The second half

[Hit-n-Run]

The Reds fell to 13-13 in August. Need two out of three from the Mets for a winning month.

 

[JohnU]

Hunter Green made his pitching debut yesterday. Starting him off slow with one inning and a 20 pitch limit. He needed 15 with 12 being strikes. Average 100 MPH with one hit and one K throwing 14 fastballs.

I'd guess we see him in Dayton next year, probably fast-tracking. 50 innings in Arizona, another 50 in the Midwest, maybe they shut him down before Daytona. I know the policy is to babysit young pitchers but eventually, he either has to pitch or play shortstop.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Thought I'd post so you wouldn't think I was dead. I've checked in on posts here, but much like our sad Reds, just keeping up without contributing much seems to be all I have time for. This team kind of has that 1983 feel for me...looking at young guys (and lonesome Joey Votto) the only real basis for interest. I'll be interested in how Green fares, and although he may wind up with a bat, you can't teach a 100 mph heater, so I'd guess unless he blows an arm, he's a pitcher...not like the Reds have enough of those.

Is Homer Bailey done ? Bad situation...too much contract to trade or eat.

 

[JohnU]

Thought I'd post so you wouldn't think I was dead. I've checked in on posts here, but much like our sad Reds, just keeping up without contributing much seems to be all I have time for. This team kind of has that 1983 feel for me...looking at young guys (and lonesome Joey Votto) the only real basis for interest. I'll be interested in how Green fares, and although he may wind up with a bat, you can't teach a 100 mph heater, so I'd guess unless he blows an arm, he's a pitcher...not like the Reds have enough of those.

Is Homer Bailey done ? Bad situation...too much contract to trade or eat.

I think Bailey is being deliberately cautious about his season, as if this one matters. I think he will emerge as something less than a Bronson Arroyo with a bit more zip. Maybe he's a 4th starter, maybe a 3rd.
Shutting down Castillo and Mahle will in the short term be helpful to the team. After that, who knows? I think they will dump some bullpen this winter in favor of a Strailly type guy.

 

[eburg5000]

I know I'm going to eat my words, but the Mets looked pretty pathetic last night. The team they had on the field didn't look like they could beat a bad single A team. Now I'll sit make and watch the Reds get shut out the next 2 games and take double figure losses.

Duvall hit a homerun last night , but he must of left 20+ runners on base the last 5 or 6 games. I'd think Price would have at least moved him down in the lineup for a few games. if not set him down on the bench

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Adam Duvall has hit .208 since the all star break. He struggled the second half of 2016 also. His slugging pct. both seasons drops about 120 points after the break.

I would think it's at least partially related to his type 1 diabetes zapping his strength. The 162 game schedule is grueling for most players, but I'm sure a disease like diabetes makes it very difficult to maintain his energy levels.

 

[JohnU]

I know I'm going to eat my words, but the Mets looked pretty pathetic last night. The team they had on the field didn't look like they could beat a bad single A team. Now I'll sit make and watch the Reds get shut out the next 2 games and take double figure losses.

Duvall hit a homerun last night , but he must of left 20+ runners on base the last 5 or 6 games. I'd think Price would have at least moved him down in the lineup for a few games. if not set him down on the bench

The Mets might actually be this bad now with that outfield. They have DeGrom left and not much else. I know they hope Harvey, Syndergard and Matz are back next year. Welcome to the world of Reds baseball, Mets fans.

I agree on Duvall. I think when the weekend comes, look for him to get days off. The Winker DL probably delayed that but Ervin could have played last night. Scoots could have been in LF.

I can't believe how strong Schebler is.

Romano needs to sharpen his game a lot if he plans to beat good teams and I am assuming Chacin really is a career Triple-A pitcher.

 

[eburg5000]

Last nights game might have been the strongest pitching performance against the Reds all year and maybe the best since Arrieta's no hitter against them last year. He ran out of gas in the ninth. but his command was right on. I'm curious to see what Montero does in the future.

 

[JohnU]

Last nights game might have been the strongest pitching performance against the Reds all year and maybe the best since Arrieta's no hitter against them last year. He ran out of gas in the ninth. but his command was right on. I'm curious to see what Montero does in the future.

Yeah, that was a good game. When I see these guys pitch like this, I am reminded of a guy named Phil Humberr, who pitched a perfecto a few years ago. I think he was in the league another year or so, mostly as trade fodder.

 

[eburg5000]

I hate it when the Reds play teams like the Mets. Everything you read is "what a shame the home team lost"

 

[eburg5000]

Mahle pitched well last night. He sure doesn't seem to be afraid to pitch inside. I think in the two games he's pitched against the Pirates he either hit or knocked down 5 or 6 batters

 

[JohnU]

Mahle, at this pace, is a real find.
Although so was/is Amir Garrett.
Time will tell.

