So.......hows that new format working out, my wife says when she checks my blog. Been what, a month and a half? For my very few readers........I apologize.
I've been very busy with summer school, cars messing up, and getting everything done (like going to the lake). One thing has changed.
The Reds have gotten worse. It looks like the team has given up. I am not upset with trading Griffey, and I hope he gets to win the World Series. At least we got a bullpen guy out of him.
Here we go........
#1- Keith Rivers- Finally! He made it to camp very late, but I'm glad he's finally on the field. Hopefully he can work his way up the depth chart during the preseason and back into a starting role. With him in the fold, I feel that much better about our defense. Zimmer appears to have made the d more aggressive and at the level they've been at the past few seasons, they have no place to go but up.
#2- Patterson- Why is he still on the team????? How much does he have to do to get released? He is the worst major league baseball player I have ever witnessed. No instincts, no skill, and no passion. Watching the games make me wonder what the other players think of him. Are they friends with him? He must go.
#3- Trading deadline- How anti-climactic was that? Couldn't we have gotten rid of a reliever or two? Dunn, I'm ok with keeping, if he stays here longer than this year. I don't want the team built around him, but he can be a piece of a puzzle. We've got a lot of free agents at the end of this year, and what I'm hearing is that this off season is gonna completely reconfigure our team in the way Jocketty wants it to be. I wouldn't mind replacing Dusty, but no way will they get rid of him this soon. I felt better about Dave Miley and others more than I do Dusty. Dusty plays favoritism way too much and does so many things that people who know baseball question. He also needs to make a MUCH bigger priority of fundamentals. Did anyone else see Corey Patterson turn a single into a triple tonight? In the first inning? That kills a pitcher's psyche. Then he tends to overcompensate. We still can't hit, play defense, and then our pitching leaves us too. HOW DO WE GET SWEPT BY THE NATIONALS??
#4- Kenny Irons- I feel really bad for him. Never got to play a real down for the Bengals. Hopefully he can heal and play next year for somebody. He was a good kid and if he stayed healthy, he would have been a star in Cincy. He has an infectious personality. It is a shame for the Bengals to lose two young guys the caliber of Kenny Irons and David Pollack. Those guys being gone really magnifies the mistakes that have been made with players lately.
#5- Find someone to love and love them with everything you have. I've married the woman I dreamed about my entire life, and every day she makes me a better person.
I love you sweetheart.
Here's to the "magic" of an 82-80 season Dusty and Walt dream about.
Maltzy
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
New format
I am currently in summer school, so I haven't been posting as often as I would like lately. With that, I'm gonna start a new idea.
I'm gonna give 5 things everyday I can that catch my attention. Hopefully this will allow me to contribute more every day.
With that......
#1- Reds young pitchers- Anyone else impressed? The 3 game series with the Yankees over the weekend had to make every Reds fan feel a little better. Having three guys at the ages of 24, 22, and 22 throw that way against that lineup was impressive. Many of the Yankees themselves were impressed. We all know how good Volquez is, as he's got a good chance to start the all-star game this year, and we know what Johnny Cueto is capable of, showing his brilliant potential every couple of starts. And then, Daryl Thompson looks every bit as good? I know, you can't predict a career off of one start, but at least he showed me the fortitude to stare down a rough couple of innings and bear down to get out of them unscathed. Maybe one day Homer Bailey will notice he's been passed 3 times and fall in line with the other guys.
#2- Chad Johnson comes crawling back- Once more, good for Marvin to be one of the very few to stand up to Drew Rosenhaus and turn him away. Chad came to camp, while Shockey and some other of Drew's athletes hold out. I believe that come this fall, nobody will be thinking about the offseason last year and CJ and the rest of the team will come ready to play and play well.
#3- Great baseball read- This book is several years old, but I still love it. It is called Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball by Bob Costas. If you aren't a big fan of big market teams like the Yankees or Bud Selig (which describes me), then you'll love it. Costas is a smart baseball fan and points out a lot of the weaknesses in the game and what could be done to bring baseball back to what it used to be. He also notes that Bud Selig shouldn't be the commisioner based on his very obvious conflict of interest. He "used" to own the Milwaulkee Brewers, "letting go" of the team when he got into office. His family still owns it. So.....an owner is the comish. Shouldn't that be a problem? One of the first things he did in office was move his own team to another league, making the leagues uneven, 16 to 14. The whole all-star game counting fiasco. I can't wait until we have a real commish.
#4- Corey Patterson will always suck- I can't believe he is still on the team. Everybody else associated with Major League Baseball is laughing at us. How many times has he come up in the last two weeks in the last couple of innings of a ball game with a chance to put the Reds ahead or tie the game, only to swing at the first pitch and make an out EVERY TIME? Walt needs to show he's running the show, cause Dusty Patterson can't start his kid if he's not on the team. If Dusty says he'll walk, good. Bring back McKanin.
#5- Trades- Jocketty is known as a trader and there have been many rumors surrounding Grif, Dunners, Votto, and our new draft pick, Yonder Alonso. Something will happen before the trading deadline and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. We need to get a young catcher, and maybe a young outfielder, as its looking more and more likely that Bruce will be the only outfielder returning next year. Stay Tuned..
Maltzy
I'm gonna give 5 things everyday I can that catch my attention. Hopefully this will allow me to contribute more every day.
With that......
#1- Reds young pitchers- Anyone else impressed? The 3 game series with the Yankees over the weekend had to make every Reds fan feel a little better. Having three guys at the ages of 24, 22, and 22 throw that way against that lineup was impressive. Many of the Yankees themselves were impressed. We all know how good Volquez is, as he's got a good chance to start the all-star game this year, and we know what Johnny Cueto is capable of, showing his brilliant potential every couple of starts. And then, Daryl Thompson looks every bit as good? I know, you can't predict a career off of one start, but at least he showed me the fortitude to stare down a rough couple of innings and bear down to get out of them unscathed. Maybe one day Homer Bailey will notice he's been passed 3 times and fall in line with the other guys.
#2- Chad Johnson comes crawling back- Once more, good for Marvin to be one of the very few to stand up to Drew Rosenhaus and turn him away. Chad came to camp, while Shockey and some other of Drew's athletes hold out. I believe that come this fall, nobody will be thinking about the offseason last year and CJ and the rest of the team will come ready to play and play well.
#3- Great baseball read- This book is several years old, but I still love it. It is called Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball by Bob Costas. If you aren't a big fan of big market teams like the Yankees or Bud Selig (which describes me), then you'll love it. Costas is a smart baseball fan and points out a lot of the weaknesses in the game and what could be done to bring baseball back to what it used to be. He also notes that Bud Selig shouldn't be the commisioner based on his very obvious conflict of interest. He "used" to own the Milwaulkee Brewers, "letting go" of the team when he got into office. His family still owns it. So.....an owner is the comish. Shouldn't that be a problem? One of the first things he did in office was move his own team to another league, making the leagues uneven, 16 to 14. The whole all-star game counting fiasco. I can't wait until we have a real commish.
