I get what you're saying dawg, but. In the end I just feel our pitching will be our downfall. The top teams every season, or dang near every team always has upper tier pitching. And I'm just afraid this magic on offense isn't going to be enough down the road.
AS I've said a thousand times it seems, LOL. I realize it's probably next year before we're a true contender for the big show, but... I'd hate to be just on the cusp this season and falter because the pitching staff just doesn't have it. Bullpen is exhausted by Sept. and so on.
(07-06-2023, 01:03 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I get what you're saying dawg, but. In the end I just feel our pitching will be our downfall. The top teams every season, or dang near every team always has upper tier pitching. And I'm just afraid this magic on offense isn't going to be enough down the road.
AS I've said a thousand times it seems, LOL. I realize it's probably next year before we're a true contender for the big show, but... I'd hate to be just on the cusp this season and falter because the pitching staff just doesn't have it. Bullpen is exhausted by Sept. and so on.
That's true. I'm just worried about the asking price.
When we traded Tyler Mahle, he had 1 and a half seasons left of control and his stat line for the season was 5-7 W-L, 4.40 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.9 K/BB, 9.83 K/9 and and ERA+ of 102 (100 being average).
Those numbers were right around his average career numbers at the time as well.
That player cost the Twins Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, as well as a third player that we flipped for Will Benson (plus a 2022 2nd round draftee).
At the time, those were the Twins' #7, #18 and #23 overall prospects. CES was the #23 prospect but, at the time, he was hitting .333/.400/.685 in AA ball after being promoted following a .296/.370/.599 campaign in A+. The rankings only had him that low because they had not yet caught up to how amazing of a prospect he was, which he promptly showed this year.
If we were to trade for a similar pitcher, it may end up costing us something along the lines of Chase Petty (or CES, they are our #7 and #6 prospects, respectively), Austin Hendrick (2020 first round pick, #19 prospect), and Lyon Richardson (#27 prospect but, like CES last year, the rankings have not caught up to his success this year, currently sporting a 2.25 ERA in 13 starts in AA).
It's definitely a tough decision. I wouldn't want to be in Nick Krall's shoes for the decision of whether or not we go for it this year.
Hopefully the rest of the offense keeps rolling and benching Votto when he has back-to-back games with homers and just had a 3-hit game doesn't bite them. Don't love benching guys who just got red hot after having a slump, baseball always seems like such a game of momentum.
(07-06-2023, 06:39 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Senzel makes a game saving catch in the 9th and first pitch he sees in the 10th he crushes for a 2 run homer. Happens everytime!
Good teams make the plays?
-The only bengals fan that has never set foot in Cincinnati 1-15-22
It's A Capitol 4th. Reds win all 4 games. How Sweep It Is.
It's nice going to Milwaukee with this lead in First Place to face 2nd place Brewers.
Sims and Diaz used today, but that's OK. Reds built up a lead on Brewers as they took 4 from last place Washington DC Nationals. Don't lose to last place teams, and Reds didn't. Reds were tied with Brewers but built up a cushion sweeping Nationals.
The crowd was dead in DC. That will change tomorrow in Milwaukee in a Play-Off atmosphere.
(07-06-2023, 10:56 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Plus, any trade will likely occur around the end of the month since teams will want to wait to the last second to make sure they're getting the best deal, so we may be stuck with this rotation as it is until the end of July anyway.
I've been suggesting that as a possibility for awhile. Some aren't as accepting as you that there's not a lot available. Almost all of the teams looking to trade to a contender will be asking too much for mediocre talent.
(07-06-2023, 01:03 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I get what you're saying dawg, but. In the end I just feel our pitching will be our downfall. The top teams every season, or dang near every team always has upper tier pitching. And I'm just afraid this magic on offense isn't going to be enough down the road.
AS I've said a thousand times it seems, LOL. I realize it's probably next year before we're a true contender for the big show, but... I'd hate to be just on the cusp this season and falter because the pitching staff just doesn't have it. Bullpen is exhausted by Sept. and so on.
In the post season, it's a three or four man rotation. If they can get there healthy, Abbott, Greene, Lodolo, Ashcraft. Nobody that they can realistically trade for will beat out those four.
Our starting five to start the season Greene - IL, Lodolo - IL, Ashcraft - just came back from IL, Overton - IL, Cessa - DFA. They're still in first place even though they've been using bubblegum and stickers to keep it all together. The use of the AAA pitchers has truly made this an organization wide success to this point.
(07-06-2023, 01:43 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: That's true. I'm just worried about the asking price.
It's definitely a tough decision. I wouldn't want to be in Nick Krall's shoes for the decision of whether or not we go for it this year.
@ 6:05, they start talking about the trade deadline . . . they've had calls . . . no one wants to deal right now.
There needs to be two interested parties to a trade and teams with semi-decent starters don't care about Cincy's situation. You can't force a trade with teams that aren't interested in parting with their pitchers right now. These GMs will lose status with their owner if they trade a C level pitcher early and a D level pitcher gets a bigger haul at the deadline. People can get pissy about it all they want, but other teams long term plans don't fit Cincinnati's short term needs.
(07-06-2023, 06:39 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Senzel makes a game saving catch in the 9th and first pitch he sees in the 10th he crushes for a 2 run homer. Happens everytime!
That was an amazing catch and those series of events needs to be in the Reds highlights re-cap for this awesome season.
I feel good about the Brewers series. Hope we can win 2 of 3 at least. Unfortunately, I think the All Star break might cool the Reds off. It is a long season so we need to continue to win series.