FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Redleg Nation Early Reds Wrap-up

Brian at Redlegnation has his usual smart and analytical take on the 2005 season. In a capsule, he says this:

The pitching was roadkill, the hitting kobe beef.

All numbers since 1900

820 Runs 5th most in team history

335 Doubles - Most in team history

222 Home Runs - Most in team history

572 EBH - Most in team history 6th most in NL and 23rd in MLB history

100 scored runs above league average - 5th most in team history

Plus the 100 runs above average place them in a select group of great teams that had achieved the monumental feat of scoring 100 Runs above the league.

But alas they are only the 4th losing team to make the list.

Only one of four losing teams with that kind of offense. An absolute tragedy, our pitching is.

In another post, Brian notes that we finished last in the NL in ERA--for the first time in nearly 40 years. As he says, when your ERA is behind the Rockies, than you know you have problems. To be honest, I hadn't thought it was THAT bad, but it was. Best offense...worst pitching.

To this I say, "Right On!"

3 years of plus 5 ERA is pitiful. It’s the domain of loser teams like the freaking Phillies/Browns/A’s from the depression era, it should be a paradigm moment for anyone out there who actually thought the pitching was fixed.

It’s the poor pitching legacy of the Bowden regime, plus the cowering in the corner, business as usual approach from the current front office that enabled this to snowball and run out of control.

It’s a nightmare to watch a world class offense be backed up (mostly) by a legendary staff of have- nots and never will be’s

The problem is, how do you fix it. It isn't even close to being workable now. As Brian says:

One pitcher cannot fix this mess, nor can two, nor 3… I’m thinkng burn it down and salt the ground at this point.

You have to grow your pitchers at home today, unless you are willing to pay top $. The off-season will break down into nothing more complicated than how does this team shave a run off its ERA or so. As I have said many times, even bad [itching might have been enough to be .500. Look for a major offensive talent to be traded for young pitching this winter--seems like we have a surplus of that to deal, and maybe it can put us into contention. We aren't as far as it might seem, but maybe not as close as I once thought.