#4- Corey Patterson will always suck- I can't believe he is still on the team. Everybody else associated with Major League Baseball is laughing at us. How many times has he come up in the last two weeks in the last couple of innings of a ball game with a chance to put the Reds ahead or tie the game, only to swing at the first pitch and make an out EVERY TIME? Walt needs to show he's running the show, cause Dusty Patterson can't start his kid if he's not on the team. If Dusty says he'll walk, good. Bring back McKanin.
#5- Trades- Jocketty is known as a trader and there have been many rumors surrounding Grif, Dunners, Votto, and our new draft pick, Yonder Alonso. Something will happen before the trading deadline and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. We need to get a young catcher, and maybe a young outfielder, as its looking more and more likely that Bruce will be the only outfielder returning next year. Stay Tuned..
Maltzy
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Father's Day
Father's day is the day we honor our fathers, the men who cared for the family, set examples, and protect his family. My own father did all those things for me growing up. My dad always worked more and more to leave our family financially secure while I was living there. We never starved. He made us be responsible for ourselves. My father made sure we were in church, Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday evenings. When we (my sister and I) were old enough to drive, he got us a car to drive. And in my case, many more cars....
Whenever I think of my own father, these are the things that come to my mind.
I've always looked up to my father. I remember living in Memphis, as a kid. Having lots of snow on the ground for the first time I remember getting to play in it. My dad would spend hours pulling me on the sled and pushing me down hills. We both laughed as I ran into backyard fences and over the little cliff into the garden. He built us a pool. He moved us to Cincinnati. The year after we moved there, my dad took me to about 10 Reds games, where I immediately loved the game of baseball and the Reds. At the end of that season, my dad took me to a postseason game. It was in October and together we saw Jose Rijo, Eric Davis, and the rest of the Reds begin their domination over the Oakland Athletics on their way to the 1990 World Series title. I yelled so much, I lost my voice for the next 6 weeks. It is still one of the greatest 5 days of my life.
He took me to Bengals games. When I started playing games myself, he made sure I had new cleats, gloves, batting gloves, bats, whatever I needed. He pitched to me (and i payed him back by hitting him in the forehead more than once with the tennis balls). I still remember my dad and I sneaking out of the end of church to head downtown and catch the Reds' game.
I will never forget the time I got called out of class in 6th or 7th grade where I got called to the principle's office and was told to bring my books. When I got to the office, my dad was waiting there, looking somber. He told the school we had a family matter to deal with. Walking out to the car, I didn't know what to expect.
When I got to the car, I noticed my dad had packed our clothes and fishing poles and he started to chuckle. He was taking me out of school for 2 and a half days to go fishing in central Kentucky.
I remember getting my first car, a 1983 Ford Ranger 4x4 V6. It was black, and it had a manual transmission. One of the things my dad wanted for us was to be able to drive a stick. I remember making that truck hop and jump around like a giant bullfrog, all the while my dad is laughing so hard he can hardly breathe. I remember my dad being at the game in high school where I almost threw a no-hitter up in Hamilton, OH.
I remember going to Rangers' games, Mavericks games, stuff my dad always made sure we got to do. There was even a year after I moved out where my dad got the three of us (Mom, Dad, and I) tickets to see the Cincinnati Reds play in Texas vs. the Rangers.
I don't think I'll ever be able to repay my dad for all the things he did for me, mentioned and unmentioned. There's not a thing he could do that I wouldn't forgive him for. He's my dad, and always will be. Allowing me to write sports stories for the newspaper he still owns.
Thank you dad, for everything. For the things I know you did for me and the many things you did that I still don't know you did them for me. Thanks for being my dad.
I love you Dad.
Maltzy
Whenever I think of my own father, these are the things that come to my mind.
I've always looked up to my father. I remember living in Memphis, as a kid. Having lots of snow on the ground for the first time I remember getting to play in it. My dad would spend hours pulling me on the sled and pushing me down hills. We both laughed as I ran into backyard fences and over the little cliff into the garden. He built us a pool. He moved us to Cincinnati. The year after we moved there, my dad took me to about 10 Reds games, where I immediately loved the game of baseball and the Reds. At the end of that season, my dad took me to a postseason game. It was in October and together we saw Jose Rijo, Eric Davis, and the rest of the Reds begin their domination over the Oakland Athletics on their way to the 1990 World Series title. I yelled so much, I lost my voice for the next 6 weeks. It is still one of the greatest 5 days of my life.
He took me to Bengals games. When I started playing games myself, he made sure I had new cleats, gloves, batting gloves, bats, whatever I needed. He pitched to me (and i payed him back by hitting him in the forehead more than once with the tennis balls). I still remember my dad and I sneaking out of the end of church to head downtown and catch the Reds' game.
I will never forget the time I got called out of class in 6th or 7th grade where I got called to the principle's office and was told to bring my books. When I got to the office, my dad was waiting there, looking somber. He told the school we had a family matter to deal with. Walking out to the car, I didn't know what to expect.
When I got to the car, I noticed my dad had packed our clothes and fishing poles and he started to chuckle. He was taking me out of school for 2 and a half days to go fishing in central Kentucky.
I remember getting my first car, a 1983 Ford Ranger 4x4 V6. It was black, and it had a manual transmission. One of the things my dad wanted for us was to be able to drive a stick. I remember making that truck hop and jump around like a giant bullfrog, all the while my dad is laughing so hard he can hardly breathe. I remember my dad being at the game in high school where I almost threw a no-hitter up in Hamilton, OH.
I remember going to Rangers' games, Mavericks games, stuff my dad always made sure we got to do. There was even a year after I moved out where my dad got the three of us (Mom, Dad, and I) tickets to see the Cincinnati Reds play in Texas vs. the Rangers.
I don't think I'll ever be able to repay my dad for all the things he did for me, mentioned and unmentioned. There's not a thing he could do that I wouldn't forgive him for. He's my dad, and always will be. Allowing me to write sports stories for the newspaper he still owns.
Thank you dad, for everything. For the things I know you did for me and the many things you did that I still don't know you did them for me. Thanks for being my dad.
I love you Dad.
Maltzy
Friday, June 6, 2008
Im baaaaaaack
Wow. The last week was a whirlwind and now I'm finally back in town. I spent the last week in Cincinnati with my wife and we had a wonderful time. We drove up last Friday and caught both Friday and Saturday's Reds games, and they were some of the best I have ever witnessed. Friday night, after a long day of driving, we sat in the 9th row in left field stands at GABP and had to deal with some loud Braves fans, but I had fun calling Chipper Jones "Larry" all night, because he's known to hate that. The Larry chant got loud when BP's grounder went between Larry's legs to let in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th. Volquez is the real deal. He is as good a pitcher right now as the Reds have ever had.
