12-16-2016, 11:21 AM
(12-11-2016, 06:28 PM)PikesPeakUC Wrote: It seems like it's always the managers fault when teams underperform and never their fault when teams win.
I'm sorry, but all of these assumptions are that players will get better because they're getting more playing time, but that can work the other way as well. I would love to believe that the Reds will be better, but you can make the argument that there are a lot of other teams who will improve as well.
The fact is that the Reds are not and will not be a competitive team for a few years. The contracts they have handed out are killing them and the fielders, aside from Votto, all have a big flaw in their game. I want the Reds to be good, but I won't sit here and tell you that there's some magic potion and that things will get better while they try and climb over the Cubs, Cardinals, and Pirates in the upcoming years.
I will always be a Reds fan, but they are a long way from being competitive. I remember a lot of people talking themselves into this last year as well. They're still a ways away.
I think they have the framework of what could be a decent everyday 8 in place. Things go wrong, but the answers to a lot of questions from last year are now here. Unfortunately, the starting rotation is another story. Their best pitcher is Disco, who's probably a low-end number 2. There's absolutely no pitcher in their system that looks like a TOR hammer at the moment. Bailey may have had the potential at some point, but injury has tempered expectations with him. He looked flat out awful last year.
