Reds August 2023 thread

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-06-2023, 09:34 PM)samhain Wrote: Lack of viable starting pitching and young players hitting the wall affected that whole series.

Yep 

Through the bulk of our June & July winning streaks, comebacks, and hot games, we got lucky - a lot! Our pitching wasn't anywhere close to having the stats to put up those numbers of wins. 

How many games did Weaver get curb stomped in the first 3 or 4 innings and we came back and won? We were living on borrowed time so to speak. The chickens are now coming home to roost. 

It's been a lot of fun to have something to enjoy watching, up to now. And I'll continue to tune in for a while. I mean hey like 7 or 8 of the last 10 seasons we've been out of the race by mid-May? Some seasons even sooner.

But we just don't have the pitching to stay afloat. And Greene and Lodolo aren't going to be back soon enough to stop the slide we're going down now.

[guyofthetiger]

The Reds are basically a .500 team and that's still better than last year. I'm closing down any chance of making it to the post season this year anyway. The rookies are still learning to adjust and it takes time. Still enjoy watching them.

[*bengalfan74*]

Like 3 of Williamson's last four starts have been pretty good. Can he stop the skid? The Marlins are putting a hot young Rhander out there. Good news is he's a righty so we won't get the replacement lineup, I hope?

[cinci4life]

Yet another first inning run given up.

[*bengalfan74*]

Is DLC ever going to learn to lay off the off speed stuff in the dirt?

[cinci4life]

Nice to see an opponent get ejected instead of Bell.

[cinci4life]

Finally a win!!!

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-07-2023, 10:10 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Finally a win!!!

bout time huh ?

[CJD]

Last night was a great night.

Williamson rebounded from a bad game against the Cubs. I think the Reds pulled him too early last time out, personally, (he left with 2 on, 1 out in the 5th inning and Farmer allowed 2 more in, making Williamson's line look even worse than it was), so I was really happy to see him pitch into the 7th inning.

He has been incredibly effective for over a month now, posting a 2.45 ERA in the month of July along with his 1.35 ERA performance last night. He even hit a career high in strikeouts!

The offense showed signs of life, with TJ Friedl getting a CLUTCH hit with RISP.

I was beginning to worry we'd never get a hit with a guy on 2nd base ever again!

Going into this game, we were 7 for 40 (0.175) with RISP in the 6 game losing streak, and 3 for 27 (0.111) in the final 5 of those 6 games.

They still weren't good with RISP last night (1 for 6), but at least the one really counted...

Let's build on this. Today is Weaver day which...ugh...But we'll see if the team can recapture the magic they had when they won 8 straight Weaver starts, rather than the trend of losing 3 of his last 4 starts.

[CJD]

Also, as a side note, when everyone is healthy next year, our starting rotation battle is going to be extremely interesting.

We got Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft and Connor Phillips competing as right handers, with Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson competing as left handers.

Connor Phillips is still just a prospect, so he may be the odd one out of this lineup, but it does offer a strange scenario where our rotation will be 60% lefties. I'm not sure how many teams can boast that. And I'm not sure if that's an advantage or a disadvantage. I guess it depends on the team you're facing.

If they're crazy, I wonder if they'd have some sort of 6 man rotation...but that doesn't seem like the right thing to do.

Then you got some hangers on that likely end up in the bullpen but can make spot starts, like Ben Lively, Lyon Richardson, Brett Kennedy, and Levi Stoudt.

We may have some really good pitching in the coming years, if everything works out in our favor.

[The D.O.Z.]

Good win yesterday! Williamson is turning himself into a pretty good pitcher as the season goes on.

I know we just resigned The Chin to manage this team for another three years but how awesome would it have been to snatch Aaron Boone somehow? I just watched his mimic-tirade that got him tossed yesterday, and LOVED every bit of it!

https://youtu.be/L5WEZIYP9lo

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-08-2023, 10:00 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Last night was a great night.

