Fay: Ideal team not far off

[missionhockey21]

Ideal team not far off
As usual, Reds just need to solve pitching puzzle

By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

SAN DIEGO - Let's ask ourselves this question:

Are the Reds a better team today than they were as the clock ticked toward the non-waiver trade deadline a year ago?

I know it sounds as if we're launching a political campaign, but it's a pertinent question because the trade deadline is generally seen as a time for teams in the Reds' position - hopelessly out of contention - to improve themselves.

The Reds chose to do very little, or at least they had done very little 24 hours before the deadline.

So are the Reds better than they were a year ago?

Yes, very much so.

That said, they will go into the offseason with the same huge question mark about starting pitching they had after last season. Additionally, they have to find an answer at closer.

First, let's look at why they're better than they were last year.

Look at the left side of the infield. A year ago, the Reds had no long-range solution at shortstop or third base. Now, they have a 25-year-old All-Star in Felipe Lopez at shortstop and a 22-year-old All-Star prospect in Edwin Encarnacion at third base.

The Reds spent almost $3 million last offseason buying a solution to the shortstop/third base problem. That was after the failed experiment with Austin Kearns at third. This offseason, that money can go toward pitching.

Another good sign has been the re-emergence of Ken Griffey Jr. He's playing his best baseball in five years. That helps the Reds' lineup immeasurably and lofts the outfield defense from a weakness to a strength.

Griffey's health will remain a question the rest of his career, but he has proved this year that when he is healthy, he's very good.

The projected 2006 Opening Day lineup - Ryan Freel 2B, Lopez SS, Griffey CF, Adam Dunn LF, Sean Casey 1B, Kearns RF, Encarnacion 3B and Javier Valentin C - is good enough to win.

The addition of the live arms of Matt Belisle, Todd Coffey and Jason Standridge bodes well for the future of the bullpen.

David Weathers and Kent Mercker lend a lot of stability to the bullpen situation.

But unless the starting pitching improves, the Reds will be in the same position in '06 as they are now - looking up from the bottom of the National League Central.

It's not an easy problem to fix, largely because the Reds owe so much money to Eric Milton and Paul Wilson.

Unless Milton finds his old form and Wilson gets healthy, there's no readily apparent solution.

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[SonicSpeed19]

Yeah, that about sums it up....

[realmofotalk]

Notice that Fay has Valentin, not LaRue, in his lineup.

[theFatty]

Yeah, I think I head him on the radio with Marty saying he thinks LaRue will cost to much and doesn't think he will be back.

[Fishercat]

The real question is, do you WANT O'Brien to spend the money on pitching. Look at his acquisitions, considering GABP as a HR park, he got two HR prone pitchers in Ortiz and Milton. Give him three more million, you're only a million away from prying Jose Lima from the Royals!

[redsrbetter]

Well, O'Brien or not, we do need SP. Here is our depth in AAA and AA.

Ramirez
S. Kelly
Hall
Dumatrait
Caraccioli
Gardner

Maybe Ramirez and Kelly could help next season, but I doubt they are the answer. I think our team is better in the starting pitching area than last season with Harang coming on strong. Claussen pitching well, and is still young so there is time to get some more consistency. Then Milton has been doing considerably better this second half. Giving up a lot less HR and really starting to come back to what he once was. The only two question marks are Ortiz, Hudson, and Wilson. If we could get 2 of these guys replaced with some really good arms, we could have a dominant staff. But how do we get these two good arms?