Reds Fans, you were warned.

[Billy]

Homer Bailey, Jay Bruce, Joey Votto beware.

I'm telling you...Reds fans are going to LOVE the John B. "Dusty" era.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=At1ycfhNSl7IkwqQDwKUQlI5nYcB?slug=jp-redsbaker022108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[Strange Brew]

Baker was a bad hire. Never could stand him and it's only a matter of time before he destroys all young talent in cincy

[Strange Brew]

Yesssssssssss. Member status with that last post. Things are going to be different for me now! :)

[Stonebreaker]

I say give him some time. He's better than what we've had in the past.

[Smails]

What's Hatteberg, 38? Votto is 24," Baker said. "Votto is the future here. I've talked to Hatteberg about Votto. He thinks he's going to be heck of a player. He wasn't conceding his job, but he understands that to be part of the club, that it might be Votto's time."- Dusty Baker

It will be interesting to see how this plays out with Dusty being vet-friendly. I wonder if he's under 'direction' from Castellini to be more open to starting the rooks..time will tell. I'll withhold my judgement on the toothpickchewer until he's managed a few games for my Redlegs

[Fred Garvin]

I thought they should have traded Votto if it meant landing Bedard. I didn't think it was worth it if we had to add Cueto or Bailey. You gotta give something to get something. First base is an easy position to fill; just look at the production we got out of the Hattieburg/Conine platoon. You could do the same with a Hattieburg/Keppinger platoon at first.

[Billy]

Dusty enlightens us again with his wisdom over the weekend...

"Sometimes, you get so caught up in on-base percentage that you're clogging up the bases."

You poor Reds fans are completely f**ked! Seriously, this guy makes Bob Boone look like Casey Stengel.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/02/24/dusty-baker-remains-hilarious/

[Billy]

This thread is turning into more of a blog. Two crappy ex-Cubs join Dusty:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2008/03/04/it_is_only_natural_for.html

[xeus]

This thread is turning into more of a blog.


Yes, I have it bookmarked as Billy's Endless Dusty Rant.

[Billy]

Yes, I have it bookmarked as Billy's Endless Dusty Rant.

The only question, is whether or not the rant (like Dusty) will last for the entire duration of his first (and last) Reds contract.

[cutterX]

I am a Reds fan 1st and Cubs fan 2nd. I do have my reservations about Dusty and his ability to handle the careers of young phenoms so I think Billy's points are valid. However most Cubs fans lost any credibility with me when they blamed Bartman for that playoff meltdown against the Marlins. That poor bastard didn't then go on to boot a sure double play groundball or leave Prior, who had obviously lost his composure, in too long. The Cubs and Cub fans were more fun when they didn't take themselves so seriously

[dethwing]

Any man who think that a high OBP leads to "Clogging up the bases" does not deserve to be anywhere near a major league baseball team.

[Billy]

Any man who think that a high OBP leads to "Clogging up the bases" does not deserve to be anywhere near a major league baseball team.

Could you imagine if Dusty worked for Billy Beane?

[Fred Garvin]

He obviously wouldn't work for Billy Beane. What the A's do is successful because it is institutional; they make their players take pitches as they come up through the A's system.

It is a more difficult to teach a free swinger like Ryan Freel to take pitches early in the count at this stage of his career. Furthermore, it makes little sense for a Sean Casey to take a walk if the guys behind him have no plate discipline. i.e., not making an out is sound philosophy, but only works if the guy behind you isn't making an out.

I've yet to see Billy Beane disprove Joe Morgan's criticism of Moneyball. That being that you have to generate runs come playoff time. Station to station baseball works in the playoffs and serves to put pressure on the opposing defense.

You score runs or you drive them in. Batting average counts for nothing. On base percentage gets far too much credit for Beane's relative success. He has been successful because he has always had strong pitching. The strongest point I took from Monyeball is that you draft college pitchers. (This doesn't bode well for Homer Bailey fans.)

These Reds fan who are Dunn lovers puzzle me. They say "where are you gonna make up for his numbers"? I say you make up for it by using his $13 million on a starting pitcher.

Did you know the Reds hit a helluva lot of homers and led the NL in offense two years ago? What good did it do them? Did you notice how little offense playoff team Arizona had last year? Did you notice that they responded to that lack of offense by obtaining Dan Haren? This coupled with the possible healthy return of Randy Johnson. Pitchin, pitching, pitching. You either get it or you don't.

[Smails]

Are you suggesting that pitching is paramount for winning in baseball?

What's next? Defense wins champoinships in the NFL?

[Fred Garvin]

Are you suggesting that pitching is paramount for winning in baseball?

What's next? Defense wins champoinships in the NFL?

I'm suggesting you draft collegiate pitching vs 18 year old phenoms who get hurt before pitching a major league game. Ty Howlington and Chris Gruler didn't any impact on the Reds franchise. I also find it telling that the only time the Reds have acquired a decent pitcher via trade, Aaron Harang, it was an interim GM who is now out of baseball(Brad Kuhlman).