You asked for more offense...

[chico ruiz]

true enough john. it was more the silly analysis i was referencing.

 

[JohnU]

Interesting if you look back at history. Most teams with great hitters are less than memorable because most of them only had one great hitter. Ted Williams played on one pennant winner. George Sisler never played for any. Neither did Banks.

Mainly it is because you need several **good** hitters to help that great hitter do any damage.

I think that's the problem with perceptions of Votto. He can't do it all and it's folly to expect it. But when the supporting cast does **better**, it makes Votto an MVP candidate.

Most of the old Yankees didn't win MVP awards by accident. Their great hitters were surrounded by a lot of really **good** players. That's also what drove the Cardinals last year. It was what drove the BRM and the Oakland winners.

But you can't have the 2-4-5-6 guys in the lineup striking out a combined 25 times a week, grounding into double plays, popping up, failing to advance runners and generally being TOOTBLANS.

The Reds offense has poisoned itself over the years with either (a.) a shortage of real talent or (b.) a shortage of preparation. The question is: Why don't others learn from Votto? Mainly because you can't teach vision and brains. It's the same reason why the old Red Sox hitters didn't improve by watching Williams.

I am seeing signs that this year's Reds are doing a few more things right. It has taken awhile for that attitude to mesh with what the hitters are seeing. March in Arizona is not the same as Wainwright in April.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Hard to drive in 150 with 100 runners a year on when you come to the plate. Cardinals leadoff man had as many RBI as Reds 3 hitter in large part because of lots more guys on base. Votto hit what .290 RISP ladt year ? That tells me he needed more on base. All he had was Choo. Philips had a chump year in comparison (.260/18HR) but drive in 100 because he had Choo AND Votto on regularly. Cozart in the 2 hole was a zero. IMO, it was obvious to everyone but Dusty that BP in the 2 and Bruce in the 4 would have produced more runs.

Lack of opportunity and wasted opportunity is a bad combo if you want to win.

Ultimately, this is a team with only 1 .300 hitter-Votto... and 1 30HR guy- Bruce...and 1 30SB guy- Hamilton. Phillips is sporadic .250-.300, but hasn't hit more than 18 HR or stolen more than a handful of bases in half a decade, and is 32 now...Ludwick has had 3 great months in his last 3 years and he's 36, on his 5th shoulder surgery. Frazier and Cozart were low contact .260 minor league hitters. Meso alternated looking like Alex Trivino and Victor Martinez in the minors, so I have a little more hope he might develop into a noteworthy hitter yet, but no guarantee. Heisey isn't s rookie-and other than an occasional streak, isn't an impact player either. Shumaker is a .280 hitter without power speed or D working in his favor.

This offense is limited by those factors...and shouldn't surprise anyone when it struggles.

This team has to pitch and play D to have a chance. They improve their chances if they improve advancing baserunners, stealing bases, and taking more walks, but to hope for Luddy, Frazier or Cozart to break out big offensively all year, just isn't likely.

IMO, the underlying factor usually ignored is, the farm. Heisey was a 17th round pick almost 10 years ago, and he's not a real answer...so where are the higher picks since then ? This team won't truly be on equal footing with great organizations until they stop spending $14M on platoon left fielders and injured closers, and draft a few more Barry Larkins, Eric Davises and Jay Bruce's.

 

[JohnU]

I hesitate to say the Reds have turned a corner. Wrigley played like Wrigley this weekend against a team that typically plays like the Cubs.

Still -- Hamilton reaching base -- a good sign.
Homer pitching well -- a good sign.
Votto forgetting how many outs there are as the No. 2 hitter -- let's hope that's not a trend.
Marshall back in the bullpen. Partch in Lousyville where he belongs.
Mesoraco still raking.

And the Parrots deciding that brawls don't need no stinkin' reason.