Saturday was a different story all together. The wife and I had 9th row seats, this time in the section next to the Reds dugout, great seats. Before the game, Jay Bruce stayed out signing autographs for as long as Dusty allowed him. He was very gracious and nice to everyone. Of course, the minute his name was spoken over the loudspeaker, the now familiar chant "Bruuuuuuuuuucccee" rang out loudly throughout the stadium. No matter what Bruce does, he will get that chant for a loooong time in Cincinnati (and Philly too, if you listened closely to the telecasts against the Phillies).
In the first inning, we were treated to Griffey's 599th home run. Everybody in the stadium knew it was gone. My wife got a great picture of Griffey finishing his swing and dropping his bat. I'll be sure to post some pics from the game over the weekend. Bruce looked like a future superstar all game and Fogg looked like the below average pitcher he is. The crowd was electric and the 9th inning and finish were outstanding. Dunn walked in the bottom of the ninth, Reds down 7 to 6. Freel pinch runs for him, and eventually works his way over to 3rd base with one out. David Ross comes up, and hits a squibber back towards the pitcher. As soon as the ball is released in the direction of first base, Ryan Freel breaks for home and gets in just under the tag of Brian McCann to score the tying run. The throw beat him to the plate, but Freel had a great slide and made it under the tag.
All this led up the the best part of the game. I, for the record, was wearing a Jay Bruce Tshirt that I had purchased earlier that day to the game, and the game ended in the 10th inning, with one swing of the bat by Jay Bruce. Is there nothing this kid can't do???? His first major league home run is a walk-off home run against the braves??? Is he that good???
So much stuff happened on the trip, but the baseball games made the week start off great. That and the Skyline cheese coneys. I'll tell more later.
In the draft, the Reds picked the best bat available, Yonder Alfonso. He's a great all around hitter who, with the major league contract he's expected to sign, may contribute sometime next year.
I'll break it down more later, but I just wanted to get back and say a couple of things.
Maltzy
Saturday was a different story all together. The wife and I had 9th row seats, this time in the section next to the Reds dugout, great seats. Before the game, Jay Bruce stayed out signing autographs for as long as Dusty allowed him. He was very gracious and nice to everyone. Of course, the minute his name was spoken over the loudspeaker, the now familiar chant "Bruuuuuuuuuucccee" rang out loudly throughout the stadium. No matter what Bruce does, he will get that chant for a loooong time in Cincinnati (and Philly too, if you listened closely to the telecasts against the Phillies).
In the first inning, we were treated to Griffey's 599th home run. Everybody in the stadium knew it was gone. My wife got a great picture of Griffey finishing his swing and dropping his bat. I'll be sure to post some pics from the game over the weekend. Bruce looked like a future superstar all game and Fogg looked like the below average pitcher he is. The crowd was electric and the 9th inning and finish were outstanding. Dunn walked in the bottom of the ninth, Reds down 7 to 6. Freel pinch runs for him, and eventually works his way over to 3rd base with one out. David Ross comes up, and hits a squibber back towards the pitcher. As soon as the ball is released in the direction of first base, Ryan Freel breaks for home and gets in just under the tag of Brian McCann to score the tying run. The throw beat him to the plate, but Freel had a great slide and made it under the tag.
All this led up the the best part of the game. I, for the record, was wearing a Jay Bruce Tshirt that I had purchased earlier that day to the game, and the game ended in the 10th inning, with one swing of the bat by Jay Bruce. Is there nothing this kid can't do???? His first major league home run is a walk-off home run against the braves??? Is he that good???
So much stuff happened on the trip, but the baseball games made the week start off great. That and the Skyline cheese coneys. I'll tell more later.
In the draft, the Reds picked the best bat available, Yonder Alfonso. He's a great all around hitter who, with the major league contract he's expected to sign, may contribute sometime next year.
I'll break it down more later, but I just wanted to get back and say a couple of things.
Maltzy
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tha Bruce is Loose!!!!!
Finally. Jay Bruce, as of Tuesday, will be a Cincinnati Red, #32. Reds fans have been counting the days until this came, and it is here. Bruce was blistering AAA pitching, hitting over .360, with 10 hrs. Barring a trade of Griffey or Dunn (highly unlikely right now), Bruce is here to play center field. This sounds like a 2 for 1 deal. Anything that causes Corey Patterson to not bat or play in the field is an immediate improvement.
This was the right time for me in particular. This friday, the wife and I will be heading to Cincinnati, and we currently have tickets for Friday and Saturday's games. Volquez is scheduled to pitch Friday and Belisle on Saturday. I believe that if Homer Bailey was having even a decent season at AAA, then he would already be up, but the best AAA starter was sent to Korea earlier this week. Getting to see Volquez and Bruce play will be well worth the trip.
I'll get as many pictures as possible and post many of them here.
My car may be finally giving out. It had trouble last summer, and the wife and I have already spent over $3000 to keep it running. It runs fine now, as long as the air conditioner isn't running. If the AC is on, the power will be sapped from the engine and no matter how hard I push the gas, the car won't go faster than 5 mph. I would love to be able to get a Volkswagen Jetta, but with me in school, that's highly unlikely.
Anybody else watch Andromeda Strain tonight?? I love Michael Crichton, and this is based off one of his earliest stories. The movie, a two parter, is so far outstanding. I plan on watching the rest tomorrow and going back to reread the book.
Read Ted Dekker, you won't regret it.
Maltzy
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Kim Harrison and other stuff
I work at Hastings in Cordova and this weekend author Kim Harrison came to visit our store and sign some books. She was very nice. She's a horror romance author and NY times bestseller. She was nice enough to post this on her website http://www.kimharrison.net/ . That's me on the left, Mrs. Harrison next to me, and my book manager Michelle and other book employee Cassandra. They are fun to work with and we all enjoyed getting to meet Mrs. Harrison.
Next week, the wife and I will set out for Cincinnati and I cannot wait. We're hoping to catch 2 Reds-Braves games, and I hope to get to see the Reds win at least one of them, if not both. Cincinnati.com's Reds blogger has a hunch that Jay Bruce will finally be brought up when the Reds return home from this road trip.
Why can't the Reds win in LA? I've never understood it, but it obviously isn't going to end anytime soon. We are a better team than the Dodgers (in my opinion), yet the guys lack a sense of urgency. Maybe it's the fact that they stay in a swank hotel a ways from the ballpark and have a little too much fun instead of focusing on the task at hand.
If you've never heard of C.Trent Rosecrans, you are missing out. I've got his link on here, but he is hands down one of the funniest bloggers out there. He used to work for Cincinnati.com, but now he is a Clear Channel employee and he's got great takes on the Bengals, Reds, and his own Georgia Bulldogs. Check him out.
If you are looking for a new author, I'd like to recommend Ted Dekker. He's been my favorite for a while now. All his books are action packed and linked together usually by a character or t shirt or something. Great Read.
Maltzy
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
On my soapbox.......
