Well At Least The Starting Pitching Has Been Very Good So Far

[tlakes20]

First of all hey fellas what's going on and finally glad that it's baseball season again. Finally got something to watch on tv again. Anyways I was at opening day and I had a blast even though they lost. When they were announcing the Reds roster I was wondering like who some of these guys were? Never heard of them before, I guess I need to follow my baseball more, lol.

I was REALLY, REALLY impressed with Cueto. His confidence is there. He looked great for pretty much the whole game besides the one slip up to Molina, but his offense gave him zero help and still looks like the old Dusty Baker offense. And Cingrani looked very good tonight as well. But lets be real, the Reds aren't going anywhere if they can't score. Defense and pitching doesn't help if you can't score. And this wasn't just Billy Hamilton that had a bad day, it was the entire offense outside of Todd Frazier. Votto literally didn't even run out a grounder he hit on Opening day and I was just thinking really? And had 1st and 3rd with no outs and couldn't score, again same thing we've been seeing for the last few years. Reds are just handicapped offensively, I don't know what it is but it is literally all or nothing with them. If they can't hit homers they don't score and if that doesn't change, this team no matter how good the pitching is, isn't going to win a playoff series.

 

[JohnU]

Geeeeeezus ... if every game is like this, what a year it's going to be.

 

[WvuDieHard]

As an old Reds fans of many years, I have seen many a season where the Reds, and other teams for that matter, start out slow with the bats. This is not an uncommon occurrence in baseball because you just came from spring training where you saw A and AA pitching. Now you get the beasts of Wainwright Wacha Cueto Cingrani, etc... hence 18 innings 16 hits and 2 runs for both clubs. What is encouraging here is that 1) Cueto looks as good as ever 2) Cingrani looks better and we will eventually have Latos back with Bailey. Starting pitching looks extremely strong. Now the bats, same shitzle we have seen under Dustmop, at least so far. At least Price wont bat a relief pitcher( Simon who hadn't had a sac bunt in 7 years) with 1 out in the 7th inning and 1 on and down by a 1--then pull him to start the eighth. We wont have those "Dum and Dummer" moments anymore.

 

[JohnU]

Actually, there was some dumb and dumber baserunning on Monday.
Cueto's sick attempt to bunt and Pena hosed at 3B.
Phillips trying to score on a contact play that was very poorly recognized.
Hamilton still shows me that he has zero idea of how to bunt his way on.

But I think for the 70 days these guys spend in spring training, it's clear they don't get to see any real pitching. What is the point of spring training? Seems like 10 days ought to be enough if that's as good as they get from it. (And spare me the 'we have to look at a lot of guys' lie.)

 

[Redsfan1507]

It's early- hitters often are behind pitchers at this stage.

But...allowing 1 run in 2 games against the Cards offense is impressive.

It's no secret, this team is going to live and die with pitching, so it's good we have some. The bullpen is sketchy- typical of most teams from year to year. IMO, this is because relievers are relievers for reasons...stamina, lack of secondary pitches, or simply salary depends on having some lesser paid innings fillers...and lack of consistency is a part of all the above. Relievers are always on the move, cause they are walking the tightrope of release, other than elite closers, and like running backs in the NFL, their lifespan is often short.

Hamilton will hit some, and he can bunt..but the fact so much emphasis on him hitting on a team that has been in post season 3/4 of the last 4 years speaks to the Reds front office inability to stock a veteran core that leads the way. Ludwick is the guy the pressure should be on, and if belief is he can't carry a load, he shouldn't have his current contract. Phillips needs to produce more if he wants to be equal to his claim he's worth more. At some point before Hamilton is pressured, Frazier, Cozart and Mesoraco should be. Bruce and Votto must continue to produce at a high level.

Injuries and other teams moves insure the best teams on paper, don't always win...but the Cardinals only weaknesses I see are their defense and lack of a LHSP. Reds have to stay in the WC race and take their chances. Better situational play, baserunning, and taking advantage of the few mistakes of other teams can make a W/L difference, but it won't add 10 more wins on the Cardinals by themselves.

 

[Ryanballa]

The hitting will come, but our pitching and defense has been great. Both Cueto and Cingrani dominated the Cardinals lineup. BTW not to get off topic but I in my opinion from there first glance at Cards infield, other then there catcher Molina. There infield is horrid on defense. There is gonna be a lot of E's in that infield this year for them.