Williamson rebounded from a bad game against the Cubs. I think the Reds pulled him too early last time out, personally, (he left with 2 on, 1 out in the 5th inning and Farmer allowed 2 more in, making Williamson's line look even worse than it was), so I was really happy to see him pitch into the 7th inning.

He has been incredibly effective for over a month now, posting a 2.45 ERA in the month of July along with his 1.35 ERA performance last night. He even hit a career high in strikeouts!

The offense showed signs of life, with TJ Friedl getting a CLUTCH hit with RISP.

I was beginning to worry we'd never get a hit with a guy on 2nd base ever again!

Going into this game, we were 7 for 40 (0.175) with RISP in the 6 game losing streak, and 3 for 27 (0.111) in the final 5 of those 6 games.

They still weren't good with RISP last night (1 for 6), but at least the one really counted...

Let's build on this. Today is Weaver day which...ugh...But we'll see if the team can recapture the magic they had when they won 8 straight Weaver starts, rather than the trend of losing 3 of his last 4 starts.

Was just coming on here to post same thing, good job Williamson. I'm starting to believe he may develop into a good #4 or #5 ?

And right again - ugh Weaver. Perhaps like you say he can get the magic going again?

[kevin]

WIN this home series against Marlins for paying Reds fans in the seats of GABP.....WIN.

[CJD]

(08-08-2023, 11:53 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Was just coming on here to post same thing, good job Williamson. I'm starting to believe he may develop into a good #4 or #5 ?

And right again - ugh Weaver. Perhaps like you say he can get the magic going again?

At this point, I think Williamson has the inside track to being the #4 or 5 next year. There will be competition, but he has shown a ton in this last half of the season.

If I were a betting man, I'd say the 2024 starting lineup will likely be:
1. Hunter Greene
2. Graham Ashcraft
3. Andrew Abbott (assuming he doesn't fall off a cliff to end the season)
4. Nick Lodolo
5. Brandon Williamson
In case of injury/spot starters: Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson, Levi Stoudt, Ben Lively

Weaver will, thankfully, be gone next year...

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-08-2023, 12:18 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: At this point, I think Williamson has the inside track to being the #4 or 5 next year. There will be competition, but he has shown a ton in this last half of the season.

If I were a betting man, I'd say the 2024 starting lineup will likely be:
1. Hunter Greene
2. Graham Ashcraft
3. Andrew Abbott (assuming he doesn't fall off a cliff to end the season)
4. Nick Lodolo
5. Brandon Williamson
In case of injury/spot starters: Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson, Levi Stoudt, Ben Lively

Weaver will, thankfully, be gone next year...

I can see that or close to that. I'm kinda still hoping they can get a true top shelf starter this offseason. 

[The D.O.Z.]

(08-08-2023, 01:12 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I can see that or close to that. I'm kinda still hoping they can get a true top shelf starter this offseason. 

I would be okay with a Sonny Gray short-term signing this offseason. I don’t think these owners are looking to spend THAT big on a TOR arm when they have some good ones knocking on the door right now (not to mention the cost, be it big bucks or multiple top prospects). Sonny fits the need of a MOR vet who has had success pitching in GABP, while probably not commanding a $20million+ per year contract. We also could really use another RHP in the rotation.

This team could sure use a high-leverage set-up reliever and a power bat (one that hits over .200 and doesn’t cost $20million) as well!

[*bengalfan74*]

Senzel batting 2nd?

Friedl batting 7th?

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(08-08-2023, 04:31 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Senzel batting 2nd?

Friedl batting 7th?

Have I ever mentioned how much that I hate that Dumb Bell is the Reds manager? I knew it was coming when I saw that they had a lefty going today in last night's post-game show . . . BTW, I'm really digging MLB.TV adding in the pre-game and post-game shows. Reds Live has one of the best staffs in all of baseball.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Weaver AND the Scrub Squad all starting? Just going to catch the box score tomorrow.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

Mall looks like a relief pitcher that is looking to get paid in the off-season. Very sharp so far.