Reds June 2023 thread

[CJD]

(06-26-2023, 03:59 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Yes perhaps I was a little hard on Stoudt? But I'd just love to see this team have at least average starting pitching. Just give them a chance. 

I know they're probably a year away in all reality. But dang! It sucks when you've got a good team otherwise and one horribly bad part dragging the rest down.

It's the 2021 Bengals and their Oline all over again :)

Hopefully, the Reds go out and sign their own version of Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and La'el Collins this coming off season.

Just....let the player that compares to Collins in this analogy be healthy and not deal with back issues all season :).

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

They flat out lost this last game.

Fraley's embarrassingly pathetic attempt at a throw to the plate from shallow right field didn't even make it to the infield grass in the air. There was only a runner on third so there was no need to hit the cut off man. I would have pulled him aside and asked him "WTF was that? I hope to not see anything like that from you again."

Four of the Braves seven runs were scored by runners that got on base by a walk. None of the Reds runs involved a walk. The bullpen took turns walking nine Braves and hitting one. They gave up more free passes(10) than hits(9). Duarte was the only pitcher of the six used yesterday that didn't walk anyone.

Do you think that maybe Bell and company should've mentioned to Will Benson that Charlie Morton throws a lot of curveballs? It looked like Benson saw his very first breaking ball yesterday.

In fact, I think that Morton might have thrown maybe four or five curveballs in the strike zone and a lot of Reds hitters did a whole lot of chasing of the other curves that he threw out of the zone.


This was playoff baseball. Here's the game duration times starting with the last loss before the long winning streak.

@ St Louis
2:36 - home team did not bat in the 9th
2:47
2:43
@ KC
3:27 10 innings
2:30
2:40
@ Houston
2:21
2:52
3:12 10 innings
vs Colorado
2:52
2:51
2:25
vs Atlanta
3:13 - home team did not bat in the 9th
3:09
3:28

The Atlanta announcers were pretty impressed with the Reds. After Steer flew out to the warning track to end the 8th with two men on, one of the announcers nervously asked before the commercial break "When does the plane leave for Atlanta?"

[cinci4life]

Well it's looking like the losing streak continues and first place is going back to the Brewers. That on and off rain really screwed up Williamson. Really changed the complexion of the game.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Bell basically forfeited after the rain delay by putting in the entire bullpen C Team today.

[cinci4life]

(06-27-2023, 12:05 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Bell basically forfeited after the rain delay by putting in the entire bullpen C Team today.

Not like he has much of a choice especially when you use most if not all of the regular arms in all 3 Atlanta games.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-27-2023, 12:05 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Bell basically forfeited after the rain delay by putting in the entire bullpen C Team today.

(06-27-2023, 12:13 AM)cinci4life Wrote: Not like he has much of a choice especially when you use most if not all of the regular arms in all 3 Atlanta games.

Have to get a couple starters, have too

[CJD]

Last night was a classic case of a well rested, well armed bullpen vs a bullpen struggling to even have enough arms to cover the innings required.

This game should have been delayed. The Reds bullpen is not currently set up to withstand a game like this.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-27-2023, 09:31 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Last night was a classic case of a well rested, well armed bullpen vs a bullpen struggling to even have enough arms to cover the innings required.

This game should have been delayed. The Reds bullpen is not currently set up to withstand a game like this.

Well we've got Abbott going tonight so let's hope he can log some innings and give us a chance?

[CJD]

(06-27-2023, 09:35 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Well we've got Abbott going tonight so let's hope he can log some innings and give us a chance?

Abbott night has become the one night that I am actually comfortable with our starter going into the game haha. It's sad that we have 4 dead spots on the rotation right now, but it is what it is. Abbott gives us a good chance to win tonight.

[CJD]

For the longest time, I hated that Great American Ball Park is so small. I felt like it fit the team we had the moment it was built (Ken Griffey Jr, Adam Dunn, Willy Mo Pena, Sean Casey, Aaron Boone etc), but I felt like it pressured us into building the team a certain way: for power.

Yesterday, the Athletic posted an interview with Shawn Pender, the Reds’ vice president of player development, and one of the questions was illuminating for me:
https://theathletic.com/4642784/2023/06/27/reds-prospects-halfway-shawn-pender/

Quote:Q: I know this has been talked about a lot, but the organization has had a focus on athleticism, and we’re kind of seeing it up and down the organization. How has that played out?

