Too Negative?

not even close

boston, PHILADELPHIA, New York.

The Reds fans just want the team to be competitive and give a solid effort all season long.

by Caleb on May 15, 2007 10:34 PM EDT 0 recs

If Red Reporter is any indication

Then yeah, absolutely. But I don't think it is, and I think everyone on this board (and in Cincy) really wants the Reds to win and really wants positive news and enjoys the game and the team despite losing streaks and losing years.

However, compared to those markets Caleb listed, Cincy fans are friggin Polyanna.

"Players have two things to do. Play and keep their mouths shut." -Sparky Anderson

by boohiss on May 15, 2007 11:14 PM EDT 0 recs

NO

No. Reds fans are NOT, repeat, NOT negative. No sirree. NOT negative at all. Nope.

"That which is repeated will happen a third time."

by Paul Householder on May 15, 2007 11:18 PM EDT 0 recs

double negative

ain't no way reds fans are negative!

suggestions, anyone?

by BobbyO on May 16, 2007 7:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just the Broadcast Team.

The negativity that comes off of the radio airwaves would create enough red slime to fill the sewers.

I am actually starting to appreciate Grande after hearing everyone else try their hand at the FSN gig. Thom and Grande coming up is going to be REAL interesting.

by snohio on May 15, 2007 11:21 PM EDT 0 recs

I agree

I was thinking the same thing tonight about how Grande calls an enjoyable game with litle criticism. He use to bug me, but with how anti-Red everyone who can hold a mic has become Grande is amazingly refreshing.

I have made a point not to listen to a word of Marty yet this year because he has become so negative. I can see how bad the Reds are playing, I don't need to hear it. I have no problem with any player who gives 700 wlw the cold shoulder, they deserve it.

Oh, even when the Reds are in the cellar I hope Junior, Dunn, and the rest of the gang can crack a smile. I don't want clubhouse chemistry to bomb because the bullpen has dropped a few.

by rose2hall on May 16, 2007 1:44 AM EDT up 0 recs

Don't know where he's lived

but he's certainly never lived in Philadelphia. They booed Mike Schmidt, they booed Santa Claus for god's sake, they probably booed their own moms on Mother's Day. I live in New York, and these fans aren't exactly forgiving. Although to be fair, the Yankees, Knicks and Rangers all deserve whatever vitriol the fans see fit to spew at them.

by ctnyc on May 15, 2007 11:40 PM EDT 0 recs

I can't say for sure..

..but I don't think he's ever spent much time east of the Appalachians. (He is pretty vehemently anti-New York as the center of the universe which is sort of a curious thing for a young aspiring journalist to be). I think he's fom Missouri, he went to school in Georgia and he spent some time in Japan. (Kudos to C Trent if he could distinguish an irrationally negative Japanese sports fan amongst all the Thundersticks).

I like C Trent's blog but I think that he may be "falling for" the guys he chews the fat with everyday in the clubhouse (which is probably pretty easy to do... especiallly if they're playing the part of the "hard luck losers") and because of the critical-yet-informed nature of the blogosphere he may just be having a hard time separating trees fom the forest.

by Alan on May 16, 2007 11:45 AM EDT up 0 recs

He's a young beat writer

He's probably a bit star-struck. The Post is going away, and he just wants to get another job covering MLB.

The old salty dogs like McCoy and others don't give a damn what guys like Jr. think about them.

Fay is like Ralph Wiggams, over in the corner eating glue.

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 12:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

My cat's breath

smells like cat food.

by ctnyc on May 16, 2007 12:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Since when

do Atlanta fans care one way or the other about their teams? Or for that matter, when have they had cause to be critical of the Braves, other than October? They won their division 14 years in a row, for crying out loud, with some of the best pitchers of this generation.

Yes, Cinci fans can be negative, and they can definitely be critical. Dunn is a good example of a player that gets a lot of negativity thrown his way, fairly or not. Dunn is a pretty unique player though. Griffey gets a lot of negativity too, but that's due to misfortune more than anything. We got an All-Century player, who then got all types of injuries and didn't translate to much success for the team on the field. The starting pitching, and now the bullpen have been pretty atrocious this decade.

