Sunday, March 19, 2006

Happy Birthday, Jason LaRue (and other observations and stuff)

Oh yeah, I'm starting to get pumped about the Reds chances that they won't end up in last place. They might even compete this year! I'm not going to be overly optimistic like I was last year when I thought they would be in the playoff hunt in September. I think my exact words to a friend were, "The Reds are going to the World Series this year." Oops.

Aaron Harang seems to be in midseason form, and I'm definitely thinking he'll end up with at least 15 wins this year. He hasn't given up a run all spring. Woohoo! It's nice to be excited about a Reds pitcher. Maybe this year will be his breakout year and people from other parts of the country will start to recognize his name. Aaron Harang. Get it, baseball fans?

The Reds have had a good spring. Tony Womack has been a pleasant surprise - can he keep it up over the course of the season? The bullpen seems to be holding its own, too. Frankly, I'm just shocked, just shocked, I tell you.

I can't wait for Opening Day. I will, of course, be taking off work, as I never let work get in the way of baseball. I will have the computer with the Reds game on top of the television with the Nats game. The low number of Nats games being broadcast this year will make it tough to see both teams on MLB.TV. I'm going to miss hearing that cheesy music with the cheesier graphics every weekend this year. I don't want to have to choose betweeen the Nats and the Reds, but I have no choice, Peter Angelos, I have no choice.

The Reds have a great offense and have for the past few years, so even with the slow starts of Kearns and Dunn, things are coming around, and the offense will be able to power the team to some victories. Anytime you have a healthy guy named Griffey on your team, you have a chance. And come on, isn't this what being a non-Yankees fan is about, hope and optimism, no matter how unrealistic?

Go Reds!

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