After the pennant-winning success of Detroit in 2006, Colorado in 2007 and Tampa Bay in 2008, I was trying to deduce if the Cincinnati Reds or Kansas City Royals would be “that team” in 2009, and have decided it is in fact the Reds. I should add that I am not a Cincy fan, so this is as objective as you’ll find. I cheer for Cleveland, but cannot ignore the giant upside for Ohio’s NL team in 2009.
Many love the potential of the Reds, especially in a large, but less-than-stellar division. I’ve personally been preaching the virtues of the Reds since last summer when they decided to fully immerse themselves in the youth movement.
After the necessary losses of Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn’s age and huge contracts, this team could seriously push for the Wild Card, unless the Phillies/Mets/Cardinals contingent runs away with it. Ninety wins, as some quixotic folks have predicted, might be a stretch, but this team should be incredibly improved.
Jayson Stark of ESPN agreed Tuesday morning as I drove to work. Already this spring he has written about the Reds high hopes for 2009.
“There’s something happening here in Reds Land. Something building. Something growing,” he claimed. “There’s as much spring buzz about the Reds as there is about any team in Florida. And frankly, Griffey and Dunn needed to get out of the way for that buzz — and this team — to prosper.”
Stark’s thesis seems to be that the Reds are following the 2008 World Champion Phillies’ formula for success.
Comparing the Phils’ trade of Bobby Abreu to the Reds parting ways with Griffey and Dunn, he writes, “They became a different team that day. A team with a whole different personality, a whole different chemistry, a whole different energy level, a whole different aura…And if you look closely, it’s not hard to envision a very similar phenomenon erupting in Cincinnati.”
No, it is not at all.
The pitching is dynamite on paper, and most experts like Stark believe it’s second best in the six-team NL Central.
Edinson Volquez (25 years young), emerging star Johnny Cueto (23), the mercurial Bronson Arroyo, and a trimmer Aaron Harang “anchor” the frontline starters, while a maturing Homer Bailey (22) and Micah Owings round it out.
The Reds also have a solid closer in Francisco Cordero, and oh by the way, a powerful offense led by Brandon Phillips, still just 27, and Joey Votto, a Canadian who hit 24 homers as a 24 year old last season. They go alongside veteran acquisitions Willie Taveras, Jonny Gomes and Ramon Hernandez — plus arguably baseball’s best young hitter in Jay Bruce, who turns all of 22 this week. (He hit 21 homeruns as a 21-year-old last season in just over 100 games.)
The versatile veteran Jerry Hairston, and speedy Chris Dickerson should get at bats as well, with shortstop Alex Gonzalez returning after missing all of 2008. The Reds go even deeper, with another rookie, Paul Janish, showing strides and challenging Gonzalez. Another phenom in Adam Rosales waits his turn.
The depth on the banks of the Ohio is evident when they’re sending veterans like Jacque Jones and solid contributors such as Norris Hopper down I-71 to Louisville a week before the season’s first pitch in America’s oldest baseball town. Already, infielder Jeff Keppinger, who had been a valuable role player the past two seasons for the Reds, has been traded.
Therefore, any problem won’t be the squad itself – there’s plenty of talent there — but it may be the skipper, though that’s my personal opinion.
“Dusty’s way” may not work with this kind of roster, as, if history is a guide, he’ll lean too much on underachieving veterans. Those would be pitchers, especially relievers, who he’ll overwork in the heat of summer. With the pitching depth Cincinnati has, young arms like Bailey and Ramon Ramirez — who showed signs last September — this is not a good idea.
At least Baker seems to be saying all the right things for now:
“Not to take anything away from Griff and Dunn, because they’re outstanding guys, and they were good guys on this team,” he said. “But when you lose something, sometimes it permits you, or forces you, to grow.”
Then again, late Wednesday night on the Reds’ flagship station (700 WLW-AM in Cincinnati), Baker said he is interested in Gary Sheffield, of all people. In fact, before departing Florida for good, Baker will meet with the recently-released Tiger Thursday morning. This prompted an array on angry callers/fans, incensed and befuddled at why a team like the Reds would even consider the volatile, over-the-hill slugger. I could not agree more. Baker will have to answer anything further on that topic.
Bottom line: The Reds leave spring training in Sarasota for the final time as you read these words — like the Indians in ’09, they’re relocating to West Phoenix in 2010 — with hope renewed for October baseball in the Queen City for the first time since 1995.
The latest news on Cincinnati’s potential opening day roster can be found here.
About AJ Kaufman