Quote:A: I think Nick and Brad and (Senior Director, International Scouting) Trey (Hendricks) and (Director of Amateur Scouting) Joe (Katuska) — all of them have done a really good job, and for that matter, Chris Buckley in the past, of identifying athletes and pushing that agenda forward. I know there were questions and concerns about what we were going to do with all these shortstops. Well, they can play other positions, which is proving itself out, in particular if they have enough arm to stay on the left side. They can play the outfield, they can play third, they can play short, they can play second. If they can run the bases and have that kind of athleticism, they can play the outfield and they can also use their speed in both halves of the inning.

That’s one of the things we talked about with the rule changes, if you’re a good hitter and you progress through our system as a good hitter, you’re likely going to have as much, or more likely more power in the big leagues than you will in the minor leagues for us. Our ballpark is smaller and it plays that way in particular in the summer. Be a good hitter and if you’re a 12-14 home run guy in the minor leagues, you may end up being 18-22. You’ll be able to hit enough to be a producer. I think they’ve done a really good job of identifying those folks. I think we’ve done a good job of forcing the issue.

I’m seeing it now, we have to go down and have another conversation with our guys in rookie ball and Low-A to basically say, this is who we are. You may be guys who were really good hitters in high school and you have talent, but we all have to run hard, we all have to (have) good dirt-ball reads, we all have to be willing to go first to third. If not, you’re going to have a hard time playing in our system because we emphasize it so much. You don’t have to be a plus runner to be a good base runner. You don’t have to be a plus runner to be a guy who can go first to third or be a guy who can bunt. We’re trying to go back to what I would say is more the ’70s baseball. Guys who can run and can play have real value in our system. I think our scouts have done a great job of identifying those types of kids.

At the end of the day, this whole power thing is so important but the game has evolved and I think it’s going to evolve again. It’s not that power is going to be important, but having athleticism gives you more flexibility and opportunities to be used throughout the entire game, whether it’s as a pinch-runner, pinch-hitter or defensive replacement. That’s something a small-market club like us has to really focus on in order to improve our depth and our ability to win those one-run games.

I highlighted the part that made me re-think things, but the whole answer is really good.

I felt like "Having a small ball park means we are pressuring ourselves to draft and develop home run hitters, which may not be best long term. I don't like that." But, based on this response, it seems like the team's emphasis is exactly the opposite. Because of how small the major league ball park is, they can emphasize other aspects of prospects, hit tools, speed, defense etc, and still get quality power production out of them because the ball park kind of amplifies their power (by being a small park).

I don't know if anyone had the same perspective as me, but this makes me actually pretty excited about the way we're building our team, because I've always valued the hit tool over the power tool and it seems like the Reds organization feels the same way too

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-27-2023, 12:24 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: For the longest time, I hated that Great American Ball Park is so small. I felt like it fit the team we had the moment it was built (Ken Griffey Jr, Adam Dunn, Willy Mo Pena, Sean Casey, Aaron Boone etc), but I felt like it pressured us into building the team a certain way: for power.

Yesterday, the Athletic posted an interview with Shawn Pender, the Reds’ vice president of player development, and one of the questions was illuminating for me:
https://theathletic.com/4642784/2023/06/27/reds-prospects-halfway-shawn-pender/



I highlighted the part that made me re-think things, but the whole answer is really good.

I felt like "Having a small ball park means we are pressuring ourselves to draft and develop home run hitters, which may not be best long term. I don't like that." But, based on this response, it seems like the team's emphasis is exactly the opposite. Because of how small the major league ball park is, they can emphasize other aspects of prospects, hit tools, speed, defense etc, and still get quality power production out of them because the ball park kind of amplifies their power (by being a small park).

I don't know if anyone had the same perspective as me, but this makes me actually pretty excited about the way we're building our team, because I've always valued the hit tool over the power tool and it seems like the Reds organization feels the same way too

Oh I always have liked the small ball game waaayyyyyyy better than what baseball has descended to these last several years. It's like watching paint dry, 4 solo HR's 15 strikeouts, and 8 fly ball outs.

I love seeing the steals finally making a comeback. Would love to see more run and hit, more bunts, suicide squeeze. Put the pressure on D to make a play. 

And like he said you get those fast athletes that hit 15 HR's a year. That's 25 a year in Cincinnati.

Just get some damn pitching and we're good to go.

[CJD]

(06-27-2023, 04:17 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Oh I always have liked the small ball game waaayyyyyyy better than what baseball has descended to these last several years. It's like watching paint dry, 4 solo HR's 15 strikeouts, and 8 fly ball outs.

