The Cincinnati Reds needed a win on Sunday to avoid a sweep and to avoid a 7-game losing streak. The St. Louis Cardinals weren’t in a giving mood and held on for the sweep, sending the Reds out west to face off against the best team in baseball on a massive losing streak.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (9-12) |
2 | 5 | 0 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (11-10) |
5 | 9 | 1 |
| W: Flaherty (4-0) L: Castillo (1-2) SV: Reyes (5) |
|||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Jack Flaherty held the Reds hitless until the 4th inning when Jesse Winker singled – extending his hit streak to 10 games – but he was erased on a double play to end the inning two pitches later.
The next time a Reds hitter reached base was in the top of the 6th inning when Jonathan India was hit in the head by a Jack Flaherty pitch. That led to the umpires getting together and issuing warnings to both teams, resulting in David Bell coming onto the field and losing his mind – rightfully so – as he’s trying to understand how his player was hit in the head by a pitch and his team gets a warning. That argument resulted in the 12the ejection of the career for Bell.
David Bell gets ejected after a heated exchange with the umpire following 90+ mph pitch to Jonathan India's head. pic.twitter.com/TkM5LSN0zR
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) April 25, 2021
Jonathan India remained in the game for the time being, but after the inning was over he was replaced in the field by Kyle Farmer.
Jesse Winker got the Reds offense going in the 7th with a leadoff home run. It was Winker’s 4th of the season and raised his average to .387 on the season. The going, however, was short lived. While Nick Castellanos singled to follow he was erased on a double play ball and the inning ended with an Eugenio Suárez strikeout as the middle of the order continued their slump. The Reds got another run in the 8th to make it a 4-2 game when Tyler Naquin singled in Kyle Farmer who had reached on a fielders choice earlier in the inning.
The Reds didn’t go quietly in the 9th. Nick Castellanos had a ground-rule double and Joey Votto walked to put two men on with one out. Eugenio Suárez hit one deep into left-center, but it was run down for the 2nd out of the inning. Nick Senzel followed that with a walk to load the bases for Tucker Barnhart. After working a 3-1 count he grounded out to first base to strand them loaded and end the game.
The Pitching
Back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning were followed by a ground out that got the Cardinals on the board. Luis Castillo then induced a double play to end the inning. A 2-out solo home run in the 2nd inning by Tyler O’Neill made it a 2-0 game. Castillo settled in after that…. until he faced O’Neill in the 5th, when he hit his second solo home run of the game to make it 3-0. Andrew Knizner followed up with a single and he’d come around to score later in the inning on a Dylan Carlson 2-out single to extend the Cardinals lead to 4-0.
After giving up four runs in 5.0 innings Luis Castillo was replaced to start the 6th inning by bringing in Carson Fulmer. He allowed just one hit over 2.0 innings of relief that included two strikeouts. Sean Doolittle came out for the bottom of the 8th to try and keep the Cardinals lead at 4-2. That plan didn’t go as well as he would have hoped as a bloop-hustle double came around to score on a line drive single by Paul Goldschmidt. The lefty settled in after that getting three lazy fly balls to end the inning.
Notes Worth Noting
Jesse Winker’s single in the 4th inning extended his hitting streak to 10 games. That’s currently the longest streak in Major League Baseball.
Nick Senzel moved to second base in the bottom of the 8th inning in a double switch that put Tyler Naquin in center.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Monday April 26, 10:10pm ET
Tyler Mahle (1-1, 1.74 ERA) vs. Luis Urias (3-0, 2.81 ERA)
RLN–Free Fall Edition
I love the Reds and I get too wrapped up in them but I also enjoy the discussion we have on this site. The commenters respect each other and have patience putting up with each other’s little tantrums during games. At heart it’s just that we all love the Cincinnati Reds and don’t know how to quit them.
Thanks for loving the Reds, y’all
We must love the Reds if we’re doing this. haha
Great way to start off commenting on an awful Reds weekend.
Kudos.
Honestly out of my 4 sports teams( Reds, Bengals ,NY Rangers, Syracuse Orange? ) I thought maybe the Reds would get me a championship before my time is through here. I’ve witnessed 5 championships but will be hard pressed to see another. I enjoy the games but I’ve reached that age where sitting on the porch watching nature and time go by to be more peaceful and rewarding. It’s weird how things change in life.