If you ever get the chance, visit the Louisville Slugger museum. It is a lot of fun, and you get to take batting practice for only a buck, using major league caliber lumber. I'm swinging the C271, Ken Griffey's model. I'm still a line drive hitter.
What do these numbers tell you about a pitcher?
W-L 16-21
W-L 16-21
Era5.00
IP331.1
Avg.301
These are the career numbers of tonight's pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Matt Belisle. The fact that he is starting tonight, heck, that he's even in the majors is a mystery to me. I saw the game that he pitched either last year or the year before, his complete game shutout. I've also seen what he is consistent at doing. A .301 average?? If a pitcher gives up one hit an inning (about average), then that would equal a .250 batting average against. His ERA this year, as of the moment I am writing this, is 7.45. Al he has is a decent fastball. He can't throw anything else consistently for strikes. He could throw 105 and with nothing else, he'd get rocked. He will likely get a few more starts, but I believe he'll NEVER be an acceptable starter in the major leagues. He'll never be consistent enough.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that Bruce is still in AAA, even though he's the hottest hitter in the entire organization. Apparently, if the Reds wait till July, then he gets another year of arbitration. That means we can pay him less for one more year. Making decisions based on factors like that show a lack of baseball knowledge. It shows a team that isn't really as concerned with winning as they profess to be.
A fan can watch the Reds and notice what they are missing and why we don't win. We have some good pieces but we haven't had a good TEAM in a while.
#1- This team lacks a leader. Anybody remember 1999? That year, the Reds made one of the best FA signings in their history, Greg Vaughn. With a one year contract, and at the age of 33, Vaughn hit .245, 45 homers, and 118 RBIs. That year, the reds won 95 games and lost a one game playoff to go to the playoffs. You could compare stats and defensive talent to our current left fielder, Adam Dunn. Their stats are almost identical, but Dunn just goes out and plays, while Vaughn held the team accountable and willed them to several wins.
#2- Defense, defense, defense. Chris Speier was apparently brought in by Dusty straighten out our defense, Encarnacion in particular. While Edwin has looked better, I still don't trust him. And you would think Speier possesses the talent to teach Votto how to play 1st base. Votto has talent and he gives 100%, but he looks on some plays like he doesn't know the fundamentals to play there. And anybody who has read me before ( all 3 of you), knows that I am not a big fan of Patterson. He shows no knowledge of fundamentals. The team needs to get better.
#3-Waste of roster space. Is there any reason why the Reds have 3 catchers (one who doesn't catch), a backup 1st baseman who doesn't play (Hatteberg), and Patterson, Freel, and Hairston all doing the same job? Patterson cannot even do what most high school baseball players are able to do, bunt. The bunt he did last night was an embarrassment. I was an average high school baseball player, and I know I could get a bunt down on a fast ball and not hit it 30 feet in the air. He can't bunt, can't hit .250, and can't play defense. Why is he still on the team? What does he have on Dusty?
#4 base running skill??? How many times has a Red been picked off? How many times do players overrun bases? How many times have two Reds ended up on the same base at the same time? How hard is this stuff to learn?
And
#5 We can't consistently hit. We should be able to score runs without hitting a home run.
The loss of Keppinger hurts mostly because he was one of the very few contact hitters that works a count and hits with RISP. Votto is good, he actually chokes up with two strikes, what a novel idea. EE, Dunn, Patterson, Griffey, and even Phillips all swing for the fences, no matter the count. Whatever happened to just trying to knock a guy in with a single?
I can't wait to get to Cincy on the 31st.
Maltzy
Friday, May 16, 2008
This and that
One of the things you hate to see happen is when a young player finally gets a chance to prove his worth, and comes through.......only to go down to injury. Jeff Keppinger is an example of one of the many good things that Wayne Krivsky did for the Reds. We traded for him for a minor league pitcher who will likely never step foot on a major league field. This season, Jeff proved that last year wasn't a fluke by hitting .320 over the first month and a half and making all the plays at short. He was even starting to look like a possible all star, although likely not because he's a Red. As a result, the Reds lost their best hitter with RISP (seems like the only hitter with RISP) and an excellent clutch hitter.
But with our first two SS's out with knee injuries, the Reds decided to bring up Paul Janish (pronounced YA-NISH). I've known who he was since he was drafted by the Reds several years ago. He has always been known as a stud defensive SS, but just average with the bat. He's never been a power hitter, and until this year, about a .250 career batter. When he was brought up, he was hitting .293, and had a decent RBI count. All he did in his major league debut last night, was show that he needs to be paid attention to. He came up clutch in his first major league at bat with RISP, after flying out to deep left field in the 8th. He's brought a novel concept to the club. With 2 strikes, its ok to just try to make decent contact.
His talent mixed with his enthusiasm might just infuse the Reds with some energy for a while. I hope he gets a chance to start some games in the next 6 weeks, because this may be his only opportunity to make an impression with Jocketty, as the Reds have several young, good hitting SS's coming through the system, at least one of which should stay at Short. I'm rooting for Janish to do well.
One sign that the Reds bullpen is much improved (besides the fact that Coffey is in AAA), is the fact that not only was last night the Reds 1st blown save, but even with that, the Reds have not lost a game in which they lead at the end of 6 innings. The last 4 to 5 years, that wouldn't have been possible. All we need now is for Belisle to be sent down. I'm not gonna scream for Homer Bailey to be brought up, but anybody is better than Belisle. He's gotten a full chance, and has proved that he is not a good major league starting pitcher.
Bruce deserves to be up though. Trade Griffey, release Patterson, or both, then bring Bruce up. He's hitting .350 and tearing the cover off the ball. He's ready.
BTW, I'm heading to Cincinnati at the end of this month, to catch a Reds Braves game, but the wife and I will be in town for 5 nights or so. If anybody has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
Maltzy
But with our first two SS's out with knee injuries, the Reds decided to bring up Paul Janish (pronounced YA-NISH). I've known who he was since he was drafted by the Reds several years ago. He has always been known as a stud defensive SS, but just average with the bat. He's never been a power hitter, and until this year, about a .250 career batter. When he was brought up, he was hitting .293, and had a decent RBI count. All he did in his major league debut last night, was show that he needs to be paid attention to. He came up clutch in his first major league at bat with RISP, after flying out to deep left field in the 8th. He's brought a novel concept to the club. With 2 strikes, its ok to just try to make decent contact.
His talent mixed with his enthusiasm might just infuse the Reds with some energy for a while. I hope he gets a chance to start some games in the next 6 weeks, because this may be his only opportunity to make an impression with Jocketty, as the Reds have several young, good hitting SS's coming through the system, at least one of which should stay at Short. I'm rooting for Janish to do well.
