REDS APRIL GAMES THREAD

[Murdock2420]

(04-03-2021, 07:49 PM)cinci4life Wrote: I'd like to know why Molina wasn't tossed for shoving Castellanos and running over the home plate ump in the process just getting to him? Flat out bs all around.

Molina is the most unlikable player in MLB.

Love to see Garret put a pitch in his ear hole.

[kevin]

GREAT Series WIN over St Louis

Good Starting Pitching by Mahle and today Hoffman. Good Relief Pitching. Good Starting Hitting. Good Hitting off bench.

Great addition of Barry Larkin joining Reds announcers. They of way too much spin rotation and launch angle computer science, Barry brings them back home to how the game is played. He sounds like a Hall Of Famer AND he sounds like a Manager or GM just as Morgan and Bench did. Plus, Barry is FUN to listen to, not as boring as Reds announcers have been. Plus he speaks excellent Spanish if need be.

Loved hearing Barry rave about Reds great approach to hitting this series. So hats of to Reds hitting coach. They are swinging at less bad pitches, and they are going with the pitch instead of just swinging for the fences. HOF Larkin praised Reds hitting, and Reds pitching.

REDS BEAT ST LOUIS 2 games to 1 to Start the Season. The worst would have been Cardinals sweeping Reds, and many probably thought that would happen. NO, REDS BEAT CARDINALS.

GO REDS.

[SunsetBengal]

So the Reds bring out the bats, two games in a row. Are the Reds that good of a hitting team, or is the Cardinals pitching just bad?

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(04-04-2021, 06:09 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So the Reds bring out the bats, two games in a row.  Are the Reds that good of a hitting team, or is the Cardinals pitching just bad?

They have been going away from emulating Votto, and that includes Votto, to now coming out swinging instead of digging themselves into a hole looking for the perfect pitch forcing them to be defensive for most of their at bat. They are also trying to hit line drives instead of that stupid trend of a fascination with launch angles and exit velocity.

And sorry, Kevin. Larkin is boring. Drinking game. Every time Larkin says "Different game, different era", take a drink. He also talks WAAAAAY more than Welsh or Brantley. You need to let the game breath and Larkin smothers it by talking non-stop. He's already repeating himself and it's game three. The new play by play guy fawns over him too much also. Larkin tells how it was 25 to 30 years ago and Welsh relays what's going on on the field today.

Most outstanding players suck at other aspects of the game and Larkin is no exception. Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor were terrible as in studio analysts . . . Magic Johnson was weak at coaching. Pete Rose was good enough for 2nd place as a manager because he was clueless with handling the bullpen. Most successful coaches and managers are bit players that had to learn everything to be at the top of their game. Natural star athletes can't convey to lesser individuals what to do to succeed. Mike Trout would probably be a shitty coach because he doesn't think about how he's so good. I'm looking forward to the road games now because Larkin is only on the home games.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-04-2021, 06:51 PM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: They have been going away from emulating Votto, and that includes Votto, to now coming out swinging instead of digging themselves into a hole looking for the perfect pitch forcing them to be defensive for most of their at bat. They are also trying to hit line drives instead of that stupid trend of a fascination with launch angles and exit velocity.

And sorry, Kevin. Larkin is boring. Drinking game. Every time Larkin says "Different game, different era", take a drink. He also talks WAAAAAY more than Welsh or Brantley. You need to let the game breath and Larkin smothers it by talking non-stop. He's already repeating himself and it's game three. The new play by play guy fawns over him too much also. Larkin tells how it was 25 to 30 years ago and Welsh relays what's going on on the field today.

Most outstanding players suck at other aspects of the game and Larkin is no exception. Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor were terrible as in studio analysts . . . Magic Johnson was weak at coaching. Pete Rose was good enough for 2nd place as a manager because he was clueless with handling the bullpen. Most successful coaches and managers are bit players that had to learn everything to be at the top of their game. Natural star athletes can't convey to lesser individuals what to do to succeed. Mike Trout would probably be a shitty coach because he doesn't think about how he's so good. I'm looking forward to the road games now because Larkin is only on the home games.

While I'm glad that the hitting coach has taken a different strategy this year, I'm disappointed to learn that Larkin in the booth is a snoozer.  Granted, I haven't watched the Reds play or listened to Larkin commentate yet, but FSV's description is pretty vivid.  Being a man who has also worked in radio in my lifetime, I completely get his review.

