The Cincinnati Reds (82-75) have won four straight games. The Reds are technically still alive in the playoff chance, although their elimination number is down to 1 with five games to play. One loss from the Reds or Cardinals win would officially end the Reds postseason hopes. The Reds will play a quick two games series at the Chicago White Sox (89-68) tonight at 8:10 PM. The White Sox have already clinched the AL Central division title.
Starting Pitchers
Riley O’Brien will make his MLB debut tonight for the Reds. Doug Gray wrote about what to expect out of O’Brien yesterday. The White Sox are hitting .252/.333/.411 vs RHP this season. Their team 106 wRC+ vs RHP is the 6th best in MLB. They are hitting .259/.346/.438 at home this season. Their team 117 wRC+ at home is the second best in MLB.
Reynaldo Lopez has made 8 starts and 14 relief appearances this for the White Sox. He has been much more effective as a RP, as he has a 0.90 ERA and .378 OPS against in 20.0 IP. Lopez has a 4.60 ERA and .806 OPS against in 31.1 IP as a SP. Lopez’ last 4 outings were as a SP. He did not last longer than 5.0 innings and 90 pitches.
Starting Lineups
| Reds | White Sox |
| 1. Jonathan India (2B) 2. Max Schrock (LF) 3. Nick Castellanos (RF) 4. Joey Votto (DH) 5. Tyler Stephenson (1B) 6. Eugenio Suarez (3B) 7. Kyle Farmer (SS) 8. Tucker Barnhart (C) 9. TJ Friedl (CF) |
1. Tim Anderson (SS) 2. Luis Robert (CF) 3. Jose Abreu (1B) 4. Yasmani Grandal (C) 5. Eloy Jimenez (LF) 6. Yoan Moncada (3B) 7. Leury Garcia (RF) 8. Gavin Sheets (DH) 9. Cesar Hernandez (2B) |
11 years ago today
No commentary needed. Happy 11th anniversary of Clinchmas. Please celebrate responsibly.
Conclusion
It has been really nice to see the Reds play well the past four days in a month that overall has been pretty brutal. The Reds really haven’t been as terrible as they have felt most of this month. The Reds as a team rank 3rd in the NL in OPS (.789) and 5th in runs scored (114) in the month of September. The Reds bullpen has a a 3.38 ERA in September (8th best in MLB) and 3.22 FIP (2nd best in MLB). Baseball can be a pretty cruel game. Miley and Gutierrez were really the only two weak links, but even still, the Reds have a run differential of +8 for the month. In fairness, the Reds did go 16-10 in July with a run differential of 0. They might have been due for some regression there.
This month is far more about the Cardinals than the Reds, as much as that pains me to say. If the Cardinals had gone 10-6 instead of 16-0, the Reds would currently have a half game lead. From the other perspective, even if the Reds would have had their best month of the season so far (15-9, .625) and 1 of the games against the Cardinals got flipped to a win in the process, the Reds would still be 0.5 games back. The Reds certainly did themselves no favors, and had they played better they’d still have a much better chance over the final days, but you have to give the stupid Cardinals most of the credit.
Anyways, hopefully the Reds can get a win tonight, the Cardinals will finally lose and the Reds can stay alive for at least one more day. Go Reds!
Excellent write up. I agree this has been more about Cardinals 16-0 streak. Kudos to St. Louis.
I get the inherent positivity but the Reds collapsed in September losing 8 straight series against ne’erdwells that literally traded away every asset to lose, play AAA players and get a better draft slot. Stats in September dont mean anything playing against 90 loss AAA teams.
A radio host in Cincinnati literally spent 10 mins today talking on how the Cards 16-0 record would be used to excuse the Reds collapse as if losing 8 series in a row against 90 loss teams wasnt the real reason.
I heard that!!!
The Reds quest for the WC2 could end with their visit to New Comiskey. The ChiWS look to me a favorite to take it all.
Guaranteed Rate Field is not new but it is across the street from where historic old Comiskey Park used to be.
Why does nearly every mention of the Cardinals, especially by by-line writers, have to include words like “stupid”? Civility is fast disappearing, and not to the betering of society.
Probably because Doug bans how we really feel 🙂
+1000
Because baseball and sports blogs are recreation and not about betering (sic since we are being formal) of society?
It goes back years on RLN and some pretty erudite writers used it as a term of humor actually more targeting the Cubs, and recognizing that baseball isnt life or death. A forum that isnt reverent to your baseball rivals or solemn like church or always committed to the Fortune 500 HR company rules.
^^^this^^^
I wonder to Doc about the “stupid Cardinals”, they have been smart enough to have a good young outfield, maybe best 3rd baseman in baseball. Now with certain players playing better in September, the Reds will end up with basically the same team next year, only a year older and slower.