2012 was the year for the Reds, and we know how that ended.
Downhill ever since. And that stinks if you’re a fan
JB – good to find another Orange fan among our happy group. Our boys did one heckuva job getting to the 16 before running out of steam.
As for our Reds … I’m stumped. LA won’t be any easier either.
That’s an honest and insight post JB. I concur. My teams: Reds, Bengals, Sacramento Kings (used to Cincinnati Royals for you kids) and Detroit Red Wings. Talk about dismal for the past five years! Thankfully, Reds teams in the past rewarded me and the Red Wings were once a machine but I’ve never experienced a Championship with the Bengals or Kings. That’s pathetic. Think I’ll go outside, breath some fresh air and watch the world go by. It’s more rewarding now.
Rojo, I feel the same way. The other night I posted for the first time in a long time, mostly complaining about Tinker Bell. I haven’t posted because I want the Reds and him to succeed. I love the Reds, always have and will.
I liked your former avatar of Steve McQueen and enjoy your comments as well as all the others. I come here to read and enjoy, Thanks Doug.
Re: the avatar, I changed it to honor Joe Morgan. How long does everyone think is long enough for showing proper respect before I can go back to McQueen?
Go back to what you want Rojo. We won’t forget “Little Joe”. 🙂
Unfortunately, this is the Reds team I expected to see after the dismal offseason. The first two weeks gave me hope I was wrong. I’d still like to be. The first two weeks were a lot more fun.
I don’t get warning both benches when one side hadn’t done anything to warrant it. Then, sometimes the umpire will warn both benches and still not toss the next pitcher to hit a guy. So what does a warning even really do? Baseball needs to figure out how to manage it’s game. What’s happening now between needless suspensions, non-suspension when warranted for the actual aggressor, etc…it’s a mess and makes baseball a lot less enjoyable.
So, Molina grabs Castellanos by the neck while Castellanos is walking to the dugout, and Castellanos gets suspended. A Cardinal pitcher hits a Reds player in the head, and the Reds manager gets tossed. This is how they umpire in the Bizarro World. It’s also how they protect favorite sons. Not saying the Cardinals are a protected favorite, but that is how protected favorites would be treated. Bell is understandably upset after such injustices.
Ok…let me play devil’s advocate here…a bit. Warnings go to both benches because the umps want to keep a lid on it. One might easily expect a retaliation…not that the Reds would, or that they are that kind of team…but in the world of baseball that is a possibility. That said, you pull the Reds manager over and talk him through it…”Horrible event. I get you’re mad, but please help us keep a lid on it.” Didn’t sound like the umps did that.
Sure hope India’s OK…may be out on concussion protocol. Thank God helmets have improved since Conligario.
Pretty much what I expected, too, and the fast start–but, even more, the seemingly more complete approach to hitting–inspired me to belatedly renew my MLB.TV subscription. Just before the losing streak started. Hope springs eternal, though, and it’s possible that this streak is no more indicative of who they are than the winning streak was. Thanks to RojoBenjy for the good perspective.
Well the person I feel the sorriest for is Doug because he has to intimately be a part of this “Red Hot Mess” every day. We can at least get a blow for a few days and collect ourselves.
Not to mention the poor guy will be up half the night the next 2 days. I hate West Coast games .
Its a very long season.
Glad to see Senzel getting some infield reps. Hes 25 years old and needs to play. He was a GG caliber infielder in the minors. Theres no reason he cant start twice a week at 3b. Moose can take a day off and play first when votto has a day off. Senzel can play 2b once a week while India takes a day and play CF 3 days a week
No reason to have Kyle Farmer playing 3b turning 31 and I like Blandino but he is a utility guy.
Shogo at 33 still has 2021 and 2022 at 8 million and Castellanos in RF and Winker in LF are playing 155 games.
Plus, injuries always happen. Senzel is the one player who can play infield and outfield.
Totally agree.. give Senzel the reps. Unfortunately, we are going to have to come to terms with the fact that Votto is no more than a sub par utility guy. I know that stinks because he is on the books for 25 mil in 21, 22, and 23; then 20 mil in 24, but it is what it is.
He has a 7 mil buyout in ‘24.
With the DH next year likely it gives the Reds options.
