There goes a bit of the suspense. Senzel will be the headline here. But the Reds also sent Cody Reed, Sal Romano and Phillip Ervin down. The Ervin demotion means they’ll likely go with four OF (Yasiel Puig, Scott Schebler, Matt Kemp and Jesse Winker) at the start. That will create space for both Derek Dietrich and Jose Iglesias while still having 8 pitchers in the bullpen.
Check back for more on this today.
The Reds have reassigned to minor league camp:
? LHP Ian Krol
? LHP Cody Reed
? RHP Sal Romano
? RHP Lucas Sims
? C Juan Graterol
? IF/C Kyle Farmer
? IF Blake Trahan
? OF Phillip Ervin
? OF Nick Senzel#RedsST ??? pic.twitter.com/UcsZfklKOC— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 22, 2019
So will they carry 9 relievers until they need a 5th starter?
We all know Puig was here to stay this year (and maybe longer) based on how the FO and PR team have trotted him around this winter. All do respect to Matt Kemp the Reds can’t afford him either way after this year. I understand he is a veteran bat and a good player, but that spot should have gone to Senzel or Ervin.
If they couldn’t make a trade work this off-season I understand, but I just don’t think it’s in the best interest to give him consistent ABs over these young guys
After that stunt, I would never sign a extension in Cincinnati. Or in Ervin’s case it doesn’t matter if your the best hitter in spring training, same for Farmer. I guess they lied when they said it would be the best 25.
I am good with this. Lorenzen showed he could capably play CF in a pinch, if they wish, giving a swing man in more ways than one. Sal and Cody can full time relieve in Louisville, and provide good depth, which we know will be needed at some point. Senzel will be up, but for now the org. has a chance to play / shop Kemp and / or Scooter to open space for Nick and Ervin. Or they are there should an injury arise. Will be curious to see if Rob Steve ends up making it or if they turn him loose if they feel they have a better option
I don’t see why everyone assumes that we can’t keep Matt Kemp after this season.
Regardless of how well he hits at GAPB he’s going to be a 35 year old free agent 4th OF/DH/BENCH bat only type player.
If he falls in love with Cincinnati and the team (and fans) adopt him, I think we should be able to make a very competitive offer without even coming anywhere close to breaking the bank….
Thoughts!?!
(btw, I’m also on the extend Puig now if we can get to put ink to a relatively team friendly 4-5 year extension. I think he feels very comfortable with hitting coach Turner Ward, has said he already likes it in Cincy, and is open to negotiating)
I think it’s possible that the Reds could resign Matt Kemp, but mostly because I don’t know if he’ll have very many contract offers.
Like you said, he’ll be a 35 year old bench bat. That’s not very appealing. He might provide slightly above average hitting. He’s a liability on defense though — maybe one of the worst defenders in the game. He’s really suited as a DH (so if there is a rule change – maybe). I wouldn’t hate it if he had a decent year and they signed him for $3M next year (as long as there is room for Senzel in the starting lineup). But I think it is unlikely.
Peraza has played CF in the past, as has Puig, so they do have backup options. Senzel being sent down was the smart move with the whole service time thing, and Ervin is a bench player, so I have no problem with the decision.
Now that you’re mentioning bad defensive options in CF, um, Scott Schebler is our opening day CF.
I know defensive stats aren’t great. But I’m going there anyway. Last year, there were 124 OF with more than 250 PA last year. Schebler, Winker, Puig, and Kemp were all in the bottom 25% of that group in defensive runs above average. Yikes!
Schi, I disagree on principal that an outfielder can be better in CF than a corner. If Schebler’s not great in RF, then he’s not great in CF. Schebler certainly has the speed to be a good OF, but he isn’t.
Agree. I’m not concerned about the CF situation. Schlebler can handle it for a few weeks. If he goes down, Lorenzen finishes the game and they call up Senzel. If he leaves his bat in Arizona, they call up Senzel.
Steve, do you expect to see Senzel on the Reds by mid-April? I have been wondering what they would do in this scenario where Senzel is sent down at the beginning of the year. Do they bring him up in mid-April (when service time isn’t a concern) for their 13th pitcher? Do they send Schebler down? Or release Kemp or Dietrich (and eat a salary)? Barring injury or a poor performance from Schebler or Winker (who both have options) there doesn’t seem to be an easy path to get him back to the roster.
I have been hoping Senzel would make the opening day roster, but given that he won’t, I’m not sure he immediately gets called up. I think we might be waiting for a spot to open up, which could mean May/June or even July. I don’t like it, but unless Senzel absolutely tears the cover off the ball in AAA (i.e. is one of the top 5 hitters in the international league) and plays solid CF, he might be down for a couple months.
Puig can play center too. So it’s not like a relief pitcher is their only option.
Right. Bell seems like the kind of guy that’s flexible. If Schebler goes down the first week, Puig/Lorenzen can fill in till Senzel passes the service time threshold. Not that big of a deal
Senzel only had 44 games at aaa last year,let him face more aaa pitching while learning a new position
It was the right decision all the way around
Don’t think Hal McCoy was wrong.
The odd man out is Nick Senzel, who should be returned to Triple-A to play second base to take Scooter Gennett’s place next year.
Everyone can complain about Senzel but i feel for Ervin. What’s a guy have to do to make the team? I know ST stats mean squat but Winker has stunk while Ervin has ripped the cover off.
Might be true if he would of actually came to spring training and won the Cf job, but he didn’t …schebler beat him out fair and square and frankly so did Ervin
We’ll find out in 6 years. I hope I’m around to witness it. That agent better hope as well, and everyone that posts here, along with Senzel.