Cincy loves certain players though. They like hustle, epitomized by Rose, Freel, and everyone complaining when someone doesn't run out to their position. And like everyone else, they like winners. Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, Johnny Bench, Jose Rijo, the Nasty Boys... these are all legends. Not to mention site favorites like Paul Householder, Rolando Roomes, Vada Pinson, Kal Daniels, and even Bubba Crosby.

We demand competitiveness, and we want to win. If you do that, chances are good the Reds nation will embrace you, and we won't be quick to let go (see how long it's taken folks here to finally get sick of Rose). We boo because we care, which is more than I can say for anyone in Atlanta.

by Brendanukkah on May 16, 2007 1:46 AM EDT 0 recs

You'd better run to your position..

..and you'd better run to first base:

by Alan on May 16, 2007 1:57 AM EDT up 0 recs

I think frustrated is a better word

The Reds have a rich baseball history. The 70's, scattered sucess at other times. We have certain expectations, that are not being met. We don't expect to be in the playoff's every year, but we haven't even really been close since 1999. well I guess last year, but the team collapsed in September. The first year I could understand baseball was 1995. An NLCS appearance, sets the bar high. I still remeber watching Pete Schourek head out for the 9th inning, and staring down at the bullpen as he ran out of gas against the Braves. I still remeber when I thought Pete Schourek was my favorite player, with John Smiley, and Ron Gant runners up. Davie Johnson is my favorite Reds manager, because he is the only manager i really associate with Reds sucess in my lifetime. Ray Knight is my least favorite, because I feel another manager could have turned that 81-81 team into a 90-72 team. But we just want to make the playoff's every once in a while, feel like there is a chance of a world series.

by justin0070000 on May 16, 2007 2:36 AM EDT 0 recs

on this site, it's true

I don't think Reds fans are extremely negative, in general. However, if he's reading posts on this site, I can see why he believes this. I've never seen so much criticism as I do here. I love the Reds and was so excited to see a blog devoted to them but I only comment on here every once in a while because I get so disgusted in seeing the negativity. I certainly am frustrated with the recent history of the Reds and want to win but I see the team making moves that I think will help down the road. Yet, there is so much criticism on here that I almost find it funny. This team was really put in a bad position as far as the farm system, scouting, and overall talent, that it's going to take a little while to pull out of that. No GM or manager is going to make all the right moves but I believe that more good than bad is being done. I'm not saying Narron is the world's best manager at all. Just saying I think that this site leans toward the negative.

by nighthawk32 on May 16, 2007 8:43 AM EDT 0 recs

yes

that's why i've slowed blog visits to a trickle. it's one thing to criticize a blown lead or question a manager's decision. it's another to find fault with every little thing, to ignore all of the good things, to say "The Reds suck" every time something goes wrong, and to dwell on mistakes for weeks at the expense of reality. all people want to do is complain.

i wrote about it here.

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on May 16, 2007 9:05 AM EDT 0 recs

Passion loves company.

Cincinnatians are knowledgable fans. In general Reds fans have an in depth understanding of the game of baseball. For example RRs are pretty damn astute in the bulk of their commentary. The expectations for the Reds to be contending this year were pretty high, especially with the addition of Josh Hamilton. We all know what the problems are, it is not the bull pen or inconsistant hitting with runners in scoring position or Wayne, Narron or Castellinin. It is not even (I'm pretty certain) the 'cheerleaders' or even Marty and Thom. Anyone with a great passion for the game and even greater passion for our team knows that most of the negativity and frustration can be directly tied to the confusion and devisiveness caused by having 3 mascots. Is there another team that has 3 mascots? Mr. Red is the biggest culprit as he's still living in the days of 'The Big Red Machine', Gapper has to register his address with the courts wherever he lives and whoever the 3rd Mascot is has some serious cross dressing issues. How can a sophisticated person such as Aaron Harang not be distracted or Broson Arroyo for that matter. And where is our black and hispanic mascot? Fix the mascots and you'll go a long way towards fixing the Reds. The pasion for the Reds is summed up by my tag line by that great baseball broadcaster Jerry Coleman.

"If Rose's streak was still intact, with that single to left, the fans would be throwing babies out of the upper deck." Jerry Coleman

by Madville on May 16, 2007 9:06 AM EDT 0 recs

As usual

I disagree.

