Reds July 2023 thread

[cinci4life]

What a freakin disaster.

[guyofthetiger]

Reds lose again. Makes me think the Reds may have been a fluke. Seems we fall apart with good pitching against us.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(07-16-2023, 05:35 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: Reds lose again. Makes me think the Reds may have been a fluke. Seems we fall apart with good pitching against us.

It’s one team that just has their number. 90 games is hardly a small sample size, and they definitely aren’t a fluke. They won several series against really good teams.

[CJD]

I'm glad this is the second to last time we see Milwaukee.

They are our kryptonite.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-16-2023, 07:31 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I'm glad this is the second to last time we see Milwaukee.

They are our kryptonite.

I remember the stinking Pirates oh 3 years ago or something? Stunk, not that we were great haha. But they beat us like a drum, we IIRC started the season against them like 1-8 or something. I think we ended up not so horrible like 7-11 or something ? But they just took us out behind the woodshed, a lot.

Sometimes teams just have your number. And to be fair this is still a very young team, slumps are going to happen. It's unusual it's the whole team at once but that's probably due in part to their youth.

I'm not in panic mode....yet 

Pitching hasn't been the problem of late. But I still believe in the end that will be our downfall. Not the offense

[CJD]

(07-17-2023, 10:13 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I remember the stinking Pirates oh 3 years ago or something? Stunk, not that we were great haha. But they beat us like a drum, we IIRC started the season against them like 1-8 or something. I think we ended up not so horrible like 7-11 or something ? But they just took us out behind the woodshed, a lot.

Sometimes teams just have your number. And to be fair this is still a very young team, slumps are going to happen. It's unusual it's the whole team at once but that's probably due in part to their youth.

I'm not in panic mode....yet 

Pitching hasn't been the problem of late. But I still believe in the end that will be our downfall. Not the offense

It seems we only get pitching or hitting, but never both at the same time haha.

I know a player that bats like EDLC is going to have periods where he is unstoppable and periods where he is extremely stoppable, but that whole 4 game skid was horrendous for him, 1 for 16 with 6 strikeouts and 0 walks or steals.

Brutal.

But it wasn't just him. The whole team struggled mightily. Will Benson (1 for 6 with 3 BBs, 1 SB and 3 SOs), Joey Votto (1 for 11 with 3 SOs and 3 BBs) and Matt McLain(4 for 15 with 8 SOs and 1 BB) were okay, but well below their capabilities. The rest of the team though...jeez...

Friedl was 1 for 14 with 6 SOs and 1 BB
Fraley was 2 for 12 with 6 SOs and 0 BB (but one of those hits was a HR).
India was 2 for 15 with 6 SOs and 0 BB
Steer was 1 for 13 with 7 SOs and 1 BB
Stephenson was 0 for 13 with 4 SOs and 1 BB

You're not going to win many games with every person in the line up throwing out those numbers.

I just hope there isn't some glaring weakness that Milwaukee noticed in this team's approach at the plate and exploited that now other teams will use.

This SF Giants series will be a great barometer to judge whether this was just an aberration or if it's the beginning of a regression to the mean for this team.

The Baltimore Orioles were very hot last year as a young team with a bunch of stars making their debut who looked like they were going to make the playoffs, at one point 10 games over .500 on September 3rd. They finished out the season 12-18 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

I would prefer we don't follow that same trajectory (even though it looks like 2023 is going to be Baltimore's year). 

[samhain]

(07-17-2023, 11:06 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: It seems we only get pitching or hitting, but never both at the same time haha.

I know a player that bats like EDLC is going to have periods where he is unstoppable and periods where he is extremely stoppable, but that whole 4 game skid was horrendous for him, 1 for 16 with 6 strikeouts and 0 walks or steals.

Brutal.

But it wasn't just him. The whole team struggled mightily. Will Benson (1 for 6 with 3 BBs, 1 SB and 3 SOs), Joey Votto (1 for 11 with 3 SOs and 3 BBs) and Matt McLain(4 for 15 with 8 SOs and 1 BB) were okay, but well below their capabilities. The rest of the team though...jeez...