Well Scooter just got injured I wonder how that is going to affect the Reds Plans…. My prediction is one of our bench guys gets to play everyday at second base until Senzel service time is past then Senzel will play 2nd base.
Was watching the game, Scooter couldn’t even walk off the field alone. Looks like he may land on the IL possibly.
Shakes head. I hate having to put Senzel on my bench for my fantasy league until he is called up.
I don’t have a problem with Senzel going down but its not shocking to see Schebler starting in centerfield.Nobody knows if he can or if he can’t handle the job because he has never been given a chance which is what this team has done sooooo many times other then with Peraza.I never have got the whole service time thing because teams lock up their best long before that 6th or 7th year anyway but again I know little about it.Stats may have been the reason in the battle for center but if Winker was battling for a job in left then Ervin and just about every other outfielder was better so I still say spring stats are used when needed.Reed going down and Peralta still here(did I miss something) is a shocker to me and yes I know we signed Duke and had Garrett but that move,after Bell said he was a reliever well you know.
I bet they still want Reed and Ramano to develop as starters while they have options.
I love how Bell said he didn’t put much into spring stats. Seems like almost every decision has come down to spring stats so far. Maybe other than Winker.
So mad about Senzel going down.
Everyone boycott the Reds Games until Senzel is called up. Kidding…..
Looks like Senzel picked the wrong agent. Not only unprofessional, it’s embarrassing cry-baby behavior. Take it to the MLPA you dunce. Not that it would matter, as we all know, but the last thing the Reds need is some ‘Lavar Ball’ type mouth-off whining to the media cuz his “boy” didn’t make the team. And if Senzel is gonna hold a grudge, so be it. People need to grow up. Parasite agents especially.
Just to be clear: manipulating service time is against the rules. But it’s impossible to prove it’s happening unless a team comes out and says it – which is why they don’t ever actually say it. So “take it to the MLBPA you dunce” is a very stupid thing to say. They can’t do anything about it because it’s already against the rules.
Uh, I was being sarcastic or trying to be. Who knows, perhaps accusing the team of unprovable foul play in a statement to the press was the smart thing to do?
Four comments two each on two players:
1. The Senzel demotion makes sense relative to his future in CF. Both Schebler and Ervin are better options in CF RIGHT NOW. Senzel to AAA to get more comfortable in center may change that before long but I have no problem with him getting those reps in AAA given what we saw from Schebler and Ervin this spring.
2. If Scooter is truly hurt, Senzel should start the year in Cincinnati, at 2nd base. Maybe he’s the CF of the future, but he’s definitely the best 2nd baseman in the organization if Scooter is out (and I actually think he’s better than a healthy Gennett but that’s a different matter).
3. If spring results don’t matter, why is Wandy (Zero ERA) Peralta heading to Cincinnati instead of Cody Reed. I’d much rather have Reed in the bullpen than Peralta.
4. If Reed is in Louisville he definitely needs to get as many starts as possible. No bullpen there please. He’ll be needed in the 2020 rotation, and if one more starter goes down soon, before that this year. The more starts he gets, the more he’s stretched out, the better he gets, the more valuable he becomes to the Reds. Start Cody Reed!
In 3 years of starts for the Reds, I cannot remember any of them leaving me with the thought that he is a MLB starter. That ship has sailed. If he starts a game this year, it’ll be because we have 5 pitchers on the DL.
For the Senzel should not have been sent down crowd, what is your solution based on the current roster? (before Gennett injury)
Start Cody Reed? Groundhog Day! But not nearly as funny.
I don’t feel bad for Ervin at all. He had plenty of opportunities last year to earn a starting job as an everyday outfielder and he just plain laid an egg. He seemed uninterested a lot of the time and made too many mistakes.
Yes he performed well this spring but he is going to have to do a lot more to earn a spot on the team
If nothing else this is a great opportunity for Schebler. He’s got power and he can run. He’s pretty good vs lefties. I thought for a while last year that he might really run with the leadoff position and give the Reds a Charlie Blackmon’esque threat there for a few years. He just can’t seem to stay on the field or out of slumps? If Scooter is hurt then Senzel gets his shot anyway.
What I don’t get is this? We’re 6 days from Opening day and Scooter is still leading off and they’re running out pitchers like Powers and Strahan?
Ervin is a 5th OF at best. Kemp is a borderline HOFer coming off an All Star season. The idea that you would play Ervin or even Winker over him is laughable. Play Kemp until there out of it this year, and hopefully Trammell will be ready by 2020. Problem solved.
Amen brother
Kemp’s OPS from 2017-18:
April 2017 1.077
May 2017 .946
April 2018 .970
May 2018 .935
I’m not a country music fan, but these Toby Keith lyrics could apply to Matt Kemp
“I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was”
He’s old and will wear down quickly but I suspect he can do alot of damage in Apri/May and maybe afterwards is spotted correctly. I want to see Winker play as well, but Kemp might get first shot? If they’re not in the race then he could be dealt somewhere.
He wasn’t a Top 25 player on this ballclub. How is this even a conversation?
I’ve deleted several of your comments in the last 24 hours. We are not going to be having comments calling people “fairies” or “douchebags”. This is the only warning you are going to get. You will get banned from commenting for more personal insults towards players or their agents or anyone else for that matter. If you want to talk like that you’re going to have to take it elsewhere because this isn’t the place for it.
Totally agree Steve. Schebler went out and earned it. Now, the question is next year: who plays CF and 2B?