Reds starting pitching staff, is it enough?

[*bengalfan74*]

MLB has changed and evolved just like most other major sports over the years. But one thing still holds true the bulk of the time. You have to have very good to great pitching to win consistently. And I'm just not sure this staff has enough in the tank to go a full and the any post season. We're a month from start of spring training and I doubt much is going to change by then.

This is starting order from Reds website:

1. Hunter Greene R - he's had his struggles getting going for sure. He can on very strong to end the season last year, hopefully he can pick up where he left off? And become a real ACE. I'm not too concerned with him.

2. Brady Singer R - I can't say I know much about him but looking at his stats it's just mediocre type stuff in big picture. 2022 looks like his best season 10-5 3.23 ERA in 24 starts I guess if he can return to that I'd be happy.

3. Andrew Abbott L - A lefty, good. He faded bad down the stretch last season and that seems to be his M.O.? Decent pitcher April-July but just doesn't have the stamina to finish.

Here's where it starts getting shaky

4. Nick Martinez R - Ended the season as a starter on fire! 4-1 record and .083 ERA in September. But there's really nothing in his career stats that scream starter. Probably why they still have him listed in bullpen as well.

5. Nick Lodolo L - Oh Nick, His last start in May and thru June of last season he was on fire. Arguably our best starter then. Then the wheels started coming off the bus and he got beat around pretty bad in games in July and August. His last start was August 22nd and the injuries just keep coming with him. Perhaps he can come out of it but I'm just not so sure.

The rest on starters list:

Rhett Lowder R - Now here's some hope. Went 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA in 6 starts. He did not surrender a HR in 30 innings pitched. Still very young at 22 Hoping he can step into starting rotation at least some and give us a boost.

Graham Ashcraft R - not much hope here. Probably headed to bullpen.

Carson Spiers R - again not much hope.

Brandon Williamson L - showed some promise in 2023. Perhaps he can come back ?

Overall this starting pitching staff just causes me concern. Perhaps they'll fool me...again

[Goalpost]

I guess we can hope that Chase Burns could surprise.  He has absolutely zero experience but he is 22.

[*bengalfan74*]

(01-27-2025, 02:24 PM)Goalpost Wrote: I guess we can hope that Chase Burns could surprise.  He has absolutely zero experience but he is 22.

Lets hope so. I just have a feeling we're still on shaky ground starting pitcher wise.

[TecmoBengals]

At least one, if not two, of these guys is likely to be out for significant time. That's the way of contemporary baseball for SPs. No, I don't think there is enough depth to sustain success over 162 games.

I'm excited about Francona, watching the young guys, but not so much about this being a competitive team that can make the playoffs.

[*bengalfan74*]

(01-27-2025, 03:11 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: At least one, if not two, of these guys is likely to be out for significant time. That's the way of contemporary baseball for SPs. No, I don't think there is enough depth to sustain success over 162 games.

I'm excited about Francona, watching the young guys, but not so much about this being a competitive team that can make the playoffs.

Same 

I mean if all the stars line up and if everybody stays healthy, and if they all have the stamina for 162 games I could see them being a middle of the road staff. But it's just to many if's and fairly unlikely.

And if you look at the offense I've no idea what to think? So I'd say most likely were headed to another 75ish win season.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

It is not enough.

I kind of started checking out a bit after a potential Francona-excitement when Krall started talking about money and needing to be real cheap. Sure enough we're sitting around $90m right now, about $60m shy of being competitive. 

Meanwhile everyone went to the Dodgers and I am getting more and more fed up with MLB and the shittiest Commissioner in professional sports in Manfred despite my love of baseball. The 2027 Work Stoppage can not come soon enough.

[*bengalfan74*]

(01-27-2025, 08:26 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: It is not enough.

I kind of started checking out a bit after a potential Francona-excitement when Krall started talking about money and needing to be real cheap. Sure enough we're sitting around $90m right now, about $60m shy of being competitive. 

Meanwhile everyone went to the Dodgers and I am getting more and more fed up with MLB and the shittiest Commissioner in professional sports in Manfred despite my love of baseball. The 2027 Work Stoppage can not come soon enough.

I to got a good bit to hyped up with that. I was hoping it was a sign of better things coming. But it's still the same old same ole. To be honest I'm not sure how many more seasons (as a die-hard fan of course) I have left in me? 

[The D.O.Z.]

Saw a report they are adding old friend Wade Miley on a minor league deal.

[samhain]

It all comes down to health. They have been smart to get some quality inning-eaters.

[*bengalfan74*]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/reds-starting-pitching-projected-to-rank-near-top-of-the-league-in-era/ar-AA1yhMNN?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ASTS&cvid=c58a4a5bce814a6fa65959c081b4476c&ei=33

I'm not sure I understand what ERA+ is ? Anywho, I'm afraid we'll be decent thru like June then we'll start fading down the stretch.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(02-03-2025, 12:25 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/reds-starting-pitching-projected-to-rank-near-top-of-the-league-in-era/ar-AA1yhMNN?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ASTS&cvid=c58a4a5bce814a6fa65959c081b4476c&ei=33

I'm not sure I understand what ERA+ is ? Anywho, I'm afraid we'll be decent thru like June then we'll start fading down the stretch.

Basically, it's another tool that's only used by Fantasy Baseball players/users/dorks to tell you the same thing that an ERA tells you.

