The second half

[eburg5000]

The Reds are 10 games under 500, 39-49 with 74 games left to play. My goal for the season was 500 or better. The Reds are getting a little better pitching now or it seems. but I think it would be very hard to make up those 10 games. So I am going to have to make a new prediction. I have to think about it, and come back latter

 

[JohnU]

I thought 78-82 was a reasonable goal but didn't expect Disco and Finnegan to miss the entire season and didn't expect the Reds to piss on their shoes with Bronson Arroyo. Early on, it was easy to believe the hitting was worth another couple of wins and the bullpen was worth one or two more. The rotation was not supposed to be a pile of steaming dog shit.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Back to baseball.

I think the SP will be better the second half. When you have the worst SP the 1st half, there's no where to go but up.

As far as wins and losses are concerned, I haven't a clue to how many games this team will win. Too many unknown variables for me.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Several position players had nice 1st halves. Inevitably a few will struggle the 2nd half.

Who are the front runners to regress?

Who do you think can maintain or even improve upon what we've seen?

 

[JohnU]

Several position players had nice 1st halves. Inevitably a few will struggle the 2nd half.

Who are the front runners to regress?

Who do you think can maintain or even improve upon what we've seen?

For one, let's hope the break gives Suarez a chance to regroup. It will allow Mesoraco to decide if he can play and it gives a couple of young pitchers a few days to study some video. So all might be well.
What interests me is that the Cubs and the Cardinals both HAVE to be thinking they can win the NL-C. So far, the Brewers are clinging to the ledge. It will be fun to watch. The Reds will factor into who wins the division.

 

[JohnU]

Getting Quintana from the Sox may have sealed the deal for the Cubs, who we already knew had the horsepower to upgrade. A starter lefty is maybe worth 2 or 3 wins. Will be curious to see if the Cards or Brewers truly do see themselves as contenders. If so, the dealing has only started.

 

[eburg5000]

We really don't know what the Reds are going to do this month. What are they going to do with Cozart? Will they trade Iglesias or Feldman? Or some of their big bats. You really can't predict what Reds management will do. Especially if you look at the last 10 or 12 years

 

[JohnU]

We really don't know what the Reds are going to do this month. What are they going to do with Cozart? Will they trade Iglesias or Feldman? Or some of their big bats. You really can't predict what Reds management will do. Especially if you look at the last 10 or 12 years

Unless they dangle a contract at Feldman, unlikely, I think he will be dealt within the next few days.
Cozart may be a different matter since he's a position player in a position that currently doesn't have a lot of weaknesses. He looks like a great DH/infield option but who needs such a player?

 

[Hit-n-Run]

The Cubs gave up a lot for Quintana considering the guy is having the worst year of his career which seems to be a team epidemic for the Cubs. A lot of guys are having down years for the Cubbies.

Pitching is down across the NL with the exception of the Dodgers and maybe Arizona. When you look at the NL-c, the Brewers team ERA is comparable to the Cubs and Cardinals. The Cubs and Cardinals are going to need to find a way to score more runs if they want to win this division.

The Cubs won 9-8 and the Brewers won 9-6 last night. The average score for the MLB winning team last night was 6.33 runs.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Teams may be interested in a few Reds players, but I don't think they'd be willing to give much value in return.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I'm not sure which one stunk more last night, Adleman or the offense?

I'll give it to Adleman, he's been stinking for his last 6 or 7 starts.

 

[JohnU]

Adleman has run out of gas, which is no sin. The guy has always been borderline 4-A, so any innings he gave the team were bonus. I think the measuring stick in last night's game was how easy it is to tell who is a contender and who is not.

On trades, it's hard to tell which teams want which players.

What we -- as fans -- look at is the numbers, the guy on the field who really has no real human connection to us, other than what he says when Jim Day interviews him. Inside the mechanism, the dozens of guys in baseball are all friends or acquaintances. Part of the deal with trades is connected to this.

The other component is looking at all the dominoes in any of the other 29 franchise's farm systems.

 

[JohnU]

Blake Wood learned how to pitch with the 2016 Reds bullpen, which ought to explain something.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I'd agree who a GM knows is related to what he knows. Walt Jocketty and his penchant for former Cardinals was a prime example.

Another one would be the Reds acquiring Eric Jagielo from the Yankees. They had him on their draft board the year he was drafted. Sometimes a missed opportunity is a blessing. The Chapman trade wasn't one of the better ones in recent years.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I wasn't sure they'd keep Blake Wood this offseason. I didn't think he was worth an arbitration salary.

I would think he's a candidate to be non-tendered this fall.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Castillo pitched well with exception of the 3-run inning. He'd been better off walking Rendon after falling behind to get to Wieters who he owned in previous AB's. I blame the catcher on that one.

 

[JohnU]

Wood is doing exactly what the relievers did a year ago -- drives a stake in the heart of the team's morale. Lorenzen was struggling and Wood was supposed to pick him up instead of tossing up a coffin nail. The bridge between the past and the future should not include a resumption of this sort of nightmare, particularly when in hindsight the Reds could have won this game. Castillo is going to get a few bruises. The difference between good teams and shitty teams is Blake Wood.

Of course, the Nats could say they didn't get much more out of their bullpen, which they know sucks. Scherzer ought to be wringing necks right now.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

Finally Peraza is being benched for Scooter. That took longer than anticipated.

 

[JohnU]

Sucks to see another season basically trashed after the anticipation that it would be at least a little less embarrassing.

 

[JohnU]

Scratch Feldman.