REDS APRIL GAMES THREAD

[kevin]

OK, I'm early on March 29th. Season starts April 7th.

Early Spring Training. There are Top Pick Reds Pitchers starting and doing well so far. 2 first round picks and a 2nd round pick are coming on strong. Plus Reds injuries create a need. I like that 2 of the 3 are left handers. I like a pitching rotation with a couple of left handers. You don't want to start right handers every game. Some teams are loaded with good left handed hitters. It was great when Tom Browning burst upon the scene as a top notch lefty. The Nasty Boys were Lefty Charlton in the 7th, Righty Dibble in the 8th, Lefty Myers in the 9th. There have been years the Reds could not get good Left Handed pitching. I like that 2 of the Reds top pitchers coming up fast are Left Handed Starters. That helps to make a good starting 5. Much like the young Bengals of Burrow and Chase, I'm looking at these TOP PICK starting pitchers having good Spring Training and at the age to burst on the scene. Like the Bengals, I think we are looking at The Future of the Reds Pitching Staff, and it does have some real talent rising, such as Hunter Greene. Mahle is a good young pitcher and Castillo should get healthy and help man this staff. I like good young pitchers, ever since The Miracle Mets. World Series MVP Jose Rijo was a good young pitcher. I'll take a good young arm staff over a team full of old Tommy John surgery pitchers all the time. Reds TOP PICK Starters are ready to burst on the scene in a Big Way, just like Burrow to Chase.

On hitting, I hope Reds are open minded with the DH now. They have this Max Schrock batting over .600 and an OBP over .600 in Spring Training and that is with him one of the leaders in at bats and runs scored. So the man gets on base 60 % of the time in Spring Training so far. I hope the Reds keep an open mind. I myself would not bench a guy getting on base 60 % of the time. With the new DH, I would find a spot for such a player. He is also known for getting on base and Reds should be thinking OBP.

Reds do play in a hitters park. Philly is a hitters park, so is Colorado. Some parks like Mets or Dodgers or White Sox are pitchers parks. Reds is a hitters park. So I'm not worried about hitting. In fact, much like the Bengals, the Reds needed a NEW DAY, WHO DEY move. Reds had too many batters with awful batting averages who were Fan Favorites. You can't have a team of guys batting under .250 to .200, I don't care how many homers they hit. It's just too many outs. I liked Suarez homers, but his batting average each years was not good. Now Castillanos and Winker numbers were great and will be missed. However Reds play in a hitters park. Reds have some hitters with the opportunity now to get playing time. Farmer could hit for good average and jack many homers in Reds park. I know Stephenson can flat out hit. The Moose needs to have a comeback year or be gone, but he is a guy that could have a good season playing third base now with Suarez gone. Senzel and Naquin have had times that they looked Super Star and now is their chance to play. It's make it or break it time for the high paid Japanese outfielder who has done little so far. If he doesn't produce, Reds can't afford to pay him this much money in 2023. The DH is interesting because Reds added Moran from Pirates, but they have Aquino and others. So far I like Max Schrock getting on base 60 % of the time as the DH. I don't think these open spots on Reds are carved in stone, and I say play the hot players, and Max Schrock is Reds Hot. Hey, Pete Rose was not suppose to start his rookie year, but the manager gave him a chance, and played the hottest hitter, and that was Pete. Sabo was not suppose to start, but he had a great Spring Reds could not ignore. I just hope the Reds are Open Minded on filling these many openings with they players who GET HOT. Don't make it political. Simply play your hottest hitters. If they do that, Reds should hit. Joe Morgan and Pete Rose said if they had played in Great American Ball Park they would have it 30 homers a year. Yes, they had the power to do that. I don't think Home Runs in Reds Park will be a problem. The trick is getting Reds awful batting averages and OBP numbers up.

So just as Bengals Fans saw the Bengals coaches and players shown the door and wondered what the heck is going on here. That change over led to Super Bowl. I see Reds changes with good young players on the rise, some held back longer by no minor leagues in covid 2020 season. The Reds have been stocking up on other teams Top Round draft picks, plus their own. From covid 2020 off season on, the Reds are one of the few teams to go all in on minor league players as some teams have eliminated most of their minor league teams. I feel this is the smart move for small market Cincinnati. Cincinnati MUST have minor league teams. The Reds loaded up on other teams eliminating their minor league teams. Cincinnati and Tampa grabbed up a ton of Minor League talent and it will be the smart move. So just a Bengals rebuilt for The Future, so are The Reds. There is Great Talent on the rise for The Reds. I saw this with The Miracle Mets and the 1990 Reds. The 1990 Reds had been rebuilding in the 1980's with Barry Larkin and Eric Davis and Tom Browning and adding Jose Rijo. Reds GM put a lot of years and looking ahead to build the 1990 Reds, it was no accident. The Reds are building something now, and I'm going to watch it as I watched Bengals rebuild. There is great young talent coming out of the Reds Minors, and they are going to Rock the Baseball World before it is over. Maybe no World Series in 2022, but I think The young Reds are going to be a lot better than people think. The Reds have good young pitching and good young hitting. Youth is The Future of The Reds as it was The Bengals. GO REDS, GO BENGALS.