Friedl was 1 for 14 with 6 SOs and 1 BB
Fraley was 2 for 12 with 6 SOs and 0 BB (but one of those hits was a HR).
India was 2 for 15 with 6 SOs and 0 BB
Steer was 1 for 13 with 7 SOs and 1 BB
Stephenson was 0 for 13 with 4 SOs and 1 BB

You're not going to win many games with every person in the line up throwing out those numbers.

I just hope there isn't some glaring weakness that Milwaukee noticed in this team's approach at the plate and exploited that now other teams will use.

This SF Giants series will be a great barometer to judge whether this was just an aberration or if it's the beginning of a regression to the mean for this team.

The Baltimore Orioles were very hot last year as a young team with a bunch of stars making their debut who looked like they were going to make the playoffs, at one point 10 games over .500 on September 3rd. They finished out the season 12-18 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

I would prefer we don't follow that same trajectory (even though it looks like 2023 is going to be Baltimore's year). 

I'm 100% with you, but there's a silver lining if we follow the Baltimore trajectory.

This team is trying to decide whether or not to trade assets for pitching that will be needed for the pennant stretch.  

In a year or two, we may look back at this team hitting a wall in 2023 as the best thing that happened if it encourages to stick to the plan of building through the farm system.  Let the talent develop without rushing or selling off, eventually they all end up in Cincinnati.

In reality, the current staff is not a reflection of what the team will have at full strength.  There are a couple of guys like Greene, Lodolo, and About that have real top of rotation potential.  Connor Phillips could also make his way here very soon, and he's made a huge jump this season.  Rhett Lowder, the 1st round pick, is also expected to get through the system very quickly.  Like possibly 2024 quickly.  Unless the Reds are no-doubt contenders, forking over young talent is jumping the shark in many ways.

This could very soon be the rotation:

Greene
Abbott
Lodolo
Ashcraft
Phillips/Lowder

All cheap, all with big upside, and all here for a long time.

[CJD]

(07-17-2023, 11:25 AM)samhain Wrote: I'm 100% with you, but there's a silver lining if we follow the Baltimore trajectory.

This team is trying to decide whether or not to trade assets for pitching that will be needed for the pennant stretch.  

In a year or two, we may look back at this team hitting a wall in 2023 as the best thing that happened if it encourages to stick to the plan of building through the farm system.  Let the talent develop without rushing or selling off, eventually they all end up in Cincinnati.

In reality, the current staff is not a reflection of what the team will have at full strength.  There are a couple of guys like Greene, Lodolo, and About that have real top of rotation potential.  Connor Phillips could also make his way here very soon, and he's made a huge jump this season.  Rhett Lowder, the 1st round pick, is also expected to get through the system very quickly.  Like possibly 2024 quickly.  Unless the Reds are no-doubt contenders, forking over young talent is jumping the shark in many ways.

This could very soon be the rotation:

Greene
Abbott
Lodolo
Ashcraft
Phillips/Lowder

All cheap, all with big upside, and all here for a long time.

I am fully on board with the "do not buy" train.

If they could get a rental like Giolito for a relatively minor cost, say like...Lyon Richardson or Levi Stoudt and Ricardo Cabrera, I would be able to stomach that.

But CES, Marte, Arroyo, Collier, Petty, Phillips, Duno and Lowder should all be off the table.

It's hard to make deadline deals when your top 10 prospects (which, at the moment, still include EDLC and Abbott) are all unavailable, but that's the position I see us in right now.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-17-2023, 11:06 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I just hope there isn't some glaring weakness that Milwaukee noticed in this team's approach at the plate and exploited that now other teams will use.

Right

It sure seems to me, and I've kinda beat it into the ground, that this team takes a hell of a lot  of first pitch strikes!! The opposing teams are just like "hey just grove a fastball right down the middle on the first pitch" they don't take the bat off their shoulders.

Right away it's advantage pitcher. It almost seems they are being coached a bit to much "be patient, don't swing at first pitch"

Now I get it, don't be free swinging at everything under the sun. Strike 1,2,3 you're out. But you can't let the opposition know we don't swing at any first pitch - EVER.

Perhaps I'm just to drunk by game time  and seeing things? I dunno

[samhain]

(07-17-2023, 11:41 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I am fully on board with the "do not buy" train.