One sign that the Reds bullpen is much improved (besides the fact that Coffey is in AAA), is the fact that not only was last night the Reds 1st blown save, but even with that, the Reds have not lost a game in which they lead at the end of 6 innings. The last 4 to 5 years, that wouldn't have been possible. All we need now is for Belisle to be sent down. I'm not gonna scream for Homer Bailey to be brought up, but anybody is better than Belisle. He's gotten a full chance, and has proved that he is not a good major league starting pitcher.
Bruce deserves to be up though. Trade Griffey, release Patterson, or both, then bring Bruce up. He's hitting .350 and tearing the cover off the ball. He's ready.
BTW, I'm heading to Cincinnati at the end of this month, to catch a Reds Braves game, but the wife and I will be in town for 5 nights or so. If anybody has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
Maltzy
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
I just had to tell my mom, Happy Mother's Day. I miss you and I hope the day is going wonderful. Teresa Maltsberger is one of the best mothers in the world. She was always there for me and attended every game I ever played growing up. I remember speeding through Ohio trying to follow the rest of the baseball team to get to games. My mother gave up a lot for me and for that I am eternally grateful. She rarely did things for herself, instead choosing to sacrifice things for her children. It never went unappreciated. Thank you for taking me to the doctor every time I busted my foot trying to climb the refrigerator, or making every lunch for school for years and years. Each one of them were delicious.
Mom, I can never say thank you enough. You have always meant so much to me and have helped me become the man I am today. Thank you for being a wonderful mother.
Maltzy
Mom, I can never say thank you enough. You have always meant so much to me and have helped me become the man I am today. Thank you for being a wonderful mother.
Maltzy
Thursday, May 8, 2008
One game was good......
Watching the Reds play Wednesday afternoon made me feel like I had finally seen what they are capable of. Volquez, is a flat out stud. There were a lot of people upset over losing Josh Hamilton over the winter, but not much complaining now. About the only problem Volquez has is control issues. If he wasn't so dominant, he would have an ERA higher than Arroyo does right now. In 42 innings, he has 52 strikeouts and 28 walks. And a 1.06 ERA, 2nd in the majors. First time a Reds starter has allowed no more than 1 run in his first seven starts. That is amazing for a guy to be pitching in Great American Small Park and be that good.
I heard last week that one night when Volquez was pitching, Greg Maddux happened to catch the Reds game on tv. He had no idea who Volquez was but immediately stated that he loved the way Volquez pitches and that he has a bright future. That, coming from Greg Maddux, possibly the smartest pitcher of our generation, means a lot to me. It is the combination of speed, movement, and a GREAT changeup that makes him so dangerous. It looks good for the Reds future rotation to have Volquez, Harang, Bailey, and Cueto toeing the rubber.
I'm still not excited about the rest of the season so far. We still have Griffey stressing and Dunner guessing, and as a team we freeze up with RISP. And Patterson, is still a Red. He needs to be gone, and quickly. No reason why that guy should be playing anywhere in the majors.
I'll be heading up to Cincinnati at the end of May, beginning of June, and I'm hoping to catch at least one of the Reds-Braves games. I'm also gonna see the Reds Hall of Fame for the first time. The wife and I are gonna take in the aquarium, the Zoo, and some other stuff, but if anyone has any cool ideas, just post 'em. I've only been back to Cincy once since I moved away in 1994, so I'm not sure exactly what I may be missing out on.
And one more thing. I just wanted to say hi to my mom and sister out in Waco, we love you guys and miss you. And hi to my dad and Rhonda out in Midland, I miss you guys too.
Maltzy
I heard last week that one night when Volquez was pitching, Greg Maddux happened to catch the Reds game on tv. He had no idea who Volquez was but immediately stated that he loved the way Volquez pitches and that he has a bright future. That, coming from Greg Maddux, possibly the smartest pitcher of our generation, means a lot to me. It is the combination of speed, movement, and a GREAT changeup that makes him so dangerous. It looks good for the Reds future rotation to have Volquez, Harang, Bailey, and Cueto toeing the rubber.
I'm still not excited about the rest of the season so far. We still have Griffey stressing and Dunner guessing, and as a team we freeze up with RISP. And Patterson, is still a Red. He needs to be gone, and quickly. No reason why that guy should be playing anywhere in the majors.
I'll be heading up to Cincinnati at the end of May, beginning of June, and I'm hoping to catch at least one of the Reds-Braves games. I'm also gonna see the Reds Hall of Fame for the first time. The wife and I are gonna take in the aquarium, the Zoo, and some other stuff, but if anyone has any cool ideas, just post 'em. I've only been back to Cincy once since I moved away in 1994, so I'm not sure exactly what I may be missing out on.
And one more thing. I just wanted to say hi to my mom and sister out in Waco, we love you guys and miss you. And hi to my dad and Rhonda out in Midland, I miss you guys too.
Maltzy
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Brooks, Griffey..........
Ahmad Brooks has always been a very talented football player. What concerns me is what lies directly in between his ears. I don't care if he is the most gifted athlete to ever walk the face of the earth. He has been accused of punching a woman in the face. If he did this, my hope is that he would be off the team so fast it would make his head spin. Any man who has ever hit a woman is a coward. There has NEVER been a reason for a man to lay his hands on a woman for ANY reason. I hope this never happened, but rest assured, Bengals will know soon enough.
The Keith Rivers drafting makes me feel a whole lot better about the team.
Ken Griffey Jr. When I was 12 years old, I still lived in Cincinnati. My father had season tickets to the Reds at the time, and I was lucky enough to attend Game 1 of the 1990 World Series. To this day, it is still the most amazing thing I have ever been a part of with sports. I have always been a Reds fan, and always a Ken Griffey Jr fan. The only reason I could see a person not being a fan of Jr, was if they were a fierce rival. He was the best player in baseball in the 90's. One of the greatest centerfielders to ever step foot on the field. And he was one of the few superstars to never be linked to steroids.
Fast forward to Feb 10, 2000.
One of my all time favorite players traded to my team, in the prime of his career. He has a solid year in 2000, with 40 homers and 100+ rbis. Injury after injury for the next 6 years. He is now a shell of his former self athletically. But he still has the same swing. And, if you watched the game yesterday, he still has the talent to take away an extra base hit from someone else every now and then.
And now, he wants to be on a contender. He wants what his dad has. He wants what he grew up seeing in Cincy as a young kid. He wants to win a championship. He would love for it to be in the Queen City. He also knows that this is likely his last year as a Red. If the Reds don't turn around this season in the next couple of weeks, he deserves a chance to win a championship. It certainly doesn't appear to be happening in Cincy. We've got a passionate owner, who wants the Reds to win just as bad as we do. So he hires the best guys he knows of, in Dusty Baker and Walt Jocketty.
I hope the Reds get the ball rolling soon. If we don't improve this month, Griffey and Dunn may be gone. And while I like Jocketty, Krivsky was an amazing young talent evaluator. Reds fans will always thank him for getting us players like Brandon Phillips and Edison Volquez. I'd probably be a little more comfortable with upcoming trades if Krivsky were still here.