[Murdock2420]

(04-04-2021, 06:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: While I'm glad that the hitting coach has taken a different strategy this year, I'm disappointed to learn that Larkin in the booth is a snoozer.  Granted, I haven't watched the Reds play or listened to Larkin commentate yet, but SSV's description is pretty vivid.  Being a man who has also worked in radio in my lifetime, I completely get his review.

I didn't know this about you.

On-air or behind the scenes?

I spent a few years with Q102, before getting out of top 40 to go to Dayton and work with WTUE, then down to I-95 in Savannah and Rock 106-1 in Hilton Head. Last job was with 96 Rock back here in town, before hanging up the old headphones for a new career.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-04-2021, 07:17 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I didn't know this about you.

On-air or behind the scenes?

I spent a few years with Q102, before getting out of top 40 to go to Dayton and work with WTUE, then down to I-95 in Savannah and Rock 106-1 in Hilton Head. Last job was with 96 Rock back here in town, before hanging up the old headphones for a new career.

While in college, I did a season of football play by play for Waverly Oh.  I also worked for the Radio stations in Jackson Oh. both while in school, and for a short stretch after graduation, doing board-op and production duties.  I ended up leaving radio for skilled trades, as I was instantly making 3-4x the money I was in small town radio.

[Murdock2420]

(04-04-2021, 07:30 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: While in college, I did a season of football play by play for Waverly Oh.  I also worked for the Radio stations in Jackson Oh. both while in school, and for a short stretch after graduation, doing board-op and production duties.  I ended up leaving radio for skilled trades, as I was instantly making 3-4x the money I was in small town radio.

Nice!

Play by play was something I always wanted to do but never got a chance to do. Always thought it would be a fun challenge.

And yeah.. there is certainly no real money in radio work at all lol.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-04-2021, 07:32 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Nice!

Play by play was something I always wanted to do but never got a chance to do. Always thought it would be a fun challenge.

And yeah.. there is certainly no real money in radio work at all lol.

Unless you're a superstar in ad sales or station manager..  (at least in small town radio)  

Looking back, one of my favorite duties was airing the Reds games on the AM station.  I would handle all of my production duties for the 3 FM stations, and they ran on autopilot while I ran the board for the Reds games.  It was in the mid 1990's and Marty and Joe did a masterful job of describing every pitch, flinch, and dinger of each night's Titanic Struggle.

[*bengalfan74*]

(04-04-2021, 06:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: While I'm glad that the hitting coach has taken a different strategy this year, I'm disappointed to learn that Larkin in the booth is a snoozer.  Granted, I haven't watched the Reds play or listened to Larkin commentate yet, but FSV's description is pretty vivid.  Being a man who has also worked in radio in my lifetime, I completely get his review.

Yep

New announcers often talk way to much. They feel the need to say something after every little thing that happens. Hopefully he'll settle down.

As far as the Reds go it's a great start ! Just hoping they can keep it up.

[Murdock2420]

(04-04-2021, 07:38 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Unless you're a superstar in ad sales or station manager..  (at least in small town radio)  

Looking back, one of my favorite duties was airing the Reds games on the AM station.  I would handle all of my production duties for the 3 FM stations, and they ran on autopilot while I ran the board for the Reds games.  It was in the mid 1990's and Marty and Joe did a masterful job of describing every pitch, flinch, and dinger of each night's Titanic Struggle.

Yeah Marty and Joe were amazing. Could paint the picture and make it really interesting to listen to the game while also understanding that sometimes it was okay to not be talking. Just letting the crowd noise be there, anymore it seems like a lot of the new guys they are getting, TV or radio, feel like they always need to be talking.

[CJD]

This is the offense we thought we were going to have last season. It's nice that it's showing up early. I hope it continues.

[kevin]

(04-04-2021, 06:59 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: While I'm glad that the hitting coach has taken a different strategy this year, I'm disappointed to learn that Larkin in the booth is a snoozer.  Granted, I haven't watched the Reds play or listened to Larkin commentate yet, but FSV's description is pretty vivid.  Being a man who has also worked in radio in my lifetime, I completely get his review.

So you haven't heard Barry Larkin, but you are going to take Forever Spinning Vinyl's opinion that he is lousy.  Fine, go ahead.  As for me the Reds announcers have bored me completely the last few years. I watch other games, and Reds announcers were the worst.  Barry Larkin as a Hall of Fame Red does bring knowledge of the Reds and Baseball to the games.  I was sick of 9 innings every game of these guys talking launch angle and spin rotation and what The Old Cowboy is eating after the game. Barry is actually talking Baseball, not non stop computer charts. 

