06-29-2023, 11:15 AM
Reds Off Day : Ashcraft is back from injury trying to stay healthy and get his game on track. Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo are OUT until at least August. No July for either of them, and August is in question. Ashcraft being able to avoid more injury is in question, and he should be on a rock solid pitch count no more than 70 pitches due to just back from another injury. These 3 have been injured a lot in their first year and a half in the majors.
So with the main 3 pitchers banged up, maybe we shouldn't complain too much about the pitchers Reds are throwing out there to take their place.
Will Reds get pitching before trade deadline. I doubt it. One problem is all teams who are buyers in July are looking for pitching every year, and few teams are trading good pitching. Another problem is Reds are still shackled with all of The Moose contract and all of the Joey Votto contract this year. Reds will not be doing well on money until after this season. I doubt the Reds have the money to buy much this July. Poor Attendance in 2020, 2021 and 2022 plus the Moose and Votto contracts has forced payroll cuts, not payroll additions.
Now THE GOOD NEWS : REDS ARE IN FIRST PLACE going into 4th of July. THAT is pretty good. Reds home games are drawing more Fans which means Reds are just starting to make some money again. It's been a long time since Reds were around First Place on 4th of July. Fans, Players, Coaches and Front Office should be very happy over that.
Also the Reds have won more 1 run games than any team in baseball, so Bell gets credit on managing. I've been critical of Bell in the past, as have many, but Bell is Manager Of The Year so far for all the close wins and having Reds in First in spite of star pitcher injuries and major payroll cuts.
So, maybe we can back off on putting down the replacement pitchers Reds are forced to run out there, because Reds are in First Place. Maybe we could enjoy The Winning as much as The Players and Fans in stands are.
OK, so I doubt Reds can make a move for pitching trade. Reds still paying Moose and Votto a Ton of Money until this season over. Also every contender wants pitching, and you aren't gong to outbid the super rich teams. However IF Reds get Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo back in August and IF Ashcraft is still healthy, there are your Pitching Add On's end of July going into August.
For Now, I say just ENJOY Reds in FIRST PLACE going into 4th of July. Don't be too hung up about which two teams will still be playing in the freezing rain on Halloween. Enjoy The 4th of July FIRST PLACE REDS.
My MONEYBALL hope was Reds could be close to.500 on Memorial Day and 4th of July, and bring some Fans back to games, something Reds failed to do last couple years. The heck with the 2 teams left on Halloween. The Reds have did even better than my MONEYBALL hopes. They have had Sell Out Crowds around Memorial Day and 4th of July and are in FIRST PLACE. My MONEYBALL is different than the Brad Pitt guy in the movie. My MONEYBALL is give The Fans a team worth watching Memorial Day and 4th of July, and go ahead and steal bases and bunt, Sparky Anderson did and was a great manager. The Negro Leagues and Jackie Robinson brought a base stealing approach to the game that Fans love. Who knows, this new Red Elly De La Cruz may bring back Stealing Home. Jackie Robinson did it. Rod Carew did it. I don't know how they did it, but DE La Cruz has the speed to Steal Home.
I must give baseball credit on The Pitch Clock. Games are no longer 4 or 5 hours of Boring. The Clock and getting rid of players looking at Shift Cards has made the game Faster. Games are back to going 2 or 3 hours again, and The Fans seem to love the Faster paced game, I know I do. Watching players take all day looking at their Shift Cards between each batter was BORING. The game is more Fun in 2023. The game was getting stupid with third baseman at shortstop and such. Back in their positions, we are seeing The Brooks Robinson plays again at Third, and McClain has made the Dave Conception at Short plays of running and grabbing balls hit up the middle and turning them into outs as Davey or Ozzie did. The game is FUN again.
So with the main 3 pitchers banged up, maybe we shouldn't complain too much about the pitchers Reds are throwing out there to take their place.
Will Reds get pitching before trade deadline. I doubt it. One problem is all teams who are buyers in July are looking for pitching every year, and few teams are trading good pitching. Another problem is Reds are still shackled with all of The Moose contract and all of the Joey Votto contract this year. Reds will not be doing well on money until after this season. I doubt the Reds have the money to buy much this July. Poor Attendance in 2020, 2021 and 2022 plus the Moose and Votto contracts has forced payroll cuts, not payroll additions.
Now THE GOOD NEWS : REDS ARE IN FIRST PLACE going into 4th of July. THAT is pretty good. Reds home games are drawing more Fans which means Reds are just starting to make some money again. It's been a long time since Reds were around First Place on 4th of July. Fans, Players, Coaches and Front Office should be very happy over that.
Also the Reds have won more 1 run games than any team in baseball, so Bell gets credit on managing. I've been critical of Bell in the past, as have many, but Bell is Manager Of The Year so far for all the close wins and having Reds in First in spite of star pitcher injuries and major payroll cuts.
So, maybe we can back off on putting down the replacement pitchers Reds are forced to run out there, because Reds are in First Place. Maybe we could enjoy The Winning as much as The Players and Fans in stands are.
OK, so I doubt Reds can make a move for pitching trade. Reds still paying Moose and Votto a Ton of Money until this season over. Also every contender wants pitching, and you aren't gong to outbid the super rich teams. However IF Reds get Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo back in August and IF Ashcraft is still healthy, there are your Pitching Add On's end of July going into August.
For Now, I say just ENJOY Reds in FIRST PLACE going into 4th of July. Don't be too hung up about which two teams will still be playing in the freezing rain on Halloween. Enjoy The 4th of July FIRST PLACE REDS.
My MONEYBALL hope was Reds could be close to.500 on Memorial Day and 4th of July, and bring some Fans back to games, something Reds failed to do last couple years. The heck with the 2 teams left on Halloween. The Reds have did even better than my MONEYBALL hopes. They have had Sell Out Crowds around Memorial Day and 4th of July and are in FIRST PLACE. My MONEYBALL is different than the Brad Pitt guy in the movie. My MONEYBALL is give The Fans a team worth watching Memorial Day and 4th of July, and go ahead and steal bases and bunt, Sparky Anderson did and was a great manager. The Negro Leagues and Jackie Robinson brought a base stealing approach to the game that Fans love. Who knows, this new Red Elly De La Cruz may bring back Stealing Home. Jackie Robinson did it. Rod Carew did it. I don't know how they did it, but DE La Cruz has the speed to Steal Home.
I must give baseball credit on The Pitch Clock. Games are no longer 4 or 5 hours of Boring. The Clock and getting rid of players looking at Shift Cards has made the game Faster. Games are back to going 2 or 3 hours again, and The Fans seem to love the Faster paced game, I know I do. Watching players take all day looking at their Shift Cards between each batter was BORING. The game is more Fun in 2023. The game was getting stupid with third baseman at shortstop and such. Back in their positions, we are seeing The Brooks Robinson plays again at Third, and McClain has made the Dave Conception at Short plays of running and grabbing balls hit up the middle and turning them into outs as Davey or Ozzie did. The game is FUN again.
1968 Bengal Fan
