Reds August 2023 thread

[CJD]

(08-14-2023, 10:24 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Weaver just can't pitch deep enough into games. It's such a detriment to the BP.
In the past 5 games he's pitched, he's only gone beyond 4.0 innings once.

Reds are going to have a tough time pushing for the postseason if they can only get decent starts out of Abbott, Williamson, and Ashcraft.

They still have a few weeks before the AAA season ends and the Sept call-ups happen, at least another week before Greene can return, and even longer until Lodolo returns.

I'd like to see Greene boot out Weaver from the rotation once he returns, but I think it will be Richardson's spot. They might choose to go with the young upside of Richardson though over Weaver's continuous poor outings.
Then Lively and Lodolo (and maybe Phillips once called up in Sept?) can battle it out for that 5th rotational spot.

My worry is though that by the time the Reds get these guys back, how far back will they be?
They are 3.5 games out of the division lead and just outside of the WC.

WC teams:
Phillies - 65-54 (.546)
Giants - 63-55 (.534)
Marlins - 62-57 (.521)

Reds and Cubs a half game behind the Marlins for the final WC spot.

This season feels a lot like 2021. The Reds were at one point 12 games above .500 as late as Aug 27 (71-59), but they ended up floundering the last month of the season finishing 83-79.
For this season, they were at multiple points in July 10 games over .500. As of today, they are just 4 games above .500.

The major difference between the 2021 roster and the 2023 roster is 2021 had a "this is your last chance" feel to it. 6 of 8 regular starters (Barnhart, Votto, Farmer, Suarez, Naquin, Castellanos) were 29 or older. Winker, Votto and Castellanos each had resurgent seasons but we still fell short.

They had just lost Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Anthony Desclafani, and Curt Casali (the first time) in the previous off season, and were going to lose Lorenzen and Castellanos the next off season. Castillo's control was coming due, Sonny Gray's bargain of a deal was a few years from coming due and there was just this feeling of time running out. 

2020 and 2021 were two competitive seasons in which it felt like we were on the verge of a collapse. When we missed the playoffs at the end of the 2021 season, it felt like that was the last straw and we needed to tear it down and build from scratch.

Which we did.

And that's where we are now. Even if we miss the playoffs this season (which, for the record, I think we likely do, unless Greene comes in and gives us a major shot in the arm), we know that the vast majority of this offense is rookies and 2nd year players who will continue to improve. This isn't the end of a window of opportunity. This is the beginning of that window.

And that makes me feel like we'll be okay regardless of how this season ends up.