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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2012 > February > 14 > Entry
The Long, Long Season is about to begin
The Cincinnati Reds equipment truck pulled into the spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz. this week and all the baseball gear was unloaded and put in place.
That truck was filled with the paraphernalia necessary to put a major-league baseball team on the field. What it also carried are the hopes and dreams of its win-starved fans, who tasted a modicum of success in 2010, only to have their team sink back into the depths of another losing season in 2011.
After winning the National League Central in 2010, the team rested on its laurels in the off-season and didn’t do much to alter the face of the team. The laurels collapsed and once again the Reds were under .500.
GENERAL MANAGER Walt Jocketty didn’t make the same mistake twice. He was busier than a tax consultant on April 14 during the off-season.
He made trades. He acquired starting pitcher Matt Latos. He acquired relief pitcher Sean Marshall.
He signed free agents. He signed closer Ryan Madson. He signed outfielder Ryan Ludwick.
Was that enough to push the team back to its 2010 level — or better? Was the cost of players like Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Brad Boxberger, Travis Wood and Dave Sappelt in the trades too much for the future?
Based on what Jocketty has done, the future is now. Now is the time for all good teams to surface in the NL Central.
DIVISION CHAMPION Milwaukee is crippled. The Brewers lost Prince Fielder through free agency to the Detroit Tigers and will lose MVP outfielder Ryan Braun for 50 games after he tested positive for a banned substance. That means the Brewers are without their 2011 one-two punch for nearly one-third of the season, a difficult punch in the gut from which to recover.
St. Louis lost Albert Pujols through free agency to the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols, the heart and soul of the Cardinals, is a heavy hit to St. Louis, but the Cardinals remain pitch-rich in their rotation, especially with Adam Wainwright returning.
But now is the time for the Reds. Now or maybe never? How it all shapes up begins Sunday when pitchers and catchers are due to report to camp.
And questions, questions, questions abound — as they always do during spring training. They have six weeks to find answers and often those six weeks aren’t enough time.
FOR EXAMPLE: The Reds traded starter Travis Wood. But they are still talking about Aroldis Chapman as a starter, saying he is fully recovered from a tired arm. But there are six legitimate guys to fit into five slots — Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Matt Latos, Mike Leake, Homer Bailey and Chapman.
Somebody has to go to the bullpen or somebody just has to go. Six is too many for the mix.
Is catcher Devin Mesoraco ready for full-time duty. Based on what fans saw late last season, the 22-year-old No. 1 draft pick has ‘star’ stamped on his catcher’s mask. How soon?
Mostly likely manager Dusty Baker will once again have a two-headed catching tandem. Last year it was Ryan Hanigan and Ramon Hernandez. Hernandez is gone, so this year it will be Mesoraco and Hanigan — unless one totally takes command or one totally falls on his shin guards.
Can Joey Votto continue to carry the offensive load on his shoulders, as he has done for most of his career? Even though teams have been able to pitch around the 2010 MVP first baseman, he still does most of the damage when damage is needed.
Based on what first basemen Pujols and Fielder received and the lengths of their contracts, most eyes focus now on Votto as far as future available first basemen are concerned. Although he is signed through 2013 (he’ll make $17 million in 2013), this could be his last season in a Reds uniform.
HOW GOES IT with second baseman Brandon Phillips and the Reds? Phillips wants a contract extension. The Reds haven’t given him one. Will that affect Philllips? Does he have a fragile ego? It could work both ways. Phillips could play with an “I’ll show you” attitude to get that extension, or he could lapse into an “I’m not appreciated” attitude and sulk through the season.
And without that extension, will he bat leadoff with enthusiasm or will he say he’d rather be batting second.”
Will Scott Rolen’s surgically repaired shoulder permit him to play 125 games. That was the goal last year but shoulder, neck and back problem intervened. For their $8.2 million, the Reds got 65 games. This year they’ll only pay him $6.5 million, but hope that’ll get them 125 games.