He can play 1b this year with frequent rest. Then Morph into a 1b/DH/ part time role next year and then retire after 2022 with Reds doing the Griffey/Arroyo extended contract plan. He’s owed $32 million after 2022. The Reds could restructure that for 4 years and 8 million per for 2023/24/25/26 to help the reds payroll and the fans can send him off as he deserves after the 2022 season.
Why doesn’t the league look and review manager ejections, and the decisions made by the umpires today to give both benches warnings, and if the umpires made the wrong decisions, give the umpires a fine? Are umpires not held accountable by their decisions?
I do not think they are held accountable. If someone has information to the contrary I’d like to know it because it would be a tiny bit of comfort knowing that there is some accountability for them.
To the best of my knowledge, Baseball has not ever divulged discipline for umpires (maybe unless something warranted suspension or firing). Doubtful they ever will.
Cowboy Joe West makes a point to show he’s basically untouchable as an umpire. He’s one of the few guys who still does the stare downs and all of that stuff, and I today’s case will insert himself into the game when it’s not really needed. In fairness to him, MLB probably flagged this series and gave him some direction to keep things clean, but one still can’t argue with the move to punish the Reds for their own player getting hit in the head (India’s second time this season nine you). Last I checked, one team should be able to be singled out and be warned opposed to both. That would seem to be the most equal way of going about something like this, assuming MLB cares for coming across as fair.
7-5 at Home
2-7 on Road
Per FanGraphs, entering today …
Home – 140 wRC+ (1st in MLB), 25 HRs, (1st)
Away – 62 wRC+ (tied for 27th), 7 HRs (tied for 25th, got one today)
Votto … on the road
2018 – 141 wRC+
2019 – 100
2020 – 26
2021 – 38 (entering today)
Small sample sizes for 2021 or not … same old trends appearing. Performance at home does not replicate on the road.
If Votto can’t improve on Ithe road and has to stay hitting 3 or 4 and Suarez continues to be a mess and is in Top 5 of lineup … that is a lot of pressure on SPs to be near perfect.
Also….looks like Barnhardt’s hot start is fading, maybe time to give some playing time to Tyler Stephenson. Not sure if Barnhardt will be a Red next season? If you notice the Cardinals have Goldschmidt, Arenado, and Molina. Proven players, All Stars, and all of them probably will be in the Hall of Fame. Reds currently have Votto (who I love, but he is getting older and declining), Castellanos, who is doing great and is a quality player at the plate, then we have E Suarez who struggled last year, and is struggling big time this year (so far). No telling when he comes out of his slump, and even if he does, will he ever be a consistent hitter with the likes of Goldschmidt or Arenado, players like that. I have my doubts. This is one of the big reasons, why the Reds are always behind the Cardinals every season!
…. and Castellanos will opt out if he has a decent year.
I’m pretty sure that it will become clear within the next few weeks that we need to just blow it all up and start over. The only thing that concerns is that Krall will be making those trades.
I have zero trust that anyone in charge of the franchise understands how to correctly blow it up and start all over, however.
Hear me out: Don’t blow it up. Spend money and bring in good players to add to the good players you already have.
Doug – I don’t ever like “blowing it up” either. We have some good players already and several young good players. Add more and pay a good manager…..here I go again. hahaha
Doug, I hear you and it’s a good idea–IF the Reds have folks in place that could do it wisely.
There goes my trust issue again
I don’t think there’s a talent evaluation problem at all. Do you? I think there’s a “we don’t have enough money” problem.
Seriously? Don’t get me wrong. I agree that is the smart move to make, Doug. That’s exactly what most organizations would do.
The problem is that “Big Bob” is in the poor house and is desperate to slash payroll. The only way he is going to add players is if he can find scrubs on the waiver wire that won’t cost more than the league minimum
Well, I agree with you on talent evaluation–it’s been pretty good. Where I’ve always been left scratching my head is how some of the talent is “used” and developed. Recently my biggest heartache is for Nick Senzel. Like Richard Fitch wrote not too long ago, he’s been jerked around a lot.
The pitching development, current woes in the BP notwithstanding, has been a real bright spot these last few years, and I hope there can somehow be a breakthrough in offensive development to match.
There is nothing here to tear down. The Reds haven’t been relevant as a serious contender in roughly a decade—last year’s .500 team included. There are players we’ve grown accustomed to, but no actual, winning foundation that one can empirically point towards.
