Reds thread

[BigBlueNation111]

repent!!!!!!!!!!!!! you nonbelievers

lol...GO REDS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bengaldoug]

Definite Improvements

1. Latos
2. Marshall
3. Madson

Possible Improvement

1. Ludwick

Question marks

1. Cozart at ss(though it would be very difficult for him to not be at least some improvement over Janish.)

2. Mesoraco at C

All in all it's a better team than it was last year. With Pujols gone and Fielder gone the Cards and Brewers don't figure to be as good.....we should at least contend for the division......

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Definite Improvements

1. Latos
2. Marshall
3. Madson

Possible Improvement

1. Ludwick

Question marks

1. Cozart at ss(though it would be very difficult for him to not be at least some improvement over Janish.)

2. Mesoraco at C

All in all it's a better team than it was last year. With Pujols gone and Fielder gone the Cards and Brewers don't figure to be as good.....we should at least contend for the division......

I agree doug! What about Valdez at ss?

 

[bengaldoug]

They're going to try and hand the job to Cozart....Valdez seems a lot like Janish to me.....

 

[BigBlueNation111]

They're going to try and hand the job to Cozart....Valdez seems a lot like Janish to me.....

Do you think Willie Harris has any game left in him? I'd luv to see Rolen and Ludwick have the games of old like they did in St Louis!!You talk about a big boost on the club!

 

[cincygrad]

One of JBucks teammates on the 60 and over softball team would probably be an upgrade over Janish. I'm anxious to see what Cozart can do.

I'm happy that we have quality pitching both on the starting staff as well as the bullpen...... But I worry that we will lose a lot of 1 or 2 run games.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

One of JBucks teammates on the 60 and over softball team would probably be an upgrade over Janish. I'm anxious to see what Cozart can do.

I'm happy that we have quality pitching both on the starting staff as well as the bullpen...... But I worry that we will lose a lot of 1 or 2 run games.

You dont like the bullpen?oops!! never mind,you already answered that.

 

[cincygrad]

I was thinking we'd lose games that we couldn't get the bats working.... A bunch of 3-1 and 4-2 contests.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

I was thinking we'd lose games that we couldn't get the bats working.... A bunch of 3-1 and 4-2 contests.

Well,thats where we need Bruce and Stubbs to pick it up some this yr.I know Bruce can hit better than just one solid month and Stubbs just needs glasses and some patience behind the plate!! lol

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I think the Reds have the best team in the division, but the Cardinals are a close 2nd. I don't think they lost too much with Pujols being gone, especially when they won the division last year without Wainright and he will be back.

Depending on how Wainright rebounds from surgery and how Beltran does in a new home, they could be very tough too.

I think Heisey and Ludwick combined will make a decent LF, at least as good as Johnny Gomes was back in 2010. Bruce will have his best major league season this year with as athletic as he looks now with no power loss.

Phillips is playing for a new contract.

Cueto and Latos are going to be freaking filthy. Arroyo is back up to 90mph on his fastball and says he feels better than he has in 5 years with his back and endurance. Leake may be a theif but he is a good pitcher, especially down in the 4th or 5th hole.

Cozart is an immediate step up in production by default over Janish and Renteria, and has a good arm and solid D.

Rolen's offseason surgery cleaned up his shoulder he has had issues with for the last few years, says he has mmore range of motion in his arm now than he has had in many years. Mesoraco and Hanigan will make up one of the better catching tandems in the league again. Mesoraco with the power, who is good with the pitching staff, and Hanigan is already a good hitter and very solid D catcher.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

I think the Reds have the best team in the division, but the Cardinals are a close 2nd. I don't think they lost too much with Pujols being gone, especially when they won the division last year without Wainright and he will be back.

Depending on how Wainright rebounds from surgery and how Beltran does in a new home, they could be very tough too.

I think Heisey and Ludwick combined will make a decent LF, at least as good as Johnny Gomes was back in 2010. Bruce will have his best major league season this year with as athletic as he looks now with no power loss.

Phillips is playing for a new contract.

Cueto and Latos are going to be freaking filthy. Arroyo is back up to 90mph on his fastball and says he feels better than he has in 5 years with his back and endurance. Leake may be a theif but he is a good pitcher, especially down in the 4th or 5th hole.

