http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/17412/2012-mlb-season-preview-cincinnati-reds

pog

After a very good off-season I'm cautiously optimistic about the coming season but def ready for it to begin

"Don't be surprised if the Reds make further upgrades to their rotation, either by winning the Great Roy Oswalt Bluffathon or by doing something at the deadline"

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The Great Roy Oswalt Bluffathon, lol that is great.

If anybody has facebook on the Reds page it shows a picture of Sam LeCure and he is now sporting a full beard. LOL

Beards are back it seems. Noticed alot of guys sporting the full beard look lately. I am a trendsetter just by being lazy and not wanting to shave.

http://www.faketeams.com/2012/2/13/2787984/2012-fantasy-baseball-real-teams-preview-cincinnati-reds

Another positive preview.

pog

I don't know of a great many successful managers who aren't traditionalist in some sense of the definition. Jonny B. may be on the far wing, but he doesn't manage all that differently than most of the MLB managers that I'm familiar with.

pog

Yes, I think coaching makes a difference. If you see a team like the Yankees whose whole lineup takes a lot of pitches, works the count, shortens up with two strikes, etc., I think you're looking at an organizational philosophy. Maybe some of the Reds (Stubbs?) just can't shorten up or something, but I'm inclined to think they aren't being told to. Actually some of Stubbs' problems in the leadoff spot may have had to do with him trying to work the count and not being very good at it, so he may have been trying and may have been getting coaching on it.

Crosley

Feller named Joe Morgan was renowned for his disdain for statistics of almost every stripe, as I recall. Might be why he never got a shot at managing? You have to wonder how he would have done in Bakers place.

pog

I tend to think Stubbs attempts to work the count but is not very good at it. He seems to take good pitches and swing at bad ones. If my memory serves me correctly it seems Stubbs with 2 strikes chased a lot of outside pitches and also watch a lot of 3rd strikes. I hope he has worked on improving and everything clicks this year, he has all the tools to be a star.

No doubt about Morgans stats and accomplishments, but I was referencing his outspoken comments as a sports announcer when the stat geeks reared their heads.

Having said that, I'd love to hear both Baker and Morgans opinions of wOBA. I have a feeling both of them would play a different tune when THAT particular stat comes into play.

pog

I tend to side with Morgan. Baseball has been around for a hundred and thirty years or so. All that time people have tried to distill the successful formula down to one reliable statistic. They've never been able to do it. The game is too complicated. I'm not anti-stat, just realistic. No stat is a real predictor of future results.

WAR is so passe' this year. For 2012, we worship at the altar of wOBA.

pog

That is first time I have seen the full quote Dusty made and he's right. It's no good getting on base if you don't score. That's what that quote means, plain and simple.

Now Pog, you know better. Dusty, just being a reds manager, is plumb dumb. No matter that everyone else manages similiarly, Dusty is dumb to manage that way.