Ryan Ludwick Returns Next Week!!!!!

[WvuDieHard]

Yes I remember a trip or two to see the Princeston Rays and the Bluefield Blue jays of the Appalachian League. Of course back in the day, these farm teams were affiliated with different big league clubs. Princeston and Bluefield ( Southern WV teams) were part of the Reds organization at times in years past. I remember seeing a thin 155 kid play many years ago at a Potomac Cannons game here in Northern Virginia. That kid morphed into Barry Bonds.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Ludwick ain't gonna do jackshit. We forget that notion and even if he did would it be enough? Until the Cozart's and Frazier's on this team step it up, this team is going nowhere.

 

[Redsfan1507]

To me, it's about who's doing their job, and who isn't.

Choo, Votto, Bruce and the pitchers generally are. Phillips is, but should his job be as a cleanup hitter ? I give catchers and shortstops a pass offensively, if they're playing good D, taking outs away, and hitting .250 or so.

Corner infielders and outfielders HAVE to hit too though. LF has hurt the Reds offensively, and so has 3b...but no more than Rolen did, or Encarnacion before him...those 2 positions, AND SS and C, have been positions the Reds really haven't had much offense from in YEARS. They get more from 2b than most do though. I haven't seen the team get smarter or manufacture runs better.

In order to improve, you gotta get better at something, unless every other team gets worse, and that doesn't happen often.

 

[JohnU]

What HAS improved is rotation pitching.
It could be a little better at times in the middle innings.
Bailey and Latos could both be on pace for 20 W's if there was better offense.
Obviously, W's is a statistic that has no real value for a lot of pitchers, but for starters, I think it does.
It suggests the team is better than average and can help a starting pitcher sustain 7 innings of solid ball.
Relief pitching is a game of mirrors and using the BEST relievers is, IMO, better strategy than Xeroxing a bullpen into cubbyholes.
I have NO idea what this has to do with Ryan Ludwick.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think if it ain't broke, don't mess with it...and the opposite needs to happen, too.

This team got better when the defense and pitching got better. They went to post season when they hit some too.

People bitched about Dunn in LF, but no one else that's played there has come close to 100bb, 100rbi, or 40hr, stats he put up EVERY year. Yep, his BA and D and attitude sucked, but LF has been a problem ever since, with the exceptions of 2 month streaks from Gomes in 2010, and Ludwick in 2012. LF is the EASIEST OF position to fill, and this is what we have had ? We got lousy offense from CF, and they bettered with Choo. Bruce has improved every year. Cozart isn't Larkin, but he's better than the previous 6 guys they've tried since Larkin, other than Lopez rookie year, and they traded him for Gary Majewski. Other than Rolen in 2010, and another 2 month streak from Frazier last year, and a couple of 4 week streaks after the Reds were out of the race from Encarnacion,3b has been absent since Sabo.

There hasn't been a manager in the Reds dugout that understood the difference in a steal situation and a pitch out situation since Johnson or Pinella.

You can't fill every hole, but id like to think that a void at those spots just couldn't go decades without notice.

If you want more than what we see, that is.

 

[Ryanballa]

Ryan Ludwick is already back with the team in the clubhouse, and Dusty Baker just announced the following statement.
"Ludwick will be activated on Monday and bat 6th"

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Ryan Ludwick is already back with the team in the clubhouse, and Dusty Baker just announced the following statement.
"Ludwick will be activated on Monday and bat 6th"

 

[JohnU]

He's already got the lineup for Monday????
Serious-fucking-ly?

 

[Redsfan1507]

Ryan Ludwick's whiffing has resulted in a small gale warning for Southern Lake Michigan.

The dude looks like he couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a base fiddle. He did have a well struck foul ball before one of his k's.

I know, it will take some time. It took him 3 seasons last time he tried a comeback. The good news is, he only has 1 more year of contract, and other freeloaders in the offense are going to realize THEY are going to have to hit if they want to score. Im afraid Ryan Ludwick and the Easter Bunny are myths...but I wouldn't recommend eating the eggs REAL rabbits lay...

 

[bengaldoug]

Kinda rough on Luddy, eh?

 

[Redsfan1507]

Nothing against him, he just doesn't deserve the blame for our lack of offense, or be expected to fix it.

 

[bengaldoug]

I certainly think he will help before the season is over, but the team has three outs in the order daily even if he starts to get going (Cozart, Frazier, and the catcher). It's the pitching and defense this team has to win on, not the offense.

 

[JohnU]

Ludwick's timing is way off. Off-speed stuff is killing him.
Somebody decides to sneak a 2-seamer past him, Luddy will hit that stuff.

 

[redsfan03]

Luddy looked awful today. Completely inept at the plate save for a long foul ball. The Reds would be best served keeping him on the bench.

 

[JohnU]

Maybe dropping him to 8th in the order till he gets something of an eye.
I doubt he can bunt but ... hey, neither can anyone else on this team.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Cozart is a shortstop. Probably the best D shortstop since Larkin. Catchers that hit, normally cant catch. Ours usually catch, and occasionally hit. Frazier is hitting at least as well as crippled old Rolen did, though for a corner it's not enough. LF is a zero, and THAT is THE position that SHOULD be defended by a BAT.

The offensive production of LF,3b, and the ability to get a runner IN scoring position with less than 2 outs, more frequently...is why this team isn't in 1st place.

 

[bengaldoug]

It's way too soon to make a long reaching conclusion re Ludwick. He could get hot at any moment, or he could struggle the rest of the year. Thing is, the potential ceiling is much better than with Heispaulinson.

 

[MHubbuch]

I think Heisey has earned the right to play LF for this team at least for the duration of the season.

John,

What are you smoking to think a guy with a .215 batting average has earned the right to anything but pulling splinters out of his backside.

If anything we are in trouble with that position.

 

[JohnU]

John,

What are you smoking to think a guy with a .215 batting average has earned the right to anything but pulling splinters out of his backside.

If anything we are in trouble with that position.

.215 would seem to be the best we have to offer in LF.

What else ya got for me?

 

[Redsfan1507]

The Reds painted themselves into the LF corner by signing Ludwick to a 2 year deal that paid him $3 mil this year, but guarantees him $10 mil next year. That guarantees he'll get every opportunity to prove they didn't overpay. Heisey is a 17th round pick they invested $800k in. Paul half that. Robinson is MLB minimum with minor option.

At this point, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out there are only 4 hitters in this lineup likely to hit at any particular time, and none play LF. The question is, will they EVER hit them 1-4 in the lineup, instead of throwing in a freebie out in the 2 hole ? Not as long as Ludwick isn't forcing the lineup to move the lineup forward, moving one of those 4 hitters into the 2 hole.