Sunday, May 27, 2001
Reds fans are watching 2003 now
With a few exceptions, the Reds could trade places with the Louisville RiverBats, and no one would notice. You could leave town for a week, come back and not recognize half the batting order. No wonder they call it a “lineup.” Pick Brian Reith out of a crowd, win fabulous prizes.
Given the Reds are offering a quasi-Triple-A product, maybe they could lower prices and add promotions. Human Bowling, for example, is big in the lower minors.
The good thing is, you don't have to wait until 2003 to see your 2003 Cincinnati Reds. You can watch them now, in a cozy, grassy field of dreams, only slightly marred by the construction junk beyond left field.
So quit
your belly-aching and enjoy Bill Selby.
And forget 2001. Believing this team will contend requires a Lake Placid-sized leap of faith. We believe in miracles. But not that many.
Season's over
This summer is over before it begins. The Reds aren't good enough, and this has nothing to do with contracts or trade rumors or gossip about the general manager. It really has nothing to do with Ken Hill, who was a body signed to fill a Triple-A pitching rotation.
Thanks to a miniature payroll, the Reds danced on the ledge before anyone hurt himself. Jim Bowden might be a snake. But he didn't nix the deal for Dustin Hermanson or decide the Reds couldn't afford Chris Stynes, Eddie Taubensee or Steve Parris. Spending $27 million for Barry Larkin and $0.00 for starting pitching wasn't Bowden's call.
If Carl Lindner wants 2003 to be as beautiful as his new, taxpayer-funded ballpark, he needs to open his wallet and let some big-time players live there. Until then, watch some 2003 now: Reith, Chris Reitsma, John Riedling. Brandon Larson. Jason LaRue.
Minor help
It was another swell night for baseball Saturday. Someone asked Bob Boone if there is any help in the minors. Boone, who has stayed healthy — watch that wet floor in the manager's bathroom, skip — answered: “Yeah, some. But it's like putting a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound.”
The team's medical director, Dr. Tim Kremchek, offered an injury update that lasted longer than a rain delay. They passed out Barry Larkin bobble-head dolls Saturday. Half of them had pulled head-springs.
The trick for Boone now is to keep his team from falling into a coma. (Or maybe from simply falling.) It's easy being Joe Torre, posting a fantasy-team lineup card and pondering whether to start Clemens or Mussina. This isn't Bobby Cox, wheeling out Maddux, Glavine or Smoltz every fifth day. It's filling a lineup with strangers.
On Friday night, Craig Paquette pinch-hit a three-run homer to beat the Reds. “He probably hits fourth for us,” said Boone, who wasn't kidding.
The Reds think things will improve when the lame guys can walk. But Larkin, Junior Griffey and Aaron Boone can't pitch 200 innings, win 15 games or stabilize a starting rotation that looks like open-mike night at The Improv.
You want trades? Great. Who? Pete Harnisch would be valuable, if he weren't 34, a free agent after the season and as durable as a Bic pen.
Can't wait for 2003? It's here already. This is 2003, in all its glory. Without a big infusion of cash, you'll see these guys in two years. You decide if that's a good thing.
E-mail: pdaugherty@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/daugherty.
Reds Stories
New on the Web: Fantasy tennis
SULLIVAN: Unser Jr.'s obsession still burns at Indy
Latest Indy 500 coverage
Auto Racing Insider
Best and worst of week in sports
Five Questions with: Thom Brennaman
Tristate Golf Notebook
Wilcots gets big-time shot for CBS
CCD boys win state lacrosse
Locals win two state tennis titles
Boys tennis results
Boys track highlights
Boys track results
Girls track highlights
Girls track results
Hamilton heads to state baseball semis
Hamilton wins regional softball
Ross, Taylor, CCD rescheduled
St. X loses state volleyball semi
N.Ky. baseball highlights
N.Ky. boys track highlights
N.Ky. boys track results
N.Ky. girls track highlights
N.Ky. girls track results
Locals lead Kent State NCAA wins
Jockey Ouzts 3 wins from 4,000
• Return to Reds front page...
DAUGHERTY: Reds fans are watching 2003 now
