Third Time's A Charm I Guess

[tlakes20]

So I've been to 3 games so far this year, more than usual but a bunch of circumstances came up to where I got tickets to two more than I planned for. Went to opening day which they lost 1-0, went to Friday nights game which they lost 2-1, and then today's game where they just went completely off and scored 12 runs. This is the Reds though, and has been for really the last 4 years. They're hit and miss on offense, if they're not on they're awful but if they're on like today, no one is stopping them. Again maybe the lineup change will be helpful in getting Votto more at bats, maybe Mesoraco is going to be the guy to step up on offense to carry the slack that other guys bring. I don't know, it's pretty much a complete mystery with this team when it comes to offense. You know you're pretty much going to get good pitching performances. I was really impressed with Cingrani today. Good thing about him is he's very consistent in throwing strikes. Probably going to end up better than Travis Wood. And oh Cozart got his average above .100 so that's always good. But scoring 12 one game and scoring 12 the rest of the week isn't going to win you games, they have to get more consistent if they're going to expect to win a postseason series, or even make it into the postseason.

 

[JohnU]

I usually expect 4 or 5 runs are necessary to win half the time.

 

[JohnU]

As luck would have it, Alex Cobb goes on the 15-day DL a day AFTER he pitches a 1-0 shutout against the Reds.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I'm not happy with the W-L so far, but not surprised either- there is a decent chance both the Cards and the Rays might be World Series teams...and losing series to those kinds of teams with 8 guys on the DL, and a rookie leadoff hitter, well...maybe they shoulda beat the Mets one more game.

The baserunning has been...uh..overly aggressive, but at least it looks like Prices crew aren't willing to stand and wait for the homer. They just need to learn to temper some common sense into the equasion. I always thought the threat of a steal was good for offense- and the fastball to JV with BH at 1st was hopefully a taste of the other team doing things they don't want to do...I expect better offense, less than the beat down yesterday of course, but if the pitching holds up, just another run or two a game will go a long way. I'd take 4 runs a game all year.

 

[JohnU]

I'd guess the odds of playing tonight are pretty slim if the weather report is to believed.

 

[chico ruiz]

last year's team hovered around .500 well into may. the pitching has been outstanding sans bailey, who isn't just missing spots, he's missing entire sides of the plate. he did have good breaking stuff last outing, but the fastball location was a horror show. it's early, but today is an important start for he with the unfortunate first name. what separates the good from outstanding starting pitchers? in my opinion, the outstanding ones can take the mound, with less than their best stuff, and still win the game. or, at the very least, turn in a quality start keeping their team in the game. don sutton and andy pettitte come to mind immediately. maybe it's having 3 different quality or 'plus' pitches in your arsenal. regardless, homer has to keep the reds in the game more often than not. much more often imo. the importance is magnified with latos out indefinitely. there aren't many pitchers making more than a average annual salary of 18 million bucks a year. extended spring training is over. it's time to get it done.

 

[JohnU]

Homer ain't foolin' em tonight either.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Mariano Rivera doesn't come around very often.

Seems to me, half the initially intended closers aren't closing before the season is out. Only some are hurt. The rest just lose the one pitch they own. It's a shaky proposition at best. Dunno how much is in the head, the heart, or the arm, but I wouldn't expect year over year production from the bullpen in general, especially in a spotlight role.

 

[Redsfan1507]

As far as Homer is concerned, he's just not at peak yet, IMO. Pitches are flatter, and he's missing his targets.

Dunno if it makes a difference or not, but sometimes the big contract doesn't make pitchers better. Maybe they try to be too fine trying to prove worth, or maybe some just aren't as motivated as when they were trying to get the big check. Maybe it's strictly coincidence. I hope so in Homers case.

I think Homer wants to be an ace. Top of the food chain. He still has a ways to go to get there. He's young enough, if healthy, I like his upside. On the bright side, if everyone is healthy, he's the #3 SP with the Reds. Hoover is a fill in. Maybe someone should remind them of that, take a little pressure off so he doesn't try to throw a 150 mph fastball by everyone, or get beat being too cute tossing hangers to guys already tardy on the fastball. Some of this may be lack of Hanigan. Some of it might be lack of runs. Maybe a sore arm in cold weather ?

Often, with guys with great stuff, they just need to simplify and slow down.

Losing is looked at entirely different when you are expected to win. So is bad performance after a big raise or a promotion to closer.

It's the same game though.

 

[JohnU]

There are games you have to win.
There are other games that don't matter as much.
Today's suspended game was one the Reds had to win.
They didn't.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Well, you can't win 95 games in April. They all count though.

You can't win 95 losing 1-0 three times a week either. As timing would have it, when the offense showed up, the pitching dissapeared. Pitching isn't what made the current W/L, it's been the lack of offense...so, I'm encouraged by the recent hitting, especially against a good pitching team.

The last game is always out of reach, and the next one is always the one you need. This team will be more consistently better when they don't have 3 batting averages in the lineup that look like temperature readings.

 

[Redsfan1507]

BHam top 1st, walk, SB, 2 WP later, scores without a hit.

Wouldn't have happened last year.