 

[eburg5000]

Strange scheduling, being at home then going to Pittsburgh for three games, then back home for three days then back on the road. The whole league has had to do this at least once this year. Maybe interleague play has something to do with it, but to me it seems like a waste

 

[JohnU]

Strange scheduling, being at home then going to Pittsburgh for three games, then back home for three days then back on the road. The whole league has had to do this at least once this year. Maybe interleague play has something to do with it, but to me it seems like a waste

I would think it would create a lot of problems for trying to market a homestand. In the Midwest, I think rainouts would be a real problem on that type of scheduling. But they get it done, so who are we to wonder?

 

[eburg5000]

Stephenson is starting to look pretty good. I was really impressed with him working out of that bases loaded jam, with no outs last night. I hope he can continue this into next season. It's hard to judge a player the final month of the season there are a lot of factors involved that aren't there for most of the season. Say for

Reds called up Davis, Garrett, Reed, and Stephens yesterday. Garrett is going to start one of the games against the Mets this weekend.

The season for the Reds is all but over, I'm wondering how many games they will win. Does anyone think that they can win 70 or more.

 

[JohnU]

Stephenson is starting to look pretty good. I was really impressed with him working out of that bases loaded jam, with no outs last night. I hope he can continue this into next season. It's hard to judge a player the final month of the season there are a lot of factors involved that aren't there for most of the season. Say for

Reds called up Davis, Garrett, Reed, and Stephens yesterday. Garrett is going to start one of the games against the Mets this weekend.

The season for the Reds is all but over, I'm wondering how many games they will win. Does anyone think that they can win 70 or more.

They could get to 70 but not with the pitching they will have left. Even with Castillo and Mahle, they weren't winning ... just not embarrassing themselves.

Duvall is bagged. So is Barnhart. Of course, their replacements would not make the Reds better. Duvall is in a slump that is painful to watch.

Stephenson is not going to survive in the bigs by walking 5 guys in 6 innings. The two DP balls saved him and I don't count on 3-strikeout innings with bases loaded. He is better in that he isn't wild in the strike zone but I am far from convinced he can win at this level by throwing 90 pitches in 5 innings. I know the team won't prosper if that continues.

The other young studs are also walking too many guys and the Brewers are the one annoying team that will make you pay for that. They are masters of the long at-bat, brutally patient and slow and they have the guys who will take a hefty cut at a 3-1 pitch and bash your ass against the powerstacks where the Toyota sign hangs like a bad joke.

Meaning ... Stephenson has the talent to survive in the bigs but he's not Nolan Ryan, who could walk 8 guys in a game and get away with it 53 percent of the time.

Speaking of bad jokes, I think Ariel Hernandez is the latest Latin callup to need a new location -- maybe El Paso or New Orleans.

Reds could be really better off if Garrett has it figured out.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

* Joey Votto
* Scooter Gennett
* Zack Cozart
* Adam Duvall
* Luis Castillo
* Raisel Iglesias

- Still not convinced by Stephenson.

That's 6. Able to count all of our good players on one hand and 1 on the other. Good enough to still be able to watch for like the first 2 months next year I suppose.

 

[JohnU]

* Joey Votto
* Scooter Gennett
* Zack Cozart
* Adam Duvall
* Luis Castillo
* Raisel Iglesias

- Still not convinced by Stephenson.

That's 6. Able to count all of our good players on one hand and 1 on the other. Good enough to still be able to watch for like the first 2 months next year I suppose.

I think you short-sell Suarez and Peraza. Suarez is only going to get better.
Peraza will be league average and he has more power than he has shown.
I won't evaluate pitchers other than Castillo who has arrived.

 

[eburg5000]

* Joey Votto
* Scooter Gennett
* Zack Cozart
* Adam Duvall
* Luis Castillo
* Raisel Iglesias

I think Barnhart needs to be on that list too. He's being talked about for a gold glove. I don't think he will get it, Nor do I think Hamilton will either. They like to give it to people who have the big name, or to someone on a big market team.

I think the Reds have the best outfielders they have had in a long time. Schebler I think will only improve, He has 26 HR's and 56 RBI's now BA is down some. But sense he has come back from the DL he's hit the ball pretty good. Winkler and Ervin look good to.

It's the pitching that I'm concerned about.

 

[JohnU]

Winker is a legit. .300 hitter but until he learns to play CF, he's a 4th outfielder.
Duvall could be switched out but the market for corner OF'ers isn't great any more. Teams just find hitters in the system and teach them to play left field.