Find 4-5 of these young guys who you want to build around, create a philosophy that coincides with being a smaller market team (younger, cheaper, more high-energy players) and go do it. This means wishing well the “high character” guys who have gotten you literally nowhere and focusing on 2023-2024.
This could be a quick rebuild, but one needs to be realistic after 5-6 years of running Barnhardt, Suarez, Votto, etc. out there and acting like this team is a few players away.
Sure several teams are 9-12 right now that will be in the playoffs by year’s end, but we’ve seen this movie too many times to know this isn’t an anomaly. Hopefully, the FO realizes the same before its “core” is worth nothing more than a few PTBNL.
I agree with the Doug. The Reds are in a better window right now for a couple of years than they figure to be for several years thereafter because they traded so much of the talent which was supposed to be arriving in 2021-23 when Dick Williams made the compete now pivot in 2018.
Spend the money to hold on to what they got and add a couple of needed pieces.
I agree with Doug. Build it up— don’t tear it down.
A good bullpen and moving Suarez from the middle of the lineup and we’d be 13-8 instead of 9-12.
Need 2-3 good relievers and a manager and we can compete. SS is a glaring liability on both sides of the ball, but we can win despite that.
IMO Barnhart would be a pretty good hitter if he could DH but his body wears out fast and just can’t handle catching and hitting. So yeah bring on Stephenson for sure. As for the Cardinals, as much as I don’t like them, they’re just plain smarter.
Yet Bell continues to send TB out there day after day even with Stephenson playing well.
Of all the supposed Bell head scratchers, this is the one which really has me wondering. It would seem a virtual lock that the Reds will buy out the option ($500K) on Barnhart for 2022 rather than pay him $7.5M in salary. Doesn’t that make getting Stephenson fully integrated into the squad even more important?
Jim – Yeeep 🙂
Well, this looks familiar. Loserville.
Where’s Nick Krall?
Hope springs eternal if you’re a Reds fan. Our current ace, Mahle, along with our offensive leader, Winker, will get it done tomorrow night in Dodger town to break the streak.
I am as frustrated as everyone else today, but I checked my Facebook memories and realized I was just as angry at this point in 2010 and 2012. I won’t give up hope yet…
It depends on the next few weeks on how this team plays will determine if we have to start over from scratch or tweak a few parts. At this pace it will be a total rebuild. However it is still early this season.
Bell needs to shake things up a little in LA, sit Suarez, move Votto down in the lineup, something. Need to get a win in LA before coming home.
I agree with the earlier posts about this is who we thought the Reds would be, 9-12 after 21 games. Was happy with the great start and after coming back and beating the Indians last Saturday I thought hey maybe this might be their year! One week makes a big difference. However it is long season, next week or even the following week could be different. I am hoping Moose comes back soon & provides a spark.
That is the main problem about Major League Baseball, that I don’t like! No Salary Cap! So, the rich get richer. They pick up the quality players, therefore they always compete! Los Angeles, San Diego, New York. Unless you get lucky like the Tampa Bay Rays got last year! https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/
San Diego has a market that’s barely bigger than Cincinnati’s.
The bigger problem is that teams don’t have to actually spend money or try to win anymore to make money. When profits were tied to ticket sales teams had to actually win baseball games to get fans to show up and buy tickets in order to make money. With how much money is generated now from television revenue teams don’t have to do that in order to make money. Simply existing means you make money as a Major League Baseball team now.
Telling the Dodgers and Yankees that they can’t try to win doesn’t solve the problem of the Pirates spending $14 a year and not trying to win.
San Diego did the rebuild the right way, while the Reds tried to cut corners. White Sox same as the Padres. What do the Reds have to show for their rebuild? Who are their All-Star building blocks? Maybe Winker? Castillo has the stuff of a #1 but has never really had the results of one. Senzel is fine but he’s not on the path of being a top 20 player in baseball. Maybe Greene will be that spark.
You need to have Salary Minimus as well.
I agree about the minimum salary. Keep teams from tanking. It’s maybe more important than a salary cap since there is at least already a salary tax. Neither one likely to happen though. Not holding my breath.
San Diego rebuilt from what! They just spent bokoo $$ ala the Dodgers. White Sox rebuilding has been successful?
Folks— I don’t want to come across as guy yelling at cloud or old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn—i’m not complaining so much as that I am puzzled.
I truly cannot understand why Votto would not bunt or just push a little grounder at third his last at bat. If the goal is to get on base, I honestly don’t understand why the professionals don’t do it every time in that situation. If they don’t think they can, then why aren’t they practicing?
Is it pride? Is it complacency? I honestly don’t get it
I agree with you. Barnhart bunted for a base hit against the D-Backs on Tuesday. He beat the shift.
I don’t know why it’s not tried more often either.
100% agree, not only would it get you on at a very nice clip, but soon they’d stop shifting you when you show you can drop the bunt down the line.
Mostly pride and stupidity I’m afraid.
It’s not a 7 game losing streak, it’s a 7 game non-winning streak. Hey, I’m an optimist.
LOL.
I like it.
User name definitely fits.
Do I detect a fellow hockey follower. Unfortunate the Reds didn’t pick up a couple points or for the lost extra inning games. I am in the seasonal transition and actually had to stop and remind myself this both times.
The Tomato asked himself this question today:
Are the Reds stuck with Suarez at shortstop? The only way to get away from Suarez at shortstop is to bench India, Votto or Moose. Two of those guys are not getting benched no matter what. Injuries open things up I guess but you never want to see that. So am I a rotten tomato for thinking this is what we are going to see all year or what?
IF Suarez’s hitting really does not improve in time, I hope that they will have the gumption to try Blandino (if he stays consistent), or even India/Senzel, assuming Shogo can field center (or if Naquin stays good he could do it).
That is what I see, barring them acquiring an outside SS. I do not want to see them bring up Garcia yet. But what about Alfredo Rodriguez? A player that already cost them $6 million?
Having Senzel take some reps at 2B allows him to be moved around instead of pulled once Bell starts his double switch mania. So, i think thats good, with Naquin hitting and Shogo coming back. So, ok, i can deal. Plus, i’m pretty sure I saw Senzel smile for a change when back in the infield. Tes, of course, small sample …
I hope E Suarez doesn’t become like a Adam Duvall, when he was with the Reds. Adam had a bad on base percentage when he was with the Reds. I believe he also struck out alot. Then he went to the Braves, now he is with the Marlins. E Suarez needs to figure something out, asap!
Suarez won’t become Duvall: Duvall could field his position.
Your memory is terrible, Adam Dunn never had an OBP below .350 with the Reds and it was as high as .400
Dunn’s career OPS slash with the Reds was .380/.520/.900; OPS+ of 130.
By comparison Votto to date is .418/.516/.934; OPS+ of 147.
A major difference between the two was the % of the time Dunn got on base less than Votto has to date, Dunn was striking out at a rate half again as high as Votto (to date) which seems to stick in most folks memories.
Don’t know about his memory, but you read his comment too fast: he said Adam Duvall, not Adam Dunn.
Bell is not on pace to finish out this contract year. When he’s in a year where W/L are his only metric, he’s still letting Suarez figure it out at the top of the order.
This season makes it clear that he’s not the managerial solution. They should cut ties for a better search ahead of other teams.
I’d bet there’s a better chance at a Reds fire sale than Bell losing his job. Bell doesn’t have a player development mindset IMO. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep benching young guys after they have a good game or pinch hitting for Stephenson when he was hitting well.
Bell has the wrong last name to get fired by the Reds. Will not happen
Doubt they will eat the remainder of Bell’s contract. I’m afraid when Bell does get fired he will be replaced by Barry Larkin. It would be a typical Red’s type of move.
They need Rex Hudler!
LOL I kid I kid
The question of blow it up or add is interesting.
I don’t like the all in approach of selling the future farm for a one and done year.
So the question is, do the Reds have a good enough controllable core with above average players and a few All Stars for several years. Then they can add a few players via free agency or trades to solidify. Is the window opening or closing?
Let’s see what Reds will look like in 2023
Offense
C: Stephenson: ?
1B Votto/Moose: below average
2B India: ?
SS: García: likely below average
3B: Suarez: above average (he’s slumping right now)
LF: Winker: All Star
CF: Senzel: ?
RF: hopefully Castellanos: All Star
Rotation
Castillo: All Star
Gray: All Star
Mahle: All Star
Greene: ?