I find it interesting you have decided on Barry Larkin though you admit you have not heard him yet.  Considering the Southern Ohio, Kentucky area, some people of this areas reasons for not liking Barry may be as simple as black and white. 

I enjoyed Joe Nuxhall as a Reds radio announcer. I enjoyed Johnny Bench as a Reds TV announcer. I enjoyed Joe Morgan as a Reds TV announcer. So far I am enjoying Barry Larkin as a Reds TV announcer.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-04-2021, 11:08 PM)kevin Wrote: So you haven't heard Barry Larkin, but you are going to take Forever Spinning Vinyl's opinion that he is lousy.  Fine, go ahead.  As for me the Reds announcers have bored me completely the last few years. I watch other games, and Reds announcers were the worst.  Barry Larkin as a Hall of Fame Red does bring knowledge of the Reds and Baseball to the games.  I was sick of 9 innings every game of these guys talking launch angle and spin rotation and what The Old Cowboy is eating after the game. Barry is actually talking Baseball, not non stop computer charts. 

I find it interesting you have decided on Barry Larkin though you admit you have not heard him yet.  Considering the Southern Ohio, Kentucky area, some people of this areas reasons for not liking Barry may be as simple as black and white. 

I certainly hope that you decide to check yourself on that comment.  Barry Larkin is one of my all time favorite Reds.  The fact that I could understand another person's interpretation of his broadcasting skills has nothing to do with "black and white".  When I get the opportunity, I will listen and decide for myself, weather I'm a fan of Barry behind the mike or not.  However, your implication of possible racism as a reason for my acceptance of an unbiased opinion, such as that of FSV, is just...cheap.

[grampahol]

12-1 Castiano's looks like a keeper as does Naquin. India is impressing as well after a so-so minor league couple seasons. Sooo nice to take the opening series from the Cardinals.. I really had my doubts that India was going to amount to anything.. Nice to be wrong so far..

[grampahol]

(04-04-2021, 07:58 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Yeah Marty and Joe were amazing. Could paint the picture and make it really interesting to listen to the game while also understanding that sometimes it was okay to not be talking. Just letting the crowd noise be there, anymore it seems like a lot of the new guys they are getting, TV or radio, feel like they always need to be talking.

Waite Hoyte, if he hadn't been such a lush for so many years was also great to listen to. I remember him as a kid. Hoyte has some great baseball stories. My grandfather knew him fairly well from his time playing with the barnstorming teams way back in the day.. When Joe started out I remember thinking he was always drunk, but he just had the voice that could have sounded like it when I was a kid. Maybe it was all the beer commercials that lead me to thinking that.. I grew to really enjoy listening to him especially late at night with the Star of the Game show.. I can still hear Joe saying, in his voice, "Heee struck him out!" in only the way Joe could say it..

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(04-04-2021, 11:08 PM)kevin Wrote: So you haven't heard Barry Larkin, but you are going to take Forever Spinning Vinyl's opinion that he is lousy.  Fine, go ahead.  As for me the Reds announcers have bored me completely the last few years. I watch other games, and Reds announcers were the worst.  Barry Larkin as a Hall of Fame Red does bring knowledge of the Reds and Baseball to the games.  I was sick of 9 innings every game of these guys talking launch angle and spin rotation and what The Old Cowboy is eating after the game. Barry is actually talking Baseball, not non stop computer charts. 

I find it interesting you have decided on Barry Larkin though you admit you have not heard him yet.  Considering the Southern Ohio, Kentucky area, some people of this areas reasons for not liking Barry may be as simple as black and white. 

I enjoyed Joe Nuxhall as a Reds radio announcer. I enjoyed Johnny Bench as a Reds TV announcer.  I enjoyed Joe Morgan as a Reds TV announcer. So far I am enjoying Barry Larkin as a Reds TV announcer.

Joe Morgan was outstanding, no doubt about that. He's one of the few greats to make the transition. Another great to have a successful transition to in-studio analyst was Dan Marino. His first year was awful and I was convinced that he was going to be gone the following year. I was disappointed the following season when I saw him there on opening day at the sports bar. Then I realized that they let him utilize his strengths . . . they gave him the tele-strator(sp?) and he was amazing breaking down plays, pointing out many things that my QB coaches and Offensive Coordinators had no clue about. I learned a lot about reading a defense from his examples. I wish I would have seen stuff like that when I was a player.

