Howdy folks!

While we all know that projections are typically flawed, especially when it comes to pitchers, I found the following projections from Bill James to be quite surprising. According to James' projections, the Reds' rotation is just about as good as the Cards'....

The following projections can be found at FanGraphs. I’m using Bill James’ 2012 projections for this exercise. First, the projections, then some notes:

“ACE”

Johnny Cueto

• K/9 – 7.09; BB/9 – 2.82; ERA – 3.77; FIP – 4.02

Adam Wainwright

• K/9 – 7.49; BB/9 – 2.28; ERA – 3.27; FIP – 3.24

Differential (ERA): 0.5, Cardinals advantage

#2 Starter

Mat Latos

• K/9 – 8.79; BB/9 – 2.73; ERA – 2.99; FIP – 3.11

Chris Carpenter

• K/9 – 7.04; BB/9 – 2.17; ERA – 3.25; FIP – 3.25

Differential (ERA): 0.26, Reds advantage

(the rest... after the jump)

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Dear Ladies and Jelly Spoons,

I would like to make an attempt to actually follow, read and post like I did in the past. This is my attempt to return, your very own prodigal son. Luckily Cueto is still with the team, and the same 30+ year olds who regularly post are still familiar with Less Than Jake. I hope I am welcomed back with much scorn & derision. Was it not House of Pain who adroitly once said:

I got more rhymes than the bible's got psalms
And just like the Prodigal Son I've returned
Anyone stepping to me you'll get burned
Cause I got lyrics and you ain't got none
So if you come to battle bring a shotgun

Anyways, my gift to you (if you haven't seen it before) is the original starting 9 for the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Those men definitely knew how to play the game the right way.

Given that it's a slow time in between winter deals and pitchers and catchers, I thought I would crowd-source my house-hunting question. The general questions:

1. What areas of Cincinnati are on the rise? What areas are on the decline?
2. Where are good opportunities for bargains (i.e. homes with character, relatively safe neighborhoods, etc.)?
3. Where in Cincinnati have you lived? How has it changed since first moving there?
4. What areas do you recommend to friends moving to Cincinnati?
   
5. Are the stereotypes of East Side/West Side true? Will they continue to be true 10, 20 years from now?
6. Any thoughts/advice on house-hunting for my wife and I? More details after the jump...

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Continued from a brief hiatus as my computer crapped out for a while. And to give something to amuse you for 10 minutes on your [DEVICE THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED OF 20 YEARS AGO HERE]. As a way for us to keep our baseball minds warmed up and our senses of irony attuned, I'd like to welcome back the series for a second half. I've gotten the imprimatur from our feared leaders to continue this, and I really want you all to get involved. So let me and us know which names you like most, which names are boring, and in which ways I'm trying too hard. We can't get anywhere without criticism.

Old people names are funny. To go back to our old introductions...

I want to celebrate the names, the ridiculous and the sublime, that make baseball what it is. This is largely inspired by a Joe Posnanski post where he said that Wally Moon was the most 1950’s name ever. That sparked me to take on this new project. The rules are that we begin with the decade they started their career in (i.e. Wally Post comes up in the 50's, not the 60's).

Let’s go through each decade of Reds’ history, from 1890s through the 2000’s and select the greatest names. We will have three categories: Best Name, Most Cincinnati Name, and Most 1980’s Name. I will list the names and how they got on the list below, and then choose my winners. Feel free to disagree in the comments.

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I'd like to think we have an open and welcoming environment here at Red Reporter, despite what this thread might imply. That unsavory showing of better-than-you-ness notwithstanding, I'd like to implore all the newish members of the site out there to come forward and let us know a little about yourself. I'll go first, even though anyone who's been here more than 2 weeks probably already knows most of this:

I'm a 6'4" hunk of gorgeous Reds fan, I have 2 equally gorgeous kids, and live in beautiful Silverton, OH (hometown of Roger Staubach and Barry Larkin). My all time favorite band is Pearl Jam, my favorite flavor of ice cream is strawberry, and my favorite Animaniacs credit goes to Kathryn Page. Also, despite being able to eat copious amounts of food I'm allergic to mustard and coffee, both of which will cause me to puke within a minute or two in most cases.

Here's what I look like. Fair warning - Despite what this picture might imply I'm not developmentally challenged (Hi Petey!) and I don't have a glass eye. I was just a little #overserved.

via i168.photobucket.com

So dear intrepid lurker/newbie, I ask you:

Who are you?

How old are you?

Where are you from?

What's your favorite dessert?

How did you find this little crazy corner of Reds fandom?

What keeps you coming back?

