After taking the first game of the series last night, the Cincinnati Reds will look to guarantee nothing less than a split with another victory tonight in Chicago. The Cubs will be trying to avoid falling below the .500 mark. First pitch is set for 8:05pm ET tonight at Wrigley.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
Chicago Cubs
|
| Elly De La Cruz – 3B | Mike Tauchman – RF |
| Nick Senzel – LF | Nico Hoerner – 2B |
| Matt McLain – SS | Ian Happ – LF |
| Spencer Steer – DH | Cody Bellinger – CF |
| Kevin Newman – 2B | Dansby Swanson – SS |
| Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 1B | Jeimer Candelario – 1B |
| Tyler Stephenson – C | Christopher Morel – DH |
| TJ Friedl – CF | Nick Madrigal – 3B |
| Stuart Fairchild – RF | Tucker Barnhart – C |
| Ben Lively – RHP | Justin Steele – LHP |
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Ben Lively | 67.0 | 3.76 | 1.21 | 17 | 62 |
| Justin Steele | 109.2 | 2.46 | 1.12 | 24 | 100 |
| Links: Ben Lively’s Stats | Justin Steele’s Stats |
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Ben Lively
After giving up 12 earned runs in 13.2 innings in back-to-back starts to begin June, Ben Lively has posted a 3.23 ERA in his last six starts. One of the many surprises for the Reds this season, Lively has pitched very well in his first big league time since making one outing in 2019 with the Royals.
Righties and lefties both struggle to hit for much average or draw walks against Lively in 2023. Lefties make a little more contact and walk a little bit more, too, but the advantages there are small. The big difference is that right-handed hitters don’t hit for much power against him, while lefties are hitting for a bunch of it.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 135 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 31 | .238 | .289 | .373 |
| LHH | 145 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 28 | .252 | .303 | .504 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-seam | 2-seam | Cutter | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 90.9 | 91.6 | 88.5 | 76.2 | 80.4 | 84.5 |
| Usage | 31% | 21% | 9% | 8% | 23% | 9% |
Justin Steele
An All-Star for the first time in 2023, Steele has been outstanding for the Cubs this year. He’s made 19 starts with a 2.87 ERA 2.46 ERA (a scoring change from a game two weeks ago resulted in the drop in ERA 150 minutes prior to the start of today’s game). The lefty has either been really good, or he’s had a clunker of a start this season and there really hasn’t been much middle ground on that. Three of his starts have resulted in five or six earned runs. Two different 6-inning outings saw him allow three earned runs. Everything else has been one or two earned runs. His lone start against the Reds, back on May 21st, was one of those clunkers where he gave up 10 hits and five earned runs in 3.2 innings.
The splits for Steele aren’t that big this season. They are, however, reverse splits as lefties have hit him better than righties. Take that for the small sample size that it is, though, as he’s barely faced any left-handed hitters and the ones he has faced are likely among the best hitters in the league who teams weren’t willing to pull from the lineup. Neither righties or lefties have hit well against him, but lefties have shown more power in the limited chances they’ve gotten. Righties aren’t showing much power at all, nor are they hitting for average or drawing any walks.
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 360 | 81 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 77 | .244 | .291 | .340 |
| LHH | 88 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 23 | .222 | .284 | .395 |
Pitch Usage
| 2-seam | Cutter | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 92.0 | 92.1 | 81.4 | 83.3 | 87.6 |
| Usage | 1% | 63% | 1% | 33% | 1% |
When and Where
- Game time: 8:10pm ET
- Where: Wrigley Field
- Watch: Bally Sports Ohio, MLB.tv
- Listen: 700 WLW AM (Cincinnati area)
- Forecast: 78°, partly cloudy, 5% chance of rain
News and Notes
The Reds sit out the final day of the trade deadline
There were plenty of trades around Major League Baseball today, but none of them involved the Cincinnati Reds. There could be plenty of reasons for it – confidence in their own guys coming back from the injured list over the next 3-6 weeks, the asking price simply being too high for their comfort, etc. But at the end of the day the club made one move this year – acquiring reliever Sam Moll on Monday. He’s in Chicago tonight and was added to the roster.
Speaking of that, the club optioned reliever Daniel Duarte to Triple-A in order to make room for Moll on the 26-man roster.
Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Odds |
| Reds | 59 | 49 | 0.0 | 45.1% |
| Brewers | 57 | 50 | 1.5 | 66.6% |
| Cubs | 53 | 53 | 5.0 | 24.2% |
| Pirates | 47 | 58 | 10.5 | 0.4% |
| Cardinals | 47 | 60 | 11.5 | 1.4% |
| Playoff Odds via Fangraphs | ||||
Oh, Well, Hello, Newman…
Otherwise, The Bull didn’t make any notable trades. Good show in my book. This division can be won by this team as is and if they repeat the late season malaise of previous years, there is still a better chance to regroup for 2024. The team is sitting pretty, David Bell notwithstanding thus far…
The division can be won, yes, but it would probably be easier without having to rely on Weaver, various pitchers trying to come back from significant injuries, a rookie who might be approaching some kind of innings cap, a couple starters who’ve been wildly exceeding most people’s expectations, and an overused bullpen. But yes, it’s still quite possible the Reds win the division despite all these potential weaknesses.
At the outset of this 10-game road trip, I said that I am looking for a 7-3 record with a 3-3 record against Brewers and Dodgers and 4-0 record against Cubs. We’re right on track. I feel like today is the toughest challenge because Steele is a tough LSP. But Lively has been good. Something has to give and I hope we end up being the taker not the giver.
No point crying over spilled milk. Let’s hope Phillips kills it tonight in AAA, and makes his way into the rotation next week. Hopefully the Reds are more focused on the Cubs than they were on trades. We need to take 2 of the next 3!
So far so good after 3.2 innings. No runs and two hits.
From the eye test, I think he has a way to go to be successful at the big league level. Very good fastball, but he struggles at time to locate it consistently. He needs to sharpen up his off speed pitches as well. He can get away with mistakes at AAA, but I think big leaguers will hit him hard. Just my untrained opinion.
LarkinPhillips, agreed. He’s got some things to sharpen up.
A good line, but only 5 innings. To the points about him not being ready, I’d counter either is/was Williamson. Phillips might just be up for a cup of coffee, as Greene will hopefully be back by the 20th. Also either was Greene or Lodolo last year, they came up because of injuries. Need trumps Development
Stuff wise Abbott should be about 3.40 imo
Stuff wise Steele should be about 4.40. I really don’t know how he does it? Richardson has better stuff. Hopefully they’ll make my evaluation look accurate tonight
Meant Williamson as he’s another lefty. Richardson is a righty isn’t he?
Even though the Reds are 4-3 on this 10-game road trip and won last night, there’s always room for improvement by both the players and the manager! Reds had double-digit strikeouts (10) again and Bell used six (6), yes, 6 relief pitchers last night!
In contrast, the Cubs used only three (3) relief pitchers to cover the 6 innings after Stroman left the game! Yes, the Cubs had 13 strikeouts but I attribute that to the outstanding job done by the 6 Reds relief pitchers, even Sims!
Let’s keep winning and create some positive separation between the Reds and their division rivals, namely the Cubs and the Brewers!
Wish somebody could walk out to the Ohio Players’ “Far East Mississippi” to face Steele (from Lucedale).
Krall has earned my trust at this point. Not making a deal tells me there was not a deal available to make us better. It stinks, but I’d rather them show discretion than purposefully get fleeced.
Just hope Greene & Lodolo make it back soon!
It’s a tempting gamble, but you have to commit money and prospects midseason to get the kind of talent to maybe push you over and there is a lot of risk.
Ironically, the better you are at evaluating prospect talent, the more you stand to gain from letting your prospects reach and flourish in the majors. This year is an extreme case, but consider the increase in market value of Steer, McClain, Benson, CES, Abbott, and probably EDLC too (he was untouchable anyways). Marte, Phillips, and Dunn all give some solid reasons to want to see what they got at the ML level.
Also, the rest of our top prospects are 20 and under in A ball and lower. If we give those those guys time to build value, they could fetch even greater talent next year.
Who’s this Newman guy in the lineup? Just hope he can contribute tonight after being out of the lineup for a while!
Jumping in to face an all-star, if he can contribute to a win, we should keep him around. I think the matchup isn’t bad for him though undecided if he’s my pick-to-click. I think I’m going with CES.
His first name is Randy and he is a singer-song writer. He wrote the controversial song “Short People” and also wrote the soundtrack for “The Three Amigos”. He had a kiddie song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” that was in Toy Stor…………uh, oops, srong Newman, My bad.
He can contribute all right. He just blew an easy double play to open up a freaking can of whoop ass in the first inning
The front office didn’t do what I had hoped for and gotten a starting pitcher who could provide some innings that would replace Nightmare Weaver and hopefully also give the bullpen a little rest. Still think the team is good. Hope they can hang on and make the playoffs. I haven’t seen much of that and I’m running low on years to see it.
I hear you, Frankie! At age 70 would love to see one more World Series for our Reds!
Senzel swinging at first pitch per usual.
I can see where this game is going already.
I sometimes wonder who Sadak works for. But maybe he just likes to hear his voice
He loves “sharing his asset” 🙁
He has doubled down this series and just can’t shut his mouth. Stats galore in these two days and Cowboy is going right along with him.
