MLB Gets Ready For De La Cruz

[kevin]

Reds are going from no good players into too many good players to field, which of course is better. It's now not IF Reds will bring up the top prospect in baseball all of MLB is waiting to see. It is Any Day Now. Reds McClain is on an 8 or 9 game hitting streak.

Young Reds outfielders are hitting. Steer is hitting in the infield.

I really do not know where Votto would play if he did come back, even DH is filled up. Good thing Moose gone, no place for him.

Just as Baltimore had all these good young players come up from Minors, and Cleveland and Tampa, Reds are now having an amazing amount of talent explode on the scene. We can add Lively and Weaver are doing well as starting pitchers now.

We are seeing the Reds develop as the Burrow Bengals developed. On De La Cruz, I haven't seen this much excitement over a Reds hitter coming up across MLB since Larkin or Eric Davis.

Add in Diaz is doing great as a Closer.

The Reds are getting real good, real fast. Other teams will envy all their good, young talent across the board. This happened late 1980's going into 1990, when Reds won World Series.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(06-01-2023, 04:02 PM)kevin Wrote: I really do not know where Votto would play if he did come back, even DH is filled up.

Their DH last night is hitting .241 with a .669 OPS and an OPS+ under 80.
Their DH prior to him is hitting .245 with a .725 OPS and an OPS+ of about 90.

The only above league average hitters the Reds have right now both as starters and off the bench are Steer, India, Friedl (though he's not been playing), McLain, and Maile as the backup C. Everyone else is statistically below league average.

[samhain]

(06-03-2023, 07:08 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Their DH last night is hitting .241 with a .669 OPS and an OPS+ under 80.
Their DH prior to him is hitting .245 with a .725 OPS and an OPS+ of about 90.

The only above league average hitters the Reds have right now both as starters and off the bench are Steer, India, Friedl (though he's not been playing), McLain, and Maile as the backup C. Everyone else is statistically below league average.

I'm not sure that Stephenson is all that safe in terms of playing time, either.  He's been mediocre at best at the plate, and Casali is undeniably better defensively and handling the staff.  Maile is probably better defensively as well.  Tyler, as much as I hate to say it, has become something of a liability.  

If Joey can hit when he gets to Cincinnati, there's zero reason not to have him in there when healthy.  I'm not sure he'd have a long leash, but he'd get a long look.  

[cinci4life]

(06-03-2023, 10:13 AM)samhain Wrote: I'm not sure that Stephenson is all that safe in terms of playing time, either.  He's been mediocre at best at the plate, and Casali is undeniably better defensively and handling the staff.  Maile is probably better defensively as well.  Tyler, as much as I hate to say it, has become something of a liability.  

If Joey can hit when he gets to Cincinnati, there's zero reason not to have him in there when healthy.  I'm not sure he'd have a long leash, but he'd get a long look.  

Votto is starting a rehab assignment in Louisville today so he might be back really soon.

[samhain]

(06-03-2023, 02:03 PM)cinci4life Wrote: Votto is starting a rehab assignment in Louisville today so he might be back really soon.

I have no idea what version of Votto we'll see by the time he gets to Cincinnati.  He was inconsistent (putting it mildly) before he got hurt last year.  

You never know with Joey.  If he's fully healthy, he might look great.  The late stage career Joey is a sometimes frustrating/sometimes brilliant ballplayer.  I kind of doubt he'd be returning if he didn't feel that he was fully healthy.  He's not that kind of player.  Personally, I hope he's able to cap off his Reds career with positive contributions to the team.

He should not and IMO will not take time from Steer.  

Last thing:  If Joey makes it back and looks viable as a regular, I think CES stays in the minors until at least August.  He's not as much of a finished product as EDLC,.  He needs to learn to draw more walks and gain some plate discipline.  If there was an opening, I'd be fine with him being with the big league club, but between Steer/Joey/Stephenson there aren't a lot of at bats for him here.  Let him gain more at bats in Louisville and hopefully arrive a more cerebral hitter.  

[kevin]

Again, all of MLB is waiting to see De La Cruz when Reds bring him up any day now.

So Reds have a lot of good young players who are starting to win games now. Reds are loaded on young talent.

[samhain]

(06-03-2023, 02:43 PM)kevin Wrote: Again, all of MLB is waiting to see De La Cruz when Reds bring him up any day now.

So Reds have a lot of good young players who are starting to win games now. Reds are loaded on young talent.

TJ Hopkins.

Oh Well.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-03-2023, 10:13 AM)samhain Wrote: I'm not sure that Stephenson is all that safe in terms of playing time, either.  He's been mediocre at best at the plate, and Casali is undeniably better defensively and handling the staff.  Maile is probably better defensively as well.  Tyler, as much as I hate to say it, has become something of a liability.  