Lodolo: ?
The rotation could very well dominate. But there are a lot of question marks and below average hitters in the lineup. Keeping Castellanos after this year could change everything. Reds will need to develop at least one of Senzel/India into an All Star and make the other question marks above average. It’s do-able, but a lot needs to go right.
There is a lot to discuss/consider in your post. It could easily merit its own full post/discussion during Reds next off-day.
I think you are being way too generous with assigning All-Star status in 2023, especially to Suarez. Even if Mahle isn’t an AS, he should have been extended by then.
Some key contracts end around/after 2023 …
Moustakas
Gray (team option for 2023)
Votto (team option for 2024)
Castellanos (mutual option for 2024, if he stays)
All of the above points to the baseball tragedy of seeing the Reds “Cheap Out” in 2021, as Doug referenced up above. The NL Central is there to be won.
Key guys are aging, won’t be here in 5 years … and we get to see Suarez struggle playing SS, and struggle at the plate.
A real MLB SS would do wonders for all, IMO.
I agree on a full post and I would love to hear Doug’s thoughts as well.
Suarez likely won’t be an All Star in 2023, but I still think he will be an above average hitter. He has been an above average hitter every year in Cincinnati, except 2020 (OPS+ of 92) and 2015 (OPS+) of 92. I know that it’s hard to see through his slump right now. But he will come out of it.
He will be in his age 31 season so not quite prime but not decline phase yet.
I agree there will be a lot of dough coming off the books in 2024. It will afford the front office an opportunity to totally remake the team. I’m just not convinced Nick Krall is the person to be leading that effort.
Two swept in a row. 2-8 in last 10. Votto and Suarez hitting a combined .620 OPS. Castillo’s ERA: 6.29. Three-game series ahead in LA. Looks like it’ll be worse before it can get better.
I’ll always love the Reds, but I feel like its easier to give them up as I get older. I watched about 15 minutes yesterday. Where is our Corbin Burnes? He’s a starter while Antone gets 3 innings a week. Why is Woodruff blossoming while Castillo regresses? They’re about the same age with similar career stats. We have some good young players, but no game changers. Other teams have 21-22 year olds come up and contribute, but the Reds never do. SD brought up this 21 yr old lefty Ryan Weathers and he beat LA with 96 mph heat. Meanwhile our guys struggle at AA til they’re 24-25.
Bottom line is I’ve had enough losing. Want me to come to gabp or watch then win some games! Don’t tell me about the labor, just show me the baby! Ownership tries. Their payroll is pretty high for them. They seem to make more moves then the rest of the division, but they’re missing something somewhere?
The Reds can’t consistently develop hitters. That’s what they are missing. I give the front office tons of credit on the Castillo, Gray, Suarez trades and even picking up Scooter and Naquin.
But drafting and developing impact hitters seems to be their blind spot.
In the last 15 years, Reds have drafted and developed one All Star: Todd Frazier. That’s not going to get it done for any team, no matter the market size. I do think Winker will break the trend. But still, that’s one impact hitter on the team Reds drafted and developed.
Jury is still out on India, Stephenson, Senzel.
Devin Mesoraco was all all-star in 2014.
Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Zack Cozart, Mesoraco, Frazier…
All Stars developed by the Reds in the last 15 years.
Jay Bruce is a great guy, but 1 week on and 3 weeks off never worked for me. Cozart had his moments, but he was also the 2nd worst hitter in the NL one year. I wouldn’t call him an impact hitter. Mesoraco? C’mon man? I’m going to hit for half a year and get paid then go away rich!
Frazier? He was ok. Again nothing special. He hit like 28 one season and 20 were in gabp. Almost anyone could hit 12-15 in the middle of the Reds order all year in gabp
The Reds will never be contenders with Votto batting above 5th, and Suarez on the team. Dump him. And Castillo. And Garrett. And Bell
When you can’t fire all of the players, what do Professional Teams do? They fire the manager. It is the easiest way to shake things up. Having said that, I think Bell is not as bad as the two previous years. The other day, someone said he personally was responsible for three losses. I would add that I think he was personally responsible for one win. But a .250 win percentage doesn’t cut it. The players seem to be loyal to Bell, which is exactly why firing him might light a fire and send the message that no one is expendable. Produce or else. This team doesn’t need Mr. Rogers to manage, it needs Lou Piniella.
