Lance getting on my nerves!

[joseph]

You know I like Lance McCallister and listen to his show rather often. He works hard and puts on a good show and I usaully find myself in agreement or at least respecting his views. As of late though I find he is really agitating me. He is freagin killing me with his smear campaign against Adam Dunn. I think he is so anti Dunn because of his "man love" for Sean Casey. I've never seen a talk radio host campaign so hard against a player to sway the vote against a player so that his man love interest Casey isn't traded away when in reality Casey is the player that needs to go. I'm so tired of people talking about how great Sean is and blah, blah, blah. Yeah he's a good guy, but hell there are a lot of good guys in this city. You would think people have seen a freagin alien when a baseball player who is a good guy comes along. Whatever! great! he's a good guy... I get it. He's an overated baseball player though. He's no more than a glorified Hal Morris. I'll be the first to admit that Morris was my guy back in the day and I copied my pre pitch motion to his (the bat like a swinging pendulum). Hal Morris was a better fielder, a better runner and a better hitter than Casey. And here's a question if Casey is such a good guy and the "mayor" how bout he takes a pay cut and play for a few million next year. There's an idea. He gets a salary that more reflects his overall ability as a baseball players. In 3 years Dunn will be a vastly greater player than Casey. Is he there yet? No, but he will get there. You can just watch the guy and see that eventually it will click and he'll become dominant. Casey will still be batting 320 driving in 80 runs scoring about 15 and making 12 million. A solid player, but he won't be as dominant as Dunn will be eventually. I'd bet on it. Plus what you A-holes voting on Lance's website don't really see, but (for a man of my far reaching perception) it is obvious that if the Reds trade either Kearns or Dunn the other ax will inevitably fall. They are good friends and are a combo deal to an extent. Trading one will only alienate the other from this orginazation to an almost irreperable extent. In summation, you know, I just want the Reds to be good and get back to the dynasty that they use to be. I thought the plan was to develope good young players thru the minors and build the team around them. The way the Indians do, the way the Twins do, the way the Angels do, but now stuck with some of the best and brightest young players in the league and you want to trade them???????W.T.F.????? If that's the plan than you trade Griffey, you trade Casey, you trade Weathers, you trade Mercker, you trade Randa, you trade Aurilla and you sign you use the saved money to sign your young core players. THAT IS HOW IT'S DONE!!!! At this point though the Reds orginazation is pulling the proverbial wool over you eyes. They are more concerned with keeping the fans happy and selling seats than putting a winning baseball team on the field now or anytime in the future. So keep Casey around, we can have a Casey bobblehead night next year and sell out......

[Kirkendall]

He is freagin killing me with his smear campaign against Adam Dunn

It's not just Lance though. Other major media, including Marty B. are tired of Dunn's antics. ...and I don't blame them either.

And if given the choice between Dunn and Casey, give me Casey. Dunn is a pure slugger. He drops fly balls (like last night), strikes out often, inaccurate thrower, poor base runner (yet has speed), batting under .200 with RISP, took over almost 2 full colander years in between sac flies.

I know Casey has his flaws. And I'm a little disappointed he hasn't taken charge in that locker room, and the money given to him is an awful lot -- but at the same time, he contributes a ton to charity. Casey on the Reds team isn't the problem -- we missed one game from the playoffs in '99. His supporting cast, well that's another story.

But the one thing about Casey I've noticed this year, and I really think it's hurt his play offensively, is consistently batting in the #3 hole. It's too related to a power spot in the lineup and I think he swings harder to get more gap hits when his natural swing was doing just that.

As for Kearns. I still believe the guy can succeed. It's apparent his problems are health and confidence problems. But he's doing better in Triple-A. Who's to say that trading Dunn for youth pitching prospects giving Kearns a daily spot (which I think is the plan anyway) won't be the medicine he's needing?

At this point though the Reds organization is pulling the proverbial wool over you eyes.

True that.