If Joey can hit when he gets to Cincinnati, there's zero reason not to have him in there when healthy.  I'm not sure he'd have a long leash, but he'd get a long look.  

Agree

The only thing he (has) brought to the table was that .300 BA He's a very average, at best, defensive catcher. And he's not a power hitter moving guys along on the bases and driving in runs.

If he's not getting on base a lot and scoring he basically offers nothing. As was said in the May thread by some. I'd rather roll with Casalli for his defense and handling the pitchers.

What are they waiting on with De La Cruz??

[samhain]

I think this might be the week.

Fraley and Senzel late scratches. India takes reps at 3rd.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it. I don't think so.

[spazz70]

(06-05-2023, 09:14 PM)samhain Wrote: I think this might be the week.

Fraley and Senzel late scratches.  India takes reps at 3rd.  

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.  I don't think so.

He just got called up 

[CJD]

(06-06-2023, 01:59 PM)spazz70 Wrote: He just got called up 

Look...I'm thrilled that he has just been called up...

But why didn't we do it before the Brewers series? haha. Maybe we split the series (or better) if he is out there instead of Kevin Newman, who went 2 for 16 with 2 walks.

I guess they figured Newman was the hot hand, since he was coming off of a week and a half where he went 13 for 27 with 6 walks against St Louis, Chicago and Boston...

But he's a career 80 OPS+ hitter, they had to know that streak was an illusion.

It probably doesn't matter in the long run, I just would have loved to see him come out and light the world on fire against the division leader with the rest of the country watching.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-06-2023, 01:59 PM)spazz70 Wrote: He just got called up 

Yep

Reds make massive decision on top prospect (msn.com)

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-06-2023, 03:21 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Look...I'm thrilled that he has just been called up...

But why didn't we do it before the Brewers series? haha. Maybe we split the series (or better) if he is out there instead of Kevin Newman, who went 2 for 16 with 2 walks.

I guess they figured Newman was the hot hand, since he was coming off of a week and a half where he went 13 for 27 with 6 walks against St Louis, Chicago and Boston...

But he's a career 80 OPS+ hitter, they had to know that streak was an illusion.

It probably doesn't matter in the long run, I just would have loved to see him come out and light the world on fire against the division leader with the rest of the country watching.

Right

Perhaps they were trying to showcase Newman for a trade? Not sure it helped?

But I've read a couple articles over the last few days saying he's a nice trade candidate. 

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

One thing that might seem really, really small at first glance but I honestly think that this might be a hidden strength for the amount of young players the Reds coming up to the MLB level of play.

We have truly awesome broadcasting crews with lots of very knowledgeable former MLB players as veteran analysts. These are guys that will be on the flights with the team and in some cases will be the only recognizable faces wandering around the batting cages or dugouts on road trips.

On the road, pitchers will have Chris Welsh, who is the finest analyst in the game, imo and Jeff Brantley. Brantley is funny, but generally has very accurate analysis and is one of the few ex-players that can do play by play, which is not easy. They'll have Sam LeCure at home, who is really good and coming into his own on Reds Live. Also at home, hitters and infielders will have Larkin to lean on along with their position coaches and hitting coach. Most of them have interacted with Larkin on his multiple trips to minor league games so there is a familiarity there and the initial awe of meeting a HOFer is gone.

Then you have one of the best sideline reporters in the broadcasting business in Jim Day. Decades of experience and is very classy and respectful. He's not there to make any of them look bad . . . Even Giesenschlag seems like he has the right temperament and attitude that you want around good, young players getting their first taste of The Show.

These guys are coming up to the bigs and they're fortunate to be dealing with these crews when it comes to media involvement. I have felt this for years but it's finally playing out big time right in front of us.

[grampahol]

Give it a few years and if he keeps it up you'll see a lot of little boys in Cincinnati named Elly..lol
I can't remember the last time the Reds signed some skinny kid for peanuts and went on to take the baseball world by storm..

[guyofthetiger]

De La Cruz is now in a slump. Pitchers have figured him out. He needs to adjust. Makes me appreciate Pete Rose and all his hits.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-28-2023, 01:05 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: De La Cruz is now in a slump. Pitchers have figured him out. He needs to adjust. Makes me appreciate Pete Rose and all his hits.

He'll figure it out.

[*ochocincos*]

The pitching is 14th in the NL right now.
It's terrible.
Add in the injuries to Lodolo, Lively, and now Greene, and you have a pretty disastrous SP rotation.
Abbott is about the only bright spot right now.
Ashcraft really performing worse compared to last year. Reds will need him to be better in the 2nd half of the season (Reds have now played exactly 81 games - 50%).

Reds could really use another SP or two. Hopefully we see (at least) one added in July ahead of the trade deadline.