The Cincinnati Reds have been without outfielder Jesse Winker and Brad Brach for a few weeks, and Art Warren for about seven weeks. Things are moving in the right direction for all three of them.
Art Warren is expected to begin a rehab assignment beginning tomorrow. Over the weekend manager David Bell noted that Warren would be heading out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville starting on Tuesday. After beginning the year in the minors, Warren joined Cincinnati in mid-May for two games and then came back in the second week of June and stayed up for the next month until he hit the injured list. In his 18 games he allowed runs in just two of them and had a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched while striking out 21 batters and walking six.
Brad Brach has missed the last three weeks. He last pitched on August 7th. Brach has been throwing bullpen sessions and is reportedly getting close to getting out there in games. Brach got out to an outstanding start to the year once he joined the Reds. In his first 20 games he had a 2.25 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 20.0 innings. But he really struggled in the last month that he was active, posting an ERA of 13.00 in 13 games that covered 9.0 innings with as many walks as strikeouts.
Jesse Winker is still probably a bit further away. He is throwing baseballs again. He has not begun to swing yet, though. That is the next step for him and it should be soon, but manager David Bell did not have an exact day for when that would begin.
Winker coming back could be very beneficial for the lineup if he can return and perform as expected. This year the Triple-A season goes much deeper into September than it usually does. In normal years it tends to end the first few days of the month, but this year the season won’t end until October 3rd. If needed, Winker (or any other player) could get rehab games in during the month that in past years simply didn’t exist.
Thanks Doug. What do you think the chances are for Senzel rejoining the Reds this season?
I know it’s going to be difficult, but the Reds need to try and trade Moustakas and Suarez in the offseason. Moustakas is overweight and out of shape, and way past his best days. Suarez has become Dave Kingman, home run or strikeout. Same goes for Aquino.
Both have negative value. The only way to trade either is to include extra value (money or prospects). If they wanted to get rid either, they would have to DFA.
They SHOULD dfa. Mis typed on my part.
Suarez is still tradeable, Moustakes would be very difficult to move.
MBS… I don’t think Suarez is tradeable for any tangible assest, but I do think there is a chance he could salvage his career. The 49 HRs in 2019 and prediction of 50 from this indicate a clear swing-for-the-fences mindset. Every opponent knows it, and they pitch to him accordingly, and we get predictable results.
If he were to change his approach and hit the ball where it’s pitched instead of trying to pull everything into the next county, he has shown the ability to hit for average and some power (25 – 35 HRs would be a reasonable amount) and could add 100 points to his BA and cut strikeouts by 20 % or so.
Good post Greenfield. He does try to pull everything and his head comes off the ball most every swing. I wonder if he might have a sight problem also and if his eyes have been checked. It can’t hurt to test him.
Suarez’s defense at 3B is fine with me. He makes some great plays while making an occasional error which is normal.
And Shogo? He has some speed and defensive skills but little in offense.
Rather unfair to Kingman. He hit .198 one season. The rest were above .200. And he never struck as many times. And his L/R splits were nearly equal. I’d choose Kingman every time.
Except Kingman hit 50 points higher
Reds lineup released. Looks the same as Sunday to me. Most notably, Suarez at 3B instead of Cabrera. Someone remind me why they claimed Cabrera???
What is it with Bell that he will not put a new arrival from callup or other transaction directly into the lineup?
And check Doug’s Twitter if you haven’t already 😉
Well, according to Bell’s own admission, he makes up his lineup card several days in advance and Cabrera wasn’t on the team then. It’s the only plausible explanation, and a very bad one.
It is so ironic that Bell is anti-analytics in an organization that is so pro-analytics in every other respect. First he was in denial that Suarez’ swoon since 19 was anything but a slump. Now he’s in denial about Suarez’ reverse splits.
I honestly don’t think Bell has any idea what Cabrera’s strengths are, or how he could help the team.
Here’s an example, the promotion of a complete fantasy that Bell is anti-analytics: https://www.wcpo.com/sports/baseball/reds/new-age-skipper-bells-use-of-analytics-is-paying-big-dividends-reds-players-say
An article written before he managed a MLB game has no merit. The evidence of what he has done does.
Bell ignores what the analytics are telling him, and makes the exact opposite decision over and over and over. He’s either anti-analytic, or he’s an idiot and can’t comprehend analytics. One or the other is definitely true.
You mean beside the 31-29 winning record you watched him manage the 2030 Reds to last season?
Complete incompetence – I do not want this guy back managing this team next year . He is a complete joke !!!!
Most idiotic moves of any manager in this league .
Agreed
Not necessarily agreeing with you but I don’t think Bell has ever had a winning record managing until this season. It may have just been a case of having no talent. Normally, when looking for a new coach or manager in any sport you look for prior success.