If not, Juan Francisco awaits. The guy is stuffed with talent, but getting it out hasn’t been easy. Too often, with his strikeouts and his errors, he reminds people too much of Edwin Encarnacion — but never as bad as Brandon Larson.
SHORTSTOP IS A curio, too. Zack Cozart was a surprise success story when he was called up late last season after Paul Janish failed to use his bat for anything more than a walking stick. But Cozart tore up his arm making a tag and underwent Tommy John surgery. He is said to be full-go again. Can he match what he was doing before the injury? What’s the fall-back plan? Janish?
The outfield won’t change much — Drew Stubbs in center and Jay Bruce in right. Stubbs needs to cut down on the strikeouts — but that’s a broken record or stuck record or Memorex. He has needed to do that forever, but hasn’t made any progress.
Bruce is another guy with future star tattooed on his forehead. He always seems on the brink but hasn’t pushed over the edge yet. He still strikes out too much and misfires in the clutch. And they can no longer say, “Well, he’s only 21 or 22.” He’ll be 24 on Opening Day — still young, but with a lot of experience on which to pile up some success.
LEFT FIELD? Chris Heisey? Ryan Ludwick? Heisey and Ludwick? Ludwick had one monster year with the St. Louis Cardinals, but has fallen to low numbers the last few years. Some fans fear he may be another Corey Patterson or Willy Tavares.
This is one spot where spring training will most likely determine the outcome.
After all, isn’t that what spring training is for — other than to lay suntan foundations and improve the short game and long irons on the golf course?
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By Mike Marelli
February 22, 2012 2:13 AM | Link to this
Bozo Joe & Mike the Mutt, Here’s some sound advice: The Reds better not show up this season, a big butt whupping awaits from the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. You’ve been warned.
By Joe
February 19, 2012 9:53 AM | Link to this
Brandon Phillips wasn’t saying how great he was, he was saying that the Cardinals were a bunch of whiny b*tches and that he hated them. And Brandon is the best all around pure second baseman in all of baseball. I don’t believe that the NL Central is as weak as some are saying. It could be close all the way down to the last week of the season.
By Mike in KY
February 18, 2012 8:09 PM | Link to this
Who gives a flying monkey about the Cardinals?
By Mike Marelli
February 18, 2012 7:10 PM | Link to this
WRS, Those “weaker” Cardinals you keep talking about start 2012 with a healthy Adam Wainright, and a totally revamped bullpen which was World Championship tested. We lost Pujols, but when one considers what it would’ve cost to keep him at age 32, is this truly a loss? With incentives Pujols will make as much as 285 Million with the Angels, which comes under the category of insanity. We did sign Carlos Beltran for 2 years, along with Rafael Furcal. No doubt the Cardinals are aging, they will go as far as their ability to stay healthy carries them. I hope dummies like Nyjer Morgan, and your own Cincinnati big mouth, Brandon Phillips continue to insult the Cardinals with their verbal stupidities. Veteran proven champions like Chris Carpenter, Lance Berkman, and Beltran, are only further motivated to find their former greatness, when Phillips and Morgan flap their mouths. And what exactly does Phillips and Morgan have to boast about, neither have ever won a thing during their careers? Tell Phillips to try to emulate the class displayed by the Big Red Machine of the 70’s. Guys like Bench, Morgan, Rose & Perez didn’t feel the need to tell you how great they were. They let their on the field accomplishments do their talking for them.
By wrs
February 18, 2012 3:08 PM | Link to this
2012 provides the Reds with the perfect scenario to win the NLC.Cardinals and Brewers are weaker and the others are not very good.The additions made to the pitching staff are significant but they have a lot of questions with position players, namely LF, 3B and SS.They need someone to protect Votto and unless Rolen plays 125+ games this could be a real problem.2012 will be a very interesting year for this team and will decide the direction they will take in the future. Unfortunately Votto may not be part of this future and possibly Phillips. 2012 looks like an all-in year for the Reds and rightly so
By qihxmydh
February 16, 2012 2:26 PM | Link to this
Hello. And Bye.