Now Bengals Fans on here said I was crazy when I said do not fire Coach Taylor, he is putting something good together here. Most said I was wrong. Now I say it about the Reds. For instance the Reds got a teams Top Prospect Player for Winker, their #1 Player coming up per all baseball experts, just as Hunter Greene is now Reds. As Barry Larkin was once. As big city, big money teams folded up many minor league teams in covid 2020 and on, The Reds and Rays have been grabbing up the minor league players these teams let loose. Consider it as if The Bengals just loaded up on other teams #1 and #2 Draft Picks. That is what the Reds and Rays are doing in Baseball. I said give what Bengals are doing time, I see what they are going for. I now say that about The Reds. Grabbing up other teams scrapping their Minor Leagues is bringing Great Talent to Reds and Rays. This is going to pay off for The Reds as they build THE FUTURE. You will see some of the FUTURE in 2022. A lot of good Top Pick Talent is on the rise for The Reds. The Reds are loaded up on #1 and #2 Draft Pick of Reds and other teams who eliminated their minor leagues, and these #1 and #2 draft picks are ready to hit The Majors for The Reds. This will be a good thing. I remember the LA Dodgers bringing up a young new team, and it paid off in Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Davey Lopes. Those who said it was too much youth were wrong. So watch out for all this talent the Reds added in Youth, the Reds have a ton of Top Picks ready to kick the door in.

Reds 2022 : PLAY BALL

[guyofthetiger]

One thing for sure. The Reds will once again be the Reds this year. In other words, start off strong and end like crap.

[kevin]

I have Reds vs Rangers on. 25 year old lefty Sanmartin pitched well. Now 24 year old lefty and 1st round pick Lodolo is pitching well. Reds ahead 5 to 1. Add this to how well 22 year old and 1st round pick Hunter Greene has pitched this spring and 24 year old and 2nd round pick Santillan have pitched this Spring. These young pitchers look great. This could be the best group of young pitchers coming up to the Reds in a long time. 26 year old Gutierrez and 27 year old Mahle add to the mix, all doing well this Spring. 29 year old Castillo injured but should pitch at some point.

I'm excited watching these good, young Reds pitchers. Sanmartin had good stuff today and then top pick Lodolo had great stuff. I'm excited watching these good young pitchers. They look GOOD.

[kevin]

Just saw Reds April Schedule. ROUGH. At World Series Atlanta for 4 games Then West Coast trips to Dodgers, Padres, Rockies in April. The BAD NEWS is Reds will probably have a losing record at end of April. THE GOOD NEWS is Reds get at Atlanta and at Dodgers, San Diego, Colorado off the schedule. Get these awful road games behind them with 5 months to play.

So Fans will probably be saying the Reds stink at end of April, not understanding the schedule. Reds hopefully don't panic and take April to look at players more and see who is ready for 2022 season.

The Reds only play one series in the NL Central in a 3 game series with St Louis in Cincinnati on Easter Weekend. THAT is the biggest series of April for the Reds. Having the Cardinals in Cincinnati. As Bengals Fans, we know the importance of Division Games with Steelers, Ravens, Browns, especially when you play them in your house. St Louis at Cincinnati on Easter Weekend is indeed the Big Series of April. Even if the Reds struggle with tough Atlanta and LA Dodgers on their turf, and struggle with the other West Coast road trip games that are always rough. The Reds can make up for it by winning the NL Central Series with St Louis in Cincinnati.

So I see a bumpy ride with this April schedule, but they no longer start off with an April of NL Central teams. Those come later after April. So the Key thing is to get these rough road trips over with for the year, figure out who should be playing after the lockout short Spring Training, and Beat St Louis in Cincinnati. The Reds will take some losses in April, but the head to head games with the NL Central come later, except this St Louis in Cincinnati series. THAT is the Key Series in April. Beat St Louis over Easter Weekend in Cincinnati. That is like Steelers at Bengals in football. Beat St Louis in April. Try not to get swept at Atlanta and at Dodgers. I don't see Reds beating these powerhouse teams, but just don't get swept by them. Fans will make a big deal out of Cleveland vs Cincinnati series, but the Key Series is St Louis at Cincinnati in April, Reds only NL Central Series in April.

