Votto

[JohnU]

Those 3 HR were nice to see even if 2 of them probably are outs anywhere else. But they count.
What sucks is that they only produced 4 RBI.

 

[Redsfan1507]

...never know if the run total is enough when the SP isn't going deep into the game, and this team has trouble outscoring their own bullpen, so I'll take 5 HR even if they're solo jobs. Seems like 5 runs ought to win more games than it does with this team.

It came at a good time- that lineup with Negron, Boesch and Schumaker might not win a Little League World Series. Hoping Phillips isn't down long, and although he's hitting about .220, this lineup scores more runs with Hamilton than without him. Cozart already has more HR than ever, and Frazier is pushing .290. Votto looks like the old guy they signed for that mountain of money again.

Mesoraco's arm will play well in LF, if the moron in charge lets him play there. If he hits anywhere close to last years production, I don't care if he has no range and gives up a double a game. Billy can cover almost the whole left side of the OF anyway. Byrd can platoon with Bruce as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather see DeJesus, Negron, Skip and Boesch filling in as 9th inning defensive insurance and getting an occasional pinch hit cameo, than playing regularly. Barnhart can play more- he's better defensively than Pena, and hits better than most of the bench anyway. The bullpen isn't going to be great, but it's already improving. The rookie pitchers look fine, and suffering occasional hitability isn't going to kill them until innings shut them down.

It might not be a horrible season- considering the Reds have had several years in the 74-79 win range over the last half decade or so, with more assets than this team....I think that's achievable this year....unless they start losing position players and throw in the towel and start trading off Pitchers. I'd like to not finish last, just because.

 

[JohnU]

I agree that even though it is the Phildos, the offense looks a lot more like it's alive.
Desclafani may be the real deal, after all.
I thought Bruce getting pitched last night was curious. He's been beefing a lot lately. I suppose the magic word would come eventually.
Agreed on the bullpen. It could be the bullpen purged itself. Badenworse is still hanging around. I thought we'd see him last night. Adcock has more MLB time than I realized.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Dejesus is the real deal. Make no mistake about it. This is a starter and player to build this team around. I think he can hit 20HR and .280 if he plays everyday and that is alot better than some of the bullshit we have on the field now.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

A lot of fans were saying the same thing about Negron last year.

DeJesus has had a nice couple games...but 38 HR's in over 4000 minor league AB's doesn't lead me to believe he'll hit 20 MLB HR's for his career. He's a below average defensive SS that is better at 2B. Doesn't have stolen base speed or consistent power....has always hit for average in the minors. He's a better offensive player than Negron...but Negron is better defensively with added versatility.

It'll be interesting to see if they call up Suarez and keep Negron and De Jesus. Price loves players that can play multiple defensive positions.

 

[JohnU]

Suarez would seem pretty automatic if it hasn't already happened. It just means we have 2 more left fielders.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I like Negron's ability to play multiple positions, I just can't imagine keeping a guy hitting .120 in the lineup, or on the team, long though.

I imagine Suarez will only be called up if he's expected to start. They may give DeJesus time to cool off at the plate, or prove horrible at SS first.

I don't know what it is, but the Reds seem to have a patent on bench players that flat don't hit. Skip, Negron, Boesch, are doing pretty good impersonations of Hannahan, Santiago, Cairo, etc...

I assume Byrd will be back sometime. Hopefully, Mesoraco will hit enough not to need the Byrd much. If Bruce isnt going to hit a lot better, and Meso does hit, I might be tempted to play platoon matchups with Bruce and Byrd. Then again, Hamilton needs to pick up about 30-40 BA points too...but hes a star in the OF and a game dominator on the basepaths.

I'm really hoping Price doesn't fall into the trap of starting at least one bench scrub every game. There aren't many more sub .250 hitters needed in this lineup, thank you. I might be tempted to start using Leake and Lorenzen as pinch hitters (or leftfielders) instead of some of these guys.