What people like C. and nighthawk see as negativity is really criticism (at least on this site).

Negativity is "Dunn Sucks! Dunn Sucks! Dunn Sucks!"; criticism both points out what's wrong, and gives reasoned points as to why. The problem is that there are so many bad decisions being made by the front office and manager that all you read/hear is what's wrong.

The tone of this board would change drastically if there was a hint at a plan for the team, or even if the pieces being assembled made some sense at some level. But as long as catchers and 40 year old relievers are being stockpiled, and as long as every other player is getting blamed for the failures of those catchers and relievers, you're going to hear alot of criticism.

just....wow.

by sidnancy on May 16, 2007 9:26 AM EDT 0 recs

Well said

Sites like these are built for argument and debate. I think criticism is a helluva lot better than apathy. I think it says something good about fans that they are passionate about the team even after 6 straight losing seasons. We just want them to win, and we all have opinions on how it can happen. That's why we're here.

For those that think this site is too negative, rather than just bitching about the negativity, why don't you call people on it. If someone says something that you think is wrong, tell them why. That's the whole point of the site.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 9:53 AM EDT up 0 recs

Negativity

There is a ton of negativity directed at Junior; when he's having fun, he's not a serious leader, when he's serious, he's not the 19 year old "kid" anymore. That guy can't win.

Not to mention that people seem to hold it against him that he's had probably the worst luck with injuries of any ballplayer I've ever seen.

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 10:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Do you think this is a general

feeling of the site? I only ask because I don't really hold those opinions and I don't feel like they have been that vocal here on RR. I know there are a couple of people that are anti-junior, but I don't remember it being a big movement. But I admit that I could just ignore them. I'm getting better about ignoring that kind of stuff.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 10:30 AM EDT up 0 recs

Not at all

One of the things that I left out was a statement that the whole hate on junior thing is not soemthign I see around here, it's more pervasive in the "general reds fan" category.

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 10:32 AM EDT up 0 recs

I think I see that

more often over at Trent's blog. RR seems to like Junior more, in general.

"I'm just like everybody else. I have two arms, two legs, and four-thousand hits." - Pete Rose

by BK on May 16, 2007 1:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

sure, ignore these comments

I hate this team
tired of the bright side
we suck balls

Just a sampling of the "criticism," as Slyde calls it. There have been plenty of "Reds suck""Dunn sucks""Griffey sucks" comments. That is not criticism, it's negativity, plain and simple. But it's not just the "X sucks" comments. Even Nationals fans don't bitch as much. It's not just this site. It's all of them, including the newspapers, plus the radio shows. From the same "fans" who won't even come out to see the team when they are in first place. We have a rabid base wanting to trade a guy who hits 40 HR, 100 RBI, and 100 runs every year because they think he's lazy. We have people who can't appreciate having a future Hall of Famer roaming the outfield, who can't just enjoy watching him swing a bat. We had people calling for Krivsky's head when he signed one of the top defensive shortstops in baseball. We have people saying this offense sucks when they are in the top ten in MLB in many offensive categories. (As of Friday: Cincinnati is 10th in the Majors in runs scored at 168 (#6 in the NL). Reds batters are also #2 in the Majors in triples (11), #4 in total bases (518), #10 in RBI (161), #6 in slugging, #9 in OPS, #8 in SB, #1 in pinch hits, and they're way down at #12 in strikeouts after hovering near the top for the last several years.)

And though the bullpen has sucked in the month of May (and people conveniently forget how well they pitched during the first couple of weeks and how Stanton didn't give up his first run until well into April), there is absolutely no rationality when it comes to "debating" the pen. People scream "40 years old!" and that's that, end of story. The bullpen is not as bad as it has been pitching and won't be this bad all year.

Is it frustrating? Yes. But it's irrational to say the season is over in the middle of May. How come people use the "get lucky" stats when they are trying to "prove" that a player is playing better than he should, but people ignore that the Reds "unlucky" record should be 19-21 and well within reach.

