(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the Majors, yes, even the Royals. Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked)
Keeping it Real
Brandon Phillips, at 27, is one of the elder statesmen of this year's Cincy Reds. Gone are the Griffeys and Dunns and Sabos (wrong year?). Surrounding Phillips are a crop of young players including Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto (who sounds like he should have his own comic book). The problem is, they're just not ready to put it all together right this minute. Combine that with a bunch of players that are either middling veteran players with significant holes in their games (Willy Taveras, Jerry Hairston Jr., Ramon Hernandez) or simply veteran players that have lost their touch in recent years (Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo). It makes for an odd (read: under .500) bunch, no? Thing is, Volquez is for real, he just ran into a wall last year as many pitchers do in their first years. Cueto, though his numbers wouldn't suggest it, is absolutely filthy. He could put it all together this year, and I wouldn't be surprised. Bruce had a great start to his MLB career, but really tailed off. The adjustments he makes will be interesting to see after the league adjusted to him. And finally, Phillips, after a down year across the board, will need to regain some of his swag if this team's going to be as powerful (offensively at least) as it could be. Maybe it's just the hope that Spring seems to bring every year for bad teams across this great nation, but it's hard for me to be too down on this team, if only on potential for growth.
Why Does It Seem Like There's Always A Million Outfielders On This Team
Because there are. Over the years, three of the guys that were breaking in were Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena (all of whom miraculously find themselves on the Nationals now...Jim Bowden, you dog!). Throw in that Ryan Freel was at one point serviceable and Griff was around too, and you had a verifiable logjam in the outfield that never (and hasn't) cleared up. Now, you've got Bruce and Taveras in right and center, which is fine. Battling for left, not as clear cut. There's Hairston, and then a whole other list of cast-offs, including Jacque Jones, Jonny Gomes, and Laynce Nix (remember when he was supposed to be good?). Now, it's not nearly as cluttered as it was back in the day (say, 2005), but it's still not clear.
You Can't Teach Speed (or How To Get On-Base, apparently)
Willy Taveras, despite an incredible dislike of getting on base consistently (or even hitting the ball in fair play and reaching base safely consistently) finds himself not only on another major league team this year, but starting in center field, and leading off. Why? Because the man can flat out swipe bags, Lloyd McLendon-style. More impressive than leading the league in steals (did anyone other than Rockies personnel know about this?), he was only caught 7 times (career percentage of over 80 percent is damn good). So, while Taveras wages his own personal campaign against Billy Beane and the moneyball-driven obsession with OBP, we can all just sit back and watch a man that really can run. And that's about it.
Aaron Harang Swears He Really Isn't As Bad As He Was Last Year
How in the hell do you go from winning 16 games to losing 17 in one year? How in the hell do you have three straight years with an under 4 ERA, in a pitcher's park, logging over 200 innings each year, to an ERA near 5 in under 200 innings? How? Forearm problems? Weight issues? No one is quite sure what went wrong in 2008 for Harang, but he did lose some weight and appears to be over any nagging injuries from the year prior. Was last year a sign of wear and tear and ultimate decline, or is he going to revert back to the reliable fantasy pitcher we all know and love. Not that I drafted him last year and held on to him for way too long as he killed me each and every week. Not that I did that, or anything...
Bold Predictions
Homer Bailey will get his last real shot this year with the Stockings. And while he won't be Roger Clemens (as he was touted to be) he will be serviceable (as he has never been) throughout this year.
Johnny Cueto will be over .500 this year, and while he won't be nearly as consistent as everyone would like, he will make a huge leap forward this year. I'm saying at least 4 or 5 more wins than last year, and an ERA right next to the number 4.
Two quickies: NO way on Earth Hairston lasts in LF til the All-Star Game (injury or inability, your choice), and Ramon Hernandez will again approach 25 bombs in a friendly hitter's park.
Up Next...Tuesday, Brewers
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