The rest of the road trip

[JohnU]

St. Lousy is showing a bit of a flaw, it seems.
My observations earlier suggested they could hit their way out of a slump, so we shall see.
In any event, one thing they've done is to stutter-step on Wacha, their prospect. Gonna skip a couple of starts to save his pitch count for later in the year. Seems to me like people paying more attention to Verducci than to common-sense coaches.

I love it when baseball falls victim to its self-imposed rules.

Heisey is evidently going to be back on Tuesday. I assume Lutz is going to be sent out.
That still turns either Robinson or Paul into the pinch hitter.

The question: Do the Reds do a deal?

 

[Redsfan1507]

Ludwick is still looming. No one seems to be believing he's a near term answer, but his 8 figure salary owed next year is certainly a question. He's not a likely trade piece. If Heisey doesn't hit, neither is he, and if he does the Reds won't trade him until Ludwick joins the LF conundrum. Lutz and Robinson have minor league options. Considering the players traded for pitching a season and a half ago, I see nothing but underperforming relievers as trade options. Choo is a free agent, that can't be traded for value, and is irreplaceable in the lineup unless the Reds throw in the towel. It's too early for that.

I doubt an impact deal because of these factors. I think the team is back in Dusty's normal non-contract comfort zone... Waiting on existing players to do more. Ironic, IMO, because deals for Latos, Choo, Marshall, Broxton, etc. point to THIS being the year to win...

... and it appears we're stuck in neutral.

 

[smokerch15]

RIOS

 

[Redsfan1507]

Doesn't he have a big contract ? If the Reds had $12-15 mil a year to spend, wouldn't they try to sign Choo ? It's hard to fathom finding big money for new players when they speculate not being able to afford current ones. If the Reds make trades, I suspect they'll make them for cheaper alternatives, maybe a few years away in the minors...but im just guessing. I think this team is going to have to stand on it's own financial feet for a while.

 

[JohnU]

Oh, I do NOT see an impact trade this year by any of the contenders. Mainly because the wild-card rules basically keep the also-rans in the race. Nobody is going to trade a star away.


Any deal the Reds would make would be to unload one of these outfielders to somebody who needs MLB-ready depth.

The reality is, there are only so many left fielders on any team -- the ones who can't hit aren't worth much. Bring your glove and hang it over the end of your bat.

 

[Redsfan1507]

In my world, LF is the position with the LEAST requirements- you just have to hit. Not surprising, the Reds have been able to do that every now and then, with cheap reclamation projects like Gomes and Ludwick. Their mistake, IMO, is allowing them to turn 3 months of unusually good career production into an extension with a big raise. Ludwick is owed over $10 mil next year, or roughly what Phillips makes this year, and what Votto made last year. Does anyone on his right mind expect Ludwick to be worth that ? Me neither. I'd rather hope that MLB farmhands like Robinson, or Hamilton might pan out, or if not, why not grab another 1 year wonder for 1/10 of what Ludwick is going to earn ? I'd rather throw that down payment on an offer for Choo. Just saying.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Geez. Can't wait for Seattle. They're bad, right ? We need a slump buster.

 

[JohnU]

Geez. Can't wait for Seattle. They're bad, right ? We need a slump buster.

Seattle will find a couple of rookie lefthanders. Not to worry. We got that series scouted.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Hometown announcer Chris Welsh (FSN)was saying the Reds shouldn't get captured by the scouting report, insinuating it let Homer down today, overly worried about the fearsome A's hitters ability to hit a fastball... Even though the As did a pretty good job on Bronson's breaking ball last night, and again today. Im pretty sick of Welshs attempts at snookering Reds fans into hiding the Reds stark incompetence at translating a scouting report into game execution. He's the same guy that was the only guy watching the game that thought 3b coach Chris Speier was giving Votto a slide signal when he was thrown out. Speiers arms were signaling either a field goal, or stand up, not slide. Sickening...people only deceive when they gave something to hide. He had a lot if PR to do with this teams smarts and fundamentals.

 

[JohnU]

It's not the pitching that bothers me with this team.
By default, even a caveman can pitch 6 innings in MLB these days with a strike zone as big as Arizona.
What sucks is that the Reds hitters can't even muster a run.
You cannot go into the fourth or fifth inning of a game with nothing on the board. Every pitcher in the league shows a higher ERA after the second time through the order. If you get to a starter in the first inning, you have a chance.

