Oh my starry eyed surprise. Sundown to sunrise. I dance all night, were gonna dance all night, dance all night to this DJ. -Paul Oakenfold
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! I know it’s early. I know pitchers and catchers barely just reported. I know. I know. But I’m like Rogers Hornsby. I’m like the Rajah. “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
Cincinnati Reds fans are staring out the window. Cincinnati Reds fans are waiting for spring. Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Hope springs eternal for the Big Red Machine, my surprise pick for 2008. Like my main man Gomer Pyle always says: “Surprise, surprise, surprise”!
The first surprise was the signing of Dusty Baker. Three-time Manager of the Year. Get the papers. Get the papers. Get the papers. Five 90-win seasons. World Series experience. This cat turns things around. Turning things around is what this cat does. In 1993, he took over the Giants. Took over the Giants coming off a 72-win season. Skippered them to a remarkable 103 wins. Fast forward to 2003. Fast forward to the Cubs. Sixty-seven wins in 2002 without Dusty. Now this looks like a job for me. So everybody, just follow me. Cause it feels so empty, without me. 88 wins and the NL Central title with him. Now he’s taking over the Cincinnati Red Legs. That’s good news for the Red Legs.
The Red Legs already have the bats. Already have the rat-a-tat-tats. The big ole cats. Big ole cats like the big bopper Adam Dunn. Big ole cats like Griff. If Griff stays healthy, look out. Big ole cats like Brandon Phillips. Breakout year last year. Broke out joining Alfonso Soriano as the only second basemen in major league history to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases. Yowza! That’s a pretty good middle of the order. Middle of an order that finished third in the NL with 204 bombs. Bombs away, but we’re O.K. Bombs away, in old Bombay. Bombs away in old Cincinnate’.
But, like the man says, you’re only as good as your next starter. The Reds next two starters are Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Now that’s a pretty potent one two. One two buckle my shoe. Matt Belisle and Homer Bailey behind them. Three four, closing the door. Closing the door just in time for Francisco Cordero. Newly signed stud closer Francisco Cordero. How do you spell relief?
Yes, there are some glaring holes. Glaring holes at leadoff. Kenny Lofton anyone? Glaring holes at middle relief. Yes, there are holes, but there is joy in Mudville. Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright. The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light. I think that somewhere is Cincinnati.
Public Acknowledgements: Jim Nabors, Alexander Pope, Eminem, The Police and Ernest Lawrence Thayer
Peace out homies. Six Two and Even!
Need More? Cincinnati Reds, MLB
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I thought this was supposed to be a RED SOX website. Now you are a Reds fan? Boooooooo.
easy killer. just because i like the reds chances this year does not make me a reds fan. don’t worry. you’ll get your sox talk. and plenty of it.
[...] 1. Me oh myo. Look what’s cooking in Ohio. The Big Red Machine just keeps humming along. The Reds just swept the Indians. The Reds just swept the most vaunted pitching staff since the 1974 Orioles. The Reds just capped a perfect six-game homestand. Who woulda thunk? Well, me. But that’s besides the point. Yesterday, Adam Dunn, Joey Votto and the Reds touched up the previously untouchable Cliff Lee. Adam Dunn is on fire. Adam Dunn hit a bomb for a fourth straight game. Adam Dunn extended his RBI streak to seven games. That streak matches the major-league high this season. That streak matches Casey Kotchman, Big Papi and Chase Utley. Meanwhile, Edinson Volquez just made himself the best pitcher in the Buckeye State.  Volquez is now 7-1. Volquez gave up four hits and a pair of runs in six innings. It was the first time Volquez had given up more than one earned run in a game this season. Reds in the playoffs? C you there. [...]