Bandwagon revolving door

[Hit-n-Run]

The Reds have gotten to a season high 6 games over .500 and are 3.5 games out with 70 games left on the schedule after sweeping a day night DH in dramatic fashion.

Fans were jumping on the bandwagon after sweeping SF and jumping off after the SD series three days later. This team is like a Forrest Gump box of chocolates....you never know what you're going to get.

Wouldn't surprise me if the Brew Crew finished fourth in the division and the Reds, Cards, and Pirates repeated as playoff teams again. There's a lot of twist and turns in a 162 game season.

 

[JohnU]

It's always nice to be able to root for a team that intends to compete.
I remain very skeptical for two reasons:
The pitching staff can't sustain this success, especially Simon.
The hitting will soon show it has holes if the intention is to keep using Santiago. In his best day, he isn't Votto.
A third reason: The defense is suffering with Bruce at 1B.

Beating Milwaukee 2 of 3 is no miracle. You should win 2 of 3 in a home series.
The Cubs are just inept.

Catching up at home now is fine, but when the next slump hits, it's back to 4th place and still another long climb back into contention.

I was wildly optimistic in February, skeptical in April, beaten in May and puzzled in June.
July is now where it's at.
Gotta win 16 games a month.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I don't know how many wins it will take to make the Post Season, but the path is pretty easy to determine. Lose 1 less game than the Cards and 4 less than the Brewers the remainder of the season and they're in. The odds have gotten a lot better with the Brewers recent struggles.

 

[JohnU]

The goal is a divisional title, not a wild card, though I find it amusing that some are saying that the team is only "a game and a half out of the wild card."
So are 6 other teams.
But I think getting to 2nd place is the goal now and anchoring that down.
Making a run at whoever is ahead at that point depends on just playing better baseball.
I had given up on this unit and when they start playing better rotations, we shall see again.
In the meantime, the two minor leaguers they face tonight and tomorrow, those are games the Reds have to win.

 

[WvuDieHard]

This team is strangely inconsistent and I have found out why. When the Reds don't hit, it is because of impatience at the plate. Last Wada was all over the place in the first and second innings, What did we do? Swung at everything in the dirt, high, outside, low--instead of making him throw strikes and getting base runners. When the Reds hitters start swinging at bad pitches, they get behind in the count and fail. When the Reds score runs, they get ahead in the count, work the pitcher, and get hits and walks. Cozart had a 12 pitch AB last night and got a single. We need more plate discipline. Nonetheless, they are battling and not quiting. As soon as bashed Bruce a couple days ago, he goes on his patented HR streak. If he gets hot for 2 weeks, he will carry the Reds. I do believe Simon is the real deal and you will see that over the next 70 games as he will about 13-14 more starts. If he is a 20 game winner, will you be a believer then John? After all, he is on the all star team now--you would think that would be enough for ya.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I would imagine if Simon falters the second half it would be attributed to him hitting the wall more than a lack of talent. Don't quote me, but I think his MLB career high in IP is 116 and was at least three years ago. Price describes Simon as a rubber arm...I hope he's right.

The bullpen has been better mostly due to not having to use the struggling members as much. Although the aforementioned cast held the Cubbies in check allowing the offense to catch up and win in a walk off in game two.

The offense is always going to be the unknown commodity. I don't see any transactions coming at the trade deadline to boost the offense. Especially since Jack Hannahan just started a rehab assignment. Like Ludwick last season, he'll be Jocketty's upgrade if you can call it that with a straight face. There's a good chance Votto will be moved to the 60 DL to make room for JH in a week or so. My guess is Votto won't be back til September.

 

[kylezengel]

I agree with the above comment about Simon. He is reaching territory that he has never reached before in the MLB and its possible that Johnny Cueto will hit a wall in the second half because he is throwing a ridiculous amount of pitches this year.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Well, the beat goes on for Simon and the Reds. Simon's NL leading 12th win, team's fifth in a row coupled with another Brewers' loss closing the gap to 2.5.

On the down side a couple injuries. Phillips sprained thumb and Hamilton taken out due tightness in his hammy. The sprained thumb is on Phillips glove hand and looked pretty nasty as his glove rolled under his wrist diving for a ball. Thumb injuries can really zap a hitters ability to be productive. Hopefully it's not as bad as it initially looked.

The Reds are taking advantage of the sub .500 Cubbies while the Brew Crew are in the process of possibly getting swept by an equally bad Philly team.

 

[JohnU]

If Simon has another 10 quality starts, that will be sufficient. Don't much care about the wins.
Personally, I don't think his innings is going to be a problem.

I remain skeptical of a sustained streak. It's safer that way for me.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Wins for a SP is as much about run support as it is the pitchers performances. So I'd agree wins are a poor indicator when judging the SP.

