This is Different...

by Charlie Wilmoth on Aug 10, 2008 12:22 PM EDT

Via Primer, it's probably been years since I've seen something like this:

At the All Star break, the Reds were 46-50, 111/2 games back. The Pirates were 44-50, 12.5 games back. The Pirates faced the same decision at the trading deadline as the Reds: "Should be play for 82 wins?"

The Pirates said no, and proceeded to move everything useful on their roster to begin retooling for 2009...

So, which team do you think is going to be the first to .500? The team that sucked it up and said that to contend "we need more talent," and then made moves to acquire It?

...Right now, our money's on the Pirates.

That's an out-of-town writer criticizing his hometown team by contrasting it with the Pirates.

...And I don't even agree with him! The Reds' core of young talent is a lot better than the Pirates'. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Reds contended next year. Still, this is pretty interesting to read.

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Won't be the Reds anytime soon

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080808&content_id=3274828&vkey=pr_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

by Bad Andy on Aug 10, 2008 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

Cool

It’s good to see the other NL Central teams collecting guys like Bavasi, Dusty Baker and Ed Wade. Seems like every time some hopeless incompetent loses a job, he ends up in our division.

Unfortunately, Dave Littlefield hasn’t had much impact on the Cubs yet.

by WTM on Aug 10, 2008 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

the Reds confuse me

They ditched Krivsky (rightly), but they also hired him in the first place, and just hired Bill Bavasi.

They do have a nice small core, though, with Bruce, Votto, and Volquez. After that Phillips, Harang, Encarnacion, and Cueto might have long-term value. Don’t know much about their farm system, though.

my blog // calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy // past results do not guarantee future performance

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 10, 2008 1:50 PM EDT reply actions

The Reds

They may have a good core, but they have guys who can really screw it up so it may be the Pirates who’s future is brighter. There are also some really dumb moves being made in Houston.

.500 and 3rd place is looking possible next year and that could be the worst year for the next four years after that.

by EStreet on Aug 10, 2008 5:54 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with Erardi's article...

and EStreet. The Reds might have more talent in their system but the Pirates have a brighter future because they are doing thing the right way.

A lot of people might not agree with me here, but the Pirates’ attitude has changed in 2008. Hopefully this attitude change goes all the way up and down the farm system.

The Reds on the other hand are the same ol’ Reds – they are severely lacking in knowledge of the basic fundamentals like defense and baserunning.

I also think that the Reds ballpark is (and will be) the death of them. It’s a bandbox and not conducive to building a team centered on defense and pitching. They must continually build the same type of team in that ballpark (a team of Adam Dunn’s)... that’s NOT the way to win in a smaller-market.

I write about Erardi’s aricle in my blog today, if you’d like to read more or leave a comment.

by Deaner on Aug 10, 2008 8:35 PM EDT reply actions

is this accurate?

“A lot of people might not agree with me here, but the Pirates’ attitude has changed in 2008.”

Do most posters here and most Pirates fans in general not see Neal Huntington as a different GM?

I’m not a Pirates fan, but I’ve become interested in the team precisely because of Huntington. He’s going to bring at least moderate success to the Pirates, only limited by the team’s low payroll. Think Indians of the NL, which would be awesome for Pittsburgh fans.

my blog // calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy // past results do not guarantee future performance

by Sky Kalkman on Aug 10, 2008 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Unfortunately...

the majority of fans on most boards have becoms so distraught and disillusioned over 15 plus years of losing that they no longer have patience for long term plans. They don’t see the forest for the trees anymore and no matter what Huntington does the Nuttings are still the owners and are public enemy #1 in the eyes of the Pirates fans. This fact prevents them from seeing Huntignton’s actions as the appropriate course of action necessarry for building a sustainable playoff caliber organization. At the end of the day all they see is another fire sale even though that is the last thing that is going on here IMO. Unfortunately, this will not change until the Pirates reach the seemingly unattaibable 500 mark. Oh, and I hope to God that they sign Alvarez or there may be a revolution in the steel city.

by Slick1 on Aug 10, 2008 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions