If this were a sports talk radio show I would start with the required "long time, first time." I've been a reader for well over a year of the RR since my roomie of the time pointed me in the direction of the site. After the first week of the season I have finally felt the need to post.

I try to be an optimist, but I'm frustrated with the start to the season. We came into the season being told by the organization and Dusty Baker that this team was going to win with pitching and defense. This must be a Dusty Baker wet dream as there are no middle of the order guys left to clog up the base paths. Dusty finally has the team he needs to win the proper way, the old fashion way, the way baseball is supposed to be played.

The problem is I see much of what I saw last year still: bad fielding, sloppy defense, and base running mistakes. These are things that the team was supposed to be built to improve on and win with, instead its just as bad as last year.

I am a firm believer in sabremetrics and think that a manager makes a difference in 3 ways. The first way is the mental game that this team is failing in with this sloppy play. The second way is the handling of the pitching staff. We all know Dusty's failures in the past with destroying pitchers and except for his handling of the game that would not end in San Diego last year I have been surprisingly almost happy with him in this area. The final way that I believe a manager makes a difference should be named after the Cardinals' Tony LaRussa, how many runs does the manager cost the team. All managers cost teams runs with their moves, but some seem to be always calling for steals and hit and runs. Dusty seams to call for these all the time and kill innings with them. Yesterday's game(Sunday 4/12) is a perfect example with the triple play. Two men on base and zero outs and Dusty calls for a double hit and run. We had a chance to add an insurance run to a 2-0 lead during a great game from Harang. Luckily we held on to win the game, but this is the final straw.

Dusty must go. I know I'm not the first to say this, but I just needed to say it again to get it off my chest. Now maybe I can go about living my life again. I was bummed when they hired him and tried to talk myself into believing in him this spring training, but its been a not so great start and I don't like what I see. Fire Dusty please!

In other news as a resident of Indy I am going to the Indianapolis Indians game on Thursday to watch Bats' murders' row the Reds have assembled in AAA. All from the area should come out to support Jonny Gomes and the rest of the kids play.