Baker and Jacoby evidently think waiting till the 8th is good enough, so long as they can wait till the 9th to use Chapman.

 

[Redsfan1507]

It's quite a slump. Most times, when this many people are this listless at the same time, for this long, it's either a session of congress, a conspiracy, or an epidemic.

 

[JohnU]

I expect it from Houston and Miami, which lack talent.
When I see talented players hitting like the AAAstros and the M-AA-rlins, I have to think it's maybe the hitting philosophy.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Teams usually take on the personality of the manager. Dusty only gets somewhat interested in a sense of urgency in contract years. What a coincidence, huh ?

 

[smokerch15]

Too many first pitch swings.

NEVER swing at a first pitch when...
1. You are leading off an inning.
2. The man in front of you walks.. .especially on 4 pitches.
3. They bring in a new pitcher from the bullpen.

and yet we do it all the time.

What was the stat? BP is hitting like a buck 50 when he swings at the first pitch. STOP DOING IT.

 

[WvuDieHard]

It is a reflection of the baseball IQ of this team. A good baseball player knows these things that we talk about on here. I would think that these Reds know them too so why do they still do it? Because the Coaches are a bunch of losers that would rather create a happy clubhouse than an improved group of seasoned hitters by telling them to stop it. Cozart is the worst at doing this crap.

 

[smokerch15]

To that end, Cozart has been instructed from Dusty himself to swing earlier in the count to cut down on his K's. REALLY? Is that good instruction on hitting?

Ridiculous.

 

[JohnU]

I like the idea of attacking a fastball on the first pitch.
BUT ... you have to be able to drive the ball, not swing at it with the weight on your back foot.
Cozart had figured it out, I had heard, which was why he was hitting there for awhile.
Then I think they started throwing him changeups and the coaching staff forgot to tell him how to adjust to that.
Little things I know I'd overlook with a team that has a $100 million payroll and will draw close to 2.5 million fans this year.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I've heard the hometown media minions paid to help cover shit up, say Dusty or Jacoby have helped players, but I've seen zero evidence of it. Dusty is almost Stengelesc in his statements, except they aren't as funny.

"This isn't my team" ...After Dustys first Reds 74 win 5th place team, although 3-4 Dustys ex Cub underperformers were on the roster at his invitation.

"Hit and runs don't just happen, you have to get on and be able to run when someone hits. That's a lot going on at one time, and you can run into trouble quick"...but prefers to attempt steals with 1 out and 2 strikes on the hitter ?

"Im going to work with Stubbs this winter" prior to Stubbs league leading K year, and last with the Reds. Stubbs said Dusty told him the last day of the seaon to spread his stance more, keep his hands closer to his ear , work on some cage work and he'd see him in the spring. Thanks Dusty.

"OBP is overrated. Walks just clog up the bases" when asked about his low OBP top of the order hitters.

"Speed is a good thing, if you can use it". Obviously, Dusty can't.

"Hitting isn't everything, he needs to work on some other things. Besides, whoever plays CF has to leadoff. He isn't a leadoff hitter." on keeping Jay Bruce in AAA hitting .350 while Corey Patterson was hitting .200 for the Reds. BTW, when Bruce was brought up, Dusty lead him off.

"You can put ingredients in the salad in any order you want, but when you toss it, it always tastes the same" When questioned about his unfathomable lineup schemes.

"I told him to be more aggressive and swing earlier in the count".On telling a career 4:1 K:BB ratio .240 hitting Zack Cozart how to hit "better".

Classics, every one.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Maybe a trip to scorching Texas will get the Reds bats hot. Hey, these guys can't hit this bad for long, and they're due.

 

[JohnU]

Ah ... yes they CAN hit this bad. They can't beat lefties, rookies or retreads.
The bullpen is getting a peculiar work load now.
Now we have Heisey back, trying to get his stroke, whatever that was.
It probably can't get worse but even if this team goes on a winning streak of -- say, 5 in a row, there is nothing about it that suggests what we have seen isn't a trend. The Reds are what they are, nothing less, nothing more. It's up to other teams to play worse now.
Sorry, this team is not a contender, and that's a shame. That's a waste of talent because of a bizarre coachig philosophy.