And why bat Naquin 7th when he’s been on fire batting 2nd? I just don’t get Bell. You sandwich him between Suarez and Aquino who rarely hit? SMH.
Cabrera at 3rd. It’s not that hard. I know Suarez does well against Lesster but he hasn’t hit all season. Doubtful he does tonight.
An analytics-driven decision; within reason, elevate/cluster your situational/expected performance personnel toward the top of the lineup to get them more at bats
http://redscontentplus.com/2021/08/why-left-handed-pitching-is-the-reds-kryptonite/
To call Bell mathematically challenged is an understatement. Link to as many of these silly articles as you wish, it doesn’t mean a thing. I do hope you’re getting paid for hyping Bell.
Only warning for trying to avoid the swear filter. Don’t do it again.
Totally concur on Naquin. Bell basically killed a 17-game hitting streak by shifting Naquin to 7th yesterday…and for what?!
I don’t make up the analytics rules, just point out the evidence where they’re being followed … you’re certainly free to deny the evidence and smear the message/messenger in your little delusional ‘reality’ as much as you like
And here I had thought that Naquin–like most of the team–didn’t get a hit because the pitcher was pitching a good game. I hadn’t realized that when you bat 7th you can’t see the ball as well as you can when you bat 2nd. I’m very encouraged that I’m still capable of learning stuff at an advanced age…
@Jim – I agree whole-heartedly. Left handed pitcher and Cabrera hits left handers better than any of our other third basemen. However, I would take Suarez at 3rd with Joey getting the night off and Cabrera starting at first base. Joey has lost something, I think an extra day off would do him good. Go Reds, beat the hated Cards!
Go Reds, beat those hated Cards! Let’s start Molina high and tight! 😉
Let’s just hit him square in the back and see where that goes …
I’m not a Suarez backer, but he is .372/.429/.860 for a 1.289 OPS vs Lester.
I’m going to give Bell the nod on this one.
Remember all, the definition of insanity is to repeat the same thing over and over(playing Suarez) and expecting different results
So no game thread?
I guess we’re all here until we get one
What happened to Castillo pitching down in the zone? Belt high center cut middle away @GAPB against Goldy ? That pitch has to be at the knees.
St Louis knows this is a big series for them. I hope the Reds do too. So far Cards 2-0.
Or just come inside and jam him. He’s not going to pull 98. Or throw a slider? Castillo’s baseball IQ is not that high unfortunately.
Middle, middle fastball was surely a mistake. He was probably trying to go up and in after two changeups below the zone.
Castillo serving up meatballs already.Lester will lob it in and get us in about 10 pitches.
I yelled at the TV after the cookie to Goldy went out.
Twenty five pitches in the first inning for Castillo.Awful start for him.
We’ve seen worse … recently
CRAP!!! RoY just missed that by a few degrees launch angle.
Double Crap …
The booth’s man-love for the Neck Tattoo is making me throw up in the back of my throat.
Casty “respecting” Yadi … I seriously doubt that, John.
Thats what Nick said at the time
Plus the “ask for the autograph as I punched him in the face”
I’d say Nick was playing the game at that point.
Stands are empty.
I saw that in the pre-game shots. Then there were people when Goldy found the Moondeck. Still, not much of a crowd, even for a Monday.
Joey Votto 4-36 with 16 k’s
Aquino 0-21
Shogo 0-14
Suarez 4-42
Somebody gotta pick it up.
Votto needed a rest day or 2.
He turns 38 next week and has played nearly every day
Any word on Moose non-injury? Moose is starting to resemble Scott Schebler. Schebler would never admit he couldn’t go even when he had a bad shoulder.
He will be out 8 days and the Reds will finally IL him and bring a pitcher up. Meanwhile they cant find enough quality right handed bats to beat a below average lefty.
You mean they won’t use the RH bats they have? They acquired a pretty good one and he’s rode pine the last two nights against LHP. Reds have worst NL batting avg and second worst wRC+ against LHP and the guy they acquired is way above league average in both. Trying to make sense of Bell’s logic is a lost cause.
Pathetic … Lester is a marginal candidate for the HoF … except against us he’s Cy Young. Seems like we’ve heard that song before.
SD getting back Paddack tonite. I would say if the Reds finish 17-13 then thats 88-74 and that would get it done. I can’t see anyone else making a big run? Maybe Philly since their schedule is also weak, but they’ve been underachieving all year.
Cards have our number at times though? I think Joey needs a night off vs the next lefty. We picked up a another fat doubleplay machine named Cabrera thats gotta play. He’s filled with mucho grit
Joey is tired,Farmer has played hurt and is slumping,Moose is hurt,Suarez is awful.I could go on but won’t.