Hopefully we can land a young stud catcher and a young shortstop that could start in Cincy within a couple of years between trades and the draft. We need to get better up the middle. And we need to figure out what is wrong with Arroyo.
If you want to read a really good blog, click my link to C.Trent Rosecrans blog. He's a very funny, talented writer.
Maltzy
The Keith Rivers drafting makes me feel a whole lot better about the team.
Ken Griffey Jr. When I was 12 years old, I still lived in Cincinnati. My father had season tickets to the Reds at the time, and I was lucky enough to attend Game 1 of the 1990 World Series. To this day, it is still the most amazing thing I have ever been a part of with sports. I have always been a Reds fan, and always a Ken Griffey Jr fan. The only reason I could see a person not being a fan of Jr, was if they were a fierce rival. He was the best player in baseball in the 90's. One of the greatest centerfielders to ever step foot on the field. And he was one of the few superstars to never be linked to steroids.
Fast forward to Feb 10, 2000.
One of my all time favorite players traded to my team, in the prime of his career. He has a solid year in 2000, with 40 homers and 100+ rbis. Injury after injury for the next 6 years. He is now a shell of his former self athletically. But he still has the same swing. And, if you watched the game yesterday, he still has the talent to take away an extra base hit from someone else every now and then.
And now, he wants to be on a contender. He wants what his dad has. He wants what he grew up seeing in Cincy as a young kid. He wants to win a championship. He would love for it to be in the Queen City. He also knows that this is likely his last year as a Red. If the Reds don't turn around this season in the next couple of weeks, he deserves a chance to win a championship. It certainly doesn't appear to be happening in Cincy. We've got a passionate owner, who wants the Reds to win just as bad as we do. So he hires the best guys he knows of, in Dusty Baker and Walt Jocketty.
I hope the Reds get the ball rolling soon. If we don't improve this month, Griffey and Dunn may be gone. And while I like Jocketty, Krivsky was an amazing young talent evaluator. Reds fans will always thank him for getting us players like Brandon Phillips and Edison Volquez. I'd probably be a little more comfortable with upcoming trades if Krivsky were still here.
Hopefully we can land a young stud catcher and a young shortstop that could start in Cincy within a couple of years between trades and the draft. We need to get better up the middle. And we need to figure out what is wrong with Arroyo.
If you want to read a really good blog, click my link to C.Trent Rosecrans blog. He's a very funny, talented writer.
Maltzy
Friday, May 2, 2008
Rounding out the Draft
Marvin knows he took a chance with Shirley in the 5th. He went the opposite direction in the 6th.
I know fans in Ohio remember a great day last fall when Michigan fell to a Division 2 team, AT HOME, with a top 5 ranking. It was a fun game to watch happen. If you got to watch the game, you noticed there were a couple of play makers who made that upset possible. One of them was safety Corey Lynch, a local legend at Appalachian State, who not only got a huge shot on the Michigan qb, but blocked a kick to win the game and almost returning it for a TD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtV5oaKznI
This guy picked off 24 passes in college and blocked 6 kicks in his career. At worst, this guy will be our special teams MVP, although I see him contributing on the defense a lot like Kevin Kaesviharn did for a few years here. Maybe he can locker next to Shirley, Thurman, and Joseph, and bring his wife's grandfather, the Billy Graham, to speak with those guys. He will be a great influence for the team, both in the locker room and on the field. I love this pick.
Matt Sherry was a tight end out of Villanova. He's got excellent size at 6'4", 255 lbs, and the distinction of being the first TE drafted by Marvin Lewis. While there is no guarantee he makes the team, he's got talent and I believe he makes the team with Utecht and Kelly. He runs 4.6 in the 40 yard dash and good hands to go along.
Angelo Craig, from here in Cincinnati, has got a pretty good chance to make the team. Behind starters Geathers and Odom, there isn't a lot of DE depth. Frostee Rucker has yet to show why he got drafted, and may not make the team. Craig was a decent DE at UC, but he needs to put on 30 to 40 pounds likely to really make an impact. Of course, the history of DE's out of UC, has shown that he could contribute this year with a couple of sacks. Don't count this guy out.
Mario Urrutia, a 6'5" wr out of Louisville didn't have a good year last year, but showed a lot in previous years to be a presence in the Red zone. With Chris Henry gone, and a bunch of guys already on the team with a lot to prove, there could be a huge turnover at wr. With 10 draft picks, there is a chance that they all make the team.
We got what we needed and got some steals. Simpson has a chance to be a star for us and Rivers looks to be the defensive leader we have lacked for years. If those two do that, we've had a great draft and everything else is gravy.
Maltzy
I know fans in Ohio remember a great day last fall when Michigan fell to a Division 2 team, AT HOME, with a top 5 ranking. It was a fun game to watch happen. If you got to watch the game, you noticed there were a couple of play makers who made that upset possible. One of them was safety Corey Lynch, a local legend at Appalachian State, who not only got a huge shot on the Michigan qb, but blocked a kick to win the game and almost returning it for a TD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtV5oaKznI
This guy picked off 24 passes in college and blocked 6 kicks in his career. At worst, this guy will be our special teams MVP, although I see him contributing on the defense a lot like Kevin Kaesviharn did for a few years here. Maybe he can locker next to Shirley, Thurman, and Joseph, and bring his wife's grandfather, the Billy Graham, to speak with those guys. He will be a great influence for the team, both in the locker room and on the field. I love this pick.
Matt Sherry was a tight end out of Villanova. He's got excellent size at 6'4", 255 lbs, and the distinction of being the first TE drafted by Marvin Lewis. While there is no guarantee he makes the team, he's got talent and I believe he makes the team with Utecht and Kelly. He runs 4.6 in the 40 yard dash and good hands to go along.
Angelo Craig, from here in Cincinnati, has got a pretty good chance to make the team. Behind starters Geathers and Odom, there isn't a lot of DE depth. Frostee Rucker has yet to show why he got drafted, and may not make the team. Craig was a decent DE at UC, but he needs to put on 30 to 40 pounds likely to really make an impact. Of course, the history of DE's out of UC, has shown that he could contribute this year with a couple of sacks. Don't count this guy out.
Mario Urrutia, a 6'5" wr out of Louisville didn't have a good year last year, but showed a lot in previous years to be a presence in the Red zone. With Chris Henry gone, and a bunch of guys already on the team with a lot to prove, there could be a huge turnover at wr. With 10 draft picks, there is a chance that they all make the team.
We got what we needed and got some steals. Simpson has a chance to be a star for us and Rivers looks to be the defensive leader we have lacked for years. If those two do that, we've had a great draft and everything else is gravy.
