Reds Month of July Game Thread

[kevin]

(07-05-2019, 02:54 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Next two games will not be easy against the Indians but if the Reds can somehow win those games it would be exciting.  Reds still have several games against Redbirds Cubs and Brew Crew.  They have top 3 pitching in League.  I say my 86 wins prediction is still possible.  I think 88-90 wins will take the division.

Thanks for this post.

Yes, lets look at these 2 home games before All-Star Break. Reds don't play again until Friday.  

Reds are around 3 games under .500 and around 3 games out of First Place, so the Key To The Series is DON'T GO BACKWARDS

Indians send 2 tough pitchers to the mound both games.  Reds pitch Disco and Mahle.  Reds hottest pitcher of the 2 is Disco. His last game he was pitching shutout ball and it was a bonehead mistake by Bell to pinch hit for him so early.  Disco is coming off one of his better games ever and it was a tough Cubs line-up. He got the win in that key series win victory. 

So Disco gives Reds their best pitcher this series today.  The young Indians pitchers very good. 

Sunday is Bauer vs Mahle and that sounds all Indians.  But the Reds don't play again until Friday.  Only Castillo goes to All-Star Game.  Reds were off yesterday.  This opens up a lot of pitchers. Roark who pitched Tuesday could pitch Sunday and still pitch Friday.  Of course teams use to reset their pitching rotations after All-Star game.  It could be Castillo or Gray Friday.  

So Reds should play Sunday like 7th game of World Series because everybody gets a week off except Castillo.  Everybody is available to play Sunday except the injured.  .....Roark is very able to pitch with regular 4 games off.   

Now knowing that you can pitch Mahle and Roark Sunday opens up Saturday.  If Lorenzen is in game and doing good, you can let him go more than 1 inning, for example.  

So Reds can play this like games 6 and 7 of World Series.  If Bell starts with Mahle, be ready to bring in Roark if Mahle only gives us a few innings.  Many teams are using a reliever and then the starter.  Reds could have Roark ready to come in.  

This all opens up because of Friday day off and no games until next Friday.  Reds can't use Castillo, Gray or Disco Sunday, but everybody else is available.  I could add that if for some reason Disco gets rocked today, they could bring in Mahle and start Roark Sunday.  Reds and Bell need to think out of the box on this.

Reds are so close to First Place.  With these games off they need to throw the kitchen sink at Cleveland.