Lester either missing the zone, or allowing loud contact. They will start landing in grass soon
Let’s hope that’s the case
or like farmer, in the stands
Even better
Just awful against an old man that has nothing.Got 2 outs on 4 pitches.I won’t follow tonight.
You and Dennis))) Lester throws strikes unless he’s working around guys like Nick. India just missed it and TS lined out. Hitting 0-2 and 1-2 doesn’t equal good offense. Joey did K on a ball, but otherwise what are they supposed to do?
6 inches outside for a strike … that’s the way to get back at everybody, Kyle.
Larkin taking AA to task as a “guess hitter”
Seems accurate from what I see.
Got way under that one
Yeah and he’s not even hitting it when he guesses right, like that last cupcake cutter in the middle of the plate.
I don’t think he’s got even that much of a gameplan. Same as Suarez. They just see ball hit ball, but neither one ever hits anything except mistakes.
Lester higher batt avg then Geno or AA)))))))))))))))
Suarez and Aquino … doing what they do … nothing
Bell …. doing what he does … stupidly inserting them in lineup continuously , no matter at all how they perform
ZERO CREDIBILITY , ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY
I agree: the Reds need accountability. Bell should bench the guys who aren’t hitting and switch them for 8 position players from AAA. Maybe that would make Votto and Castellanos and the rest start earning their paychecks again.
1 for 7 with a walk feels like success with Geno/Aquino. When I see guys throwing 89 then I think that Japanese league hitting speed and maybe Shogo could do something? AA has had chances and he’s doing nothing. Time to wish AA & Garrett the best of luck with their new team!
Farmer needs to play against lefties.
WRC+ 110
OPS .797
ISO. .217
Farmer needs to sit more against righties and rest more in general. Hes not an every day player but can fill a huge role in the infield, on the bench and against lefties. Votto needs more rest. Give him a first base mitt once a week.
Aquino 0-22 and counting. 1 for last 29.
Problem right now is, who plays SS in his absence? I don’t want Geno there (especially against a righty. Maybe Cabrera, but how long since he’s played there?
Surely Barrero will be back on the 1st…..and don’t call me Shirley
We all know the answer to that. He’s not playing everyday for the Reds. He’s not playing everyday for the bats. He’s sheltering in place because this organization cant figure out what to do with the best home grown SS since Didi and Cozart in the middle of a playoff race.
Indy and Old-School …
I’m in line with those thoughts. But it does mean we slog through tomorrow before they do that. I guess some comfort is that the Bats are going nowhere in the post-season, so it makes no difference to them.
Supposedly Farmer’s wife is set for a blessed event any day now at which time he would take some paternity days for which Barrero would roster back in
I just accidentally yelled about that low strike bad call … then I realized we got the benefit. Right up until Goldy walked.
Not sure why he bailed on that one. I thought he turned on that stuff earlier in the season.
If a lefty gets one 1-2-3 inning against the Reds, you can count on two or three more.
Hoo boy. This is starting to look like the last two games.
Votto needs a day off against lefties, looks bad, as does the whole team. I am worried they are going into a team slump at the worst possible time. Lucky the Cards lost yesterday or they could pass the Reds this series, if the bats don’t wake up.
Totally misplayed by Aquino, tell me why he is playing?
Double either way, but yeah you can tell he has no confidence
Another game lost in the first inning.One hit in 4 innings against an old man.Oh it was a homer of course so keep swinging guys and maybe just a little harder.I wouldn’t even think of hitting a ball to the opposite field or laying down a bunt with an acre to place it in.Melt down right before our eyes.
I stepped outside for a bit. Good to see Cy Lester is still keeping us in check (sarcasm font off)
3 hits in 14 innings, I agree they are falling a part. The problem now is that for the first time in a long time nobody is hot and I mean nobody. I think this is falling on Castellanos, Votto and India.
Depressing thing about Geno and Aquino is that they rarely even sting the ball at all. Its a K or just a routine play almost every time. If they’re not going to move Farmer then they might as well try Barrero in LF. If we’re this bad vs lefties then we won’t make it to LA or SF
OK, game thread on … time to move it over there
Nine pitch inning for Lester and only Eugenio made contact with a pop up.Lets celebrate shall we.
Getting worked by an old man – embarrassing
1 hit off this dude – unbelievable and
absolutely terrible
Reds gonna find themselves on outside looking in – bout 30 games or so to go and not handling their own business ; suckage at GABP continues
Cabrera has blazing speed.
Bell must have a golf vacation scheduled for the first week of October.
Her comes the Sadak comedy hour …
Cessa scares me … he gives up a lot of hard contact
Lol expected nothing less from Suarez – pathetic