Reds August 2023 thread

[The D.O.Z.]

(08-27-2023, 05:24 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Man the Padres suck. They had a 4-2 lead on the Brewers going to the bottom of 6 and give up 7 runs now losing 9-4.

And they weren't sellers at the deadline saying something to the tune of "we feel we have a team that can compete", being 6-7games under .500 AND in the same division LA is running away with and SF being an actual WC contender. That's not quite Angels-Hang-Onto-Ohtani fail, but it's pretty bad!

[cinci4life]

Guess Carroll thought he was EDLC for a minute.

[cinci4life]

It's apparently too much to ask to hold on to a lead longer than 1/2 an inning.

[cinci4life]

See how the 9th goes but pretty much just handed this game away.

[Goalpost]

Can't walk the 1st three hitters.... who all scored that inning.

[cinci4life]

So damn disgusting.

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-27-2023, 07:42 PM)Goalpost Wrote: Can't walk the 1st three hitters.... who all scored that inning.

I hate walks

But walking the bases loaded........lots of cuss words and turned TV off.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(08-27-2023, 03:36 PM)cinci4life Wrote: He did pitch through the 8th anyway after coming in with 2 outs in the 3rd and in fact got the first out of the 9th. The fact he threw only 66 pitches is a pretty good indicator they had a pitch count in mind for him. So whether he came in before Moll or after very likely had no influence on the number of relievers used especially since our closer blew a 3 run lead in the 10th forcing an extra pitcher for the 11th. You're really making a big deal out of nothing on this one.

You're not getting it. I'm not talking about the relievers at the end of the game, my point was that Moll wouldn't have been used at all and would have been fresh for the next game. Since Lively wound up being so pitch efficient, he might have STILL pitched through the eighth after coming in with one out in the 2nd inning instead of coming in like he did as the third pitcher with two outs in the third.

MLB has made major rule changes that have mostly taken away two of his biggest weaknesses as a manager and he's still overwhelmed.

DH means he doesn't really have the double switch at his disposal.
Starters are now getting more at bats and have a chance to grow into their roles. He was turning the Reds into a team of utility players. After two plate appearances, just about every player not named Votto or Suarez was praying to not make the last out of an inning because chances are that they were staying in the dugout after that as their spot in the batting order was going to be going to the new pitcher.

Ghost runner in extra innings has shortened extra inning games.
The DH also helps him here, but the Reds were always the least prepared for extra innings of any team in baseball because his strategy seemed to be to use every player and most of his bullpen before the 9th inning. I was getting really tired of watching teams purposely walking the bases loaded with two outs in the 11th inning to face pinch hitter Wade Miley or Sal Romano because Bell had already blown through his bench.

Bell appears to plan for failure more than he plans for success
Taking away the shift has also helped save him from himself. I was fed up watching an on fire Luis Castillo facing a light hitting, backup catcher that hit a weak ground ball to third base, but still get a hit because Bell had the players shifted and the 3rd baseman was playing shortstop. Bell expects a weak backup to get a hold of a pitch more than he expects an All-Star like Castillo to force a weak hitter to hit ''his pitch''. This also goes with Lively . . . Bell did not plan for him to be so pitch efficient . . . so that's why he was the third pitcher and not the second or the starter. I can see the need of an opener with a pitcher coming back from injury, but two openers was pure David Bell overkill.

As I've stated before, I am also an Angels fan. I watched Mike Scioscia manage for 19 years and I MIGHT have disagreed with him or questioned his decisions three times in those 19 years. I'll disagree with Bell three times a game, several times in a week. I thought that Bryan Price was bad, and, while Bell is very different, he is not an improvement.

[*ochocincos*]

Continued decline for the ole Redlegs.

Now 1.5 games out of the WC, 6.0 games out of the division lead.
With just 30 games left in the season, I'd be surprised to see them get the division, leaving just the WC up for grabs.

I'm not very optimistic anymore though.
About the only thing keeping me optimistic is the remaining slate of games after Labor Day, but they might fall too far by then to make a big difference.

