We have three solid right handed relivers in Iglesias, Hughes, and Hernandez, but we have zero from the left side.  Both Peralte and Garrett were terrible last year and nothing in their track record indicates they will be better this year.


We have two left handed starters under contract who I assume we will move to the bullpen (Brandon Finnegan, Cory Reed).  Neither of them have been very impressive, but sometimes a guy can struggle as a starter but develop into a solid reliever.


There are still a few left handed free agent relief pitcher, but they all have red flags.  Oliver Perez (1.39 ERA) and Tony Sipp (1.86) were both great last year but both are 35+ and coming off of bad seasons in 2017.  They could be good, but they look like a couple of flukes.

(01-23-2019, 02:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: We have three solid right handed relivers in Iglesias, Hughes, and Hernandez, but we have zero from the left side.  Both Peralte and Garrett were terrible last year and nothing in their track record indicates they will be better this year.


We have two left handed starters under contract who I assume we will move to the bullpen (Brandon Finnegan, Cory Reed).  Neither of them have been very impressive, but sometimes a guy can struggle as a starter but develop into a solid reliever.


There are still a few left handed free agent relief pitcher, but they all have red flags.  Oliver Perez (1.39 ERA) and Tony Sipp (1.86) were both great last year but both are 35+ and coming off of bad seasons.  They could be good, but they look like a couple of flukes.

And at the same time nothing says that neither of them can have a great season. Every player is only as good as they are and unless severely injured here's no reason to think they're doomed to remain where they were last year.. New pitching coach, new manager, new team.. They're young guys with plenty of room to grow..  Truth is that our past manager(s) and pitching coach(es) probably didn't know how to use them properly nor teach them the way they should have. There's a reason the last staff was canned. It wasn't because of lack of talent on the field.. 

He's not quite ready for the big leagues, but the kid from the Yankees,  Reiver Sanmartin fits the bill as a lefty bullpen pitcher. https://pinstripedprospects.com/prospect-profile-reiver-sanmartin-lhp-38464/
"Sanmartin is a soft-tossing left-handed pitcher that will likely move into the bullpen full-time as he moves up the ladder in the minors. His fastball is 89-92 miles per hour, and he backs it up with a slider and a changeup.He is a control pitcher that attacks the strike zone." 
He had a so-so season last year in Charleston, but hasn't done so poorly elsewhere. Last season was his first in the high AA level with a 4.19 era.. 
"The bulk of his playing time came in Class-A with the Charleston RiverDogs where he started eight games and earned a 2-6 record. He struck out 31 batters in 43 innings and had a 4.19 ERA. He ended his season in High-A with the Tampa Tarpons where he struck out 10 in 12 innings allowing just one unearned run."
Nothing spectacular yet, but with the right coaching he might become pretty good on down the road.. 

Well there you go. Lefty reliever signed.

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-sign-ian-krol-to-minor-league-contract/c-303328806

(01-31-2019, 03:46 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: Well there you go. Lefty reliever signed.

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-sign-ian-krol-to-minor-league-contract/c-303328806

He is worse than what we already have.

Better pray Reed or Finnigan can become an effective reliever.

(01-31-2019, 04:04 PM)fredtoast Wrote: He is worse than what we already have.

Better pray Reed or Finnigan can become an effective reliever.

You never know with these guys.. They might be terrible for 5 years then suddenly have a fantastic season just once only to get a long term deal and be just like Homer! 

Seems they are in serious discussions with Zach Duke.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/reds-in-serious-discussions-with-zach-duke.html

(02-01-2019, 04:29 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Seems they are in serious discussions with Zach Duke.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/reds-in-serious-discussions-with-zach-duke.html

35 years old and struggled with control last year, but he has had some good seasons.

He also pitched for the Reds before.

Not anything to get excited about, but probably better than what we had last year.

And there appears to be an agreement in place to sign Zach Duke.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/02/reds-sign-zach-duke-2.html

here is tweet:

#Reds boost lefty relief mix: https://t.co/LqdvSdpqu2 pic.twitter.com/wRgwIeEUqW

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) February 2, 2019

Another sinker ball pitcher..Duke should do OK in Cincinnati..

Quote:His sinker has heavy sinking action, is a real worm killer that generates an extreme number of groundballs compared to other pitchers' sinkers and has less armside run than typical. His curve has sweeping glove-side movement, generates more whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers' curves and has slightly below average velo. His slider sweeps across the zone, generates more whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers' sliders, has below average velo, results in somewhat more flyballs compared to other pitchers' sliders and has some two-plane movement. His change dives down out of the zone, is an extreme flyball pitch compared to other pitchers' changeups and is slightly firmer than usual. His fourseam fastball has heavy sinking action, has below average velo, generates fewer whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers' fourseamers, results in many more groundballs compared to other pitchers' fourseamers and has slightly less natural movement than typical. 

Strange I have no memory of him last time with the Reds.. 

(02-02-2019, 11:30 AM)grampahol Wrote: Strange I have no memory of him last time with the Reds.. 

Only 10 2/3rds innings at the end of 2013.

(02-04-2019, 01:24 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Only 10 2/3rds innings at the end of 2013.

I know, but I just don't have that memory. Might have something to do with age or perhaps in 2013 I had other things going on in my life like working like a dog and staying completely drunk when I wasn't working.. or both.. lol

(02-13-2019, 04:53 PM)grampahol Wrote: I know, but I just don't have that memory. Might have something to do with age or perhaps in 2013 I had other things going on in my life like working like a dog and staying completely drunk when I wasn't working.. or both.. lol

I don't remember him either.  I just happened to look at his career stats.

By the end of the '13 season when we signed him I had already checked out on the Reds.