Outfielders are Overrated! Doesn't Bowden Know?

Its no secret that Washington National's GM Jim Bowden gets a hardon for a talented outfielder. During his time in Cincinnati he brought in talented outfielders such as Greg Vaughn, Jeffery Hammonds, Mike Cameron, Dante Bichette, Juan Encarnacion, Jose Guillen, Wily Mo Pena, Ken Griffey Jr. as well as developed Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn. The trend has continued in Washington with the aquisitions of Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, Rob Mackowiak, Lastings Milledge, and Elijah Dukes. However, for all the outfielders he's brought in and continues to bring in there are NO quality arms to balance it out. Anyone that knows a darn thing about baseball knows pitching wins, without pitching you have no chance. Except for the occasional broken down vet that comes in and does alright for a season and a half the only big name pitcher Jim Bowden can claim to have brought in is Denny Neagle (who was even on the back end of his career).

There is no excuse for Bowden to continue his building strategy that obviously doesn't work. Cincinnati became fed up with his inability to pull the trigger on deals involving pitchers. So much so that even former Reds President John Allen (thought of as a joke in himself) knew enough to deal Jose Guillen for Aaron Harang. POS John Allen topped all of Bowden's deals for pitchers in one trade a few days after firing Bowden. Now you can argue, and should, that no one knew that Aaron Harang would develope into an ace. I'll even admit I thought he was crap. However, this is my point........you have to take chances on pitchers. Even if it means giving away an outfielder that ends up shoving it back in your face because outfielders are expendable! Every team in the major leagues has decent enough outfielders. The Pirates have Jason Bay; the Rangers have Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley; and Seattle has Ichiro, however how many teams really have good pitching? The answer: not many and those who do contend year in and out.

There are those Reds fans that throw a fit everytime one of the "fan favorites" is traded. Well quite simply they are expendable. Guillen, Encarnacion, Kearns, Cameron, all replaced rather easily. Of course there was an uproar when Josh Hamilton was dealt for Edison Volquez but it is obvious the Reds have found a gem in the young stud. Something that may allow them to contend for years to come. Sure many times the Reds dealt their outfielders for the likes of Ryan Dempster and Bronson Arroyo hasn't been too hot either, but sometimes you get a Aaron Harang or Edison Volquez. And as far as outfielders go......theres another waiting in the wings, Jay Bruce.