Cincinnati Reds fans will have a few additional opportunities to watch their team play games during spring training. Fox Sports Ohio released their broadcast schedule a few weeks ago and we learned that they would have eight games during the spring. Last week we saw MLB Network release their spring training game schedule and it featured multiple games for the Reds, but only two that weren’t going to be shown on Fox Sports Ohio. Now we get the release of the full MLB.tv schedule for the spring and there are an additional three games being added – but both of the MLB Network games previously mentioned were tape-delayed and will be available live through MLB.tv.
If you want to see the entire MLB.tv spring training schedule for every team you can click this link right here and browse away. Games begin on Friday afternoon for some teams. For those of you who have, or plan to have MLB.tv this spring training, here’s the schedule (any game listed will be available LIVE on MLB.tv – but if they are only listed as MLB.tv that’s the only way to watch it in the greater Cincinnati area).
For everyone that’s out of the Cincinnati market and thus doesn’t have the option of watching games that will be on Fox Sports Ohio, here’s a refresher of the MLB Network schedule for all of the Reds games – just note that none of them will be shown live.
Premium Subscription required.
We apparently will have to sit on the floor to watch them, too, although Mama can sit on the couch.
This is way off subject but Fangraphs came out with a post yesterday predicting Wins based upon team WAR. I would anticipate small changes in WAR but was surprised the Reds WAR per ZIPS dropped from 37.3 a month ago to 35.3 now. I understand players such as Senzel, Shogo, Moustakas and Votto will lose AB due to the Castellanos acquisition. But overall, the acquisition of a top 10 FA should increase the team WAR. Here are the projected WAR’s of the 4 teams with a chance to win the central
Brewers (37.8 Original WAR/38.0 Updated WAR)
Cardinals (35.9/36.5)
Cubs (40.7/40.8)
Reds (37.3/35.3) Why did the Reds drop since the original projection:
Here is how ZIPS has adjusted the WAR for Reds players since the Acquisition
Votto: (Original WAR 2.9/ Current WAR 2.0/ 2018 WAR 0.7) (142 games played in 2018/131 projected in 2019)
Moustakas (2.8/2.3/2.8) (143/138)
Galvis (1.5/0.9/1.4) (147/151)
Suarez (4.1/3.7/4.5) (159/153)
Winker (2.1/1.2/1.0) (113/113)
Senzel (1.5/1.2/0.7) (104/110)
Castellanos (0.0/1.9/2.8) (151/155)
Shogo (1.0/??/N/A) (??/??)
Total (15.9/13.2+??)
ZIPS says the Reds got worse by signing Castellanos. In fact, the Reds got a lot worse. Shogo had 1.0 WAR in original projection but don’t know what his current projected WAR is. I think the Reds got better with Castellanos signing.
Here are my projections
Barnhart/Casali: (1.8/1.9/0.7)/(0.2/0.2/1.0) (My combined WAR 1.8)
Votto: (Original WAR 2.9/ Current WAR 2.0/ 2018 WAR 0.7/My WAR 2.0)
Moustakas (2.8/2.3/2.8/2.8)
Galvis (1.5/0.9/1.4/1.5)
Suarez (4.1/3.7/4.5/4.1)
Winker (2.1/1.2/1.0/2.1)
Senzel (1.5/1.2/0.7/2.0)
Castellanos (0.0/1.9/2.8/3.0)
Shogo (1.0/??/N/A/1.0)
Total (17.9/15.1+??/15.6+N/A/20.3)
Votto – I thought their original projection was high so have no problem with this adjustment.
Moustakas – They are now accounting for a drop in defense. I understand this but I also think Senzel/Galvis will enter the games late as defensive replacements.
Galvis – The last 5 years his WAR has averaged 1.6. I am hard pressed to believe a 40% drop in 2020, especially given the park and the offense created by the new ball.
Suarez – I am hoping this drop in WAR is due to his surgery and not the acquisition of Castellanos. That said he had a 4.5 WAR last year with a great 2nd half to build upon in 2020. I see him dropping from 4.5 to 4.1 because of the injury.
Winker/Ervin – Winker has a career .906 OPS vs. RHP. Ervin has a career .907 OPS vs. LHP. This is a perfect platoon. Three players (Donaldson/Altuve/Bryant) had an OPS in the .900 – .910 range last year and their average WAR was 4.4. I feel 3.0 is conservative since they have yet to prove themselves and also because a manager has to be intelligent enough to platoon them. But stick with the 2.1 of the original projection.
Senzel – Maybe I am missing something here but I think Senzel is better than Robert who ZIPS projects for a 2.5 WAR. ZIPS is projecting Robert with a 0.14 BB/K ratio. For Senzel they are projecting a 0.3 BB/K ratio. I really look for Senzel to put it together this year and the 2.0 WAR I gave him is very conservative. I would not be surprised with a 3.5 WAR.
Castellanos – What am I missing here? 3.0 WAR in 2018. 2.8 WAR in 2019. 1.9 WAR in 2020? RF UZR/150: (2017, -57.6/2018, -12.3/2019, -4.3) He could be average defensively if you put him in right and leave him alone. Offensively he should have a career year playing half his game in GABP. I think a 3 WAR is very conservative.
Shogo – I have no idea. Gave him the original 1.0 WAR ZIPS gave him.
Thanks for updated schedule.
Single team MLB.TV is just under $94 for season and is great for out of market fans.
Watch on MLB.TV app through Roku.
Usually start watching the game about 60 to 90 minutes after 1st pitch is scheduled, fast forward through commercials (Thom’s rants) and catch up to live around 8th inning.
Great way to watch a 3 hour games in 1.5 to 2 hours and not worry about missing anything in the game.
Isn’t MLB.tv free during spring training?
I just used a private browser to try and watch the game from earlier today and it asked me to log in to do so. So I’m guessing that it’s not free.