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.

(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.

About that "Meh" thing with Castillo... Still sticking to it or has it been cancelled? 

(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.  

(07-06-2019, 03:20 AM)grampahol Wrote: About that "Meh" thing with Castillo... Still sticking to it or has it been cancelled? 

I am afraid to cancel it because it may curse Castillo.  Sort of like when you do not go fishing and the Bengals lose.   

(07-06-2019, 10:22 AM)kevin Wrote: 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.  

If Wood is able to pitch today in his rehab assignment, then adding Wood to the staff sometime after break will help.  He was considered for Cy Young a few years back, sort of like Gray.  I still say the Red's move Roark in a trade if Wood is able to go.  Out of the two, Wood has a higher ceiling.  Roark is an innings eater sort of like Bronson was back in the day.  

Puig with a 2-run homer puts Reds up 2-1 over the Indians thus far in 3rd inning. Puig seems like a keep to me.

Both teams flashing the leather today. Iglesias just made an unreal stop and throw to get the out at first after a review was needed to overturn it to an out.

Disco showing some cracks in the 4th. Yikes.

Puig having himself a day. 3 for 3 and a triple short of the cycle. Should get at least 1 more ab.

And Lorenzen likely just lost the game.

Bowman makes sure a comeback isn't possible. Unreal.

How many times did Dietrich strike out in this game ? 5, 6 ?

The guy has just fell off the planet at the plate !

Sonny Gray going to the ASG replacing Max Scherzer.

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/sonny-gray-max-scherzer-all-star-game-replacement

Reds are going up against one tough pitcher Sunday, but WIN and stay close to First Place at All-Star Break.

(07-07-2019, 04:14 AM)kevin Wrote: Reds are going up against one tough pitcher Sunday,  but WIN and stay close to First Place at All-Star Break.

Yes Reds could really use a W here, stay 3 games down in the loss column. 

How the hell does Joey Votto come to the plate with a runner on 3rd and 1 out down 4-1 and never take the bat off his shoulder striking out looking on 4 pitches ? Then Suarez goes down looking right after him.

(07-07-2019, 04:22 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: How the hell does Joey Votto come to the plate with a runner on 3rd and 1 out down 4-1 and never take the bat off his shoulder striking out looking on 4 pitches ? Then Suarez goes down looking right after him.

I get your point but the strike 3 call to Votto was horrible. Seems like the home plate ump is giving Bauer a large strike zone.

I turned the Reds game on in the 7th and it looks like Reds will be swept by Indians. Now they know how Custer felt.

I'm not surprised Indians pitching is shutting down Reds hitting. The old saying good pitching stops good hitting. Cleveland known for their pitching, always have been. I'm not saying these guys on the mound are Feller, Lemon and Paige...or Tiant and McDowell...but they are pretty good....American League lucky Cleveland's best pitchers have been injured, or nobody would be getting hits off them. Talk about a team hit with major injuries. I think they do hope to get all their pitchers back in time for play-offs if they can get in. If they have all their pitchers in play-offs, American League bats are in trouble.

And the BP lets the game get out of reach yet again.

(07-06-2019, 08:07 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: How many times did Dietrich strike out in this game ? 5, 6 ?

The guy has just fell off the planet at the plate !

He needed a large dose of humility!!!!!