tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post115509885353636093..comments2023-07-09T11:23:36.355-04:00Comments on On Baseball & The Reds: Who's to blame for Majewski? Bowden, or Krivsky?jinazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155216175952803812006-08-10T09:22:00.000-04:002006-08-10T09:22:00.000-04:00On Bray as a starter...I'll toss out thoughts that...On Bray as a starter...I'll toss out thoughts that he could be converted. Still he was a young lefty with setup man/closer potential.<BR/><BR/>On Maj...wouldn't you say his "other" talent was eating innings (or an indication that he could do that). Potentially a Scott Sullivan type, slightly above average and reliable. <BR/><BR/>*his key charateristic being durability*<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying I liked the trade, just playing Kriv's advocate. At the time Kriv was trying to fix a tired bully that was being abused on the field and in public opinion. I'm thinking that Maj was the cornerstone of the effort to fix that - right or wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155139516995342242006-08-09T12:05:00.000-04:002006-08-09T12:05:00.000-04:00NYC,Two things. 1. This talk about converting Bra...NYC,<BR/><BR/>Two things. <BR/><BR/>1. This talk about converting Bray seems to be something that came up just as it became clear that Majewski's arm was toast. I almost wonder if it's rumor-mongering to make the trade look better.. I'd be very surprised to see it happen. Bray was a college closer and hasn't started (presumably) since high school. That, to me, makes him a risk for an injury, especially with his herky-jerky pitching motion.<BR/><BR/>2. While they certainly hyped Majewski in the trade, I'd like to think that Bray was really the key to the deal. Even in my initial analysis of the trade, it was obvious that Majewski wasn't anything more than middle reliever material--poor control & low k's, with his one talent being low HR's--whereas Bray looked to have a future as a potential closer. If this was obvious to me...a guy who's clearly out of touch and has no clue what he's really doing...I'd like to think it was at least somewhat apparent to the Reds.jinazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155131133720727522006-08-09T09:45:00.000-04:002006-08-09T09:45:00.000-04:00I'm sure he regrets the trade in hindsight, but at...I'm sure he regrets the trade in hindsight, but at the time Kriv thought he was adding: (i) a young up and coming reliver with potential to be converted to starter down the road - Bray; and (ii) A highly durable young reliver with a history of MLB success - Maj.<BR/><BR/>At the time of the trade the MAJORITY of the Red's consideration in the trade was Maj. We may be minimizing that because Bray has been good sence the trade and Maj has been trash, but the trade WAS made for Maj.<BR/><BR/>Would you be angry if you bought a used car and at the time you bought it you asked the person you were buying it from "has this car ever been in a wreck" and they said yes...a year ago and gave you all the repair receipts and gave you every indication that sence the wreck everything has been fine. Only you find out a week after you buy the car that things are going wrong with it...you take it in and the guy at the shop says "oh this piece of junk...I patching this thing together a month ago after a horrible wreck...I told the owner it would never be the same..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155130488482108762006-08-09T09:34:00.000-04:002006-08-09T09:34:00.000-04:00Majewksi is to blame? What was he supposed to do,...Majewksi is to blame? What was he supposed to do, tell the Reds the second he arrived his entire medical history? <BR/><BR/>(i) Not only would that violate his right to medical privacy, but it could SEVERLY affect his livelyhood (arbitration).<BR/><BR/>(ii) He had just been traded. Don't think he wasn't somewhat bitter at the Nats and excited to be a Red. What is his incentive to try to reverse a trade that would send him back to the team that didn't want him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155129366679688432006-08-09T09:16:00.000-04:002006-08-09T09:16:00.000-04:00But he's going to have to take responsibility, lea...<I>But he's going to have to take responsibility, learn, and make better decisions moving forward.</I><BR/><BR/>Right on, J.<BR/><BR/>Of course, Majewksi isn't blameless in this either, as others have pointed out in high dudgeon. The worst part, though, is that Bowden put him in this no-win situation. <BR/><BR/>Assuming some sanction from MLB, I still think Bowden survives in DC <B>if</B> he signs Soriano. That sucks, but it's not like Stan Kasten didn't know about Jim Bowden before he came on board.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155105842029995102006-08-09T02:44:00.000-04:002006-08-09T02:44:00.000-04:00Absolutely true on both counts. I also think part...Absolutely true on both counts. <BR/><BR/>I also think part of what's going on with Krivsky is that he's getting caught up in the residual hatred toward Jim Bowden that is still felt on all levels of the Reds' organization. The entire organization has been living in fear of being screwed by him since he took the Nationals job. And now that everyone realizes that he finally got them, everyone's pissed. <BR/><BR/>I'm chalking up The Trade as a rookie mistake by Krivsky. With O'Brien, it was the Reitsma for Nelson & Bong deal. Krivsky aims higher than O'Brien, so his mistakes end up larger. But I can give Krivsky this mistake, as long as he learns from it. There are two big lessons. One, be really careful about the medical history of players you acquire. Two, don't make a deal when you "have to" because you will always overpay. There are always other options to overpaying, even if that means sitting on your hands for something else to turn up.<BR/><BR/>I know being a general manager is a hard job, and know I'd be bad at it because (if for no other reason) of the personal elements involved in all transactions. Krivsky has the tools to be an excellent GM. I still have faith that he can be that guy. But he's going to have to take responsibility, learn, and make better decisions moving forward. -jjinazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155103321775877342006-08-09T02:02:00.000-04:002006-08-09T02:02:00.000-04:00Also, everybody and their brother knew that Majews...Also, everybody and their brother knew that Majewski had been overworked and was probably worn out from last year, the WBC, and his silly workload in the first half. Hell, I posted something about it 2 days after the trade, and Jim Bowden hadn't told me anything.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-1155103234287027672006-08-09T02:00:00.000-04:002006-08-09T02:00:00.000-04:00I'm right with you on thought #2. I think Krivsky...I'm right with you on thought #2. I think Krivsky has been up nights ever since the trade, and he finally (subconsciously, I'm sure) stumbles onto a way to shift the blame to someone else. It's no longer, "what did I do???" but instead "Bowden screwed me over."<BR/><BR/>This monologue is all internal - I suspect Krivsky's Tuesday comments are the strongest he'll make on the topic - and is also entirely natural. Whenever I screw up, while I don't go looking for excuses, it's also tough to ignore the possibility that it <I>actually might not be my fault,</I> especially if that possibility is as despicable as Leatherpants.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.com