Quote:ERA+ (Adjusted Earned Run Average) is a metric that evaluates a pitcher’s effectiveness while adjusting for league and ballpark factors. A league-average ERA+ is set at 100. Scores above 100 indicate better-than-average performance, while scores below 100 suggest below-average pitching. For example, an ERA+ of 120 means a pitcher is 20% better than the league average.

[kevin]

Lets look at Starters and Bullpen.  If they can stay healthy, The Reds could have one of the better pitching staffs in baseball.  Along with pitching goes Defense and here is where I hope Francona helps.  Poor Defense can make a Pitcher have to get 4 or 5 outs in an inning, and that is not good.  When the Pitcher get the batter to hit into an out, the Defense can not blow it. That is on the Defense, not The Pitcher.  

I like the Reds Pitching far more than I like the Reds hitting.  The Reds are not loaded with Superstar Hitters, but with Pitching and Defense the hitting could be good enough.  

What I hope from Francona is less mental mistakes on Defense and in Base Running.  The Reds ran themselves out of many innings under Bell, and that causes losses.  I'm not talking thrown out at second.  I'm talking players including De La Cruz getting caught in run downs because they had their heads up the rear ends.  The Reds with runners on base and no out or 1 out were just awful at mental mistakes running themselves out of innings.  I see pee wee teams better in base running than Reds.  

If Francona can be like Sparky and cut down on the mental mistakes on Defense and Base Running, that would add at least 10 more Wins than they had last year right there.  Maybe more.  Mental Mistakes and poor Fundamentals under Bell were killing this team.  

Reds are bad at this.  Pitcher has a batter out, but Defense blows it.  That means the Pitcher has to get 4 outs that inning.  That means his Pitch Count goes up.  Also maybe now the man at the plate is one of the best hitters in baseball.  The Defense not making the play loses ball games.  Base Runner mistakes loses ball games.  My Hope is that Terry Francona that won with Red Sox for first time in 100 years, can come in like Sparky Anderson who cleaned up all the mistakes being made under Bristol. Rose and Bench were wrong, they were not a good team under Bristol.  Sparky made them so much better, and then went to Detroit and made them better.  I'm Hoping that from Francona who is a winner.  Better Defense and Better Base Running Wins Games.

A constant gaff by Reds is outfielder throwing to home with no chance to get the runner.  People say nice try.  No, it is stupid.  The pointless throw to home lets the other teams runners move up on the bases.  The play is to the cut off man, not throwing home as that player is going to score anyway, and all runners move up.  That is a constant bonehead that Reds make and fans accept, but Reds will not Win until they get that garbage out of their game.  Is it that much to expect these high paid players to throw to the right man.  The worst is when they don't know how many outs there are.  It's not like they have other jobs, this is what they do.  Sad when baseball players can't even count to 3.  

[coachmcneil71]

(02-05-2025, 06:28 AM)kevin Wrote: Lets look at Starters and Bullpen.  If they can stay healthy, The Reds could have one of the better pitching staffs in baseball.  Along with pitching goes Defense and here is where I hope Francona helps.  Poor Defense can make a Pitcher have to get 4 or 5 outs in an inning, and that is not good.  When the Pitcher get the batter to hit into an out, the Defense can not blow it. That is on the Defense, not The Pitcher.  

I like the Reds Pitching far more than I like the Reds hitting.  The Reds are not loaded with Superstar Hitters, but with Pitching and Defense the hitting could be good enough.  

What I hope from Francona is less mental mistakes on Defense and in Base Running.  The Reds ran themselves out of many innings under Bell, and that causes losses.  I'm not talking thrown out at second.  I'm talking players including De La Cruz getting caught in run downs because they had their heads up the rear ends.  The Reds with runners on base and no out or 1 out were just awful at mental mistakes running themselves out of innings.  I see pee wee teams better in base running than Reds.  

If Francona can be like Sparky and cut down on the mental mistakes on Defense and Base Running, that would add at least 10 more Wins than they had last year right there.  Maybe more.  Mental Mistakes and poor Fundamentals under Bell were killing this team.  

Reds are bad at this.  Pitcher has a batter out, but Defense blows it.  That means the Pitcher has to get 4 outs that inning.  That means his Pitch Count goes up.  Also maybe now the man at the plate is one of the best hitters in baseball.  The Defense not making the play loses ball games.  Base Runner mistakes loses ball games.  My Hope is that Terry Francona that won with Red Sox for first time in 100 years, can come in like Sparky Anderson who cleaned up all the mistakes being made under Bristol. Rose and Bench were wrong, they were not a good team under Bristol.  Sparky made them so much better, and then went to Detroit and made them better.  I'm Hoping that from Francona who is a winner.  Better Defense and Better Base Running Wins Games.

A constant gaff by Reds is outfielder throwing to home with no chance to get the runner.  People say nice try.  No, it is stupid.  The pointless throw to home lets the other teams runners move up on the bases.  The play is to the cut off man, not throwing home as that player is going to score anyway, and all runners move up.  That is a constant bonehead that Reds make and fans accept, but Reds will not Win until they get that garbage out of their game.  Is it that much to expect these high paid players to throw to the right man.  The worst is when they don't know how many outs there are.  It's not like they have other jobs, this is what they do.  Sad when baseball players can't even count to 3.  

The rantings of a man ready to watch his Reds and for baseball season to start!   

Getting close! And you are spot on about hitting the cutoff man! 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/
Proj W-L: 73.6-88.4 (5th in division)

https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings
Proj W-L: 78-84 (5th in division)