Milwaukee has lost three games in a row and four of the last five. Once they started playing the better teams, they've slowed down. All it takes is a good 6-7 game win streak by the Reds and a run like the Sausages are having to get back into it. It's not even optimism to say the Reds are not out of it; it's realism. Examples abound of teams who did poorly at the start of the season but came back to make a run at October. Last year's Marlins are the latest example. They won 8 games in the first 30 and 11 in their first 40. Suddenly, they went on to win 20 of their next 30 games and were in Wild Card contention until late in the season. With the Reds' starting pitching and the decent offense, a replication of the Marlin's success is not outside the realm of possibility. And the 25 games vs. the Sausages and the Chub$ at the end of the season means the Reds' fate is in their own hands.

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on May 16, 2007 3:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nice

That's probably one of the better calls to calm I've seen written.

kudos

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 3:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well said

Some excellent points.

I'm still looking towards 2008, but I try not to get too down on this team (though I've become much more critical lately). Gotta say though, I'm loving the monster seasons from Dunn and Griffey. And of course, each plate appearance by Hobbs.

Stick around D. The church has to be there in times that try our souls.

by Brendanukkah on May 16, 2007 3:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

I didn't say it was all straight criticism

You have the same kind of releases of frustration on your site. I don't think it's unfair for people to be frustrated with 6 years of losing, especially when a season that was built up with hope has started so poorly.

Again, I'd much rather see people frustrated with poor results than people that just don't care.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 4:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

Let me try

While those are 3 pretty provocative headlines you quoted, they're hardly indicative of the vast majority of the posts on this site. I also think you use "tired of the bright side" to make your point on negativity, when the actual post points out the many good things going on on the team while it's still spinning its wheels. I'd hardly call it negative.
We had people calling for Krivsky's head when he signed one of the top defensive shortstops in baseball. You've got me there; I don't remember anyone "calling for Krivsky's head" for signing AGon. The spectrum seemed to be "Great signing - we need defense">>>"His defense will only balance out his poor offense"; in other words, the worst seemed to be that it wasn't a bad signing, just not the greatest.
We have people saying this offense sucks I'll give you that one; the offense has been better this year than anyone expected, even with zero production out of EdE and the catchers. I think the radio/TV heads where the ones behind this recent mantra.
And though the bullpen has sucked in the month of May ...(it) is not as bad as it has been pitching and won't be this bad all year. Maybe you have been gone too much lately. Popular reasoned opinion (not game chatter - that's always going to be hypersensitive) is that the bullpen has become severely overused. But even at that, it's not just the age of the relievers - it's that they're old and inconsistant (Stanton, Cormier), but being used every freakin' night, while good young pitchers are languishing in AA.
How come people use the "get lucky" stats when they are trying to "prove" that a player is playing better than he should, but people ignore that the Reds "unlucky" record should be 19-21 and well within reach. Again, I think you're using things the TV/radio guys are saying, and brushing us all with it. I don't see that here. We have been arguing that EdE should be playing more, not less. But Ross? His OPS+ the past 4 years has been 44, 74, 126, and 34. Which one would you call "lucky/unlucky" - the 126, or the 34?
With the Reds' starting pitching and the decent offense, a replication of the Marlin's success is not outside the realm of possibility. The Marlins' "success"? They ended up 10 games out of the playoffs. I hope this team is shooting higher than that.

There were alot of posters here that thought the Reds would struggle this year (I am one of them). The early success of the team is what should be looked at as the abberation, as much as the current struggles. They're currently on a pace to win 65 games, and they're clearly better than that. But until they show the ability to win games that they lead late, it's going to be a long season. And frustrating for everyone.

Cinci fans are frustrated; it's been too long since the team's been good. Some fans are going to jump on the $100million HOFer with a bunch of freak injuries; some are going to turn on the guy who "strikes out too much"; some are going to see an overused bullpen; some are going to see highly questionable roster contruction. But the one thing you should take out if it is: If the fans are bitching, at least they care. It's when the team is bad and no one notices that you should be worried.

just....wow.

by sidnancy on May 16, 2007 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah what he said

Anyone who is a true Reds fan should be frustrated. Everyone else SUCKS!

by Ben10 on May 16, 2007 7:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

You're being somewhat unfair and/or unbalanced.

Yes, I joked that the Reds "sucked balls" but last night sometime after 1am I also gave Aaron Harang some love and last week I cited the Reds "bad luck" in Baseball Reference's expanded standings.

