Reds March/April 2024 Thread

[cinci4life]

Well that just made up for yesterday!!!!

[Goalpost]

Back to back to walk it off.

[*rfaulk34*]

OMG, what an ending! Don't know if i've ever said it before but i'm a big Will Benson fan. Fun to be able to get back into some baseball again. 

[CJD]

After an absolutely BRUTAL opening series for Christian Encarnacion-Strand, going 0 for 12 with 4 strikeouts to start the season in a 3 hole, he uncorks a game winning walk off HR in the bottom of the 9th to seal the series win.

Hopefully, that's the beginning of a great series starting tomorrow.

[SouthernFan]

woohoo!  Bottom of 9th, down to last out. India double, Benson HR, Encarnacion-Strand walk off HR.  Reds win.

Good start to the season 2 outta 3 for first series.

[masonbengals fan]

[*bengalfan74*]

CES walk off HR, sweet. And Benson 2 run HR tying it up. Gives em a little boost after the fubar yesterday.

[*bengalfan74*]

(03-31-2024, 01:53 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Diaz has had a rough go of it since the AS break last season. That was brutal, Saturday. I hope he bounces back, but if not, we do have Pagan, who has closed games prior to being here.

I see Hunter Green still hasn't figured out how to pitch. No movement on his FB, trouble consistently hitting the SZ. 100 pitches through 4.2 innings, 4 walks. Same problems, new season.  I know it's just his first game of the season, but his ST was the same. Gives me little reason to think otherwise.

Yep

Every game that goes by with Greene pitching I lose a touch more confidence he's ever going to be "the guy". 

[samhain]

Great win today. I really thought they were cooked this time.

I think Diaz is a bigger problem than we'd like him to be. He's been having problems since the middle of last year. I'm not sure he's a tenable closer until I see otherwise.

In the meantime, it might be wise for them to consider different options. My first and most realistic one is Connor Phillips. He's a hard-throwing beast that has trouble after a few runs through the batting order. It would be painful to give up on a higher end starting prospect, but I think he fits the bill for a closer.

My other far less realistic option is Hunter Greene. This is super unlikely due to his contract and the work they've put in developing him. Still, he's not really a kid anymore. He's 25 and still hasn't figured out how to transition from hard thrower to pitcher. He also looks quite a bit fatter and seemed gassed the other day.

Martinez will likely head to the pen when Lodolo returns, and that's okay, but it's something to consider. Pitching reinforcements are coming regardless, and most are starters. If Greene can't finally get his shit together, I'd have to think hard on reconsidering his role in the near future.

[*bengalfan74*]

(03-31-2024, 08:45 PM)samhain Wrote: Great win today.  I really thought they were cooked this time.

I think Diaz is a bigger problem than we'd like him to be.  He's been having problems since the middle of last year.  I'm not sure he's a tenable closer until I see otherwise.  

In the meantime, it might be wise for them to consider different options.  My first and most realistic one is Connor Phillips.  He's a hard-throwing beast that has trouble after a few runs through the batting order.  It would be painful to give up on a higher end starting prospect, but I think he fits the bill for a closer.

My other far less realistic option is Hunter Greene.  This is super unlikely due to his contract and the work they've put in developing him.  Still, he's not really a kid anymore.  He's 25 and still hasn't figured out how to transition from hard thrower to pitcher.  He also looks quite a bit fatter and seemed gassed the other day.  

Martinez will likely head to the pen when Lodolo returns, and that's okay, but it's something to consider.  Pitching reinforcements are coming regardless, and most are starters.  If Greene can't finally get his shit together, I'd have to think hard on reconsidering his role in the near future.

I agree, the young excuse for Greene is starting to wear out. In 47 games started for his career he has 9 wins with an ERA of 4.61. And as the old saying goes at some point you are what the back of your baseball card says you are.

And, like you say, he has to learn how to be a pitcher and not just expect to blow the fastball by everybody. It's not going to work for him as a starter. He has to learn how to throw at least 3 different speed pitches for strikes. And he's running out of time to do it.

Abbott with the start today. He got knocked around pretty hard in spring training. Lets hope he's got that behind him. Because I'm a little worried about him as well.

[SladeX]

India's AB was magnificent. Glad he’s on the team.

[samhain]

(04-01-2024, 12:53 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I agree, the young excuse for Greene is starting to wear out. In 47 games started for his career he has 9 wins with an ERA of 4.61. And as the old saying goes at some point you are what the back of your baseball card says you are.

And, like you say, he has to learn how to be a pitcher and not just expect to blow the fastball by everybody. It's not going to work for him as a starter. He has to learn how to throw at least 3 different speed pitches for strikes. And he's running out of time to do it.

Abbott with the start today. He got knocked around pretty hard in spring training. Lets hope he's got that behind him. Because I'm a little worried about him as well.

I'd say Hunter is pretty safe until at least the break barring an absolute meltdown.  I know we all say he needs another pitch, but honestly he's just a super-inefficient pitcher.The outings where the wheels come of in the 4th and he's suddenly thrown a hundred pitches are a major detriment.  They hurt not only the team, but his arm health as well.  

If the staff stays healthy (fingers crossed) and Phillips or maybe even Lowder start looking MLB ready, Greene is going to be on a much shorter leash.  That's not even mentioning Williamson.  It will be hard to argue for keeping him in the rotation when that time comes.  It may not be this year, but it's highly likely to happen before the start of 2025.  It's tough to believe, but I think Hunter might be in a do or die year.  If he does the same things he's done since his first game, he could very well be a candidate for a role change. 

[SouthernFan]

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[Goalpost]

India is safe if he slides.

[cinci4life]

India is a damn idiot. No reason not to slide there. None.

[*michaelsean*]

That’s the fastest hook I’ve ever seen. Dude puts down 11 in a row, has a shutout, 85 pitches, gives up two hits and he’s out.

[cinci4life]

Well Diaz looked much better tonight.

[SouthernFan]

WOW!!!!!!!!!

[SouthernFan]

Awesome win!

[guyofthetiger]

Steer grand slam in the 10th was awesome. Another W tonight. Pirates are 5-0 though.