Maltzy
Bengals Draft Part3
In the 4th round, the Bengals got what is likely the long term replacement for Willie Anderson. Anthony Collins, a Tackle out of the University of Kansas, was projected by many to go at the end of the 1st round, 2nd round at the latest. He has excellent size at 6'6", 310 lbs, but he was always seen as a guy who would be much better suited to be a right tackle than a left tackle. This year, there was a lot of depth at the Tackle position, so it was wise to take advantage of a surplus. I think this pick will be turn out to be a great steal a couple of years down the road. Let him sit a year or two as a backup, and we'll be set when "Highway 71-Big Willie" calls it quits.
The Fifth round was a different story altogether. With all Bengals fans have gone through, the city of Cincinnati has gone through, we just HAD to take a guy with a DUI and crash into an apartment building on his resume.......and he is STILL awaiting trial? Why??? My only guess is that Marvin looked at Pat Sims and thought that he would need at least a year to become a guy who can affect a game, just to get into shape enough to contribute. Marvin has to believe that Jason Shirley, a Defensive Tackle out of Iowa State, can keep his nose clean long enough to at least help this year. Shirley is huge, 6'5" 340 lbs. That is perfect nose tackle material. 3 years ago, nobody bats an eye at a pick like this. Now, everybody in the league is gonna have their eye on this guy, because he looks like the next Bengal troublemaker. We can only hold our breath with him. He's got the talent to be a stud, but only if he stays out of trouble. I personally hope that this guy has exactly ONE shot. Any trouble, he's gone. We can't afford anything less. We actually can't afford anybody doing anything.
Finish out the draft next time.
Maltzy
The Fifth round was a different story altogether. With all Bengals fans have gone through, the city of Cincinnati has gone through, we just HAD to take a guy with a DUI and crash into an apartment building on his resume.......and he is STILL awaiting trial? Why??? My only guess is that Marvin looked at Pat Sims and thought that he would need at least a year to become a guy who can affect a game, just to get into shape enough to contribute. Marvin has to believe that Jason Shirley, a Defensive Tackle out of Iowa State, can keep his nose clean long enough to at least help this year. Shirley is huge, 6'5" 340 lbs. That is perfect nose tackle material. 3 years ago, nobody bats an eye at a pick like this. Now, everybody in the league is gonna have their eye on this guy, because he looks like the next Bengal troublemaker. We can only hold our breath with him. He's got the talent to be a stud, but only if he stays out of trouble. I personally hope that this guy has exactly ONE shot. Any trouble, he's gone. We can't afford anything less. We actually can't afford anybody doing anything.
Finish out the draft next time.
Maltzy
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Draft Day 2- Third Round
As Bengals fans went to sleep Saturday night, there were plenty of moans and groans. Watching the Saints move up and take who was rightfully ours (at least according to every mock draft this side of the Mississippi) DT Sedrick Ellis. It made a lot of Bengals fans feel like we missed on yet another chance to make the Bengals a great team.
I was still a little perturbed on Sunday morning. A running back was expected in the draft, and now there weren't many decent ones left. Looking at the best available at the beginning of the 3rd round, I thought Kevin Smith had to be the best player left. This was confirmed when Detroit traded up and grabbed him almost before any other team noticed that the draft had restarted bright and early at 10AM eastern. By this time, no Bengals fan knew what to expect to flash up when we finally reached pick #77.
Ahhhh. A sigh of relief. A defensive tackle, and a highly rated one at that. Pat Sims from Auburn, was the highest drafted DT by Cincinnati since "Big Daddy" Wilkinson himself. He was a projected 2nd rounder, so it was good value when he fell into our laps. The first thing to notice about him is his size. He is listed at 6'3" and 310 pounds, an excellent size and more like the type of player Marvin likes to play in the middle. The measureables are there, but he seems to look too much like Sam Adams, even though he's in his early 20's. He's got what coaches call a "pear shaped" body. From the looks of it, he hasn't had much of a strength program to get him in better shape. This makes it even more amazing just how well he played last year. He was credited with 4.5 sacks, 15 Qb hurries, and 13 tackles for loss. If he played that well in the SEC out of shape, what can he do when an NFL strength coach gets a hold of him? He may be nothing more than a rotational player this upcoming year, but look out in 2009. I predict that is when he hits his stride, and starts to make himself a true defensive playmaker.
The second selection in the third round was a WR out of Florida, Andre Caldwell, brother of NFL WR Reche Caldwell. He stands a little over six feet and about 205 pounds. At Florida's pro-day, he apparently ran a 4.35 40 yard dash. He was most often compared to Hines Ward, though I doubt he has the smugness Hines wears all over his face. The comparison was probably due to the fact that Caldwell is such a great blocker for a WR. That is where the comparisons end. Hines runs much closer to a 4.6, so Andre brings a distinct advantage to the table. He and Simpson appear to have the talent and maturity to step in and contribute this fall, Caldwell at the least on special teams returning kicks.
As the third round closes, maybe the fans don't feel so bad after all. Instead of trading the 77th pick to get Ellis, we end up with a great linebacker (Rivers) and a very solid DT in Sims. As one Cincinnati sportswriter put it "I'd rather have an A- and a B+ than just an A+."
We've strongly bolstered our WR core, added a defensive leader at LB, and a young, promising DT to stop the run.
**Interesting note. I read somewhere that the average ypc against teams who draft a DT in the first round, showed that their run defense got worse, by 0.4 yards per carry!! One stud DT can't solve everything against the run, so isn't it better to get 2 guys who can run defend?
Next....Rounds 4 and 5.
Maltzy
I was still a little perturbed on Sunday morning. A running back was expected in the draft, and now there weren't many decent ones left. Looking at the best available at the beginning of the 3rd round, I thought Kevin Smith had to be the best player left. This was confirmed when Detroit traded up and grabbed him almost before any other team noticed that the draft had restarted bright and early at 10AM eastern. By this time, no Bengals fan knew what to expect to flash up when we finally reached pick #77.
Ahhhh. A sigh of relief. A defensive tackle, and a highly rated one at that. Pat Sims from Auburn, was the highest drafted DT by Cincinnati since "Big Daddy" Wilkinson himself. He was a projected 2nd rounder, so it was good value when he fell into our laps. The first thing to notice about him is his size. He is listed at 6'3" and 310 pounds, an excellent size and more like the type of player Marvin likes to play in the middle. The measureables are there, but he seems to look too much like Sam Adams, even though he's in his early 20's. He's got what coaches call a "pear shaped" body. From the looks of it, he hasn't had much of a strength program to get him in better shape. This makes it even more amazing just how well he played last year. He was credited with 4.5 sacks, 15 Qb hurries, and 13 tackles for loss. If he played that well in the SEC out of shape, what can he do when an NFL strength coach gets a hold of him? He may be nothing more than a rotational player this upcoming year, but look out in 2009. I predict that is when he hits his stride, and starts to make himself a true defensive playmaker.
