Sleeper

Each year we get to her the predictions
The "experts give with full conviction;
"The Reds are the team to watch this year!"
But the season always ends with a tear.

This season it has already started.
The predictions have not departed.
The past decades losing will be thwarted!
(At least that's what the Cappers Picks Blog reported...)

Baseball Prospectus says we'll be losing again,
But Larkin and Hart both say the losing will end!
All that's for sure is that the Cards are at the top,
A math professor expects our win total to drop.

The gambling sites say the Reds have a chance.
Kneeland says if it goes right they could advance.
Daugherty says the Reds are a team of "ifs."
Gammons says the team has all the right gifts.

Every year people pick the Reds as the sleeper,
But pre-season predictions could not be any cheaper.
Picking the Reds to say "I told you so" if they do it,
Or "I said it was an if" when the inevitably blew it.

As fans, however, there may be reason to hope
After nearly a decade where we could only mope.
The Reds have become a young-star grower;
Let's hope they lead us to a Reds October!

Starting Questions

I am a Harang-atang from back in the day
Cheering for Aaron each and every way.
Enjoying the games where I could see him start.
From the other pitchers, he set himself apart. 

He was the ace without any doubts.
He could get all of the key outs.
He was who we wanted with the game on the line.
Aaron would win it for us most of the time.

Things now seem on a downward spiral.
We must hope his losing ways aren’t viral.
We are hoping that Aaron can turn it around
And to his former self, he can rebound.

The Reds are on the precipice of winning.
“Next Year” seems to be close to beginning.
We have potential and a number of ifs
Because of our young players and all their gifts.

So now a hard question we must ask-
If in post-season glory we choose to bask,
Is Aaron the player we should give the ball?
Should we hand it to a young gun making the call?

Who will help us win more games this year?
Our ace of the nineties (who I still hold dear)?
Or would it be better to give the young guys a chance?
It it time for Leake, Chapman, or Travis Wood to dance?

The fifth starter could easily go to one of the three.
However, would it be better for the Reds to see
If two of them should start-what a commotion!
Even though for Aaron it could mean a demotion.

What to do with Harang is a rather large question-
But if the young guys grab the ball with aggression
What would be the best to help the Reds win?
What will take us to the postseason again?

Pitchers and Catchers

It's time to write a special rhyme
Because it's pitcher/catcher reporting time
One of the happiest times of the year
It means Opening Day is almost here

Questions are few for the team
There will be little difference, it seems
Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, and Bailey
Will be starting, as has been lately

The question is order and spot five
Who will win the fifth starter drive?
Owings or Lehr, Maloney or Wood;
Who will win it? Anyone could!

In the bullpen things seem quite set
Cordero closing is a safe bet.
We also have Herrera the small
Striking out batters with a wicked screwball.

Masset and Burton throw from the right
Rhodes the veteran lefty near the end of the night
The long man will be Owings if I had to guess
Hopefully our pitching will be one of the best!

Sent from my Windows Mobile® phone.

Transactions

The woeful Reds always losing it all
Games meaning nothing in the fall
The Reds take the field only to play for pride
Off-season moves that seem to bust
Fans feel they can have no trust
In the front office, they cannot abide

Now we have the Hot Stove Season
The Reds are finally giving a reason
For fans to stand up and let out a cheer
The off-season started with the Reds on snooze
It looked like another season we would lose
But now glimmers of hope may be here

It started quietly with third base
A restructured deal set the pace
For more moves that were soon to follow
Aroldis Chapman came as a surprise
The Reds started to open some eyes
Maybe in misery we’d no longer wallow

Minor transactions followed suit
Nix, Arrendondo, and Cairo to boot
However Jocketty’s hand he didn’t reveal
Cabrera’s signing could be good
Depending on his leather and wood
Assuming last season wasn’t for real

And now comes possibly the best news
Willy T Cincinnati will now lose
Which is possibly the best move made so far
Traded with Rosales to the A’s
Willy can stink it up by the bays
And the Reds are a better team by far

Maybe there is reason for optimism
Though Reds fans are caught in a schism
2011 shout some, the Reds cannot yet win
Others seem to think there’s a chance
A Wild Card berth would make us all dance
Let’s hope to see the Reds in October again 

Reds Winter Caravan

Almost two months ago it was the annual Redsfest;
The celebration every year in baseball is the best!
Now the Reds come where work to Miami University
So once again the Reds I will get the chance to see.

The Western Leg of the tour is stopping in Oxford Ohio.
I arrived for the event with an hour left to go.
A line of roughly twenty were waiting when I arrived
More filtered in soon after, avoiding the cold they'd strive.

I Asked Walt Jocketty about Cabrerra's deal;

Was it club or mutual, or for the player to steal?

The general man answered the question "Yes."

Artfully dodging, as everyone could guess.

Questions came from fans both young and old;

Player habits such as Bruce's twitch were all told.

Walt talked about the excitement of signing Chapman;

Frazier wants to play shortstop once again.

Benzinger joked about the poor manager for the Dragons;

When asked about his bat, Bruce not braggin'.

Volquez will hopefully be ready by the fall.

Janish will still be important, as he can catch the ball.

Clean-up spot has been talked about, it could be Rolen.

Thom's liked working with Brenley and McCarver when he's callin'

The game and he enjoys Welsh and Cowboys humor.

Walt dodged questions about any rumors.

I asked about an extension for the man, BP;

Walt would do it in a minute, if so would he.

The Caravan as always was a wonderful time for all;

Now we wait two months, for the ump to call "Play Ball!" 

IF

Two months is all the time we have to go
Until we get the return of the show.
In two months we could feel such glee,
But for now hope springs eternally.

If Aaron Harang returns to old form;
If Joey’s performance is his norm;
If Jay Bruce can hit at least two-eighty;
If we can sweep the Pirates, eh matey;

If we can keep the production from BP;
If potential turns to reality for Bailey;
If Cueto shows why he is “Little Pedro”;
If we can soundly defeat Roy the Astro;

If we get Rolen to deliver with some pop;
If on the basepaths Stubbs they can’t stop;
If our players can stay healthy all year;
If we can bring the Brewers to tears;

If Hanigan and Janish can hit a little more;
If Arroyo gives us 200 innings or more;
If Taveras doesn’t play (even as a sub);
If we can get rid of the baby-bear Cubs;

If Danny Ray keeps throwing his screws;
If Coco’s saves at least fourty-two;
If Masset and Burton can get us some holds;
If we can stifle the cards and Albert Pujols;

If Volquez come come back and give us some wins;
If Chris Dickerson’s career takes off and begins ;
If some of the prospects come up and deliver;
We could end up with a World Series by the river!

Baseball Ethics

Shoeless Joe Jackson made a mistake.
Gamblers money he agreed to take
In exchange for throwing World Series games
He took money.  No doubt that was lame.

Several players join Shoeless Joe
Banned for games they tried to throw. 
They cheated the game, and the fans;
No doubt they deserved their lifetime bans.

Racist comments doomed Marge Schott.
She was banned-the dog was not.
She deserved her punishment as well.
On her mistakes we will not dwell.

However, we’ll mention the all-time hit king.
Let the Reds to back to back rings.
He had a disease-he had to place a bet.
So back into baseball he cannot get.

Now we have the hitting coach for the Cards
Admitting he cheated-but he is not barred.
Instead Selig celebrates him, he did no harm.
Big Mac is welcomed back with open arms.

Baseball’s lesson is important, so listen.
It’s not one that is worth missing.
Off the field you better be clean as a sheet
But on the field, it’s ok if you cheat.