Heaven help us ...

[JohnU]

Reds' Paul Maholm, Jason Marquis competing for rotation spot
by Sean d'Oliveira | CBSSports.com
If pitcher Homer Bailey is not on the Opening Day roster, Reds manager Bryan Price indicated hisspot in the rotation could go to Paul Maholm orJason Marquis, reports Cincinnati.com.

"An example would be if Homer is not able to go. If we're healthy, that means Cueto and Leake and three spots in the rotation – two that we think could potentially be filled by young pitchers in Cingrani and DeSclafani," Price said. "That to me suggests that a veteran guy in that other spot would be fairly important, someone who knows how to manage a game and has pitched in the league and has had success in the league. I think that's why guys like Jason and Paul are here."

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Just add it to the growing list of "ifs". With the amount of "ifs" the Reds currently have a couple are bound to come true.

How many wins is a "if" worth?

 

[JohnU]

It's the newest metric.

The oIF and the dIF and the pIF.

 

[Redsfan1507]

As I suspected. Maholm and Marquis are retreads-PR says they are veteran control specialists- meaning they hope to survive 5 innings.

IMO, neither Cingrani or Desclafani are ready to be more than a 5th starter no one wants to see pitch more than once in the first month.

Leake is a relatively high WHIP nail bighter for a #2, I'd say.

If this team doesn't hit like the '27 Yankees, we might be 10 games under .500 by May.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

My expectations for this season aren't very high, but all the same I'm looking forward to watching the season unfold.

 

[JohnU]

I am going with the high end of unbridled optimism and think Hamilton will add about 20 points to his OBA. That will mean another 20 steal attempts, and he will have learned to not get picked off 18 times. So he should be on 2nd base about 20 percent more, which gets him to 3rd base a little more often.

There it gets tricky. Whoever hits behind Billy the Kid needs to put meat to the metal. That's likely either Frazier or Phillips.

After that it gets real tricky if the league decides it doesn't want to pitch to Votto.

But Hamilton is worth another half-run a game, I think. Let's hope the pitching isn't a run-and-a-half worse.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

It's yet to be seen who'll hit behind Billy in the regular season. But it won't be Votto in the spring opener, he is the only regular not in the lineup.

I know it's only ST, but it sure doesn't send the right message. If a distal quad strain can't heal in 8 months someone isn't telling the whole story.

No hurry I suppose, he's got 9 years left to get it worked out.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

It's reasonable to believe BH will improve. But you never really know until a player shows the ability to make adjustments. That's probably the single biggest problem with this team, they don't adjust to what the pitcher is attempting to do. The opposing pitcher is playing chess and the Reds' hitters are playing checkers.

The first thing I try to keep in mind with BH is that he was a rookie hitting in a high profile place in the order. He's young and barring serious injury his skill level should improve. It's a learning process and his success will be determined by the ceiling of his baseball IQ, the talent is already there.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Whatever. Votto should understand that kind of money cones with sone expectations- the first game of ST isn't one, but people expect him to be ready opening day, performing at some kind of level deserving the paycheck...or if he's legitimately injured, at least show his face at the games. Otherwise, it's just a really expensive paid vacation.

 

[JohnU]

I suppose there is symbolism to putting the team out there on the first day of ST to let the fans know what they generally can expect. Pitchers are only going to throw 30 pitches anyhow. I suppose baseball doesn't value that sort of tradition, as if they maybe ever did. Maybe Votto not being in there is indeed the message we can expect.

A lot of fluff talk so far about the players' health. I think Bailey being on the DH was very predictable even though the team never said a word about that. And if Sean Marshall ever throws another pitch in competition, it will probably be to knock down the stuffed dummies at the county fair booth.

Years ago, players got in shape after they got to camp. Now, I'd venture that all of them are in playing shape at this minute, though a little rusty. I think 2 weeks should be well enough to get ready, though the spring training thing is a lot more about the local economy than it is about the big club.

 

[Redsfan1507]

On Hamilton- obviously, his age says he has plenty of time to improve. I like Billy's chances if he's not only encouraged to bunt, but told to if he doesn't often enough. As long as he has those legs, just making contact gives him a chance. A lot of guys have been successful with that- Maury Wills, and more recently-Jose Reyes. Vince Coleman didnt quite get it, and Stubbs didnt try.

He's very skinny- needs to add some meat to be less injury and end of season weary prone....but he did hit .250...not bad for any rookie. I also look for his CS to drop.