Daedalus, In an earlier post you wrote:

"...(Bloggers/Red Reporters)find fault with every little thing ... ignore all of the good things ... and dwell on mistakes ... all people want to do is complain".

You're missing something. I think that if you were to exclude the many justifiably critical (bullpen blowouts, managerial moves, etc) comments posted here at Red Reporter and then take a careful inventory of the remaining comments you would find an apropriate proportion of "negative" hand-wringing, fist-pounding, teeth-gnashing and name calling to a fair amount of boastful pride (Hobbs, Arroyo, Harang) and celebratory joyful posts.

Consider the context of the comments that are rubbing you the wrong way. Fans of this team are (perhaps somewhat) familiar with a winning tradition. But the '07 squad is not good. There, I said it. It's the truth. We've known that they're not great and some of us can admit that neither are they even good. In fact, aside from last night's exciting if not exactly crisp and clean extra inning win, they are currently facing an uphill climb to get to mediocre.

Fans have lived through too many consecutive unfulfilling years and the pot on the back burner is beginning to simmer. We're not about to put our memories and expectations in a little Pittsburgh Pirate box on a Kansas City Royal shelf in a Seattle Mariner closet.

The Reds' new ownership and management have not (yet) produced even a .500 team and the possibility of "contending" sometime within the next few years is going to depend on what moves are made by "the powers that be" beginning with next month's trade of Kyle Lohse. Some of us are nervous and antsy. Others are not optimistic that Wayne can or will pull the right levers.

The honeymoon in "the new ballpark" is over and our love affair with the locally born and bred Hall of Famer has devolved into a humdrum sexless marriage. What should one do with one's angst?

Daedalus, you seem to be the kind of woman that would prefer that sunshine not be blown up her skirt. Just like most of us, you don't want to waste time reading naive and ignorant blatherings. I think you'd agree that many/most of the commentators at Red Reporter are a little bit smarter than the average bloggin' bear. This ain't the "Hi Marty ... you and Joe are the best ... Hey, why don't we trade David Ross for Huston Street?"-banana phone.

All this considered, what do you expect to read here? Do you want more kittens? The Family Circus?

And if you want some Reds-specific feel good vibes... For my birthday my mom and dad just bought four tickets for my wife, our boys and I to see the Reds on a sunny Fourth of July afternoon. We're driving down to Cincinnati the day before to check out the "old-timey" Coney Island amusement park where my crazy-like-a-fox two year-old can ride some fiberglass turtles and little cars and whatnot while my one year-old sits in the stroller with a red, white and blue bomb pop and a helium balloon just being fat and waiting for the sun to go down for the park's quaint little fireworks display. We'll stay at the Embassy Suites in Covington and on Independence Day we'll walk to Great American where I'm hoping to see an historic home run from the Giants' slugger and I'm hoping that the final score will belong to the Reds!

Now smiles, smiles everyone.

Play ball! An Arroyo win tonight and we're not too far out of fourth place! And then we'll get to .500 ... And then?...

by Alan on May 16, 2007 5:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wow, I mean, wow

Herve Villechez and Family Circle in the same post. Wow. I would have never expected that.

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 5:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

response

First D, I commend you on citing specifics rather than issuing blanket statements. I didn't defend against the negativity charge earlier because others took up the cause well enough, but I'll jump in now.

The "X sucks" comments are of course not constructive at all, but I discount those entirely. Game threads are a sports bar-like atmosphere. In every bar and stadium in the country whenever the home team gives up a critical home run (especially in the midst of a losing streak) everyone says "This sucks" "He sucks" "We suck..." I was reminded of this article which examined the prejudice against the word sucks (and most intransitive verbs) despite its economy.

Griffey has taken unfair heat since coming here, but I guarantee if he had the same star-crossed years after signing a big contract in New York it would have been much worse. I don't think RR is overly down on Griffey (now that he's moved out of centerfield). Same thing with Dunn. On a continuum of positive/negative feelings about Dunn in Cincinnati, this site is way on the positive side.

There's been some discussion on how the Reds are underachieving according to their RS/RA (this analysis isn't that useful with only a couple weeks in the books, which is why you haven't seen more). Yes, the Reds aren't as bad as they're playing right now, but given that they lost 11 of 13 it should hardly come as a surprise that things get negative.

