The first 18

[Hit-n-Run]

But on another note, I wish price would let some of these guys go a little deeper into the game

Feldman was pitch efficient the first 6 innings Sunday, but threw 11 pitches in the 7th without retiring a batter. The 10 pitch AB by Matt Carpenter necessitated a call to the bullpen.

Finnegan and Garrett most likely would have come out for another inning if it weren't their 1st start of the season.

Arroyo was left in the game too long.

Bronson should have started the season in the minors. If he wasn't interested, they should have cut him.

The Reds lost the Saturday game while they were still in Arizona by giving a roster spot to a 40 year old pitcher that didn't earn it.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

I have a question...

Do anyone of you still care about Homer Bailey or are you completely over him?

 

[Redsfan1507]

Don't remember the last series win in St. Louis...better enjoy this while it lasts.

 

[JohnU]

I have a question...

Do anyone of you still care about Homer Bailey or are you completely over him?

Bailey will make Arroyo irrelevant, I hope.
There is no way to know if Bailey can throw the ball well enough to get people out, but I think he was kind of convinced he can. The bone chips have nothing to do with his command or mechanics.

 

[JohnU]

Don't remember the last series win in St. Louis...better enjoy this while it lasts.

I think the Cardinals are now past being the team the Reds hate to play. They finally got to that point with the Phils. Now, they need to find a way to beat the AL teams, the NL-W teams and any team from New York.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

I hope Billy the Kid never rest ever again. What a stud.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

Peraza was too clutch

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

 

[JohnU]

Considering the nightmare start, I don't think we could have expected that outcome.
Pirates have a pretty good lineup all in all so that won't be easy every time.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I can't remember ever seeing a game where both SP walked that many batters out of the gate.

Finnegan didn't have command of any of his pitches last night, but the inability to command his fastball crippled him. I've never seen his fastball move as much right to left as it did last night.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

On the flip side of the coin, 21 consecutive outs by the bullpen was off the charts.

Lorenzon was absolutely dominating.

He's made a small change to his balance point getting the left knee higher and with an increased turn. Not the Johnny Cueto extreme turn, but Lorenzen's slight change has added some deception to his really clean mechanics. His cutter was very impressive last night.

I think we may see him back in the rotation sooner or later.

I prefer sooner.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

You take away the Robert Stephenson debacle and otherwise this bullpen has been incredible.

I only remember them allowing two earned runs through the first seven games covering a lot of innings.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

I'm glad it's no more Jumbo Diaz. Man he was awful.

 

[wvu_man]

I can't remember ever seeing a game where both SP walked that many batters out of the gate.

Finnegan didn't have command of any of his pitches last night, but the inability to command his fastball crippled him. I've never seen his fastball move as much right to left as it did last night.

Finnegan was off last night but DJ Reyburn IMO, was calling a VERY tight strike zone. There were pitches by both Finny and Glasnow that most umpires would've called strikes. It seemed like neither could recover and were clearly frustrated. Especially Finny...I lost count on how many times he shook his head after throwing what he thought was a strike.

 

[eburg5000]

I think Lorenzon or Reed could be in the rotation soon, But that bullpen is lights out, and if those two go to the rotation it would hurt the bullpen for sure.

Dias was bad and so was Olendorf and Sampson. I believe Jumbo is in Tampa Bays bullpen now

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Finnegan was off last night but DJ Reyburn IMO, was calling a VERY tight strike zone. There were pitches by both Finny and Glasnow that most umpires would've called strikes. It seemed like neither could recover and were clearly frustrated. Especially Finny...I lost count on how many times he shook his head after throwing what he thought was a strike.

I couldn't agree more WVU.
I was watching the game with my son and we switched over to the Cubs game before turning in for the night. We both commented how strikes in the Cubs games were balls for Finnegan.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I'm glad it's no more Jumbo Diaz. Man he was awful.

The pitching has been an unsuccessful process the past couple years.

Williams and company have been looking for low cost budget value types, but overall the cost has exceeded the performance value.
IE; The Jason Marquis, Kevin Gregg, Burke Badenhop, etc. types didn't plug any holes.

We're starting to see some fruit being harvested from the system.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

My last two thoughts on the Finnegan start.

1) I thought he showed some immaturity in how he dealt with not getting the benefit of the close calls.

2) Finnegan hasn't shown the ability to self correct when things go awry.

He won't get to step two without fixing step one.

 

[JohnU]

Apparently somebody dug into the bowels of history and determined that 2 starters with 5 walks each lasting only 2 innings last happened in 1893, and I can't say I remember that.

A peculiar strike zone is something we tend to overlook in hindsight but a pitcher who has an in-out, up-down plan for the game can probably learn to adjust after he's been in the league 3-4 years. Both these guys are lacking that experience. I would expect different results from game to game but the umpiring has been a work in progress since Manfred took over. They are trying to fix shit that ain't broken.

I am still not sold on the Bronson strategy, basically giving the guy the ball after a couple of weekends of jumping jacks and a minor league game nobody reported. It appears he had to show up sober and lucid. I don't care which hole he's plugging. He needed to earn this job. Adleman did that and he got screwed.

Situational hitting and baserunning appears to be better. We shall see when the Cubs and Orioles square up against these guys. Rotation pitching is still marginally terrible.

And really, except for Lorenzen, the bullpen hasn't worked all THAT hard ... Storen and Iggy have very few stress innings. Cingrani is generally fresh. I think Stephenson will be sent out soon.