11 of First 15 Games in Cincy

[kevin]

Like a horse race, Reds need to get out of the gate well. They have not had a good Spring Training per wins and losses. Hopes are high for 2019 Reds to be better than last few years. So they don't want to dig a hole losing most of these home games early. Add on the weather in Cincy and Pittsburg where they play one series, the weather could be awful in March and early April. That can cause game delays that force the starting pitcher to shut it down early. It's hard to play this game in ice cold weather. Might have been better had Reds had opening series in Cincy and then off to warm or indoor sites. It is what it is, and Reds need to come out HOT and win at least 8 of the first 15 games. At least 6-5 at home and 2-2 in Pittsburg. That takes Reds to April 15th and a West Coast Trip and hopefully warmer Cincy weather. GO REDS START OF SEASON. Don't dig a last place hole early.

[Hoofhearted]

(03-15-2019, 06:14 AM)kevin Wrote: Like a horse race, Reds need to get out of the gate well.   They have not had a good Spring Training per wins and losses. Hopes are high for 2019 Reds to be better than last few years.  So they don't want to dig a hole losing most of these home games early.  Add on the weather in Cincy and Pittsburg where they play one series, the weather could be awful in March and early April.  That can cause game delays that force the starting pitcher to shut it down early. It's hard to play this game in ice cold weather.  Might have been better had Reds had opening series in Cincy and then off to warm or indoor sites. It is what it is, and Reds need to come out HOT and win at least 8 of the first 15 games.  At least 6-5 at home and 2-2 in Pittsburg.  That takes Reds to April 15th and a West Coast Trip and hopefully warmer Cincy weather.  GO REDS START OF SEASON.  Don't dig a last place hole early.

Very good point. Last two years they've started out like shit. Would be a nice confidence booster to get on the right side of win/losses out of the gate. Still don't expect them to be total world beaters, but damn if I'm not excited to see how they play

[kevin]

When I was younger I went to early April Reds games, and it was just too cold. It was awful. It was too cold to be outdoors watching baseball. I remember a beer vendor screaming ICE COLD BEER HERE, and I told my friends, of course it's ice cold, it 20 degrees out here. I learned and I got to where you couldn't give me a free ticket in early April. Now the Reds are playing on March, even worse. 11 Home games before April 15th. Expect plenty of lousy weather. I don't know who does MLB scheduling considering so many warm weather or indoor stadiums. Well, it is what it is. I do look for 1 or 2 of these games to be postponed to a later date due to bad weather. However as it stands, they have 11 of their 81 home games in early and maybe cold awful Ohio weather. They have to put on their big boy pants and win some of these anyway. Unlike Spring Training, these count. These count as much as any other month. Starting 11-0 home record would be great, but I don't expect that. Starting 0-11 home record would end their season early, but I'm hoping that doesn't happen. I'm just hoping by April 15th, they are playing .500 ball or better.

A big part of a good start will be keeping and plying the right players. With only a couple Spring Games left, some Reds stink so far. Votto is batting .100 something, but you have to play him. On the other hand Winker is batting .100 something and you don't have to play him. There are other outfielders hitting the ball. Also that Rule 5 player named Joe is hitting and can play every position including catcher. If Reds don't keep him, he goes back to Dodgers who would love to get him back. I don't think the Reds are so loaded in talent they can't make this super sub hitter the 25th man on the team. Play the guys hitting this Spring, and try to win early. From March to April 15th they play 11 our if 15 in Cincy, and it is Key that they win some of these. If they lose these, it will be hard to make up over the other 70 home games. Come out HOT even though it will probably be COLD, GO REDS.

[grampahol]

Spring training isn't the place you should necessarily look for big batting averages unless it's a Rookie trying to break in..  Still, this team so far in ST hasn't exactly inspired confidence with only 5 wins so far..  Somewhere deep down my gut is telling me that Bell won't fare any better than Price and will be here way beyond his sell by date.. GOD! I hope I'm dead wrong on this..  
On the other hand, the starting pitching so far has been OK with Gray, Roark, Disco.. Castillo hasn't looked good so far, but it's still early. Mahle hasn't looked too bad.. Some of the tire kicked bullpen guys won't be on the roster much longer thank goodness.