The offense has been a great surprise, especially to me as I expected them to struggle (speaking of struggling offenses, check out the putridness of St Louis). Your points on the offense are very well taken.

I expected the Reds to win 75-80 games this year and I still think they can (so I expect things to get better). Others who feel the Reds have a better chance are free to explain why, as you have done.

by Red Menace on May 16, 2007 6:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Clarification

Given that I wrote the "tired of the bright side" post, I feel compelled to respond.

Sidnancy has already succinctly defended my comments, but I want to add just a couple things.

First, I stand by my comments. I am tired of looking at the bright side. I would prefer that most of it be bright, rather than have to search out things to feel good about. This team hasn't been to the playoffs in over a decade. I've been looking at the bright side and waiting 'til next year for a long time now. So when we have a team like this year's, which I truly believe has the talent to win the division, it frustrates me to see us suck. And we do suck right now. I'm not saying that we will suck for the rest of the year, or even that we're the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. But we suck. Going into tonight's action, only Washington, Texas and KC have worse records than us. With the talent on this roster, that's unacceptable.

To me, ultimately it comes down to this: we're underachieving. Our team should be much better than its record indicates. We may turn it around. We certainly have the talent to. But what may happen in the future does not excuse what is happening now. In any business, underachievers must face the consequences. For the Reds, those consequences are currently taking the form of fans getting frustrated and calling out poor play and poor managing. I don't think this is a bad thing. It's definitely better than the consequences that must be faced in a lot of other businesses. And while some may be overly dramatic, a little venting is entirely understandable for a fan base that hasn't been able to taste the postseason since 1995.

I think the Reds can contend this year. I hope they will with every ounce of my being. But right now they're laying a big, fat egg. And I don't think I'm a negative person for pointing that out.

by ctnyc on May 16, 2007 11:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

I just want the Reds to win

It's ridiculous that we're now going on year 7 without a winning record. It's tough not to complain given that, and if you can manage to keep your optimism at this point then you I guess you're just a better person than I am.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. --Oscar Wilde

by JD Arney on May 16, 2007 9:34 AM EDT 0 recs

Yepper!

At this point, I'm in a constant state of "show me" regarding ownership and the front office.

They need to show me something new and innovative. Show me something I haven't seen before. Show me that you can find solid performance rather than ballplayers who "play the game the right way". Show me an understanding of simple concepts like how Run Differential works. Show me a constant state of moving forward rather than running in place. Show me something that looks like a 90-win team to start a season and I'll shut up. No. Rewind. Show me something that looks like a 90-win team and I'll actually be vocal in my support.

Too many empty promises, mistakes, and claims of dedication to building a winner. Stop talking about wanting to build a winner and actually get around to building one. Then maybe I'll come around.

by Reds123 on May 16, 2007 10:06 AM EDT up 0 recs

The first step

I guess you're just a better person than I am.

is admitting you have a problem.

just....wow.

by sidnancy on May 16, 2007 10:14 AM EDT up 0 recs

why he said that

I think that, the fact that this is C.Trent's first gig as a beat writer, in year seven of said losing streak, the negativity is going to be amplified in his eyes. People are sick of losing, and the first people they bitch to are the writers and media.

I DO think the general fan is awfully negative and hard on folks like Dunn and Griffey, some of the criticisms of the latter are just hysterical; you wouldn't see them elsewhere.

Sometimes it frustrates me that people don't realize we're watching one of the top 10 ballplayers play right in front of our eyes (albeit, a shell of his former self), and to hear a lot of people talk about him, unless he dives headfirst like Pete Rose, he's a zero.

by bobestes on May 16, 2007 10:29 AM EDT up 0 recs

The consecutive losing seasons are rough..

..but I wonder if we applied "sample size" statistcial analysis to six (not yet seven!) consecutive losing seasons and assumed that there is a "50/50" chance that any given season would be a losing one (the Reds are a small market team after all) might we discover that the current streak of futility is not as "ridiculous" as we assume it to be?

In other words, if we flipped 100 coins six consecutive times ("heads"= >.500 and "tails"= <.500) how many of those coins would yield six consecutive "tails?"