I thought that a sentence saying “you have to give the stupid Cardinals most of the credit” was clearly meant to read in a sarcastic tone. Tough crowd.
Well I didn’t take offense to that. I was just talking about my respect for the Cardinals. “Stupid Cardinals” to me means stupid as in an arch rival who is very good and beating our butts as an entire organization. lol
Stupid 1
Let it roll off.
Its freaking baseball and recreation
Go reds
Stupid cards
Stupid cubs
Its better than what they say about reds
Our “easy” last month schedule didn’t turn out to be so “easy” after all. I don’t really like the Cardinals. That’s for sure. I do have great respect for them and what they accomplish every year always leaving their fans with hope. The Reds should take notice. Their 16 game win streak is amazing. If they make the playoffs I will be rooting for them to win it all. By the way once upon a time the Reds had the respect of everyone in baseball even more than the Cardinals do now. Although much harder, It’s not impossible to get back to those days. We will need a new owner to start with though.
So this is it. Cannot lose, just got to trust everything else going right. Going into (potentially) the last week of the season, the Roster now (assuming all healthy) is stronger then the roster at the beginning of the season. Even if Nick opts out, THere is still alot to be confident about with this team, and trade chips to fix that which they are not confident about
I certainly don’t object to anyone calling the Cardinals ‘stupid’. It’s called irony because we all know that the Cardinals are a perennially well managed organization and that our own beloved reds are run by inexplicably stupid owners and management.
Win or lose the rest of the season, the Reds are still my (our?) team.
I don’t have the interest I had growing up, and during the 70’s, for example.
But I do want them to win.
It is a shame that after many profound pronouncements over the years by Bob Castellini about winning, the ownership has not really made the commitment to winning that was expected. It was, in hindsight, just so much talk to soothe the fans.
This organization has been, for the past +10 years (since Castellini took over) been run in a rather haphazard and slipshod way. Walt Jocketty’s term as GM was marked by bad drafting (generally) and poor player personnel management. The residue from the Jocketty years really put the team behind the 8-ball…for years.
I did not feel Dick Wagner (the younger) was the ideal GM, but he did try to drag the Reds’ player management into the 21st Century. Now, I think with Nick Krall, they will start going in reverse. I hope I am wrong.
David means Dick Williams not Dick Wagner. Can be confusing for those of us who remember that guy.
The Reds started the Cards off by blowing a 4-0 lead with our “ace” Castillo on the mound. At the time that seemed like a do-or-die series for the Cards and if we win that then who knows? Human nature says they aren’t winning 15 in a row though.
From my perspective Castillo didn’t have the same intensity that he had vs LA. I think he’s failed the Reds this year. I get that he’s had bad luck w/the Reds offense, but he’s got an elite arm so he needs an elite era to go with it!
Mahle has his demons too but Ill go with Castillo and mahle over Sonny gray at 5’10 and 32 and max effort with 94 pitches in 5 innings and 3 stints on the IL
Trade Sonny gray 1 day after the World series for a young cf
Angels have a few and some guy named mike trout in cf and they need pitching
Wouldn’t be a bad idea. Idk what they’re going to do with Naquin though? He’s pretty good, but he’s not much of a CFer
its 5 days after the end of the world series….lol… but I do agree… sell on Sonny now and get something real back for this pitcher
Castellanos is gone so Naquin is a solid cheap platoon option in RF and 4 th option. Need a Righty platoon and aquino aint it
Yes CJ cron was me. Maybe you sign him as a righty power bat and DH and occasional LF against tough lefties
Nick is a risky signing imo. He’s not young. He’s not defensively and he’s been completely average outside of gabp. It only takes one team, but could be another Rendon to Angels waste of millions.
Agreed, if he decides to stay, great, but not throwing money down that hole. There is someone somewhere that has an extra OF that can take Aquino and a Starter from us
Reds pitching back to facing an actual good MLB lineup
See how this non pirate non nationals lineup looks
I agree. It makes a difference.
The funnest thing for me this year that can’t be taken away by any craziness is watching Joey Votto. Him pounding the ball is so much fun to watch again. I’m really rooting for him to get to the 100 RBI mark before it’s over.
This is not Riener Sanmartin here…. I think the bullpen is the future for this guy, if we are lucky. Could be a trade chip.
Took Over 8.5 tonite. Hope the Reds atleast get 3 and I’ll be good. This start tonite reminds me of when the Reds would give Cody Reed 1 start a year vs the Cubs when they were a championship level offense. Wow….thanks alot!
hey indy, forgot to mention, I hit a 5 team parley from NFL sunday this last weekend.
