The Positives thread

[Redsfan1507]

Tools...
Chapman is the fastest pitcher in history...and he's a lefty...that used to start.

The Reds have no lefty SP, regardless of 45 of the last 50 World Champs had at least one.

Hamilton is the biggest single season SB player in history. He's also hitting .500 and plays rangy CF with a shortstops arm.

Homer Bailey has tossed 2 no-no's, one against the Pirates, who he regularly dominates.

Tools do no good, in the toolbox. You gotta use them.

 

[redsfan03]

Billy Hamilton is fast. I liked his plate approach yesterday, sending everything opposite field. I wish more Reds hitters would do that.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Hamilton is going to get better and needs to play NOW. He is a threat because of his hype if nothing else. It creats chaos for the pitcher and can lead to some fat pitches to hitter or some walks. Not to mention the shear speed associated with steals and base hits when BH is on the base paths. No team in the post season has this kind of weapon. Now the question is how DustMop chooses to use the weapon. It is apparent BH is as good of hitter as some of these other bums we run out to left field so why not get him in the lineup to churn out an extra run or two especially since the Reds often enjoy going into 7-8-9 inning scoring droughts.

 

[Redsfan1507]

It takes longer than 1 start to assess a player, but the greater point is, there isn't much reason not to give BH more ABs to first, see if there is enough ability to put Hamilton on a post season roster ( no team can afford a pinch run only player on a 25 man roster), and secondly, to assess if it is possible Hamilton might be an acceptable replacement for Choo, who is probable to walk away into free agency in a couple of months. You can't know either if Hamilton doesn't play.

If last night is any indication, it makes little sense to take 2 utility infielders you hope not to use (Izturis, Hannahan) even as a pinch hitter on a playoff roster. Hamilton is a switch hitter, has played OF and SS, and can take over a game as a base stealer. Neither of the utility guys can say any of that. Time will tell...

 

[Redsfan1507]

One obvious positive, from the Reds perspective- Reds fans aren't that hard to get fired up...even us skeptical types... just a little excitement, a little hustle, a little snippet of playing like they have a sense of urgency, motivation. It shouldn't be that hard, should it ?

 

[Redsfan1507]

To turn away from current playoff push pressures, expectations and disappointments, there were several positives to take away this year:

Jay Bruce. Really stepping up and into a role more fitting his contract. He's improved every year. 30HR/ 100 RBI and more importantly, a respectable BA without his typical roller coaster streaks and slumps. He's the 4 hitter the Reds have lacked.

Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, and yes , Mike Leake. Maturation, and a lot of evidence they can still get better.

Tony Cingrani. A LHSP that didn't get tossed to the bullpen immediately for no good reason. Oddly, a one pitch pitcher that wasn't Chapmaned because of predisposed notions he didn't have whatever a SP needs to get a chance to start.

Zack Cozart. Yep he was a failure as a 2 hitter, but who said he was anyway ? He's the best defensively since Larkin, and compares favorably with the post-PED SS in lots of offensive categories, and as a bottom of the order hitter, he's just fine.

Aroldis Chapman. They've been telling everyone that would listen what he couldn't do since he arrived, and nothing that I've seen tells me he can't do whatever he's asked to do. His contract is only half over, and is going to be embarrassingly underpaid by the end regardless if his role. I'd love to see Jocketty get what he paid for and see AC as a SP, with Cueto, Latos, and Bailey they would be the most dominant rotation since the O's rotation won 80 games by themselves in '71.

Brandon Phillips...if it weren't for his glove and 100 RBI, people would be unimpressed with his other stats this year. But, he's shown adaptability in any lineup role, has become a fan favorite, and has shown the grit to play gimpy...something good considering the post-PED health and shelf life of middle infielders in their 30's.

Joey Votto. Hey, look at his stats at the end of the year and the only complaint is that he didn't have 100 RBI, and didnt have a gold glove year, which most 1b never have anyway. The guy not only leads the world in walks, he leads the world in fewest fat pitches received too. Most hitters wouldn't foul off half the pitches he does, and would have 50 more K's, 50 fewer hits, even though few other 3 hitters are going to have a guy hitting in front of them hitting .227 for 5 months, in the 2 hole. The Yankees or Angels would love to trade A-Rod or Pujols contract for his.

Billy Hamilton. If nothing else, he's making Dusty consider baseball life is possible without a homer...and there may be a leadoff hitter after Choo.

Devin Mesoraco. Has shown flashes of power, arm and emotion, and those are all good signs from a young catcher from ground hog heaven, where rodents and hitters take a little longer to emerge.

 

[JohnU]

The league has no book on Hamilton. He's going to slap a few balls to left field for awhile until the league learns what he can't handle. Don't expect him to pull anything. I think he's been casual about bunting so far and that's mattered.

Mesoraco suffers from not getting to play enough. It affects him more than almost anyone I've seen.

 

[JohnU]

Walt stepped up today and finally said the Reds are going to pursue a contract with Choo.

