- Red Reposter's Don't Lose My Number brought to you by Phil Collins: 1 team in the Major Leagues who has yet to record a win by a starting pitcher. Wins are pretty much meaningless as a stat, but damn if it still doesn't depress me a bit.
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Some folks in the DR are worried about a proposed draft system
Protesters gathered around MLB Dominican baseball czar (cool title) Sandy Alderson's office last week to show their displeasure with the idea of an international draft. Nick Collias at MLBTR does a beautiful job with this overview, highlighting the concerns of the protesters. It seems some in the Dominican are worried that a draft would turn their baseball powerhouse into something like Puerto Rico, where the draft has been in effect since 1990. They see how PR has fallen behind in the last 20 years and they see a pretty clear cause and effect. Another concern is that it is unfair to throw 16-year-old DR kids into a draft system against 22-year-old American college kids. They also fear that all the baseball academies run by the teams will fall apart. Why should the Reds train a kid at their facility for years only to see him drafted by the Rockies?
Alderson is in a tough place, where he wants to pacify the masses but still act in the best interest of baseball. I see a few things wrong with the protesters' argument though. For one, their comparison to Puerto Rico is a false one. There is no denying that PR is behind the DR in baseball talent production, and it's certainly possible that the draft has something to do with that. PR is stuck in a place right now where they are not quite like the continent but not like the islands either. But if an international draft were instituted then all countries would be put on the same level playing field. PR would cease to be a special case, and it would wash out those institutional inequities (but obviously not all of them, though that's a different story).
As for the perceived unfairness of throwing 16-year-old Dominican boys into the draft with 22-year-old American men, I don't think I have to say much about that. It's no less unfair than having high schoolers in the draft right now, and they seem to do just fine.
As for the baseball academies, that is a trickier situation. I'm sure something could be worked out though. There is far too much infrastructure in place already for MLB to just abandon them. Perhaps instead of individual teams running their own academies they could collectivize them and run them like a quasi-NCAA. I don't have an answer myself, but I'm sure the brilliant minds at MLB could figure something out. The fact remains that the way things are going now is not the best way of doing it, not for baseball and not for the DR. It is unfair to the Stephen Strasburg's of the US and it leads to rampant corruption on the islands. I can understand why some folks in the DR want to keep things the way they are. How else is a kid like Juan Duran going to make $2 mil? But for every bonus baby like him there are countless kids who are hooked, crooked, and schnooked. -
The Fay leads the second-guessers
in asking if the Reds should have called up Matt Maloney from LVille last week in Florida. With the bullpen worn out and the starters not covering, it seems like a big blunder in hindsight. 'Course, Maloney isn't much of a hitter and the real problem is run production, so I'm not sure how much help he would have been. -
Bronson Arroyo seems to be feeling the pressure
"We always say it’s a long season," he said. "But obviously the mentality of the front office is not going to be a 162-game schedule if we get behind the eight ball too much. So we’ve got to turn things around quick." It sounds to me like Bronson knows if they keep playing like this for too long then he could likely be the first one traded. Can't say I disagree with him. You know though, it would suck to lose him. I can't think of anyone else on this team who would say something so thinly-veiled as this. He doesn't mince words, that's fer sher. -
Hall o' Famer Hal sounds as exasperated as you and me
"During three straight losses in Pittsburgh the Reds managed 18 hits. Total. They are still striking out: Most in the league. They are still walking batters: Most in the league. They are still throwing too many pitches: Most in the league by starting pitchers. They are still hitting batters: Most in the league. They are still without a win by any starting pitcher: The only team in the majors that can say that, although they say it without a smile, that’s for sure."
That pretty much sums it up. -
Chad at RLN wonders what it will take for Dusty Baker to fired mid-season
He believes Dusty will last until October and not be re-signed, but asks just how bad the team would have to perform through June for ol' Johnny B to be shown the door. What say you? What kind of start does this team have to stumble out to to cost Dusty his job? -
Red Hot Mama joins the chorus signing the elegy of Brook Jacoby
No matter whether Dusty is gone in June or October, you have to think Jacoby is already updating his CV. -
Sister D brings a twist of levity to this pity party
"In a few weeks the Reds will turn it around and we'll forget all about how it feels like the season is over right now. But a decade is a long time for the same old mistakes and the same old losing and we've been told to be patient for too long now. There's just no patience left." I can't disagree, obviously. It will feel terrific a few weeks from now when they rattle off 3 straight wins and Jay Bruce is bangin' a gong, but right now it just sucks. -
The Sporting News has their new power rankings up
and the Reds are ahead of the Red Sox! Suck on that!
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Red Reposter - Reds Taking a Day Off from the Losing
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