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Nothing epitomizes where the Reds find themselves right now better than the 2001 plight of reliever Justin Atchley. The young southpaw got the great news on March 28 that he'd made the team. Two days later, manager Bob Boone changed his mind and sent him to the minors. He was then called up in early April, only to be sent down again a few days later due to a technicality. The poor kid was called up again in June, and was sent down in July. Of course, that move was then voided nine days later because of a shoulder injury. Confused? He probably was, we definitely are, and the Reds appear to be, very.
Best Pitcher: Good grief. This wasn't even a good staff for a Triple-A team, let alone a major league squad. Injuries decimated the rotation to the point that the team had five rookies in the rotation during the season, including three who jumped from Double-A. The team's best pitcher, predictably, was not a starter. Scott Sullivan was one of the few sure things on a staff where nothing was ever certain. For the third consecutive year, Sullivan pitched in 79 games, this time going 7-1 with 20 holds and a 3.41 ERA.
Best Position Player: Of course Ken Griffey Jr. is the team's most talented player. That's what they pay him for. Beset with a hamstring injury from the start, however, Junior wasn't able to produce at his usual level even upon his return, and the surprising answer to this question is the versatile Dmitri Young. Young saw time in left field, right field, first base, and even third base due to injuries, and was serviceable at each position. He also hit .302 with 21 homers, and tied for the team lead in trade rumors for the second straight year. Young and Pokey Reese were on the block all year long, and both remain on the block. Clearly the team would like some pitching, but is this versatile slugger the guy you want to give away?
Grading The Manager: Last winter, Ron Oester thought he had been offered the job of manager, but the next day, GM Jim Bowden hired Bob Boone. Oester was bitter then, and remains bitter, even after being fired at the end of the year as the team's 3B coach. He still fared better than Boone, who managed the team into the cellar. Granted, managing this team this year would be like managing a sanitarium, but Bob Boone did little to calm the storms. Nobody would thrive while having to shift lineups nearly 140 times during the season because of all the ailments, but Boone's questionable moves all year long didn't help. The Atchley debacles off the field were just one example; on the field, Boone tended to overmanage and overused his bullpen time and time again. In six seasons as a professional manager, Boone has yet to manager a team with a winning record. We'll give him a D.
Most Improved: Trading for Todd Walker turned out to be a pretty smart move. Some figured that Walker's numbers were inflated in Colorado, but Walker managed to hit .295 with five homers in 261 at-bats. He should be a solid contributor at second for years to come. Aaron Boone continues to improve into one of the finer third basemen in the league. Now If he'd just stop getting hit in the hand by pitches...
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Reds 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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85-77
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66-96
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HR leader
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Griffey Jr. (40)
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Griffey Jr. (22)
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BA leader
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Casey (.315)
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Casey (.310)
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ERA
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Parris, 4.81
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Dessens, 4.48
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Biggest Weakness: Management gets some big votes here. Clearly the team has pitching issues like you wouldn't believe, but Bowden has many people calling for his head and Boone is not far behind. Trader Jim has made some smart trades, but he's also created a team with really strange chemistry. When your boys go a league-worst 27-54 at home, rest assured the problems are greater than poor pitching.
Gaining Momentum: The team's new mascot should be a chicken with its head cut off and a torn ACL. With that in mind, we'll take Dr. Timothy Kremchek, also our runner-up MVP. Not a day seemed to go by without the team doctor being quoted in a local paper about a new malady. If he'd charged by the injury, he'd be one of the wealthiest people in Ohio. Seriously, Adam Dunn was superb in his rookie season. Dunn's 12 homers in August set an NL rookie record for homers in any month. He'll only continue to improve. Together with Junior and perhaps a healthy Ruben Mateo, this outfield could be one of the best in baseball for years to come.
Kicked Off The Island: His teammates love him, but Reese is almost certainly gone. If a healthy Barry Larkin is given another try at short, with Walker at second Reese has no place to play. We'd love to see Pete Harnisch (6.37 ERA in seven starts) battle back yet again from adversity, but he is now two years removed from success on the mound. Osvaldo Fernandez (5-6, 6.92 ERA) was needed this year with all of the injuries, and he pitched himself out of the rotation and into the minors. Don't expect him on the mound in Cincy any time soon.
Bill Konigsberg is an assistant editor at ESPN.com.
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