I love seeing the steals finally making a comeback. Would love to see more run and hit, more bunts, suicide squeeze. Put the pressure on D to make a play. 

And like he said you get those fast athletes that hit 15 HR's a year. That's 25 a year in Cincinnati.

Just get some damn pitching and we're good to go.

That is one major setback when it comes to having a small ball park. I bet it's difficult to get high quality free agent pitchers to sign here. They look at those HR numbers and probably worry about their next contract if their ERA increases by a run or two haha.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

I like India a lot, and he's a good player, but there needs to be a conversation about his continuing to bat 3rd. He has the 2nd lowest OPS in this lineup today and is hitting terribly with men on/RISP.

Not counting today...
2023 Total: .262/.350/.419 (.768)
2023 Men On: .235/.309/.361 (.671)
2023 RISP: .219/.296/.247 (.542)

I think he (and by extension the offense) would thrive more with him either hitting leadoff or 6th or later. At the very least try flipping Friedl and India in the lineup. India is a good player, but not a #3 batter.

[cinci4life]

Reds back on the winning side and the Brewers lost putting us back in 1st.

[guyofthetiger]

Abbott pitched a good game and Friedl was great. McClain continues to hit bombs. Now to win the series against Baltimore.

[*bengalfan74*]

More bad news, Greene expected to be out until early August. Don't know how they don't go after a starter ASAP?

[*bengalfan74*]

Shout out to Andrew Abbott - 5 starts 4-0 1.21 ERA 0.94 WHIP opponents batting .157 against him. The guy is looking more and more like he could be a great one.

Shout out to Matt McClain - 39 games, 53 hits, 12 doubles, 4 triples, 6 HR's, 24 RBI's, .321 avg. 930 OPS. Not sure why he doesn't have more steals? 4

These two have been a giant part of our recent success.

[CJD]

Abbott remains our only consistent starter. It's a shame we can't clone him once or twice haha.

Elly is in quite the cold streak at the moment. It's been jarring watching him hit for the cycle and then immediately go on a 1 for 17 streak with just 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.

Luckily, Matt McLain has been almost exactly the opposite. In the 4 games leading up to and including Elly's cycle game, McLain had gone 2 for 16 with 1 walk, 5 strikeouts and no extra base hits. But ever since the end of that game (the 11-10 win over the Braves on Friday), he has hit 8 for 18 with 4 doubles, 3 HRs and 9 RBI.

Just wait until these two guys are clicking at the same time. This offense will reach new heights.

Also, India needs to be moved down the order until he gets it together. Can't have your #3 hitter going 6 for 42 with just 2 XBH (granted they were HRs), only 2 walks and 11 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

[*bengalfan74*]

(06-27-2023, 09:17 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I like India a lot, and he's a good player, but there needs to be a conversation about his continuing to bat 3rd. He has the 2nd lowest OPS in this lineup today and is hitting terribly with men on/RISP.

Not counting today...
2023 Total: .262/.350/.419 (.768)
2023 Men On: .235/.309/.361 (.671)
2023 RISP: .219/.296/.247 (.542)

I think he (and by extension the offense) would thrive more with him either hitting leadoff or 6th or later. At the very least try flipping Friedl and India in the lineup. India is a good player, but not a #3 batter.

(06-28-2023, 10:29 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Abbott remains our only consistent starter. It's a shame we can't clone him once or twice haha.

Elly is in quite the cold streak at the moment. It's been jarring watching him hit for the cycle and then immediately go on a 1 for 17 streak with just 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.

Luckily, Matt McLain has been almost exactly the opposite. In the 4 games leading up to and including Elly's cycle game, McLain had gone 2 for 16 with 1 walk, 5 strikeouts and no extra base hits. But ever since the end of that game (the 11-10 win over the Braves on Friday), he has hit 8 for 18 with 4 doubles, 3 HRs and 9 RBI.

Just wait until these two guys are clicking at the same time. This offense will reach new heights.

Also, India needs to be moved down the order until he gets it together.  Can't have your #3 hitter going 6 for 42 with just 2 XBH (granted they were HRs), only 2 walks and 11 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

Yup

India is great, and I love him and have no desire to trade him, however. Like you guys are saying, he's just not a #3 hitter. Right now McClain should probably be #3. Move India to 6th or leadoff or something ? 

[kevin]

REDS go for series win today over a very good Orioles team in Baltimore. The streak had to end. Reds are in FIRST PLACE and a chance for a very nice road series win. GO REDS.