Cozart is an immediate step up in production by default over Janish and Renteria, and has a good arm and solid D.

Rolen's offseason surgery cleaned up his shoulder he has had issues with for the last few years, says he has mmore range of motion in his arm now than he has had in many years. Mesoraco and Hanigan will make up one of the better catching tandems in the league again. Mesoraco with the power, who is good with the pitching staff, and Hanigan is already a good hitter and very solid D catcher.

Very nice,i see you keep up with the boys! yea Bruce looks ready!

 

[kramer1]

I think the Reds easily have the 3rd best team in the division. The outfield is atrocious. 3b is a mess. Catcher is a mess. SS is a mess. This team goes as far as Votto, BP, Rolen, Cueto, and Latos take them. I have zero confidence in anyone else.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

I think the Reds easily have the 3rd best team in the division. The outfield is atrocious. 3b is a mess. Catcher is a mess. SS is a mess. This team goes as far as Votto, BP, Rolen, Cueto, and Latos take them. I have zero confidence in anyone else.

I know what ur doing krame,that "reverse psycology"shit!! I hope it works!! lol

 

[kramer1]

I know what ur doing krame,that "reverse psycology"shit!! I hope it works!! lol

Last season I predicted 95 wins. OOPS.

Seriously, though....Catcher is a mess with a rookie and Hanigan (who cant hit water if he fell out of a boat). Rolen is an old man. SS is manned by a guy who's played 10 games and the league's worst player in Janish. Stubbs is atrocious. Jay Bruce was TERRIBLE outside of 1 month last season (May). It's foolish to assume we won;t sustain injuries...the bench is garbage outside of Cairo. Bailey is a complete bust. Leake? Who knows? Hey, we have a good bullpen, though.

I see maybe a .500 season at best.

 

[BigBlueNation111]

Last season I predicted 95 wins. OOPS.

Seriously, though....Catcher is a mess with a rookie and Hanigan (who cant hit water if he fell out of a boat). Rolen is an old man. SS is manned by a guy who's played 10 games and the league's worst player in Janish. Stubbs is atrocious. Jay Bruce was TERRIBLE outside of 1 month last season (May). It's foolish to assume we won;t sustain injuries...the bench is garbage outside of Cairo. Bailey is a complete bust. Leake? Who knows? Hey, we have a good bullpen, though.

I see maybe a .500 season at best.

Watch and see if Bruce and Stubbs don't get er done this yr!I think Rolen will hold his own and Hanigan is a smart catcher and can hit a solid 2.80 avg.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Last season I predicted 95 wins. OOPS.

Seriously, though....Catcher is a mess with a rookie and Hanigan (who cant hit water if he fell out of a boat). Rolen is an old man. SS is manned by a guy who's played 10 games and the league's worst player in Janish. Stubbs is atrocious. Jay Bruce was TERRIBLE outside of 1 month last season (May). It's foolish to assume we won;t sustain injuries...the bench is garbage outside of Cairo. Bailey is a complete bust. Leake? Who knows? Hey, we have a good bullpen, though.

I see maybe a .500 season at best.

I also understand your logic, as I have witnessed your Cincinnati jinx for the last 6+ years.

C. They (sports experts) are saying Mesoraco is one of those rare catchers that can hit for average and power. Saying he is the next great catching prospect to follow in the steps of a Buster Posey and Carlos Santana. Hanigan is a great defensive catcher and runs the pitching staff very well. He is basically our starting catcher, and Mesoraco will do a great job getting 40-45% of the play. I do not see catcher being a weakness at all.

1B is as solid as it gets. Gold Glover and Silver Slugger with a potential MVP season upcoming again.

2B is as solid as it gets. The best defensive player in MLB in my opinion. He is also goign to hit .275+, hit 15+ homers, and maybe steal 15+ bases.

3B. Rolen is always a question mark with his health, especially over the last 5 years or so. However, when healthy, he is still the best defensive 3B in the NL. He is a sure HOF. Only Brooks Robinson has won more GG at 3B. Plus, he is a solid hitter. If he goes down, or has lots of off days, we will struggle a little bit. Francisco is the guy that is expected to take those extra innings. He is a major drop off defensively. But he is also a LH bat, and has solid power. He is a bit of a strikeout case, and the production probably will drop off if Rolen misses a lot of time. Don't forget, we may very well have Frasier, Valdez, Cairo, or Harris available to eat some of those innings as well. There is a drop off, and it will be noticeable, but not enough to cost this team a chance at the division I don't think.