 

[JohnU]

Byrd had a home run every week and plays passable left field.
His 2 whiffs a game aren't going to matter much. Without Cozart and probably Phillips off and on, the biggest challenge is finding a batting order that can score 4 runs. I don't see it. The rookie pitchers will take the rest of the blame but we're heading for 35 wins at the break. That's worth 90 losses at the end.

 

[Redsfan1507]

The most consistent thing about this team, is it's (positive attribute) inconsistency. Bruce should be the posterboy for that. Sometimes, these guys hit 5 HR in a game, unfortunately when the bullpen needs 5 HR, these guys are mostly hitless.

Byrd hit 10 HR, to go along with that .200 BA. I do think K's matter, because they NEVER advance a runner, like a groundball or flyball or sometimes, even a popup does. Almost never get on with a ROE on a K, maybe once a career on a dropped 3rd strike, or maybe a half dozen times if they strike out as much as some Reds do.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Reds average 4.1 runs a game- that's better than the Cardinals 4.0- who currently have the largest division lead of any team. Unfortunately, the Reds give up 4.4 a game, nearly 1-1/2 more than the Cards.

The Reds are only hitting .247, but have out homered opponents 70-59, yet have been out scored 253-240. It isn't the defense- the Reds are among the best there. The walks, strikeouts hits and BA for and against are about equal.

(Sarcasm) The stats never tell the whole story, but it looks to me like all the Reds need to do is EITHER pitch OR hit a little better. Duh...they play .500 against .500 or worse teams and only about .400 against .500 or better teams. That equates to less than 75 wins on the year, or about what the team did in every recent year they didnt make the playoffs, which of course is more often than they did over the last (pick a time frame beyond 4 years)... So maybe this is more of an average year than we like to remember ?

Hey- the Reds are undefeated in games Votto hits 3 HR. Maybe it's his fault they lose so much, because he doesn't do that very often.

I think it's pretty obvious- if the Reds OF hit like opposing teams hit the Reds bullpen, Reds fans would be thrilled. Everything else is ok. OF offense and bullpen. The bullpen has changed some- results are pending. OF ? Well, maybe Mesoraco might change 1/3 of the problem. Not sure if it's enough though.

 

[JohnU]

I think if you swap out the 6 or so games the bullpen fucked it up, the record goes from 6 under to about 3 over. Doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy but going into the break, being 6 back instead of 12 would matter, esp. since some of those losses were to the Cubs and Cardinals.
Record reversal is a mathematical fascination in that respect.
But you can't take back the losses, even the 2 they botched in Philly. They are 1-7 in interleague play, not sure what that means ... I do know that 60 you can't win, 60 you can't lose and the other 42 are up for grabs. That number changes per storyteller.
I watch this team make the sort of bonehead plays that end up leading to losses. Leake throwing a wild pitch with men on 1st and 2nd ... both scoring on a groover ball ... Bruce kicking one around in right field, that sort of thing. I suppose all teams do it some, but the ones that win do it less.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Most of the good teams I had anything to do with we're a lot like the Royals current version- more hustle, pitching, defense and taking advantage of others mistakes, and most bad teams I was on played more like the Reds- a few studs, and a team full of random fuckups whining about luck, bad calls, and injuries.

Outs mean different things on good and bad teams. The vibe is different.

You can often tell which is which just by watching the dugout after offensive outs. Hitters making outs on good teams get more high fives, slaps on the ass and conversation, because they often advanced a runner. Dugout receptions for out makers on bad teams are met with silence, people looking the other way, or a coach occasionally bitching a short sentance at the players backside as the player mutters to himself sulking away.

This phenomenon is often mistaken as "chemistry". Usually good on teams that win, that make more productive outs, and recognize the language of sound offensive philosophy. People don't want to acknowledge others or be acknowdged themselves, as much, where failure is the predominantly unspoken language. Cold shoulder means you suck. Lots of cold shoulders mean the team sucks. If the only guy talking is the manager, he's about to be fired.