Wins for a teams rotation speaks to a teams ability to score early and the entire pitching staff to hold the lead. The Reds SP have done a pretty good job protecting the leads they've been given and the back end of the pen has as well. The Reds lead the MLB in 8th inning ERA and are ranked seventh in the 9th. The 6th and 7th have been a different story with the Reds ranking next to last in 7th inning ERA. Price has really extended the starters pitch counts to avoid the middle relievers and it does make you wonder how Cueto and cast are going to hold up down the stretch.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Well, they're climbing and closing the gap, all we can hope for at this stage. They say Hamilton has has a tweaked hammy all season- amazing given his performance do far...maybe he needs to sit next to Votto and give him some gamer tips. BP may be down with the thumb now. 2 games out of first with all the walking wounded is a bit amazing.

 

[eburg5000]

I don't get my hopes up much, Even back in the 70's there was only 2 times they didn't break my heart. And that was a great team. This team is streaky, You never know what they're going to do with each coming series. They could just as easily get swept against Pittsburgh as sweep them. You just never know. They appear to be on a run right now, but we will see

 

[TKOSpikes]

dropping like flies! (hope Billy is alright!)

yeah, a LHSP would be great! ... how 'bout one with the same last name as the coach? (I know, useless to do without our run producers...and not that they would anyway).

gosh though, you'd think a Stephenson package could get him....

 

[redsfan03]

The Reds are definitely playing better, but that's not really saying much when you think about how they were playing earlier this season. We also have to remember that the Reds swept a reeling Giants team and they're currently playing a team that would have difficulty beating most AAA teams. I'm happy that the Reds are only 2.5 games out, but I'm still not sold on them.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think from the business side of things, small market teams just try to keep interest. If guys that get paid a lot of money to know which players to pay a lot of money, know their stuff, the teams with the most get the best chances, more often than not.

The Reds have done some of the things that small market teams that occasionally win do...they signed a few non- drafted free agents, because possibly their Latin American scouts might be a little sharper, or work a little harder. They got a few #1 picks to the show, and a couple of camp long shots too. They got a rebound performance or two from some salvaged cast offs, and occasionally, more...like Phillips. I don't think small teams take more chances, it just hurts them more when they're wrong, because they can't cover it up with another big dollar signing. Injuries are harder to cover too. Timing is more important, because contrary to the myth, there isn't always next year for the little guys that blew their big chance this year.

This team isn't better than last years, but they may be more fun to watch...and the catch is, if they could just get healthy. The Reds have only won it all 5 times, and they've been at it longer than any team... And they're in the top few teams that have won at least that many. I guess every casino depends on alot of people that have never won a dime, convinced the next pull of that slot machine is going to pay off. Baseball isn't that much different, I suppose. You first gotta get the customer in the door. Our Reds aren't doing too bad at that.

 

[JohnU]

I've been more than a little amused at the general internet reaction to the team lately.
Ranging from moving Heisey to first, Ludwick to Siberia, Hoover to Wal-Mart and firing Price, "signing" Stanton and bringing up Neftali Soto (again) ... the only thing that hasn't been laughed off the board is trying to get Adam Dunn back.
Or Alexei Ramirez, who would clearly enjoy taking a career dive and playing backup SS for the Reds, moving Cozart to Alaska and putting Alex Rios in left field, which frees up Heisey to play 1B.
Leake to shortstop? Nah, but he should be in CF when Hamilton gets an hour off.
Bailey, of course, should go with Luddy to Omyrninsk.

We do have extra pitchers, you realize.
Bring up Stephenson to pitch in place of the cripple.
Who cares about Phillips?
And did I mention -- Heisey and Tim Crabbe or Pedro Villarreal for Matt Joyce.
Josh Hamilton was only briefly discussed.

So long as Jocketty makes that big trade for a power bat. But Jocketty is a brain-dead fuckin' bum anyhow.

And Votto is still a head case. We should trade him now before anyone notices. And dump Cueto while there's still a market for him. After all, we have Simon and "some prospects."

I've summarized the knowledge of the most intelligent fan base on the planet.

 

[eburg5000]

I liked the one "moving Frazier to 1st, and trading for a 3rd basemen."

 

[JohnU]

Some doofus on the Reds Facebook page was ticked off for ... get this, because the Reds did not post the starting time of tonight's game on the Facebook page.
SERIOUSLY. Was all in an uproar because nobody would tell her what time the game starts.

 

[redlegs@hokies]

Some doofus on the Reds Facebook page was ticked off for ... get this, because the Reds did not post the starting time of tonight's game on the Facebook page.
SERIOUSLY. Was all in an uproar because nobody would tell her what time the game starts.

Wait, you expect her to look it up for herself? NO!

 

[JohnU]

some other retardo was upset at Walt for not making a move after ... get this ...
The Cardinals signed George Kottaras and the Yankees signed Jeff Francis.
Dude claimed that these signing meant Walt was asleep at the wheel. Considering the Reds CUT Francis.
Another guy said the Cardinals were interested in Price and that meant that Hanigan would be traded to, so Walt is a complete dumbass.
You can't make this stuff up.