(03-27-2025, 08:12 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Hunter pitched well enough to win that one.

Need to go more than 5.0 innings if you want to be a #1.

The bare minimum to even qualify for a potential W is just that, the bare minimum.

The guy Francona tried as closer didn't avoid walks as he thought. The pitcher in the 8th inning looked great. Day off Friday. I would be tempted to move the 8th inning pitcher to closer Saturday with Diaz on IL for a while with hamstring. Shuffle the cards around in the pen. The pitcher that went the 8th inning had better stuff than Diaz that game. Move him to closer. The guy that blew the save and the game gets moved down the ladder, not even 8th inning set up man. What he did in preseason games doesn't mean anything.

I'm glad Greene didn't go long innings in March. It's too early. He will have long outings, there are 6 more months of regular season. No, the new guy that Francona put faith in not to walk anybody, he blew the game in 9th. He's not a proven closer, it's OK, just move him back in the pen. Make somebody earn Closer role. That pitcher in 8th inning did great, so promote him to Closer Saturday. With Diaz out, they will find out who can do what in the bullpen. It's still March. Francona's first game, he will find out who he can count on or not.

NL Central related

Just watched former Yankee Nestor Cortez pitching in his debut for the Brewers give up three home runs to the Yankees on his first three pitches of the game/season. Goldschmitt, Bellinger and Judge. He later gave up a two out solo shot to Wells for a four run 1st inning.

Edited: At one point in the third inning with no outs, the Yankees had seven home runs and only six outs recorded after Judge's Grand Slam and Chisolm's solo shot

The pitcher who looked great in the 8th inning Opening Day, that I said move to Closer. Francona just used him in the 7th, and again he dominated. Reds up 3 to 2, but I worry who the Closer will be with 8th and 9th innings still to go. I trust in Francona, but I have no trust in Opening Day Closer.

Alright, here we go. 1 run save attempt. Take two. Pagan gets the ball this time. Hope he performs better than Gibaut.

(03-29-2025, 07:18 PM)CJD Wrote: Alright, here we go. 1 run save attempt. Take two. Pagan gets the ball this time. Hope he performs better than Gibaut.

Muuuuuuuch better. 

I like Pagan. That 2nd out made me worry for a second, but hard to beat a 1 2 3 9th.

ATOBTTR

Yes, Opening Day Closer nowhere in site. Others closed this one out. I was hoping Francona would not go back to the same guy, and he didn't. Good, he hasn't earned replacing Diaz. REDS WIN.

A W sweet now lets take series

Listening to Francona who won with Red Sox first time in 100 years.  Hearing him after Reds game is like Sparky Anderson, Francona knows his baseball.  I can't say that about a lot of Reds managers.  Fans will learn a lot from listening to Francona before or after broadcasts.  

Sam Lecure was either under the weather or shit-hammered drunk on the post game show.

(03-29-2025, 11:48 PM)samhain Wrote: Sam Lecure was either under the weather or shit-hammered drunk on the post game show.

I thought he made good comments on a different style of bullpen under Francona.  

After that, Sean Casey and Adam Dunn were on as Dunn talked his kids training camps.  He was very upset at Little League Managers talking Launch Angles because they hear it on TV.  Adam Dunn said that makes him so mad, you don't teach a kid anything talking Launch Angles.  Dunn said you work with them on the basics, stepping into the ball, bat speed, throwing to the cut off man.  I thought Adam Dunn made a lot of sense, and if he is correct Little League Managers are talking Launch Angles to kids, they aren't teaching kids anything. I can see why such a thing has Adam Dunn upset as a Kids Training Camp instructor.  Talking launch angles to a 9 year old kid is stupid, show them the basics.  Much like The Bad News Bears movie where the kid is trying to throw like Luis Tiant and is awful, and the Manager tells the kid to just stand on the mound and throw it, keep it basic.  You don't give a 3rd grade class trigonometry, you stat with basic math. Adam Dunn is right, talking launch angles to Little Leaguers isn't teaching them anything. 

I liked all the post game.  Francona is great.  I learned a lot from Sparky, and fans will learn a lot from Francona on pre game and post game.  

I'll add they showed Reds in batting practice before game, and Reds hitting coach right there on everything.  I can say that works. The best hitting year I had as a kid, was the year a coach was right there as I took batting practice.  On me to step into the ball and such, telling me when I did it the way he wanted.  The more I was taught, the better I was.  So I like the new Reds hitting coach watching every move in batting practice, as opposed to guys in there clowning around. Francona brings a whole new approach, as he did winning in Boston for first tme in 100 years. 

(03-30-2025, 05:39 AM)kevin Wrote: I thought he made good comments on a different style of bullpen under Francona.  

After that, Sean Casey and Adam Dunn were on as Dunn talked his kids training camps.  He was very upset at Little League Managers talking Launch Angles because they hear it on TV.  Adam Dunn said that makes him so mad, you don't teach a kid anything talking Launch Angles.  Dunn said you work with them on the basics, stepping into the ball, bat speed, throwing to the cut off man.  I thought Adam Dunn made a lot of sense, and if he is correct Little League Managers are talking Launch Angles to kids, they aren't teaching kids anything. I can see why such a thing has Adam Dunn upset as a Kids Training Camp instructor.  Talking launch angles to a 9 year old kid is stupid, show them the basics.  Much like The Bad News Bears movie where the kid is trying to throw like Luis Tiant and is awful, and the Manager tells the kid to just stand on the mound and throw it, keep it basic.  You don't give a 3rd grade class trigonometry, you stat with basic math. Adam Dunn is right, talking launch angles to Little Leaguers isn't teaching them anything. 

