The Swell Season

There are three things I do every day during my morning commute:

• Listen to Dan Patrick on Sirius/XM
• Give the finger to cab drivers
• Avoid Mike & Mike In the Morning at all costs

This morning I broke tradition to listen to the two Mikes spend a whopping 2 minutes, 25 seconds talking about our beloved Cincinnati Reds.

Here are the highlights:

Aroldis Chapman was the big story of the off-season. Tim Kurkjian says that Chapman has exceptional stuff, but he might not be ready to compete in the big leagues until 2011 (if that).

We all know that Chapman is an untamed talent with unrealized potential living in a foreign land. He’s essentially King Kong wearing a New Era baseball cap. If he’s ready this year — great — if not, I can wait.

Kurkjian went on to say that the Reds should’ve used the money ($30.5 million) spent on Chapman to get a corner outfielder that can hit and/or a leadoff hitter.

It’s hard to argue with that point, but this is where I defend (!!!) what the Reds have done…

Chapman is a risk. I get it. The Reds get it, the fans get it, and it doesn’t make you a smart sportswriter if you point that out. The Reds never (ever) takes risks, unless it’s on someone stupid like He Who Must Not Be Named or Willy Patterson, so I’m relieved to finally see the Reds take a chance on someone with real potential (not Dusty-Baker-imagined-potential).

No matter how much many they spent on him, I am not going to criticize the Reds for taking a chance on Chapman. Period.

I have no idea if it’s going to work out, but if it does, nobody will be complaining about the money that should’ve been spent on a leadoff hitter or corner outfielder (last time I checked, the Reds have 27 players competing for the left field position alone).

Edinson Volquez won’t be a factor until mid-season.

The guy had Tommy John surgery. Hardly breaking news.

We were reminded that the Reds have finished below .500 for nine (9) straight years. Kurkjian believes that 2010 will make ten (10) straight seasons.

Again, I have no idea what to expect from the 2010 Reds yet, but I have a feeling that an above-.500 season is not out of the question. That’s probably the only prediction I’ll make this season.

Apparently Drew Stubbs is going to be a Fantasy Sleeper — described as “major stolen base threat.”

World Series, here we come!