If they could get a rental like Giolito for a relatively minor cost, say like...Lyon Richardson or Levi Stoudt and Ricardo Cabrera, I would be able to stomach that.

But CES, Marte, Arroyo, Collier, Petty, Phillips, Duno and Lowder should all be off the table.

It's hard to make deadline deals when your top 10 prospects (which, at the moment, still include EDLC and Abbott) are all unavailable, but that's the position I see us in right now.

They need to pick it up quite a bit if I'm giving up prospects for a rental.  You could sign Giolito and give up zero prospects in about 4 months.

Wouldn't mind bolstering the pen to shorten games, but that might be about it.  

[CJD]

Reds officially announce the CES promotion

? ANNOUNCING CES ?

Welcome to The Show, Christian‼️ pic.twitter.com/DRHLA8xF6j

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 17, 2023

And the corresponding move was to put Newman on the 10 day IL with an "injury" haha.

[Goalpost]

So they had to get CES on the 40 man. And the Reds are 'technically' allowed to keep Newman on the 40 man while he is IL'd. Right now that works, but probably a sign that Newman will be gone.

[CJD]

(07-17-2023, 03:16 PM)Goalpost Wrote: So they had to get CES on the 40 man.  And the Reds are 'technically' allowed to keep Newman on the 40 man while he is IL'd.   Right now that works, but probably a sign that Newman will be gone.

I read somewhere that the Reds only had 39 people on their 40 man roster before this move, so they just had to make the 26 man roster move.

Checking Reds.com and that seems to be the case assuming the 60 day and 15 day IL players are removed from the 40 man roster.

Newman may still end up being sent down, but I think he has options left and I don't think they will need to remove him from the 40 man roster.

[CJD]

A few significant changes in the lineup tonight

Looking for this?

Powered by @PNCBank pic.twitter.com/awOorjE8lX

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 17, 2023

I'm personally really excited to see EDLC batting lead off. I've always felt you should have your best hitters in the top 3 because that guarantees they get an AB in the first inning.

With India at #3 for so long, EDLC was often leading off the 2nd inning anyway ( ), so this is just giving him more opportunities to bat, especially with no concern of players being on base preventing him from stealing as many bases as he wants.

I'm surprised to see India sticking at 5 but...at this point there isn't much else to say about it. Starting CES at 7 as the DH is a good way to ease him in and gives us some serious pop to our bottom 3rd.

Looking forward to seeing how it all works out.

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-17-2023, 04:26 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: A few significant changes in the lineup tonight

Looking for this?

Powered by @PNCBank pic.twitter.com/awOorjE8lX

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 17, 2023

I'm personally really excited to see EDLC batting lead off. I've always felt you should have your best hitters in the top 3 because that guarantees they get an AB in the first inning.

With India at #3 for so long, EDLC was often leading off the 2nd inning anyway ( ), so this is just giving him more opportunities to bat, especially with no concern of players being on base preventing him from stealing as many bases as he wants.

I'm surprised to see India sticking at 5 but...at this point there isn't much else to say about it. Starting CES at 7 as the DH is a good way to ease him in and gives us some serious pop to our bottom 3rd.

Looking forward to seeing how it all works out.

Me 2

I'm kinda surprised at India still batting 5th. Not sure what the hell Bell is trying to do? Give him some days off, put him batting 9th. And to be fair it's not just India slumping, however. Like has been said he's played every game this year. Make him set on the bench Bell.

[Nicomo Cosca]

That throw EDLC just made was incredible. Kid has an absolute cannon for an arm.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Offense still cold, but hard to get hot when McLain is called out on that terrible third strike.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

They need to figure out how to make it so that nobody is on base every time India gets a PA. Guy continues to hit quite well with the bases empty this year.

[cinci4life]

(07-17-2023, 09:46 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Offense still cold, but hard to get hot when McLain is called out on that terrible third strike.

Yeah getting sick and tired of that outside off the plate strike call. India heating up though. Needs a triple for cycle now.

[cinci4life]

Game suspended by rain tied 2-2 in the 8th and will resume tomorrow at 5:40 and yes on Bally Sports.