SS. Cozart is expected to be the starting SS. He is a rookie, and there is no way in hell you can bank on his stats continuing as they did in his 11 games last year. It is highly unlikely that he will be able to bat .310+ on the season, but if he can manage .275 with his natural swing, he will produce 10-15 HR, and be a great table setter for Votto and the middle of the order. His back up will be Janish/Valdez (I imagine Janish may be cut, so probably Valdez since we traded for him). Valdez is a solid fielder, and an okay hitter. Our SS position should be better than it has been since Gonzales was here.

LF. Our LF spot has been shit for several years now. I can't imagine a non-change at this is goign to affect us too much, at least not anymore than it did in 2010. Heisey seems to be getting a bit better each year, but he is still a 4th OF, and while Ludwick is nothing that he used to be, should provide 15+ home run power part time in our small park. Plus, Ludwick has always been a good run producer when guys get in scoring position, which is more important than the average or the home run pop. Between Ludwick and Heisey, I expect LF to be at least as productive as it was in 2010 with Gomes and Nix.

CF. Stubbs is a staple here and we need him to produce this year. He is a question mark, but if he approaches the game as a singles hitter and contact guy versus a homerun or run producer, he will only get better as his strikeouts should go down pretty well, and less strikeouts, means more balls in play, and more balls in play with his speed means more hits, higher average, more runs scored, more stolen bases. Defensively, he is no gold glover, but he is solid out in CF, and in our park he covers a hell of a lot of ground.

RF. Bruce honestly looks like a different person now. He looks like Drew Stubbs standing up to bat with bigger forearms from the left side of the plate. I watched that one spring training game the other day, and while you can't project an entire season off one silly spring training game, you can notice a considerable difference in Bruce both at the plate and in the field. He looks faster, more athletic. He drove the ball to the left center gap scoring two. He hung in there and hit the ball wher eit was pitched instead of trying to pull it. If he can maintain that attitude, with his natural power, he can still hit 30+ bombs, and increase his average and RBI's produced. He will cut down on strikeouts as well. Guys need to realize that contracts are not high just because of home runs, but because of production based off a team sport. He also looks like he can steal 30 bases with that new body.

SP...we have not had this good of a pitching staff in my opinion since the late 80's early 90's. Cueto and Latos is as good of a #1 and #2 that we have ever had really. They are both very young too and under team control for at least another 3 years. Arroyo before last year was a 200 IP / 15W guys like 2 or 3 years in a row. He came down with mono, lost 4 to 5 mph off his fastball and his stamina went way down. His new offseason training program helped rehabilitate his back, and he is over his mono. His fastball is back up to 90mph and he feels healthy for the first time in 5 years he said. Leake is becoming a very consistant young pitcher. He is gaining more and more IP each year, and led the Reds starting pitchers in the triple crown last year (wins + ERA + K's) [because Cueto did not qualify]. Bailey is a wildcard, but he has improved every single year. His big concern is staying healthy. If he can stay healthy we have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. If not healthy, we have Chapman and Francis to help out this year. Plus, Corcino is gettign better and better and I expect to rise quickly through the Reds organization AA to AAA before the All-Star break.

Bullpen: This is the best bullpen I can ever remember. Ondrusek, LeCure, Masset, Bray, Marshall, Madson. Every one of those guys with the exception of LeCure has closer type stuff. This is the best bullpen the Reds have had since the Nasty Boys represented.

To expect anything less than a division crown this year from this team would be a disappointment. I know people like our teams to fly under the radar to squash unwanted pressure. But this team is as good as we have had since '95. The Cardinals and Brewers will both be good still, but I expect this team to win, and yes, I may be disappointed in the end, but this team was built to win right now, and that is what I expect of them.

 

[OrangeBlackRedWhite]

If Madson has to get TJ surgery...fuck my life.

 

[redbengal1000]

Madson out for the year really hurts. We'll have to wait and see who the closer turns out to be now...

 

[bengaldoug]

Well, this sucks.....lost our damned closer before the friggin' season started......

 

[cincygrad]

It's okay. At least we re-signed Nelson....... Ooops, wrong thread.