I'm sorry that you don't appreciate Welsh. I think he's one of the best analysts in any sport. Scroll down the Reds page to the "Larkin Joins The Broadcast Team" thread to see why I think he's so great. And my apologies if I come across as a know-it-all, but I've been studying live broadcasting off and on for over 30 years. When I first got into broadcasting at our local college, the guy that taught me the most was going to do a live broadcast of a volleyball match. Now he was knowledgeable about the game as he was dating a college volleyball player for three years and he and his partner absolutely sucked on the live broadcast. I told him afterwards "Bro, you've taught me a lot and I look up to you but that was painful to sit through." His answer was simple. "Live Broadcasting is a special skill that needs to be developed. Your eyes see something and tell it to your brain. Then your brain needs to translate that to your mouth while your eyes are telling more things to your brain. It is NOWHERE as easy as it seems. That's why pro Play By Play guys have broadcasting degrees and analysts learn on the job at age 35-45."

Hopefully Larkin gets some tips from analysts from other teams because I doubt that he'll get honest criticism from the guys that he's competing with for air time. Dave Sims of the Mariners should talk to him. He's the one that mentioned how his broadcasting of Basketball games wasn't a good training for broadcasting Baseball because he didn't know how to follow the pace and let the game breathe(That's where I got the phrase). I'm still learning.

[Goalpost]

I've liked Larkin so far. With Welsh and the Cowboy, you only get a pitcher's perspective. With Larkin, you get a hitter's perspective. You get a fielder's perspective. You get a baserunner's perspective. His addition brings more balance when watching the game.

[*michaelsean*]

(04-04-2021, 06:51 PM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: They have been going away from emulating Votto, and that includes Votto, to now coming out swinging instead of digging themselves into a hole looking for the perfect pitch forcing them to be defensive for most of their at bat. They are also trying to hit line drives instead of that stupid trend of a fascination with launch angles and exit velocity.

And sorry, Kevin. Larkin is boring. Drinking game. Every time Larkin says "Different game, different era", take a drink. He also talks WAAAAAY more than Welsh or Brantley. You need to let the game breath and Larkin smothers it by talking non-stop. He's already repeating himself and it's game three. The new play by play guy fawns over him too much also. Larkin tells how it was 25 to 30 years ago and Welsh relays what's going on on the field today.

Most outstanding players suck at other aspects of the game and Larkin is no exception. Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor were terrible as in studio analysts . . . Magic Johnson was weak at coaching. Pete Rose was good enough for 2nd place as a manager because he was clueless with handling the bullpen. Most successful coaches and managers are bit players that had to learn everything to be at the top of their game. Natural star athletes can't convey to lesser individuals what to do to succeed. Mike Trout would probably be a shitty coach because he doesn't think about how he's so good. I'm looking forward to the road games now because Larkin is only on the home games.

I've only seen the Saturday game, but yeah whoever was with Barry asked moronic simpleton questions just to ask questions.  Something like, "Hey Barry if a guy is hitting .350 at the All Star break, do you keep trying to play him as much as possible?"  They were about that stupid if not quite.

As for Barry, I'll give him time.  And yes Welsh was good even if he was a Bomber.

[*michaelsean*]

(04-04-2021, 11:08 PM)kevin Wrote: So you haven't heard Barry Larkin, but you are going to take Forever Spinning Vinyl's opinion that he is lousy.  Fine, go ahead.  As for me the Reds announcers have bored me completely the last few years. I watch other games, and Reds announcers were the worst.  Barry Larkin as a Hall of Fame Red does bring knowledge of the Reds and Baseball to the games.  I was sick of 9 innings every game of these guys talking launch angle and spin rotation and what The Old Cowboy is eating after the game. Barry is actually talking Baseball, not non stop computer charts. 

I find it interesting you have decided on Barry Larkin though you admit you have not heard him yet.  Considering the Southern Ohio, Kentucky area, some people of this areas reasons for not liking Barry may be as simple as black and white. 

I enjoyed Joe Nuxhall as a Reds radio announcer. I enjoyed Johnny Bench as a Reds TV announcer.  I enjoyed Joe Morgan as a Reds TV announcer. So far I am enjoying Barry Larkin as a Reds TV announcer.

WTF man?