What's your guilty pleasure movie or song? (mine is Lilo & Stitch and Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, FWIW)

When confronted with a yellow light, do you hit the gas pedal or the brake pedal?

I wasn't originally planning to attend the Reds Caravan this year, but it looks like it'll be in the cards. Speaking of cards, I'd love to have some autopgraphed while I'm there. I'll be attending either the Indianapolis or Bloomington, IN stop on the Western Tour. Not having ever attended a Caravan before, I figured I'd ask you all for some advice...

Knowing that there's money to be made, is it safe to assume they'll be selling cards and/or other memorabilia to be signed at the stop? If not, do any of you Indiana Reds fans know where I could purchase prospect/younger Reds cards in the Indianapolis region? Frazier, Masset, and Hamilton will be signing. Normally I'd go online, but there's not enough time for that. I called 3 of my regular ballcard shops and chances seem to be thin that I'll find any.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

Anton Chigurh: What's the most you ever lost on a coin toss.
Gas Station Proprietor: Sir?
Anton Chigurh: The most. You ever lost. On a coin toss.
Gas Station Proprietor: I don't know. I couldn't say.
[Chigurh flips a quarter from the change on the counter and covers it with his hand]
Anton Chigurh: Call it.
Gas Station Proprietor: Call it?
Anton Chigurh: Yes.
Gas Station Proprietor: For what?
Anton Chigurh: Just call it.
Gas Station Proprietor: Well, we need to know what we're calling it for here.
Anton Chigurh: You need to call it. I can't call it for you. It wouldn't be fair.
Gas Station Proprietor: I didn't put nothin' up.
Anton Chigurh: Yes, you did. You've been putting it up your whole life you just didn't know it. You know what date is on this coin?
Gas Station Proprietor: No.
Anton Chigurh: 1958. It's been traveling twenty-two years to get here. And now it's here. And it's either heads or tails. And you have to say. Call it.
Gas Station Proprietor: Look, I need to know what I stand to win.
Anton Chigurh: Everything.
Gas Station Proprietor: How's that?
Anton Chigurh: You stand to win everything. Call it.
Gas Station Proprietor: Alright. Heads then.
[Chigurh removes his hand, revealing the coin is indeed heads]
Anton Chigurh: Well done.
[the gas station proprietor nervously takes the quarter with the small pile of change he's apparently won while Chigurh starts out]
Anton Chigurh: Don't put it in your pocket, sir. Don't put it in your pocket. It's your lucky quarter.
Gas Station Proprietor: Where do you want me to put it?
Anton Chigurh: Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it'll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is.

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The Hunger Gomes

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

Catching Fire

via playersofelbeisbolcubano.files.wordpress.com

Mockingjay

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

Well Gang..its that time of the year again.Tomorrow is my Birthday (Jan. 20) and you know what that means. It is time to get off your fat ass and buy me a present. That’s right damn it, and this year I want way, way, way more presents than last year. And just because you gave me a present last year doesn’t get you off the hook for a bigger one this year.

What, you ask, is on my B-Day list in 2012..No: Its not an evening with Kristen Stewart or a new Lear Jet or Tweeter lessons... NOPE. I want the same stuff as you gave me last year on my birthday: All you have to do is grab a few canned goods, some household items, maybe some gently used blankets or a warm jacket ..stuff like that and go to your local FOOD BANK/HOMELESS SHELTER and donate it.

2011 was an extremely brutal year for the dislocated, the mentally ill, the teen runaways and those suffering from drugs or running from abuse. Single Moms with kids without work and marginalized families without homes need a bit of help from those of us who are in a position to share our good fortune. In 2012 the government, Non-profits, Temples, Mosques, and Churches will be hard pressed to help even as much as last year. The struggling economy has hit our support services hard and even more people will be in need for shelter, clothes and food than last year. It is beyond belief how hard it is to live on the streets or in shelters and especially difficult in winter.

So instead of giving me those box seat season tickets to the Reds…take a few bucks and turn it in to something that will make a big difference on this cold winter day for a less fortunate person, one who is not that different you or me...someone who has been overwhelmed by circumstance and is in dire need of our help.

There is so much aid going to Argentina, Chile, Japan etc (and they need it) that local food banks and shelters actually lose donations in these times of great disasters.Please participate. it is so easy to do. Give now, give plenty, and give often.

Thanks Again!!

Your Pal Mads

This issue is too important to not spread to the far ends of the interwebs. We face a very serious threat to freedom of expression this week, one that transcends party and ideological lines. SOPA and PIPA will, in effect, end the internet as we know it. If these bills were to pass, this site and many others would risk being shut down (nobody on this site creates those images of internet memes themselves.)

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