I wonder.

by Alan on May 16, 2007 11:32 AM EDT up 0 recs

So building a baseball team

is just flipping coins? That explains some of the decisions. :)

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 11:41 AM EDT up 0 recs

it can be

The Chicago Cubs had similar projections for Zambrano and Juan Cruz. It was a coin toss for who was traded.

by justin0070000 on May 16, 2007 11:50 AM EDT up 0 recs

The Cubs are so lucky

Everything good always happens to them.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 12:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

Slyde's...

..kindergarten.

by Alan on May 16, 2007 12:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nah

My school taught in English.

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 12:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nerd alert

I thought I had read somewhere that due to the "extra weight" of the eagle design vs. the profile, coins will end up heads SLIGHTLY more often. Or is that an urban legend?

"It's not fair that the guys in charge now weren't around to see the previous staff make the same mistakes." -- Brian B

by jch24 on May 16, 2007 12:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not the best example

But here's what I found with a quick googling:

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/pages/puzzlezone/muse/muse0403.asp

"It's not fair that the guys in charge now weren't around to see the previous staff make the same mistakes." -- Brian B

by jch24 on May 16, 2007 12:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

silly exercises

It would be better (though still not correct) to assume every game offers a 50/50 chance. Then you would have a sample size of over 1000 over the past 6+ years. I would conclude that 6 years is (gasp!) a big enough sample size.

by Red Menace on May 16, 2007 12:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Nothing wrong with

wanting to win. Gotta have the horses to compete in the race and more importantly you MUST have a fearless jockey who knows his horses and knows How TO Fucking Win with them. 2 years is too long 7 is an embarrassment.Aa call to arms is not necessarily a negative. When the house is on fire do you pretend that it is not, so you don't go find a great fireman to put it out because you might appear 'negative'. Me thinks not.

Rollie Fingers has 58 saves. He has a better record than John the Baptist. Whip Willis 1976.

by Madville on May 16, 2007 3:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

So-ohhh what?!!

This is a professional sports team, not a 1st grade piano recital. The whole reason we pay ridiculous amounts of money to go to games, buy cable tv packages, read blogs and print publications about these guys is to feel good when things are going well and feel bad when they're not. The consequences-free highs and lows of sport are what make it so popular.

And guess what... in exchange for having to hear a few bad names hurled at them, these ball players are making between and six and eight figures per year. Some of the best and brightest in my profession will never earn in a year what the 25th man on a major league roster earns. They get paid that much because people enjoy cheering them when they're up and bitching at them when they're down.

So criticize away Reds' fans!! Because the 2007 Reds suck!!

(OK... that last line was mostly tossed in for effect, but Slyde said it above best.... apathy is far worse. And the crummy pitchers making a million plus bucks a year would probably agree if they thought about it for a while.)

Hey Jerry.... maybe Todd Coffey and Mike Stanton are the reason YOU hate EdE right now too.

by TheC on May 16, 2007 10:27 AM EDT 0 recs

I'd also add

I'm glad Cinci isn't like Atlanta. Maybe we can actually sell out a playoff game.

just....wow.

by sidnancy on May 16, 2007 10:56 AM EDT 0 recs

what are playoff games? :)

2007 Reds Threat Level is Blue

by Slyde on May 16, 2007 10:58 AM EDT up 0 recs

Playoffs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwq7BYOnDrM&mode=re

"I'm just like everybody else. I have two arms, two legs, and four-thousand hits." - Pete Rose

by BK on May 16, 2007 1:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

Negative ?

The Rosy Reds with Gapper and the ol' Lefthander negative? I'll tell who's negative it Marty Breneman and his toy son Thom. Jesus Whiz those guys are a drag, although Marty seems to be holding back more since Thom 'yes I know' The Son of God has appeared on the scene. Except of course when Dunn is involved. Dunn ain't too bad. you gotta go back a ways to when I played for comparison - we had guys like Kong who hit a lot of homers and had almost no rbis, no OBP, no sacrifices and couldn't play in the field. Dunn's HOF material compared to the guys I played with.
This town is asleep - go to Philly go to NY - you don't know what negative is.

Today's reliever's are pussies

by FrankPastore on May 16, 2007 6:40 PM EDT 0 recs