[fredtoast]

(03-29-2022, 06:40 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: One thing for sure. The Reds will once again be the Reds this year. In other words, start off strong and end like crap.

In 2020 we started 1-4, but finished on an 11-3 run to make the playoffs.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-30-2022, 12:34 PM)fredtoast Wrote: In 2002 we started 1-4, but finished on an 11-3 run to make the playoffs.

The Reds were not in the playoffs for the 2002 season. Maybe you made a typo and meant the 2012 season?

[kevin]

Reds announce Hunter Greene will pitch Sunday April 10th. Lodolo has a good chance to pitch around Wednesday April 13th. It looks like Reds are adding these #1 Draft Picks to the Reds Roster.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-31-2022, 05:12 AM)kevin Wrote: Reds announce Hunter Greene will pitch Sunday April 10th.   Lodolo has a good chance to pitch around Wednesday April 13th.  It looks like Reds are adding these #1 Draft Picks to the Reds Roster.

At least having Greene and Lodolo in the rotation would add some excitement to watching the '22 Reds. I'm hopeful both develop into aces.

[fredtoast]

(03-30-2022, 12:58 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: The Reds were not in the playoffs for the 2002 season. Maybe you made a typo and meant the 2012 season?

2020 

Just year before last.

[fredtoast]

(03-31-2022, 09:05 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: At least having Greene and Lodolo in the rotation would add some excitement to watching the '22 Reds. I'm hopeful both develop into aces.

The combination of the Bengals success and the Reds talent purge has cause me to not even be interested in the Reds.

Obviously I have some interest because I am here posting.  And I will follow them casually, but I honestly do not even know what our starting lineup will be.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-31-2022, 09:16 AM)fredtoast Wrote: The combination of the Bengals success and the Reds talent purge has cause me to not even be interested in the Reds.

Obviously I have some interest because I am here posting.  And I will follow them casually, but I honestly do not even know what our starting lineup will be.

I'm right there with you. I assume Senzel is in CF if healthy, but I absolutely cannot tell you who is playing LF or RF. I'll tune in and watch games from time to time, but my passion isn't there for the sport or the Reds. I just don't see how they do well this year. They'll be in contention for last place with the Pirates.

[kevin]

The DH has me thinking outside the box. How many hitters do you need with the DH ? Could Reds get by with some Super Subs that can play anywhere as needed such as Farmer. Utility and Versatility and Less may be the way to go on hitters. More might be the way to go on Pitchers in April. Have a deep Bullpen to not over pitch starters after short Spring Training and to try to have relievers to rescue and not blow out the Bullpen early in the season. So how many of these Reds hitters have Options to start in The Minors. Not the Starting 9, but the Bench Hitters.

I can see the Braves and Dodgers wearing out The Reds Pitching staff early at start of April. If it was a Poker Game, I would load up on Pitching to start April. If The Moose isn't ready to play everyday due to injuries, maybe a DL to to get a replacement hitter in. It would help The Reds if they had some Iron Men to play every day like a bunch of Cal Ripkins, so Reds could carry a ton of Pitching.

The DH eliminates the need for so many Pinch Hitters. PITCHING and DEFENSE can win a lot of ball games.

Reds have the Japanese outfielder who is paid a lot but has done little. They added Moran from Pirates but has he earned a spot ? Aquino is out of options, has he earned a spot ? There are guys playing great this Spring such as Max Schrock getting on base 60 % of the time. I would be ruthless on who I keep and cut and send to minors. Back-Ups that can go to Minors, would go to Minors for now. I would be trying to trade some of the salary of the Japanese outfielder if he doesn't step it up. Reds got that outfielder Pham and first base Moran and there is a DH, but are they so great that they can force others to be cut who are out of options ?

I would be ruthless on the hitters I would keep, send to Minors or cut. The DH means The Reds don't need a ton of pinch hitters anymore. I would over stock on Pitching as opposed to Hitting. You can never have too much Pitching, as Lou Piniella use to say. I would have the Starting 9 Hitters and just enough Super Sub Back Ups to play many positions. I would have Reds start season over loaded on Pitching. For one thing, I would not want to pitch the arms off #1 Picks Greene and Lodolo right out of the gate. If I could get 70 pitches or 5 innings out of my starters and have a ton of relievers, and the DH makes that very possible. I would no longer have great need for pinch hitters. So it's time to think out of the box. The old National League is Dead with the DH added. It's a whole new ball game.