 

[Beggs]

If the Reds manage to forge a tie with the Cardinals for first place (do-able) it turns the post-season into a tizzy. There are playoff games to determine play-in games.

The truth: The 2nd wild card could end up in better shape than the divisional winner.

There is no tie with the Cardinals. The tie breaker is the head to head series, which the Cardinals won.

 

[JohnU]

There is no tie with the Cardinals. The tie breaker is the head to head series, which the Cardinals won.

Um ... I thought that too, but the MLB explainer suggests otherwise.

Head to head establishes home field and the 19-game schedule makes that work.
All the same, I don't see here that head to head shoves one team down if there's a tied record.

This is the paragraph that confused me and I've read it 138 times and it still says the same thing. I can't establish what they mean by "the winner of their extra game." What extra game?

For example, if the Pirates and Cardinals end up with identical records at the top of the NL Central, but both clubs would make the postseason regardless, the winner of their extra game would be declared the division winner while the loser would have to play in the sudden death Wild Card playoff game.

Playoff tiebreaker rules | MLB.com: News

 

[Beggs]

Um ... I thought that too, but the MLB explainer suggests otherwise.

Head to head establishes home field and the 19-game schedule makes that work.
All the same, I don't see here that head to head shoves one team down if there's a tied record.

This is the paragraph that confused me and I've read it 138 times and it still says the same thing. I can't establish what they mean by "the winner of their extra game." What extra game?

For example, if the Pirates and Cardinals end up with identical records at the top of the NL Central, but both clubs would make the postseason regardless, the winner of their extra game would be declared the division winner while the loser would have to play in the sudden death Wild Card playoff game.

Playoff tiebreaker rules | MLB.com: News

Ahh, that article didnt explain it, but with the addition of the second wildcard, the rules were changed. I just figured anything related to the cubs couldn't be correct so I checked wiki. Good catch. A shitty position to be in if you lose the tiebreaker. The tie breaker would be played the day before the play in game.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

It only gets worse if the Reds, Cards, and Pirates tie. The three teams would be seeded based on their winning percentage among games played against one another. The two lower seeds play with the winner playing the highest seed in a second game. Imagine playing two extra games, losing the second game only to end up back in a one game play in wild card game.

 

[JohnU]

Ahh, that article didnt explain it, but with the addition of the second wildcard, the rules were changed. I just figured anything related to the cubs couldn't be correct so I checked wiki. Good catch. A shitty position to be in if you lose the tiebreaker. The tie breaker would be played the day before the play in game.

I think the article that I posted was the "Cubs" but I found the same article attached to every team that's on the MLB site. There was an identical one on the Angels team site. I assume there's one for the Reds. After I found that, though, I didn't look for any others.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Unless the Reds can string about 6 wins in, there is a very low probability if a tie for the division lead.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I'd love to see Choo stay, but he is at the age where he should get his biggest contract ever, and I don't think if money is a deciding factor, the Reds could find another $60-$75 mil...and if they did, it would mean they would have to she'd salary elsewhere, IMO.

Arroyo is another guy if like to keep, but in convinced this or any other team without a quality LHSP is lowering their own chances of winning the big one, and I can't see losing any of the other SP and keeping Arroyo as a smart long term move.

There just aren't enough Ludwick type contracts to lose to make up $15 mil/yr for 3-4-5 years to sign Choo, IMO. Every one of the current SP are making a fraction of what theyll have to make in 2-3 years. Think the Giants wouldn't offer Choo that much or more ? Lots if losers could- Mets, Padres, Cubs, Mariners, etc. but there are winners that would sign him im sure.

Reds might do well if they had Choo, and a 100SB guy in CF. I just don't know if the money is there.

 

[JohnU]

Walt insists he is going to talk to Choo's agent, wants to sign him.
The issue is over a couple of other notable players -- Latos and Bailey.
If Cincy has to make a choice, it's easier to find a LF than a league-seasoned rotation guy.
I have my doubts about Cingrani after these back issues. Price might fix that. Neither here nor there now.
Choo CAN be signed, maybe at the expense of Bronson.

Another year in the NL will make Choo better but he is 31, so a long-term deal with anybody will soon turn the Reds into a version of the Phillies.

 

[eburg5000]

I think that the magic number for the Reds to be eliminated now is 5, and they are 3 games back. Pirates see could catch them. (they are playing the lifeless Reds) Last nights loss put a dagger in the Reds in my opinion.

 

[Redsfan1507]

For the Reds to win 3 more than the Cards, and win the division, they had to win out, and hope the Cards went .500 or worse.

 

[eburg5000]

the win today is a win for the cards. The rest of the season is to see if we play in Cincinnati or Pittsburgh, Someone on another board said that the road team has the advantage, but I don't see that at all.

 

[Beggs]

For the Reds to win 3 more than the Cards, and win the division, they had to win out, and hope the Cards went .500 or worse.

The cards going .500 is very plausible. The Nats have a very outside shot of making it, making their series against the cards a life or death situation. The cards then play the cubs who would nothing more than to spoil their season. The cards have not played very well against the cubs either.