Reds May 2023 Games Thread

[guyofthetiger]

The Reds are only 4 games out of first place in the division. Maybe this is our year. The hitting and pitching seem to be coming around.

[*bengalfan74*]

(05-28-2023, 11:26 PM)samhain Wrote: I like RF for EDLC.  A player with his tall, lanky build might take a beating in the infield.  

Takes a good arm for right. Does he have that?

[*bengalfan74*]

(05-28-2023, 08:10 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: I've said, since India's rookie year, he's a #2 or #3 hitter, not a leadoff hitter. He didn't "take off" his rookie year because Bell inserted him at lead off . . . he "took off" because Max Schrock was in the process of taking his job from him. He was about to be sent down because he was still way too cautious at the plate when Schrock had calf issues. So he stayed up and Bell moved him to leadoff. After watching Max Schrock successfully attack pitches early in the count, India started getting more aggressive and much more confident at the plate and the rest is history.

Friedl is awesome as a leadoff hitter. He should be batting leadoff everyday, not just against righties. Bell drives me crazy with that shit. I get the righty/lefty thing, but show some feel for the game once in awhile. Have faith in your guys to buck a trend every now and then.

BUT . . . this may come as a shock to all of you . . . I will give Bell credit, yes, credit, for a couple of things. Putting McClain in the starting lineup on day 1 and also for putting him right in at #2 in the batting order. Screw that #7 or #8 in the order until you show me that you can play in this league . . . show me right now that we can rely on you. Good move by Bell. One of the announcers mentioned McClain reminds them of Jose Altuve . . . yep. That is exactly who I think of when watching him at the plate. They both have a "Bring it, *****" approach to the at bat.

I was really, REALLY happy for Casali for getting some RBI hits the last two games. I hope that the Reds don't screw up and dump him because of his bat. He's too valuable for this team. He caught Hunter's great game and Williamson's third start. With this very young pitching staff, he's just too damn important right now. Stephenson is too green to handle them and Maile's pretty good, but Casali seems to keep things calm and in control better than both. Great sacrifice bunt, too.

Does anybody really want Joey Votto back at this point? Steer and Stephenson are playing just fine at first base and I'm more interested in watching both of them bat than I am about watching Votto. A lot of guys are looking more comfortable at the plate but those at bats are going to dry up. Votto's return and the soon to arrive rookies are going to lead to a crowded outfield. Ramos, Fairchild, Benson, Myers and Newman are going to be on the outside looking in or DFA'd . . . De La Cruz and CES aren't going to be bit players. They're going to be starting and Marte' might not be far behind. Senzel and India might be heading to the outfield and Senzel's 3rd base play might just be for showcasing him for a trade for pitching. Fraley might be another player on the move to make room for the kids. They need at least one set up man and getting two solid late inning relievers would do a lot for this young team that's about to get younger.

NO

They should let Votto ride of into the sunset DHing a few times. But don't upset the apple cart trying to insert him into the lineup at 1st.

I wish Bell would settle down some with the musical lineup stuff. Leave Steer, McClain, and Friedl in the lineup a lot more no matter who's pitching.

[CJD]

(05-28-2023, 11:26 PM)samhain Wrote: I like RF for EDLC.  A player with his tall, lanky build might take a beating in the infield.  

I could see that. Senzel has really come into his own as a 3B as well, so maybe we can leave him there, move Fraley to LF and put EDLC in RF.

With that said, I don't know if that is the immediate plan, since he has not played any outfield in the minor leagues, to my knowledge. When they do call him up, I assume he'll play either 3B or SS, with McLain taking the other role.

[grampahol]

Been casually following the team from SC after years of gloom and doom. I still haven't seen them play a game all season, but from what I've been reading I might actually pay to watch them again ..
The fire sales they had for a few years seem to actually be paying off, but it'll still be awhile before I decide to actually trust ownership.  There was a time when I could name every player on the roster and the bulk of the players in the minors..The old memory cells ain't what they used to be..

[grampahol]

(05-29-2023, 02:52 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I could see that. Senzel has really come into his own as a 3B as well, so maybe we can leave him there, move Fraley to LF and put EDLC in RF.

With that said, I don't know if that is the immediate plan, since he has not played any outfield in the minor leagues, to my knowledge. When they do call him up, I assume he'll play either 3B or SS, with McLain taking the other role.

I might actually hang on to those Senzel rookie cards I bought for my grandkids way back when.. How many Reds fans gave Senzel up for dead? I know I did..

[CJD]

(05-30-2023, 07:27 AM)grampahol Wrote: I might actually hang on to those Senzel rookie cards I bought for my grandkids way back when.. How many Reds fans gave Senzel up for dead? I know I did..

Yea, he's been a pleasant surprise this season. He is hitting the cover off the ball against left handed pitchers to the tune of .463/.500/.659/1.159 in 41 ABs, and he has been clutch, hitting .400/.465/.543/1.008 in 35 ABs with runners in scoring position. 

The only problem is his splits against right handed pitching leaves a lot to be desired .184/.277/.291/.569 in 103 ABs.

For that reason, his ultimate role may end up being as a platoon player. In fact, one platoon that I think may actually work out for everyone would be Senzel + Jake Fraley in LF. Fraley has an even more stark split between left and right handed pitching hitting:

vs Left .048/.125/.095/.220 in 21 ABs
vs Right .286/.375/.452/.827 in 126 ABs
RISP .380/.429/.700/1.129 in 50 ABs

If those two players are platooned, you'd have a far above average hitter in the LF slot against both RHP and LHP as well as a valuable pinch hitting bat on the bench against the respective pitching when relief pitchers come in that may be opposite handed compared to the starting pitcher (for example, Senzel starts vs a left hander, you can pinch hit Fraley for him in a high leverage situation against a right handed reliever in the 6th inning or later).