This is where I think the manager could be fairly criticized. Did they have a meeting before the game? Of course Horner was going to run in that spot. What in the heck was Stephenson thinking?
Poor situational awareness. That’s on the coaches. That can’t happen in a pennant race.
Well this game is going away very quickly… Lively has been crushed with no outs…
Yeah no need to bring in any more pitching.
Newman….the ball will find you.
Disaster. Lively can’t throw his off speed pitches for strike today
We have a guy throwing a 91 mph heater and 2 rookie lefties that have never pitched this much. No reason we’d ever need a starter or anything. Or a bench piece that wasn’t a turnstile in the infield like Newman
Maybe we should have traded for starting pitching after all. haha
At this point in time, leave lively in to throw 100 pitches and save the bullpen. This was the one game I thought they would have trouble. Let’s worry about the next two. Lively- you are the sacrificial lamb. Can the offense come back?
I agree! This game appears to be a lost cause!
Im saving you all. take a Clete.
On to tomorrow.
Not just tonight, but Lively isn’t the only pitcher that forgets about baserunners allowing free stolen bases.
I was needing an early night in the sack tonight. Lively made that probable!
I needed one. Lol
LA and Central Time zone wearing me out. Ill be rested for tomorrow,
This inning ballooned when Newman botched a double play ball. The sad thing is we have heard all year how Newman would be gone following trade dead line. Let’s face it this was a losing line up.
I just checked the box score and they didn’t even give Newman an error on that play which is absolutely a joke. What exactly is the official scorekeeper watching?
@Mark – im at the game and Newman is playing a Terrible 2nd. Move McLain to end, ELDC to SS and Senzel to 3rd with Benson playing LF…IMO.
The big problem is that the BP is loaded so Lively will receive any quantity of runs but he is gonna throw at least 90 pitches
C’mon now. Lively has been good the last 5-6 starts right? Get a couple sliders or change up pitches for strike and the next few innings will be different.
Oh but Tucker is a Gold Glover. Bull pucky….he couldn’t hit and was overrated defensively. Good riddance
Personal issues are much better and glad to be back but sad start to this one.Team wasn’t ready to hit nor throw or field or pitch it appears.Lively will have to take one for the team tonight.Get the call in to Louisville right now.GO REDS
Welcome back Roger. Unfortunately . I dont know I got more than 30 mins left in me on this one.
Finally get Bike Helmets to end a 20+ minute first inning. Big hole dug, so we can now climb out if it, right?
Krall not getting any pitching help is his first huge mistake all year. How costly we will see.
I would only add Mark, that his first mistake was not getting more pitching this past winter. He was relying on three guys who hadn’t pitched more than 126 innings in a season.
Who knows if it’s Krall’s mistake though, I sense Castellini’s hand in this.
Somebody get Moll up.
Ok boys, lead off 2b keep it going!
Tucker, good lookin out! For old time sake. Merciful exit from the pretty pretty pain cave.
THis is not a good start
Yesterday Abbott had one of his worst outings working just 3.1 IP and now Lively also having an awful outing….That’s can happen… but Maybe the Reds need starting pitching help…
Candelario awful error at 1b.
Fairchild gets a chance to rewrite this start.
That’s the way to claw back a couple of runs. Settle down and play ball and Stop the Stupid Cubs from playing add on.
Well, they got 2 back, one step at a time here.
Just got back! 36 pitch 1st inning by Lively?? Not what we needed tonight! Need to fight back and Lively needs a little help from his defense! And, I mean you, Newman!
Phillips 5 shutout tonight. Maybe Krall thinks Phillips and/or Richardson are close?
Wild pitch is our best play
Goodness a walk a steal and Tyler with another throwing error.Just have to be better.Can’t give away outs and runs.
That is a Clete. See ya tomorrow folks
I was going to type something about getting out of this jam … and then THAT happened. I’m thinking we’re already in too deep tonight. I’m still sticking around (4th hotel, here for 3 nights) but this is getting very hard to watch tonight.
We’d better pile on about 4 runs in this inning. I know we’re capable of it. And they are, after all, the Stupid Cubs and it’s August … right?
Well good thing we didn’t waste our prospects for MLB quality starters. I do like what Lively has done, but it’s almost poetic that he gets shelled on the day we chose to stand pat.
I have never seen an announcer get so excited for the other team as Sadek.
This is why some teams are willing to “overpay” to get proven major league pitchers who almost never have games like this.
Have to agree.A slow curve on a tee to the hottest hitter in baseball.WOW
Comment was @ old-school
Not gonna happen tonight, fellas! HR pitch to Bellinger might as well been on a hitting tee! Can’t hang a curve to Happ or Bellinger!
Always good to throw down and in to a lefty witch an uppercut.
Little League mistake! Always, always Up & In or Low & Away to lefties!
