Regular Season

[JohnU]

 

[Redsfan1507]

Actually pitched well enough to blame the loss on the bullpen...again.

 

[JohnU]

Arguably, scoring 1 run against that pitching ought to beat you anyhow but holy shit ... Jumbo has to have done in what was left of team morale.

 

[eburg5000]

On that play at third last night I thought he was safe. But it was a bad slide which made it closer than it should have been. Great throw and tag though. The umpire guy in NY with a blonde on his lap watching the Mets game didn't want to be interrupted. So he just agreed with the ump and continued with the blonde and Mets.

I HATE REPLAY! IT DOESN'T WORK! and that play has little to do with my thinking on it. I'm afraid my little joke about the Mets and the blonde is more true than not.

 

[JohnU]

The unwritten rule about not making the first out at 3rd base probably applies. No way of telling but the Reds needed runners at that point, not triples. Still, the call was evidently based on bra size of the blonde.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I didn't think Straily would have the pitch count to go very deep into the game, but he was efficient and pitched 5 quality innings. His 4-seamer sat at 90 and touched 92. I thought he had a pretty good change-up and was able to bury the slider when needed. I thought Tucker Barnhart did a nice job handling him behind the dish.

It's become fairly common to see base runners called out on appeal when hook sliding. It's a sizable difference in whether the extended leg or hooked leg touches first. You don't see as many pop-up slides these days. Ty Cobb claimed to use 9 different slides..... he was probably including the variations where he spiked the fielder as a different slide.

 

[eburg5000]

Straily looked like he knew what he was doing. He seemed very confident. Maybe the Reds found a diamond in the rough, but still to early to tell. He's done a descent job out of the bullpen to. I would have liked to see him go another inning, but I understand why they pulled him.
At first I thought the pitching rotation was a mess. Now I am cautiously thinking we might have a pretty good starting pitching staff in a year or so.

 

[JohnU]

We all know that Melville gets bumped when Lamb or Disco is back. When both are back, Jumbo will get cut. Bailey and Lorenzen will both mean something, so I'd assume Straily stays in the rotation and Lorenzen goes to the bullpen, maybe to be groomed to close.

Pasta Alfredo seems to be a mixed message.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I think there's a good chance Simon ends up in the bullpen.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Ty Cobb was on base enough to develop 9 slides. Jay Bruce is lucky to make a left turn occasionally. Never make 1st or last out past 2b. It will help you most of the time, and rarely hurt you without blaming the next 3 hitters more than not going to 3b in the first place.

Straily and Moscot both pitched acceptably well. The bullpen blows, in case anyone missed that. Jumbo is living up to his name. I do find it ironic that we dumped for all that young pitching, but it hasn't translated into enough to get wins, much. I suppose those cookies are still baking.

The Big Pasta signed for the right number- $2M. I'd call that a value, if he can get out of the 1st inning most games. I think the value of his supposed yearly innings total was more in mind than a great W/L or ERA. His last start was a career worst, so my heart tells me he will fare better...with the realization that at the end, most of them are probably bad...hoping he's got some gas in the tank, he's not wasting on the fires he starts.

 

[JohnU]

Hmmmmmm could be we are getting the message.

Reds' Alfredo Simon: Scratched from Tuesday start

Alfredo Simon has been scratched from Tuesday's scheduled start against Colorado due to right biceps tendinitis.

Robert Stephenson will be recalled from Triple-A Louisville to start Tuesday's game in place of Simon, who is expected to be ready for his next scheduled outing Sunday against the Cubs. Despite the team's initial optimism regarding Simon's Sunday availability, the right-hander is no sure thing to make the start. He's been terrible through three appearances (two starts), giving up nine earned runs on 12 hits and five walks in just 6.2 innings.

 

[Redsfan1507]

The old DL...could be real, or a way to get a guy out of sight for a "rehab" start or two where they don't count on the MLB record.

I'm cautious about burning a former top prospects (Stephenson) minor league options a handful at a time over a couple months though.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Apparently they sent Jumbo Diaz out looking for that home run ball he gave up last night. He found it in Louisville and they decided to let him stay.

 

[JohnU]

HOLY FUCKING HOOVER.

 

[JohnU]

I suppose we can second-guess a manager every game and we can ponder the front office every Wednesday.

 

[eburg5000]

I don't know, Hoover comes in and all he has to do is get two outs with a three run lead. and almost throws the game away. What's he going to do when the game is tight? So far he has been lucky. But having some one come in to close a game out with the lead like that and blows 4 or 5 games can hurt the morale of the team. and a young team like the Reds it could destroy.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Here's a comparison of Hoover's last 8 games in 2015 to his first 7 in 2016.

2015; G 8 ERA 12.27 IP 7.1 ER 10 HR 4 WHIP 2.182
2016; G 7 ERA 15.19 IP 5.1 ER 9 HR 3 WHIP 2 250

He's picking up right where he left off last season.

 

[JohnU]

That, as I recall, was noted by Marty B last year sometime in August. Hoover showed he could usually get bad hitters out but his command against better hitters was terribly suspect.

I see now that Price is "mulling" Cingrani as the closer, which shows no real value since he's the only lefty in the bullpen. I still think they will move either Finnegan or Lorenzen into that role. Finnegan may get the job early on since he's ready to pitch.

I think the closer concept is lame. Cotham could have come back for the 9th last night. Easy.

 

[Tubbs1518]

Why in the world would they move Finnigan to closer when he is pitching well in the rotation?

 

[JohnU]

Rotation is Iglesias, Lamb, Bailey, Moscot and Disco.
Stephenson and Cody Reed are coming up.
Bullpen is Cotham, Lorenzen, Cingrani, Ohlendorf, probably Hoover.
Finnegan is a reliever.