 

[JohnU]

Does Brandon Phillips intend to suck the entire season?
I think Hamilton could have been at third base if the moron had not hacked at a pitch in the dirt.

 

[Redsfan1507]

What about Fredo Simon ? 7 solid innings from a reliever ? Parra a 2 inning save ?

Gotta like that.

 

[JohnU]

I don't think I'd count on Simon going 7 every time out but he's capable of a QS two out of three.
He's a 5th-6th starter. You gotta score runs for him most of the time. Apparently that is still true of Mike Leake as well.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Something happened with Parra in the 2nd half of last season. The light went off and he has been a premier pitcher ever since. His cutter is devastating on lefties and his low and away sinker is killer on righties. He is the best pitcher in the bullpen right now and we need to lean on him until Chapman gets back and healthy.

 

[eburg5000]

Well pitched game from both Simon and Parra. It was a badly needed win, and I will take it. Offense still sucks though. Its time Cozart figures out the season has started. Someone said he was 0 for 23. I just know its 0 for. also I'm wondering if Hamilton can handle leadoff or any other spot. At this point, I would say no, but its still early.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Well guys it looks like we meet again. Week 2 and yet another Cards/Reds series. For those who haven't heard Chris Carpenter is throwing out the first pitch today and Jason LaRue will be catching it. I love having Carp around but the LaRue touch seems to be a little bit of unnecessary stirring of the pot to me.

As far as baseball goes today's matchup is a rematch of game 2 last week with Cingrani and Wacha. We could see another pitchers duel.

Ryanballa, I understand where you can see that based on the first week (infield defensive woes in STL). I don't think that'll last though. MCarp is a 3B by trade and is better there than he is at 2B and Wong is actually a very good defensive player. He's one of those guys who feels like he has to live up to expectations and the nerves got to him. That'll go away. I won't pretend that Peralta and Adams are gold glove defenders but Adams moves around pretty well and Peralta is sure handed. Neither will wow you but they're both decent.

 

[JohnU]

I agree ... not sure what the LaRue message is trying to evoke, but if somebody wants to keep re-running the "BRAWL", I will probably stop watching. To me, that's no different from the Ducky Medwick rotten veggies event in 1934. It's in the past. Nobody has anything new to say about it.

As for the Birds themselves, I will walk out on a limb and predict that Craig is back on first base by the end of May.

 

[bengaldoug]

Recent history surely favors the Cards to at least win two in this series. The last 30 series' at St Louis have gone the Cards' way to the tune of something like 25-3-2. I have seen nothing in the Reds or the Cards to make me believe the trend is going to change this year. Of course, I hope I am wrong.

 

[mutigers1fan]

I'm ok with honoring LaRue because he never played again after that but I don't think this is the day to do it. I agree, its in the past and lets not go out of our way to generate hate.

As for the Birds themselves, I will walk out on a limb and predict that Craig is back on first base by the end of May.

Dear God I hope so. I don't think it'll be May but I wouldn't be surprised to see Adams moved in July.

A little over an hour until game time, festivities begin in 30, best of luck folks, I've got beer and hot dogs to get to.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Chris Carpenter just clarified on the pre game show that Mike Matheny will be catching the first pitch, not Jason LaRue as previously stated. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

[JohnU]

It will be a bit nippy tonight in Buschland.

 

[eburg5000]

I don't think anyone here dislikes LaRue, He came up with the Reds, and at one time the thought he would be the starting catcher for a long time. It was unfortunate that all that happened. most brawls are forgotten about after a while, but that one hasn't for some reason. Its a shame.

 

[mutigers1fan]

I think a large part of it sticking in minds is that fact that the 2 ignitors are still centerpieces for their teams. Yadi still gets booed in cincy, Phillips still gets booed in STL.

 

[JohnU]

TV media feasted on that for 2 years ... couldn't wait to make a deal of it.
Worse, the Pittsburgh media is doing the same thing. Everytime somebody gets hit, Bob Walk starts whining about how it's the Reds "MO" ... and the media there kept insisting that Parrots pitchers plunk Phillips, which was really bizarre, since the original "beanball derby" went on while Phillips sat out the entire series with a hamstring pull. Later, they just thought plunking Phillips was the right thing to do.

The TV media doesn't like to let this sort of thing die, because the "bad blood" theme fits right into what they are trying to sell.

I only watched the last inning of the game today, since I didn't feel like listening to it again. I have no idea what was said.