Nice! I hit the Cowboys, Cowboys Over, and Mariners parlay last night!
Bengals (with points), Ravens (Moneylined), Broncos, Cardnals, TItans ( all three with point deduction.
and nice
Ravens ML was very fortunate…. had them in my teaser
Yea, but it was like BAL -14 or something, that is way too many points…. even for Detroit
Bet on red ?
Bengals with points ?
How did you know that @ pitt with this line? Kudos
@old school. Made the bet as soon as TJ Watt was out. Like the chemistry with Joe and Chase. (put a ten on Chase OROY). Was confident that the Bengals were going to win that game outright, so if they are offering me points…. who am I to say no. Needless to say, Pittsburg has been exposed now
That was the 95 loss team where Reed got crushed by anthony Rizzo
bryan Price punished reed by banishing him to the bullpen and never talking to him for a week or pitching him
Reds glory days
Luis Robert may be the 2nd coming of Frank Thomas.
The Little Hurt?
He’s just 24…
White sox my dark horse for World Series. They are a good baseball team …
Despite the manager and Ill save the cardinal adjective
If they meet I hope Dusty eliminates ole Larussa.
Dusty is a good man
We can debate baseball managerial skills
But if its dusty v larussa ?
Im
With you
Dusty
Cessa, def was a good pickup. Got some control over him as well. May try him as a closer next year if they cannot work something out with Mickey or Givens
Bell didn’t wait so much to hook O’Brien .. Really he apparently is taking seriously this game…
Only took him 157 games to figure out that you can pull a pitcher. He usually waits until he gets his white flag out.
Maybe Bell pulled him because he’s a rookie in his first MLB start and being cruel would have served no purpose. And Bell probably knew all year that he could yank a starter early, but he also knew that he’d then have to use the bullpen for a bunch of innings. It’s really easy to manage when you don’t actually have to manage.
Brach can give up 7 rockets in a row though because he’s got veteran grit. Poor David Hernandez. Guy has PTSD and a neck brace for life because Bell just had to pitch him 5 days a week irregardless of results.
STL losing, gotta get to this guy. Keep the dream alive another game
sometimes you run yourself into trouble, and they run you right back out of it
Suarez just took a good pitcher deep. He is definitely not AAAA.
Suarez placed on FBI most wanted list for seasons biggest robbery, went from Ground out to HR in one pitch
Suarez is reclaiming trade value
at a minimum yes
Fyi
Barnhart OPS is now .694
He will absolutely cut a deal with the Reds on a team friendly deal
I hope so. He is a good all round catcher. His only weakness is his arm. He compensates for his arm with a quick release and good mechanics. Stephenson should get more time at C and !B with the DH.
If he does that, DB will play him as the #1, that would be no good…
There is room if the DH happens next season. Stephenson can play 1B more often with Votto at DH. You are giving up some offense if Barnhart plays too often.
STL up 5-2 now…. certainly better the season lasting into the last week rather then effectively ending early august
Eugenio giveth. Eugenio taketh away.
Keep ‘em close Lorenzen
Friedl not helping himself tonight.
Why play Friedl in center unless Shogo is hurt? His glove killed them tonight. I’m so competitive, there is no way I’d be playing bench players. And The future shortstop Berrero?? (Spelling probably not right) is not ready for major league pitching
Fredl has promise, needs more work in Louisville next season though.
Friedl is not exactly Gold Glove material in centerfield.
He had a bad night defensively for sure.
I’m falling in love (as a fan, of course) with Luis Cessa. As Jeff Brantley said, he looks like he has the stuff of a starter. He’s been dominant this month in short relief. I would love for him to get a look as a starter next year.
If he does they better sign a lot of relief pitchers. The pen is a little short right now. If Givens and Lorenzen sign elsewhere, then it gets even shorter.
Ok some one refresh me what happens when ts goes to C and Votto goes to first? where is the P spot in the lineup
Cabrera is going to first.
Since he’s managing like their still alive will he just let some young guys play a whole game tommorrow now that they’re eliminated. Rodon only going 1 or 2 innings tommorrow, try Barrero , Friedl, Aquino, let them go 9 innings , Sox will use Kopech Crochet, probably 2 each Ruiz 1and Kimbrel that’s 3 righties and a lefty, let’s see those 3 vs variety of style of pitchers and handedness. And use Moreta enough of the quote and quote vet relief pitchers, plus I live just north of Chicago going tommorrow, just wanting what I said selfishly and matter what until my last breath GO REDS!!!!
And that will do it for the Reds’ playoff chances. It was a fun month or two there, but just ran out of steam, missed Winker, whatever it was that lost them 8 straight series. Interesting offseason ahead given some of the changes within the organization.