I liked all the post game.  Francona is great.  I learned a lot from Sparky, and fans will learn a lot from Francona on pre game and post game.  

I'll add they showed Reds in batting practice before game, and Reds hitting coach right there on everything.  I can say that works. The best hitting year I had as a kid, was the year a coach was right there as I took batting practice.  On me to step into the ball and such, telling me when I did it the way he wanted.  The more I was taught, the better I was.  So I like the new Reds hitting coach watching every move in batting practice, as opposed to guys in there clowning around. Francona brings a whole new approach, as he did winning in Boston for first tme in 100 years. 

Oh, I like Sam just fine.  I just thought something was up with him yesterday.  He looked a bit off.

(03-29-2025, 11:48 PM)samhain Wrote: Sam Lecure was either under the weather or shit-hammered drunk on the post game show.

Still better than 90% of the post-game analysts out there. He look flustered at the beginning(adjusted/re-adjusted his headset a couple of times), but was fine after the opening segment. From someone that did live radio for years, I think that looked a lot like he was just getting into his seat before they went on air, tbh. Sometimes you're in another part of the building/stadium and you underestimate the time getting to your spot . . . sometimes you've got to use the restroom about a minute before going live. It happens.

Unlike the Reds, he looked fine today.

Not gay . . . glad that they only wore ties for the opener. Watching them all dressed up just felt wrong. They looked uptight and I like my pre-game and post-game a little more relaxed.

Looking forward to Brady Singer's debut tomorrow. He's going against a guy that had a 9.00 ERA in ST with 13 earned runs in 13 innings pitched, 3 HRs, 3 hit batters and a 2.08 WHIP. Might be a bit easier than facing Robbie Ray, but . . . it's baseball. Anything can happen.

Same players, same problems.

Dumb base running, sloppy defense.

Also still can't believe Nick Martinez is over 18% of our payroll.

(03-30-2025, 06:09 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Also still can't believe Nick Martinez is over 18% of our payroll.

Among the highest paid Reds ever. 

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2025/02/24/nick-martinez-among-highest-paid-cincinnati-reds-ever-see-the-list/80056336007/

Disappointing opening weekend, but I've enjoyed watching McLain and CES back in the lineup. As we get healthier, we'll only improve from here.

Stop me if you've heard this one: this team could really use a power-hitting corner outfielder. Was hoping not to have to say that this soon.

Also, if Elly can't get his throws under control, I think a move to the outfield becomes a more serious conversation. This is especially true if Arroyo makes real progress in the minors.

(03-30-2025, 08:51 PM)samhain Wrote: Stop me if you've heard this one: this team could really use a power-hitting corner outfielder.  Was hoping not to have to say that this soon.  

Also, if Elly can't get his throws under control, I think a move to the outfield becomes a more serious conversation.  This is especially true if Arroyo makes real progress in the minors.

I've been advocating for Elly as a corner OF for a couple years now. I'm not sure why they won't do it? My cynical side tells me Bob is living off the past glory for marketing the team: Concepcion-Larkin-and now Elly as SS greats. Thus, keep him at SS to sell tickets. Overly simplistic and stupid logic by me, but whatever.

(03-30-2025, 08:51 PM)samhain Wrote: Stop me if you've heard this one: this team could really use a power-hitting corner outfielder.  Was hoping not to have to say that this soon.  

Hays will be back shortly. Not concerned yet . . . and I still think Francona will force a move or possibly two well before the trade deadline, if needed.

Quote:Also, if Elly can't get his throws under control, I think a move to the outfield becomes a more serious conversation.  This is especially true if Arroyo makes real progress in the minors.

I agree, and not only Arroyo, but some of the other Spring Training shortstops were playing well and hitting the ball hard.
Pitelli 4 for 13 and 2 HRs was at AA last year.
Stafura 3 for 6 with a homer. At single A last year.
Looking up their stats, I found this small Mark Sheldon article about them from last June including a bit on Blake Dunn.
https://www.mlb.com/news/dominic-pitelli-sammy-stafura-impressing-in-reds-minor-league-system
Former Reds SS prospect Jose Barrero hit .188 for the Texas Rangers AAA team last year and is now playing for the Cardinals AAA squad. There was a time where Barrero, Stephenson, Ervin and Senzel were going to save us.

My preferred field players when Steer is healthy
1B Encarnacion-Strand - this guy just oozes a quiet confidence that most young players don't possess
2B Lux/Espinal
3B Steer - it's where he came up as a rookie and he never looked overmatched
SS McLain
LF Hays
CF Friedl
RF De La Cruz

De La Cruz would be great in Centerfield, but, until they get a true gun in the outfield, his outstanding arm is needed for RF. If Hays has a strong arm, then move Elly to CF and Friedl to LF. TJ's arm is WAAAY too weak for RF.