FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Catching up to the Reds

A lot of news from Cincinnati, though none of it very substantive.

Rich Aurilia is expected to be back, per Marc Lancaster here at Reglegnation. Its considered strange in our land...he wants to start, but the Reds already acquired Tony Womack and have Ryan Freel on the bench. Redleg Nation feels it might have something to do with trading Freel--otherwise, we are using the Casey $ on Rich Aurilia. The Reds assessment is that Aurilia is undervalued---and he may well be--but its hard to see what we need with another guy like this on the roster, when we really needed the Casey $ to go on pitching. Red Reporter had much the same view.

The Reds also expect their new ownership to be in place in two weeks, according to Red Reporter. Like others, I am guardedly pessimistic. Things might turn around, but I don't really expect the new owner to be markedly better than the previous one. The key step is to hire a good GM. Its a GM's game today, and (as JD wonders in the link above), you have to wonder how long DOB has.

Marc Lancaster @ the Post writes on the byzantine issue of determining team salaries. Notwithstanding what is reported, the Reds spent $60M, not including the $$ thrown away on Graves and Jiminez. Lancaster (in my view) misses the point that this is the downside of guaranteed contracts.

The Reds' schedule is out with game times.