Bullish Reds must remain injury-free

[CincyRedsFan30]

Bullish Reds must remain injury-free
Solid lineup excites players, fans

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

The euphoria that has swept over Cincinnati Reds fans was expected, a knee-jerk reaction after years of living in baseball doldrums.

The feeling was that, hey, they are trying to do something, they are spending money, they are trying to fix broken and missing parts.

For the past few years, money was something other teams spent and the Reds hoarded for a rainy day.

Well, it rained and rained and rained at Great American Ball Park during the off-season — with no umbrellas in sight.

Even an optimistic guy like closer Danny Graves said that it was a chore coming to spring training, a feeling of, "Why bother? We don't have a chance. We can't compete."

Euphoria surfaced in a two-week span in December when general manager Dan O'Brien reeled in players like a sport fisherman hooking and landing fish from his favorite spot.

Excitement this year? Absolutely. A championship? Well ...

The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs and, yes, the Houston Astros may have a little something to say about blocking the Reds' path out of the National League Central and into the playoffs.

Are the Reds improved? By leaps. And maybe a little bounds, too.

The everyday lineup is a good one. But it was a good one last year, too — good enough to hold first place on June 10.

Then came the injuries. Ken Griffey Jr. Austin Kearns. Barry Larkin. Ryan Freel was a one-man Dutch dike, plugging holes everywhere.

The pitching crumbled, starters and bullpen.

By season's end, the Reds were fourth-placers, 10 games under .500 and 29 games behind the Cardinals.

And both the starters and the bullpen had the second-worst earned-run averages in the National League, behind only the Colorado Rockies and their thin-aired Coors Lite Field, where baseballs react like jai-alai Pelotas.

To be successful this season, to even compete, the team must avoid the training room as if it is an execution chamber.

The pitching must be better by large increments.

Bringing in Eric Milton and Ramon Ortiz improves last year's rotation, but the worry is that both give up home runs like the Easter bunny passing out jelly beans. And Great American Ball Park isn't considered a pitcher's pal.

By bringing in Kent Mercker, David Weathers and Ben Weber, O'Brien added experience and savvy, but all are long in the tooth and closer to false teeth than growing new molars. They have good track records, but how close are they to the finish line?

It is the same with Rich Aurilia and Joe Randa. Both have good numbers from the past, but both are trying to resurrect what once was.

Defense — the lack of it — was an issue last season, too, and it remains as suspect as a guy caught after hours in a savings and loan with money bags in his hand.

With Aurilia at shortstop and D'Angelo Jimenez at second base, range is a problem. Randa, though, is the biggest upgrade at third base since the Reds traded Aaron Boone.

It remains to be seen how much ground Griffey and his three-screws hamstring can cover. Adam Dunn admits that as a left fielder he is a darn good hitter.

As long as there are no injuries, the bench seems adequate with Freel and Wily Mo Pena, but the bench will be emptied if injuries surface again.

The three 'E's of euphoria, enthusiasm and expectations are high, but throw an 'R' in there, too. It's called reality and a lot of positive things have to happen.

The best thing, perhaps, is that the players share the euphoria, enthusiasm and expectations. That can carry a team a long way, unless reality sets in too soon.

[volzok]

With Aurilia at shortstop and D'Angelo Jimenez at second base, range is a problem.

I think that can be fixed. What do you think? Its called put in FeLo and Freel.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Bingo. You nailed it volzok.

[redsrbetter]

Not only that but make a way to stay healthy.

[griffeyfan3]

staying healthy will be the main priority.