[cooper_gd]

They will make the playoffs:

#1 Starting Pitching - a gathering place for transient players who are suddenly putting together a nice run.
#2 Griffey, Kearns, Dunn healthy - For the first time - ever. Griffey appears to be regaining some form and confidence. Kearns and Dunn will be there if healthy.
#3 Danny Graves/bullpen - a save is not much, but it means that the Reds are winning. The guy is not "nails", but he is getting the job done.

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They will not make the playoffs:

#1 Starting pitching - a gathering place for transient players who will snap back to earth and start posting 6+ ERAs.
#2 Griffey, Kearns, Dunn - hurt. Has never NOT happened - why be optimistic?
#3 Danny Graves/bullpen - offense is the key now... what will happen to HR per outing Danny and a luke warm bullpen if the O dries up?

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Barry Larkin - according to Bill James (unofficial OOTP diety)

While many marvel at what Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson are doing in their 40s, baseball historian Bill James is more impressed with Barry Larkin, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. "As long as I've been a baseball fan, there have been 40-year-old pitchers who were very effective," James told the newspaper. "Warren Spahn was 23-7 when he was 42. (Steve) Carlton was great when he was 40. There have been others who were very good in their 40s. But I don't know if I've ever seen a 40-year-old shortstop playing like he is." James has called Larkin "one of the 10 most complete players of all time."