Falcon Football Makes Signings

We're hearing a couple of things on the Football recruiting front.

First, Eastwood QB Keith Leady has verbally committed to the Falcons. He is a first-rate athlete who runs and throws and could play a number of positions. We need plenty of guys like this, even if they never play QB.

Second, we are bringing in a JUCO QB for a back up. This makes good sense. Behind Omar, we are shallow, and worse since there are rumors that Nick Thurmon left school due to grades.

Finally, UC WR Mike Daniels, who saw action as a true freshman, will be transferring to BG,rumors say, to help load up the receiving corps in the post-Magner era.

Good news all around.

Reds Win Mets Series

Its been noted other places that the Reds need to make a little hay in the next two weeks, since they have a run of games against sub .500 teams, extending up until the Cardinal series beginning on July 5.

We got off to a good start today by winning the Mets series with a 6-2 daytime victory in the finale.

Yes, Cameron handed us the game on a silver platter. At least we took it!

Lidle pitched well. Casey is not red-hot...he's white hot.

The goal for this little stretch...9-3, winning each series, and ending up no more than 1 game out of first heading back to Busch.

Bong Sent Down--Its OK

I know some Reds fans are up in arms over the Reds sending Bong down when Castro came back up. I think its OK.

We've made mistakes in the past because we had to rush guys. No doubt, he has made two clutch starts when the Reds really needed them, and helped keep the ship afloat.

And, he's had bad outings, too.

We need him to be a starter. For now, Harang is a ML starter, and Bong needs starts to tune his skills, so I'm fine thinking long-term on this one. Look to the future.

Bong

I take it all back. Hail Bong!

The National League's Worst Bullpen

Its a simple concept. We know, statistically, how many runs a team would be expected to score if certain situations. For example, second and third with one out, versus first and third with two outs.

The guys at BP are now using this to evaluate relievers. Makes tons of sense. You rate them based on how many runs above or below that average they allow.

Its rather elegant. Do they do their job well, or poorly, based on what would be expected. Pitchers who inherit really tough situations get a break. Guys who start innings are worse off.

The news from this is not good for the Reds. They are the NL's worst bullpen, allowing 26.2 runs more than the expected number this season, through Saturday's debable in St. Louis.

Now, to be fair, more than half of those are Ryan Wagner's (13.8). In fact, Ryan himself gave up more runs above average than all but four teams have done in the Majors all SEASON.

Only Rocky Biddle of the Expos is worse in the NL.

Close by is Phil Norton (9.7 worse than average) following last night's debacle.

Danny Graves, by the way, about four runs worse than average. Not good closer numbers. I think one implication of this is if you start an inning, as he often does, with a low expected runs, and give up a HR, which he does a lot, your average takes a big hit. But, you're not supposed to give up as many homers as Danny does.

The Reds best reliver is Todd Jones, at plus 9.1.

The Reds bullpen is poor...no question about it. Add to these numbers that valuable $ are being way overspent on Graves (who, at a lower cost is still a servicable pitcher), and you have an area where work is needed.

Grim today---unless Bong pulls another good outing off, it looks like a Redbird sweep.

Reds make move....Gabe White returns, Brian Reith gone.

As mentioned below, the Reds have finally decided to run the risk that someone will sign Brian Reith. But there must be NO HELP in Louisville, because they traded for Gabe White, who is actually having a worse 2004 than Reith. He generally pitched well for the Reds, and hopefully he will again.

We gave up Charlie Manning, who we got in the ABoone trade. He had shown promise, but was also having an atrocious season in AA this year.

In summary, today's move effected three very poor pitchers. Hopefully, White will help the bullpen...the worst in the NL. See post coming tomorrow or Sunday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-yankees-redstrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

Perhaps Unnoticed...

Perhaps under the radar of the Reds this season has been the steadily improving play of Wily Mo Pena. Many Reds fans--me included--have wondered for years if he was going to pan out into a big league player, or if we should stop wasting a roster spot on him and let someone else reclaim him.

Through this, the Reds have stubbornly clung to the hope they could teach him to play---without ABs. That may be beginning to pay off.

Let's look at this comparison:

NL RF's (OBP) .349
WMP (OBP) .333

NL RF's SLG .462
WMP (SLG) .495

NL RF OPS .811
WMP OPS .828

Sure, he could get on base a little better, but as of this point in the season, he has elevated to above the statistical average for players at his position. Of course, with any young player, the challenge is to keep the trend pointing up, but for the first time in his career, I think he may be showing reason for hope.

Let us not forget, he only turned 22 in January.

He still has a wicked platoon split, but with the LH bats on this team, he can play a productive role even with that.