As a Manager with the DH now, I would like to be in the dugout, and know I have a ton of Relief Pitchers. I would not need Pinch Hitters, I have the DH now. I would be like Tampa has been in DH American League, I would beat teams with Relief Pitching and Defense. The Royals with the DH have had good years when they had a deep Bullpen. I might even start games with a reliever as Tampa has done, and bring my Start warming up in around the 3rd inning so the starters can go deeper in the game, maybe even finish some games. Starters never finish games anymore, I think Tampa Rays have shown brining the Starter in around the 3rd inning works. It's something Reds should try. We are playing under American League Rules now. Reds no longer have to remove a Pitcher for a Pinch Hitter, and THAT is HUGE.

Yes, I would carry more Pitchers than Hitters with the DH. I would steal Tampa Rays Playbook of how you can beat Big City, Big Money New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox with a Tampa Team of Doing More with Less. The rule changes set it up for Reds to copy how Tampa has been beating The Big Boys with less. I would apply that to how to beat St Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Pittsburgh. If the Tampa Playbook works in tougher AL East, it should work in NL Central.

I see the Tampa Ray logic. Why start a good pitcher and remove him after 5 innings on an average, with 4 innings to go ? I do see the Tampa way of bringing that Starter in around the 3rd to pitch later into the game. With the DH, Reds would not have to worry about late inning pinch hitters forcing taking Starter out who came in around the 3rd. Reds should copy the Tampa Rays playbook. Carry much more Pitching with the DH

Also there are Rain Games where the Starter warms up, and warms up, and a Rain Delayed Start or Rain Out makes that Starter lose his turn. If you bring him in the 3rd inning, you avoid that problem. He only warms up if the game starts and looks good to go. So many reasons to steal Tampa playbook now that Reds are playing by American League Rules.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-31-2022, 12:43 PM)kevin Wrote: Reds have the Japanese outfielder who is paid a lot but has done little. 

Shogo is now up to 366 plate appearances and 317 at-bats without hitting a big league HR. I wonder if that changes in what might be his third and final season as a member of the Reds?

[kevin]

(03-31-2022, 01:36 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Shogo is now up to 366 plate appearances and 317 at-bats without hitting a big league HR. I wonder if that changes in what might be his third and final season as a member of the Reds?

The Reds laid out too much money for him.  The good thing is I think he is in last year of contract, maybe.  He would be the first person to dump if he wasn't paid so much.  He is not the past or the future of The Reds.  Reds however need to stop making such stupid contracts.  With all the outfielders Reds had, signing this guy to a big contract was stupid a few years back.   Now with the DH, again I say Reds need to carry more Pitchers and less Hitters.  Reds won't need a bunch of Pinch Hitters now, but they will need Pitchers.  I would rather have Max Schrock than Shogo, Max OBP is a lot better.  Max is getting on base 60 % of the time this Spring, and that is with being a leader in at bats.  I can think of many others that I would keep over Shogo.  I would say So Go,  but are Reds willing to eat his big contract. If Reds keep him, he better have a good OBP and be able to play good defense at any outfield spot if someone gets injured. Even at that, Reds are paying him too much. The Reds GM must be drunk when he does some of these contracts. There was never any reason to give Shogo a big contract. If they had got him on the cheap or a lesser contract, but they shelled out way too much for him. Really, big contract or not, I would be thinking of cutting him and fielding the best roster I could to Win. So if they keep him, he better be able to field every OF spot and have a good OBP when playing, that I could live with. Anything short of that and he would be fired. With the DH now, Reds only need a starting 9 and a few back-ups, and to carry much more Pitching.

[guyofthetiger]

The Reds should try more bunting this year. With the defensive shift, the whole side of the field is baren. I keep wondering why not take the bunt for a hit?

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

I think Shogo was doing well as the regular lead off hitter at the end of his first season when Bell just put him there and let him grow into the league. The team went on a hot streak at the end of the season and he had a lot to do with it. I also remember him playing some pretty good defense that season.

Then he was injured early in training camp in 2021 and never really got caught up. Bell had Naquin, Winker, Suarez, all kinds of combinations before India was placed there after almost losing his job. Schrock came in and was just hitting lasers ala Scooter before pulling a calf muscle. India was about to be sent back down before getting his spot back by default. People think it was the move to lead off that sparked India. 100% bullshit. I've played enough baseball to recognize that it was sitting in the dugout for a few games, watching Schrock attack the ball at the plate while playing India's new position that he had just switched to in the spring that sparked him. He's a good hitter and I think he should be either 2nd or 3rd. Either in front of Votto or after him.

I honestly think that putting Shogo at the lead off spot would get the best out of his skill set. He took a lot of pitches as a lead off in 2020 and he doesn't hit home runs. If there is one spot in the lineup that you can get away with little to no power, it's lead off.

