FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

And Back to Earth We Come

Well, we got spanked out there last night. We brought forward what would be considered an average AAA lineup, and got the results you expect. I doubt if any Reds lineup has looked that weak since a lineup I recall in 1987 (I think) when we had five starters injured.

Here's what it looked like: Players in Red should be in AAA.

Freel CF
Bergolla 2B
Felipe SS
Kearns RF
Dunn 1B
L. Lopez 3B
Romano LF
Valentin C
E. Ramirez P

I think that largely makes the point. Of course, we got ripped.

No doubt, health is a problem. WMP and Aurilia are on DL, and Randa and Casey are walking wounded. And Griff apparently needed a day off against a tough lefty.

If we're putting out this line up by Mid-June, its all over. WAY over.

And why, you ask, would we be doing that? Well, Baseball Tonight said last night a Reds executive is gearing up for another firesale. Everyone, and he said everyone, is available. Including Adam Dunn, if you needed that clarification.

I'm ambivalent on this. We're unlikely to keep Adam when the time comes, and I don't think he's the kind of guy who carries a team. Having said that, these firesales never seem to net any real players, and we just end up having another firesale one or two years later. I would support a firesale and a wholesale reboot of the franchise if I thought we were headed in a forward direction and would end up contending. If its the choice between futility and utter futility, I need to know there's going to be a playoff run down the road.

Here's what CNN/SI had to say:

The Reds have so many problems right now, and everyone is calling for manager Dave Miley's head. Should he be fired? What do you think is the Reds' biggest problem, and what can they do to solve it?
-- Laura, Dayton, Ohio

Miley needs more of a run. Obviously, the Reds don't have anything close to a competitive pitching staff. They better make sure they get good value for one of their outfielders. They'd consider trading Ken Griffey Jr., but there's not much of a market for him because of his age, health history and especially the contract with years and years of deferred money. Austin Kearns has good value. There is just no sense in keeping Kearns, Griffey, Adam Dunn and Wily Mo Pena when they need so much pitching. (Emphasis added).

Thanks for calling, Laura.

Update: Here's the kind of lineup I was referring to, courtesy retrosheet.org.

Game Played on Wednesday, July 26, 1989 (N) at Riverfront Stadium

SD N 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 - 5 12 1
CIN N 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 - 3 4 1

Cincinnati Reds AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
Duncan ss 4 1 1 1 0 1 4 3
Winningham cf 4 0 1 0 1 2 3 0
Benzinger 1b 3 1 0 0 0 0 8 0
Roomes rf 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0
Youngblood lf 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
Griffey ph,lf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Madison 3b 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 2
Oliver c 4 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Quinones 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 7
Mahler p 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Richardson ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Franco p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Davis ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Totals 30 3 4 2 4 6 27 14