Diaz and Rick Mahler.
-G
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