The second selection in the third round was a WR out of Florida, Andre Caldwell, brother of NFL WR Reche Caldwell. He stands a little over six feet and about 205 pounds. At Florida's pro-day, he apparently ran a 4.35 40 yard dash. He was most often compared to Hines Ward, though I doubt he has the smugness Hines wears all over his face. The comparison was probably due to the fact that Caldwell is such a great blocker for a WR. That is where the comparisons end. Hines runs much closer to a 4.6, so Andre brings a distinct advantage to the table. He and Simpson appear to have the talent and maturity to step in and contribute this fall, Caldwell at the least on special teams returning kicks.
As the third round closes, maybe the fans don't feel so bad after all. Instead of trading the 77th pick to get Ellis, we end up with a great linebacker (Rivers) and a very solid DT in Sims. As one Cincinnati sportswriter put it "I'd rather have an A- and a B+ than just an A+."
We've strongly bolstered our WR core, added a defensive leader at LB, and a young, promising DT to stop the run.
**Interesting note. I read somewhere that the average ypc against teams who draft a DT in the first round, showed that their run defense got worse, by 0.4 yards per carry!! One stud DT can't solve everything against the run, so isn't it better to get 2 guys who can run defend?
Next....Rounds 4 and 5.
Maltzy
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Day 1 Draft Analysis
WARNING! FIRST POST EVER!
At the end of a long weekend of draft watching, now is the time to release my thoughts. I named my blog after a former Cincinnati Red, Sean Casey. He will always be one of my favorite ball players to ever don a Reds uniform.
Today I'd like to break down the Bengals draft and how it looks going forward. Bengals fans expected to see a Best Player Available strategy, and were rewarded with exactly that.
In the first round the Bengals selected Keith Rivers, a Linebacker from USC. It was an expected pick as Sedrick Ellis, the player most linked to the bengals in mock drafts, was picked 2 spots earlier by the New Orleans Saints. I was one of the many Bengals fans that wondered why they didn't attempt to trade up instead of the Saints. Anybody who has seen the Bengals play the last several years has noticed a particular weak spot on the defensive line, at Defensive Tackle. Ellis would have been a huge upgrade, but it was not the best situation for the Bengals to be in to use a 3rd round pick to trade up. Rivers was the best defensive player available, so the pick was definitely a solid one. Rivers himself was excited to be on his way to Cincy, apparent in his videos posted on his own blog
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/Im_a_Cincinnati_Bengal/259606
Being a longtime fan, it's nice to see a player excited to be a Bengal. His leadership and talent should provide a powerful presence on the Bengals defense for years to come. Picking him allowed fans to make a comparison against trading up to get Ellis and staying put. I'll discuss that on my Day 2 look at the draft.
The second round provided dramatics, for most Bengals fans. If you've followed the team in years past, you probably noticed that Marvin Lewis, the Bengals head coach and GM de facto, always seems to draft a player that you least expect, when you least expect it. Marvin selected Jerome Simpson, a Wide Receiver out of Division 2 Coastal Carolina. He's an underrated receiver with great athleticism who, after some research, seems worthy of a second round pick. I was definitely part of the group of fans that said "Who???", when the pick was announced. At the time, there were numerous receivers available that were consistently rated above Simpson. These included Limas Sweed, Desean Jackson, and Malcolm Kelly. But these ratings were all done by those outside of NFL war rooms and without the personal insight gained by NFL coaches and GMs. Jerome Simpson, apparently, was looked at as a playmaker who consistently amazed those who watched him, on film or in person. He made quite an impression on coaches at the Senior bowl and showed excellent character at the NFL combine.
He's probably most known as the guy who made an amazing one-handed catch that made top plays on ESPN's Sportscenter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B85po3KBdY
He has extremely large hands and great leaping ability. His hands were measured at the combine as the biggest for a reciever and he also had one the highest vertical jumps at over 40". The only stat you need to know about him is his production in four years of college.
44 career touchdowns and an average yards per catch at around 16 1/2.
With these two players selected so early, Marvin Lewis expects both of them to contribute from Day 1. Not many doubt that Rivers can, but an interesting thing to watch during the spring will be Simpson's development as he brings himself up to NFL speed.
Check in tomorrow for Day 2 of the draft.
Maltzy
At the end of a long weekend of draft watching, now is the time to release my thoughts. I named my blog after a former Cincinnati Red, Sean Casey. He will always be one of my favorite ball players to ever don a Reds uniform.
Today I'd like to break down the Bengals draft and how it looks going forward. Bengals fans expected to see a Best Player Available strategy, and were rewarded with exactly that.
In the first round the Bengals selected Keith Rivers, a Linebacker from USC. It was an expected pick as Sedrick Ellis, the player most linked to the bengals in mock drafts, was picked 2 spots earlier by the New Orleans Saints. I was one of the many Bengals fans that wondered why they didn't attempt to trade up instead of the Saints. Anybody who has seen the Bengals play the last several years has noticed a particular weak spot on the defensive line, at Defensive Tackle. Ellis would have been a huge upgrade, but it was not the best situation for the Bengals to be in to use a 3rd round pick to trade up. Rivers was the best defensive player available, so the pick was definitely a solid one. Rivers himself was excited to be on his way to Cincy, apparent in his videos posted on his own blog
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/Im_a_Cincinnati_Bengal/259606
Being a longtime fan, it's nice to see a player excited to be a Bengal. His leadership and talent should provide a powerful presence on the Bengals defense for years to come. Picking him allowed fans to make a comparison against trading up to get Ellis and staying put. I'll discuss that on my Day 2 look at the draft.
The second round provided dramatics, for most Bengals fans. If you've followed the team in years past, you probably noticed that Marvin Lewis, the Bengals head coach and GM de facto, always seems to draft a player that you least expect, when you least expect it. Marvin selected Jerome Simpson, a Wide Receiver out of Division 2 Coastal Carolina. He's an underrated receiver with great athleticism who, after some research, seems worthy of a second round pick. I was definitely part of the group of fans that said "Who???", when the pick was announced. At the time, there were numerous receivers available that were consistently rated above Simpson. These included Limas Sweed, Desean Jackson, and Malcolm Kelly. But these ratings were all done by those outside of NFL war rooms and without the personal insight gained by NFL coaches and GMs. Jerome Simpson, apparently, was looked at as a playmaker who consistently amazed those who watched him, on film or in person. He made quite an impression on coaches at the Senior bowl and showed excellent character at the NFL combine.
He's probably most known as the guy who made an amazing one-handed catch that made top plays on ESPN's Sportscenter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B85po3KBdY
He has extremely large hands and great leaping ability. His hands were measured at the combine as the biggest for a reciever and he also had one the highest vertical jumps at over 40". The only stat you need to know about him is his production in four years of college.
44 career touchdowns and an average yards per catch at around 16 1/2.
With these two players selected so early, Marvin Lewis expects both of them to contribute from Day 1. Not many doubt that Rivers can, but an interesting thing to watch during the spring will be Simpson's development as he brings himself up to NFL speed.
Check in tomorrow for Day 2 of the draft.
Maltzy
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