Archive for September, 2011

A 2011 view of batting and pitching stats against the NL Central teams.

In the ashes of the 2011 season that fell short of the hopes of Reds fans everywhere, the Reds have highlights to celebrate and promise to embrace.  The individual that embodies both promise and achievement is right fielder Jay Bruce.  Jay debuted with the Reds 3 and a half years ago at the tender age of 21 and on Tuesday became the 26th player in Cincinnati Reds history to hit 100 home runs.  I hear a broad variety of criticism leveled at Jay for everything from an inability to hit breaking balls to being a right handed specialist unable to [...]

There are a lot of ways to break down the success of a season, or lack thereof.  You can look at playoff status, you can compare to the previous year or years, you can compare to your division or league.  I am guessing while owners look at each of these factors, the overriding concern is the bottom line.  I think it comes down to two questions:  Did we make money or at worst, break even? And; Did we invest our money wisely into the product on the field?  Given the invisibility of most of the information needed, the first answer [...]

Really. Is it only one?

A letter to our readers.

The ebb and flow of certain baseball games is captivating.  Last night was just such a game.  It was magical, frustrating, impossible, and beautiful.  The 2011 season began amidst the hope of spring training.  Things were not perfect as the campaign unfolded, Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey were injured yet the Reds still started the season victorious.  Then as April became May and May turned to June the season slipped away. Last night neither the Reds nor the Mets had anything to play for except pride and their fans.

In a season where every Reds fan will admit to it be a bit of a “downer”, here’s something that will uplift your spirits and how the organization as a whole is viewed. It doesn’t all take place on the field. Yesterday, the Robert Wood Jonson Foundation recognized the Reds Community Fund with the 2011 Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy. The Reds were recognized for the Match program which has brought youth teams from both the suburbs and inner city in order to promote spirit of diversity, interaction and friendly competition. The RCF promotes many deserving initiatives such [...]

Chris Heisey is making a statement to the Reds brass.

Now up on Podomatic is BRM’s second episode entitled “The Season That Wasn’t and What Might Be Ahead”. Click here and you’re set to go!

First things first…I would like to extend a congratulations to Dontrelle Willis for getting his first win this season in a Reds uniform. I am glad he got one! You would be hard pressed to find a nicer guy in baseball. In my last post, I asked Reds fans what exactly they wanted. What I meant by that was that I wanted to know what direction Reds fans thought that the front office should move in. The four biggest contracts that the Reds could possibly part with this off season are the contracts of Ramon Hernandez, Scott Rolen, Bronson Arroyo, [...]

It wasn’t the easiest of challenges, but Dontrelle Willis finally put one in the win column. His performance on the mound? You label it a quality start in the definition of a quality start: six innings pitched, allowing three runs. It was the very edge of the parameters in roder to get a quality start. But what about Willis stroking a double off the right field wall in the top of the sixth inning? Dontrelle’s two-run double, plating Devin Mesoraco and Paul Janish was critical and provided the games winning margin. Francisco Cordero come on in the ninth, provided an [...]

Mark Sheldon was interviewed by Marty Brennaman during the Pirates game this evening and they talked about the Reds organization and the new agreement between Walt Jocketty and the Reds.  The conversation was varied and pointed.  They talked about what each man views as the major need for this club and the ebb and flow of the conversation made it as interesting as any interview all season.  Unfortunately the second inning went far too long due to difficulties Edinson Volquez had in recording an out but that is a discussion for another day.  A quick recap of the topics they [...]