Red Reposter - "We are the team to beat in 2010"

Brandon Phillips says the Reds are "the team to beat in the National League Central in 2010"
Here's his rationale:

"For one thing, we have a pretty darn good team when we're all healthy," Phillips said. "The problem is we never had our whole team together this season. Then I look at all the guys who have been called up when we've had to use the disabled list and those guys can play. So, I figure when we get to spring training next year, it's going to be very interesting. We're going to have all our regulars healthy. Then we're going to have all the guys who got thrown into the fire this year and that's going to give us better depth. That's why I look at it and say we're the team to beat. We've got a lot of good players."

So the reason the team lost this season was because many starters were hurt and replaced with minor leaguers. But one reason the team will be better next year is the depth those young guys provide. I'm not discounting the team's chances for next year (I'm actually much more hopeful than I thought I would be), but BP needs a refresher course in basic logic.

And the Bronson Arroyo/John Smoltz/Tony LaRussa/Dave Duncan/muddy balls saga continues
Dennis Janson thinks LaRussa bought off the clubhouse attendant that claimed the balls had been de-mudded (is such a thing even possible?). Clubhouse attendants arent paid well, and they get by mostly on the tips they receive. Janson says LaRussa is one of the most generous tippers in the big leagues, so it would behoove the attendant to not upset LaRussa and call him out. I'm already tired of this story.

Fay has some arbitration information
Jonny Gomes, Corky Miller, and Laynce Nix are all arb-eligible, and Jared Burton, Nick Masset, and Micah Owings could be arb-eligible as Super-2s.

FanGraphs has broken down Bronson Arroyo's roller-coaster season into quarters
And just like LeBron James, he's nails in the 4th.

Drew Stubbs has 11 infield hits in his short time in Cincy
And only 30 singles all together. Much of that has to do with his speed. "He isn't going to keep surprising 'em," said Baker. "They'll shorten up in the infield and open up holes for him. Speed is a wonderful thing. It makes you hurry, it makes you make mistakes and makes you do things you don't ordinarily do. I welcome it, I love speed."