> I kind of agree. The thing that seems
> to be keeping this team going is
> that my pitching core hasnt impolded,
You had no core at the start of the season, and I seem to recall it did implode. You were well under .500 the first month, had a .500 May, and then something like a 16-10 in June pulled you up to where you are now.
> and i'm not talking abotu Stell (although
> he is a handy addition).
Your rotation probably would have blown up in June without him. I haven't a clue who you would have rolled out in his spot, but it's a frighting concept in general. Your team is 7-3 when Stell starts. Two of those losses being his first two starts. Flip is 7-3 to a 3-7, and you're team is under .500. I wouldn't even make the comment that you could compete this year if you didn't have someone of Stell's level in the rotation.
> McGlathery and Bajofer are doing
> better than I figured on,
8-3 with a Bajofer 2.88 ERA and about 9.52 Runners/Game is awfully nice in the two months you've had him. He gives up a fair number of dingers, and walks a few, but there is potential to improve both of those as he's 7/6/5 over 7/7/6 talent.
McGlathery has been more up and down, especially in June. Whether he settles or not is a question. He has vastly better ratings that what you were rolling out to start the season.
You did give up a trio of younger players for those two. All three of those have question marks, but some talent bumps could turn one more of them into contributors. But you picked up a pair of 31 year old pitchers, one who's paying instant dividends and the other who has room for improvement and shown some flashes. Since your rotation just flat out blew to start the year (as much for talent level than just playing poorly), it was a good deal for the Reds so far.
> and the Fluke (Lepre), well i'm
> at a loss to explain that.
Lepre has 4/3/3 Overall... it beats the crap out of me how he's doing this:
TOP 10 NL ERA
1 S. Allen (BSN) 2.51
2 W. Carte (PHI) 2.66
3 H. Lepre (CIN) 2.76
4 B. Bussmann (PHI) 2.99
5 J. Lutske (BSN) 3.00
6 C. Stell (CIN) 3.15
7 A. Shipley (STL) 3.24
8 J. Charnley (STL) 3.54
9 E. Janke (CHN) 3.56
10 G. Howell (BSN) 3.57
John