Reds fans, enjoy Dusty wearing out your bullpen, signed Cub fans.

My gut feeling is that they just don’t trust the monetary risk reaping high reward, they know not signing him leaves them spending flexibility as the season goes on if addtional needs become more clear.

They also know they’ve got Shelby Miller waiting in Memphis if something goes wrong rotation wise. It would be great to wait til September to give him a look but let’s face it, if the kid starts out 6-1 with a sub 3 ERA, a barely over 1 WHIP and a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio he’s gonna get called
up if something goes awry.

The Cardinal roster that finished last year was a LOT better than the one that started the year….and to that they have added Beltran and Wainright while losing Pujols. If they can replace Westbrook with Oswalt; this team could win 95 games.

The bullpen was getting it done with smoke and mirrors, and now it is teeming with talented young arms. Motte, Salas, Sanchez, Lynn, Boggs, and Scrabble all took a giant steps forward. With this much depth it is hard to imagine anything but a stellar performances.

The primary difference between the Reds and Cards reside with the question marks. St. Louis’ youngsters have a couple of years of success to support the optimism, while Cincinnati, has to hope for improvement or a return to form.

If the Cards have a weakness it would reside in the starting pitching. A positive 2012 for Westmark is certainly not a given. This is why the addition of Oswalt, is vital. While some consider his acquisition a luxury, I contend it plugs the one obvious hole.

No one knows how the season will shake out, but if you honestly assess your roster, and see only one obvious weakness, why roll the dice? Particularly, when the other 4 starters all have arm trouble in their collective histories.

I like what Cincy has done with their bullpen but that’s about it.

Latos could prove to be a valuable pick up or could go 10-15 and give up 40 bombs in GABP. Either way, he’s going to have to stay healthy and throw 200 innings+ and I don’t see that happening.

Health concerns at 3rd with Rolen, Cozart is an aging inexperienced prospect coming off an injury and their outfield rotation may very well strike out 600 times.

Votto will be Votto, Phillips maybe the best 2nd baseman in the game and the kid catcher Mesocaro maybe ROY.

Plenty to win the division but they’re not winning it by 10 games, especially with Dusty Baker running the show.

This probably shoulda gone in a Reds Roster thread but I took the bait, apologies.

That’s not entirely fair, is it? The Cards won the Wild Card, for starters, meaning they didn’t simply triumph with a poor record in a weak division. They admittedly struggled against NL West teams (16-17), but within their own division (44-35) and against the vaunted NL East (22-13) they were solid.

It’s a good roster but questions exist up and down with health concerns.

Holliday, Furcal, Berkman and Beltran have got to stay healthy while Freese has to do the same and hit like he did in October. Sobering news coming from Cards beat reporter Joe Strauss today concerning Allen Craig and the fact he has not swung a bat or sprinted since WS Game 7 – and he won’t for rest of February.

Wainwright has to come back and be Wainwright immediately, there’s not much room for error with the starting rotation and the bullpen has to pitch like it did in the late season and through the playoff run.

I really have no idea how this group will do, could finish .500 or win the division going away.