By Jim Irsay
February 16, 2012 10:01 AM | Link to this
I expect Rolen will be on the PUP list with Peyton before spring training is over. Both should go ahead and retire.
By Yippee
February 16, 2012 9:29 AM | Link to this
If the Reds are truly “all in” this season they’ll make a play for Oswalt (if he’s healthy, of course). The Reds have some question marks going into this season, but what team doesn’t? The Central will go through St. Louis this year, but I like the Reds chances. Cards have a lot of older, DL prone guys on their 25 man roster and lost the greatest hitter (and arguably best manager) of our generation. The time is NOW for the Reds!
By bill
February 15, 2012 7:22 PM | Link to this
It is a long season and I watch a lot of games on tv. Is it to long. Two years ago when Texas was in the series against SF. They looked tired and like they were going through the motions.
By jacob
February 15, 2012 2:59 PM | Link to this
I agree - let’s hope Oswalt comes to town.
By Luke
February 15, 2012 1:47 PM | Link to this
I can not wait to watch the reds this year! 2012 is gonna bring big things. I dunno about everyone else but i have been a diehard reds fan for since i was a little boy and this seasons changes in the bullpen were huge. We have a health deep starting rotation and a deep bull pen to back it up. We need to see the fireworks we saw in 2010 from Joey Votto and the rest of are offensive power house! There arent any more excuses to not win the divison this year based on what has happend to the Cardinals and Brewers this past off season. We have the depth this year to do big things and i am pumped to watch it all unfold this year!
By Israel Investigations
February 15, 2012 1:37 PM | Link to this
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By Dusty
February 15, 2012 12:10 PM | Link to this
Kyle, Respect. Rolen plays whenever he wants and he hits cleanup. Respect.
By BigDoggie
February 15, 2012 8:23 AM | Link to this
Regarding the starting rotation, you can never have enough arms. Six is definitely not too many for the mix. Plenty of past arm or health issues with nearly all of them.
By Steve
February 15, 2012 1:47 AM | Link to this
Jay Bruce hit a big homer to clinch the division in 2010. He’s done more too, but usually in streaks.
By J Eliot
February 14, 2012 10:48 PM | Link to this
Yeah Jay Bruce sucks in the clutch. I just can’t think of any big home runs he has hit for the Reds… Like ever. Ever. Never. Ever. Thinking, still nothing.
By aeolian
February 14, 2012 8:25 PM | Link to this
Roy Oswalt will be a Red within a week.
By Martha
February 14, 2012 7:12 PM | Link to this
Just want to hear those words, “Play ball!”
By mott
February 14, 2012 6:47 PM | Link to this
I know it wont happen, but baseball needs to cut about 40 games out of the season to make it more special. Right now it overlaps with football and the start of basketball and by that point, baseball drifts into NHL land for attention.
By Gem&Heater
February 14, 2012 3:58 PM | Link to this
We don’t even know if Rolen can play and we have comments about how to rest him? Premature, as is designating Mesoraco a star. Arroyo looked career over/done last year and Homer looked lost most of the time so I don’t see a log jam at the starting pitching. position. Cozart has to play well or who else is left to play SS? Lots of “if’s and but’s” here but I give Jocketty kudos for trying hard this year.
By Tired of being Tired (of reds)
February 14, 2012 11:57 AM | Link to this
Yeah, too long.
By Kyle
February 14, 2012 11:51 AM | Link to this
The Reds need to come up with an actual plan on the number of games Rolen plays. Not necessarily a platoon system, but Francisco needs to play a few times a week. Resting Rolen only on certain day games after a night game will not work. The max should be three straight starts. Keep him healthy, protect him from himself. I am sure he wants to play, but have to limit his games.