Thank goodness for football being back.

[kevin]

Football isn't back yet. Bengals don't play for 13 days. In that time Reds can win some games. Reds started season with Wins at Home and Losses on the Road. Somehow they have a winning record on the road and a losing record at home. Reds have a home stand for Labor Day Weekend coming, and I suggest they get with it and win some home games.

I liked this team more when Votto was out. Team was around 1st place with Votto out from start of season to July. Votto does not mean Wins. I'm not hearing talk of Joey Votto Day, which means Reds may keep him on team one more season on the cheap. I don't like that, because he is passed it and in the way of good young players and Votto does not mean Wins. Team seems to win more when no Votto.

Labor Day coming. Reds need to win some home games. They need to improve on their record at GABP because THAT is paying customers.

[*bengalfan74*]

(08-28-2023, 10:31 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Continued decline for the ole Redlegs.

Now 1.5 games out of the WC, 6.0 games out of the division lead.
With just 30 games left in the season, I'd be surprised to see them get the division, leaving just the WC up for grabs.

I'm not very optimistic anymore though.
About the only thing keeping me optimistic is the remaining slate of games after Labor Day, but they might fall too far by then to make a big difference.

Thank goodness for football being back.

I'm not saying at this point all hope is lost, however.

The Phillies are looking like a solid lock for WC. So that leaves 5 teams fighting for 2 spots. Marlins 66-65, Cubs 69-61, D'backs 69-62, Giants 67-63.

And Reds 68-64

The Cubs have basically been on fire!! In August thus far they're 16-8. Barring a major turnaround I'd bet they're gonna be in. So that leaves us vs. Giants, D'backs, and Marlins for last spot. So there is a bit of a chance, but.

This series starting tonight is crucial for us. We have to pull off a couple wins or it's going to get very dicey making a run.

Sure wish Greene's ERA wasn't 17.55 in his 2 games back. I'd feel much better if he was doing good.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

Upcoming rotation
at SF
Abbott vs Harrison
Williamson vs Cobb
Greene vs Webb
vs Chicago
TBD vs TBD
TBD vs TBD - both TBD games are Friday's double header
Ashcraft vs Assad
Abbott vs Taillon
vs Seattle
Williamson vs Kirby
Greene vs Miller
TBD vs Gilbert

Looks like they'll miss Castillo if there are no rainouts. As someone stated before, after the Seattle series, the only team that they face with a winning record is Minnesota.

4-2 vs Dodgers
4-3 vs Diamondbacks
Currently 2-2 vs Giants
One win in SF gives them a .500 road trip. Two wins gives them the season series and the tie breaker with the Giants.

[cinci4life]

Not much to the story yet but McLain put on the 10 day IL with a right oblique strain. Fairchild activated from concussion list.. Bad time to lose him.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/reds-place-matt-mclain-on-il-with-oblique-strain.html

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Marte
Senzel
DLC

..lineup batting 1-3 and striking out in order is about the most predictable 1st inning I can think of.

Just a real ugly lineup tonight overall. All of 2 guys hitting at least .245 right now.

[cinci4life]

Appears the crappy Abbott is here tonight.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Apparently the entire team's game plan today was watch fastballs in the zone and swing at pitches that almost hit your back foot....

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

I don't think David Bell knows what a DH is for.

Reds DH this year (not counting Hopkins going 0-fer today so far) are hitting .238/.326/.368 on the year. That's just a .694 OPS, the second lowest position for the Reds only ahead of their Catchers.

If your DH is hitting 9th in the lineup, they probably shouldn't be the DH.

[guyofthetiger]

Reds on the cusp of another loss. It was a decent season. Time to move on to next year. lol

[cinci4life]

Why the hell did CES stop and take a step back to second and even worse the 3rd base coach sending him? All that stupidity cost a run and a possibly bigger inning.

[cinci4life]

Guess this ump wants to go home. That strike 3 wasn't even close.