This would have the added benefit of freeing up 3B for Elly

The more I type, the more on board I get with this plan hahaha.

[*bengalfan74*]

(05-30-2023, 10:20 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Yea, he's been a pleasant surprise this season. He is hitting the cover off the ball against left handed pitchers to the tune of .463/.500/.659/1.159 in 41 ABs, and he has been clutch, hitting .400/.465/.543/1.008 in 35 ABs with runners in scoring position. 

The only problem is his splits against right handed pitching leaves a lot to be desired .184/.277/.291/.569 in 103 ABs.

For that reason, his ultimate role may end up being as a platoon player. In fact, one platoon that I think may actually work out for everyone would be Senzel + Jake Fraley in LF. Fraley has an even more stark split between left and right handed pitching hitting:

vs Left .048/.125/.095/.220 in 21 ABs
vs Right .286/.375/.452/.827 in 126 ABs
RISP .380/.429/.700/1.129 in 50 ABs

If those two players are platooned, you'd have a far above average hitter in the LF slot against both RHP and LHP as well as a valuable pinch hitting bat on the bench against the respective pitching when relief pitchers come in that may be opposite handed compared to the starting pitcher (for example, Senzel starts vs a left hander, you can pinch hit Fraley for him in a high leverage situation against a right handed reliever in the 6th inning or later).

This would have the added benefit of freeing up 3B for Elly

The more I type, the more on board I get with this plan hahaha.

yup hope Bell does it

[CJD]

(05-29-2023, 10:14 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Takes a good arm for right. Does he have that?

He threw a 99.1 mph ball from SS to first base to get a runner out after bobbling the ball. It was the fastest throw in AAA or the majors in the infield this season. There have only been 7 95+ mph throws in the infield in AAA and MLB all season and EDLC has thrown three of them.

In fact, according to Baseball America, no one has thrown a ball harder than 97.9 mph since they began tracking infield throw speed in 2016.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/elly-de-la-cruz-pegs-the-top-of-the-scouting-scale/

I don't know exactly how well an infield arm translates to an outfield arm, but I'd say he's at least above average in the throwing department.

FWIW, MLB.com rates his arm 60 on the 20 to 80 scale, which is a full standard deviation above average.

[cinci4life]

Barrero with his first career grand slam!!! Reds up 8-0 in the 7th!

[cinci4life]

Salazar needs to go. Comes in with a 9-3 lead in the 9th and now it's 9-6 and forced to bring Diaz in to clean up the mess.

[cinci4life]

Reds hang on to win 9-8. Should never have had to be that stressful.

[kevin]

Reds win at Boston after sweeping at Chicago Cubs. Reds are 4 games under .500 now. Reds are in position to win this series at Boston. Reds are playing very good ball. The young players are catching on and are coming together as a team. Good young hitting, good young pitching, good young fielding like Orioles or Guardians or Rays. Youth Movement is what Reds needed, just as they built for 1990.

It turns out that Reds might have got the better of the trades of Suarez and Winker to Seattle. The young players Reds got in that trade are looking great.

[grampahol]

(05-31-2023, 12:23 AM)kevin Wrote: Reds win at Boston after sweeping at Chicago Cubs.  Reds are 4 games under .500 now.   Reds are in position to win this series at Boston.  Reds are playing very good ball.  The young players are catching on and are coming together as a team.  Good young hitting, good young pitching, good young fielding like Orioles or Guardians or Rays.  Youth Movement is what Reds needed, just as they built for 1990.

It turns out that Reds might have got the better of the trades of Suarez and Winker to Seattle.  The young players Reds got in that trade are looking great.

Maybe they finally stopped making trades just to be making trades..

[cinci4life]

Reds win again 5-4!!! They win the series and go for the sweep tomorrow!

[kevin]

(05-31-2023, 11:15 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Reds win again 5-4!!! They win the series and go for the sweep tomorrow!

Right. Reds have won the series at Boston no matter what.  But a sweep puts Reds real close to .500 ball at start on June, which is far better than 2022.  

[guyofthetiger]

(05-31-2023, 11:32 PM)kevin Wrote: Right. Reds have won the series at Boston no matter what.  But a sweep puts Reds real close to .500 ball at start on June, which is far better than 2022.  

If I recall, the Reds played .500 ball after their horrendous start in 2022.

[*bengalfan74*]

I'm much more into this season than I figured I'd be. I thought we'd be 12 games out by now, we're 3. These young players are hungry and there's more coming up the pike. I don't know the plan with Dela Cruz and the others but I hope they bring them up soon. Screw that control crap!! Give us something to cheer for.

[CJD]

(06-01-2023, 08:26 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I'm much more into this season than I figured I'd be. I thought we'd be 12 games out by now, we're 3. These young players are hungry and there's more coming up the pike. I don't know the plan with Dela Cruz and the others but I hope they bring them up soon. Screw that control crap!! Give us something to cheer for.

It sure helps when you have a rookie who just randomly is hitting .360/.426/.541 for the first 14 games of his career haha. McLain's success early on may actually make De La Cruz's eventual debut underwhelming by comparison because we can't reasonably expect him to be that good to start as well (or can we?... :) )

[cinci4life]

Well no sweep thanks to Herget. Man what a meltdown. Doesn't help either that Greene got no run support once again.