I’ve pretty much lost hope for this season.
Let’s face it. Nick Senzel just isn’t very good. He turns 26 on June 29, and he’s accumulated 554 PAs and had a slash line of 242/.307/.401, for a 78 OPS+ and a -0.4 WAR. (Drew Stubbs had a career slash of .242/.313/.391.) This year, Senzel has shown an uptick in his walk rate and a decline in his strikeout rate, but he has 3 doubles and no homers in 64 PAs this season. Warning track power doesn’t cut it these days.
He is pulling the ball more than the league average this year, as opposed to what he did in 2019, and it isn’t working for him. If he would accept that he is a a 10-homer guy and try to use the whole field, then his walk rate and speed would make him a serviceable lead-off hitter. But I don’t see him accepting himself for what he is. Senzel is pretty much what the back of his baseball card says he is: Kevin Pillar.
Suarez is quickly become a basket case. As soon as he said “50 homers” was his goal for the year, the Reds should have traded him for a barrel of pickles. Like he does every time he slumps, which is now WAY too often, he is pulling off the ball, instead of trying to hit the ball to right-center. He is now Paul Janish, without the glove.
There really isn’t any rebuilding for the Reds to do. They have two bad contracts — Votto and Moustakas. They are stuck with Votto’s contract, but they can probably unload the Moustakas contract for 50 cents on the dollar after the season. (And you could probably make the case that the contract for Eugenio Suarez-Janish has taken on a bit of fish smell.)
And I might was well say it again. The last really good Latin American hitter that the Reds signed and developed was Tony Perez, more than 55 years ago. That is impossibly bad, and until they start developing Latin American hitters, they will never compete regularly.
Reds have a real chance this weekend to break their 10 game losing streak, with the Cubs coming in! Oops! I was supposed to post this Thursday.
haha Didn’t you ever watch Princess Diaries? haha Miracles happen! They/we could win in LA. hahaha If we’re going to be a Reds fan we have to be able to laugh. Don’t want to go crazy do we?
I wonder if Votto realizes that regency bias is rapidly eroding his HOF chances.
Recency not regency. Apple is too helpful sometimes
I said same thing last year,best thing votto had going for him was his career stats especially his high life time batting avg,which should fall below 300 either this year or next,at this point I’m thinkin no hof
Like all reds fans, I was living high on the start of the season. Then the seven game losing streak brought me back to reality. Reality sucks. Let’s get another winning streak going. I love this team, no matter how bad they are. Not so much with the Bengals.
The Bengals died with Paul Brown
They sure have stunk lately.A good team would have won atleast 3maybe 4 of the past 7 loses.As like most on here I have watched every inning in this streak.A couple of observations:
Blame should be shared by all.
Not just pitching or defense or managing or hitting.The entire team is playing without any level of professionalism.Little league mistakes for sure.
They started going back to homer or K mentality.The sure way to lose.It wasn’t that way earlier.
For sure to many balls by nibbling leading to high pitch counts and most importantly way to many WALKS.
Suarez is clearly swinging at every breaking pitch down and away while standing well off the plate..Hey coach maybe a hitting adjustment.
This team , with an exception or two has no idea how to bunt.It was posted about Joey not laying one down yesterday in an obviously easy spot,every time a team shifts an attempt should be made to lay one down.You would see less shifts leading to infielders not being half way out to the warning track.
Joey would probably be hitting over 300 if he made that change.
Not only Votto,the entire team, it would be a real game changer if they were taught to bunt and our manager would make it a part of our game plan.
It seems that we can’t hit good pitching.Going back to last year most runs come off backend bp or back of the rotation pitchers
Our manager is too much to talk about,and most has already been said, but over managing/mismanaging has been a factor for sure.
We have also had some very bad luck.
Almost everything can be changed/corrected.
It’s a long season.Lets hold off on the”reds are dead”theme.A week ago it was WS or bust.
Way toooo early to throw in the towel. That said, Suarez and Votto are hurting us in the middle of the order. Now Votto is Votto, he is making contact. But Suarez??? OK Bell thinks that switching to SS could be contributing. Maybe. So lighten the pressure on him and drop him in the order. He’s just waving at breaking balls…unless its hung out over the plate, he isn’t even close to making contact.