Do I think he's a great lead off hitter? No. I just think that it's the best spot for him and a nod to India's great season by putting him in the #3 spot previously held by Castellanos. Last season is over. It's almost at the end of the Votto era. It's time to make India the next Reds 100 RBI Superstar.

[kevin]

(04-02-2022, 12:03 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: The Reds should try more bunting this year. With the defensive shift, the whole side of the field is baren. I keep wondering why not take the bunt for a hit?

That is a solid point. Why do they not bunt or hit towards 3rd base when everybody is from 2nd to 1st in a shift ?  I think the answer is that these million dollar players do not know how.  Most pro baseball players can not bunt.  They do not know how to hold the bat level or how to move up and down to the pitch.  These so called athletes don't put any practice time into bunting.  Really, neither do most American grade school or high school teams.  At the end of batting practice, the coach may say to lay one down.  The coach does not show how to do it because the coach does not know.  Bunting as Ty Cobb or Rod Carew or Ken Griffey Sr is a lost art form.  They really should practice bunting as much as a basketball player should practice free throws.  Many hours should be put into bunting and free throws until you can do it in your sleep, like a machine. 

So the reason they do not Hit Them Where They Ain't is because they spend all their batting practice time swinging for home runs. It would be like a golfer never working with his irons or chipping wedge or putter, and only smashing balls with his drivers. 

Asking a pro baseball player to bunt is like asking them to pick up a violin and play when they have never practiced on one.  They don't practice bunting, even in Spring Training.  So to ask them to bunt in a game usually just results in the batter looking foolish at it and it becomes a wasted At Bat.  

So why do they not bunt against the shift ?  ANSWER : They do not know how.  They never practice bunting.  Most pro ball players couldn't lay down a bunt if they stood at the plate for hours. 

MLB is trying to outlaw the shift, and the pitcher on a time clock will cut down on players looking at their shift cards after each pitch. I think we will see a return to more basic defenses as MLB tries to speed up the game and get back to 2 or 3 hour games and eliminate 4 to 5 hour games of players standing around looking at their back pocket shift cards. They are boring the Fans to death with these 4 to 5 hour games.  MLB is going to Speed The Game Up.  The Pitch Time Clock will speed things up.  

[kevin]

The End of Spring Training. Mahle gets his last work in today on April 2nd. The others to follow. This is Saturday and Season starts Thursday.

One problem with the lockout short Spring Training is this. Joe Nuxhall use to say pitchers need to get one bad outing out of their system in Spring Training. I think we will see pitchers on Reds and around baseball have that one horrible bad outing once the season starts. Fans will not understand why so many pitchers stink in April, as they forget the short Spring Training. Look for just about every pitcher in baseball to have one or two bad outings in April once season starts. As Joe Nuxhall said, these bad outings as you get back to baseball are just part of the game.

So these pro players really won't be in regular season form until around May 1st. Due to the lockout / strike, just because the season starts April 7th does not mean these players or teams will be ready. Many pitchers still have to have that one bad outing as Joe Nuxhall always mentioned. So as pitchers have real bad outings, don't be too concerned. MLB should be back to looking OK by May 1st.

Mahle gets his last Spring Training Pitches in today of a very short Spring Training today. The Start Of Season is coming Fast. Oh Yes, whenever Castillo comes back to pitch, he also will have to get some bad outings out of his system and look bad once or twice, per Joe Nuxhall years on radio about Pitchers and A New Season.

It's like 2020 when NFL had no Preseason Games, and all NFL teams looked sloppy until October 1st. Baseball should look OK after the lockout by May 1st, but they have some Spring Training sloppy play left in their system for April.

[*rfaulk34*]

I'm just gonna say this.

The last time there was a work stoppage and the Reds opened on the road..."championship".

[kevin]

MLB news is that teams can carry 28 roster players. Also the runner at 2nd base in extra inning continues.

The 28 man roster should help Reds on pitching depth and keeping some hitters who are doing great this Spring.

The best player this Spring has been Schrock. He is batting over .600 and an OBP of over .600 and one of the leaders in Runs Scored. He would be my Opening Day DH. Plus he can play second base when India needs a day off. It would be stupid for Reds to not play a hitter this hot, especially now with the DH. I would start season Thursday with Schrock at DH and he would play as long as he stays this Hot.

My Opening Day team Thursday would be Catcher-Stephenson, First-Votto, Second-India, Short-Farmer, Third-Moustakas, Left-Pham, Center-Senzel, Right-Naquin, DH-Schrock. Pitcher-Mahle.