Long-term look

I just got finished writing my Sunday Insider for the paper. I know a lot of you want Walt Jocketty to turn the roster over. You want people released. You want trades.

But making moves right now is the baseball equivalent of re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. If Junior Griffey, Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips don't hit, this season is lost. Period. They will hit. It has to be soon to save this season.

However, that's not what I see as the fundamental problem with this team. Friday night, the Braves ran out a lineup with six home-grown players. The Reds had two -- Dunn and Joey Votto.

For the Reds to compete long term, they're going to have to be a lot more like the Braves as far as drafting and development. In the 2002, the Braves picked Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann in the Rounds 1 and 2. The Reds, picking 20 picks, earlier picked Chris Gruler and Votto. Votto was a nice pick but I'd take Francoeur McCann over him. And Gruler? Well, you get the picture.

The Braves players come to the big leagues playing the Atlanta way. The Reds current starting eight came up in six different organizations. No telling what way they might play.