Ramos or Hopkins?
Krall is now confirming the team really got serious about trying to make a deal TODAY. The time to get serious was a month ago when it was clear the Reds had a chance but needed more pitching.
Given how far ahead we are of “the projected time table” and knowing Krall didn’t empty the farm system for rentals, I’m fine with the results. We all may “see” the stuff HDTBell does within the game, but Bull Krall’s work is still much more of a mystery (at least to me). What we do know, based on trades that did happen, is that prices were very high, especially for starting pitching. And we were never going to get the marquee names (wouldn’t actually want them, IMO).
NLC crown is still a distinct possibility (this brewing mess aside). Greene will be back sooner as opposed to later, which will solve the Weaver problems.
I’d wager he was “serious” for the past 1+ months. But he won’t return my calls or texts and keeps cancelling our lunch engagements … 😀
We have a fundamental disagreement. This team is in first place NOW. With a couple more pieces, they almost certainly make the playoffs, and then who knows. And it’s not like I’m saying “trade all the good young players for a rental.” I’m saying a deal could have been made, a long time ago, involving the Reds’ #12 and #17 prospects (whoever they are) plus maybe Fairchild or someone like that, for one halfway decent starter. I simply don’t buy the claim that no such deals could possibly have been made at any point between a month ago and today. There’s no sense in hoarding all these guys for some time in the future when the Reds are in exactly the same position they’re in right now. This “well, we weren’t supposed to be winning this year anyway” concept just doesn’t work for me. We ARE winning, so do what every other winning team did, and get what you need for a playoff push even if it seems like “overpaying.”
To make matters worse, if that’s possible, Brewers are up 2 runs on the Washington Gnats in the 6th inning!
Well, Senzel’s double ends up as a single and we’ll get Benson anyway. Or maybe not … stay tuned.
Hoping Senzel’s injured? I think EDLC is more of a prounow. One good game,two ish games.
2 more innings for our batting practice pitcher Lively at best!
Nick Krall interview pretty clear.
Not trading elite assets.
+5,000
Steele isn’t that good
Steer smoked that ball.
Bad luck. 🙁
If you can play OF then you’re fast enough to get 2 on that ball Senzel hit. Idk about him. Decent talent but no instincts for the game
tweaked something.
Newman having an awesome game tonight! Should have been packaged in a trade for pitching help!
You’re under the impression that somebody wants him?
Another team has to want your player before you can trade him don’t they? 🙂
Giving up Moreta for him was probably the worst trade made by Krall so far.
Newman has had value for them this year….just not tonight.
He’s been worth negative WAR this year
Like I said earlier. Newman is what he is. EDLC is more of a problem. One great game, two or three ish games.
.
Newman well isn’t in this game tonight.Vet guy that Bell has played from the get go even when he didn’t have a position and now that he does with India out he is asleep in the field and at the plate.Just got to be better then that.
Krall is relying on guys who haven’t pitched in a long time and will not be here for three weeks or so. By that time the Reds could be in big trouble. The Atlantic rated the Reds the biggest dead line loser. I think the plan is fine as log as you admit 2023 was not a goal for post season, if it happens it happens if not that is o.k.
I hope Lively enjoys that new ERA he’s gonna have after this game
10 runs on 9 hits! Now that’s efficiency!
Lively has been smoke and mirrors all day and I’m guessing a major reason why Krall shat the bed at the trade deadline.
That’s a Clete for me tonight. Down day tomorrow and working from the hotel. Maybe we’ll recover from this beating and focus tomorrow for the win.
Night, all.
Well that’s a wrap. Just a side note, I saw last week where a MLB guru said what the Reds needed was a quality catcher. Said Stephenson is average defensively and a below average hitter with very little power. I had high hopes for Stephenson but he hasn’t delivered.
What catcher that’s available, is a clear upgrade?
Not my job.
Got both teams 3+ and McLain hit (+130).
Just need 1 more and Reds can lose 20-3
Had a bad feeling tonight. Lively has done well, but this lineup is a different animal
Lively is having his worst outing of the year by far, but if Newman makes the double play he should have made in the first inning this thing could have gone very differently. Add in Stephenson’s fantastic defense behind the plate tonight and it’s just been a s*** show all the way around. Steer hits a ball 110 mph that the third baseman climbs the ladder to rob him of a rbi double and the Cubs leadoff hitter in the bottom gets a hit on a swinging bunt and scores on another home run. It’s just the way some nights go. It’s been ugly in every way it could be tonight, so get it all out of your system and let’s take the next two before the Nationals come into town Friday
For all you big Bell supporters please explain why Newman is batting 5th.
Better yet, why is he in the lineup at all?
I don’t support him at all, but he hits lefties, and they are down an infielder.
They almost never engage in substantive defenses of Bell’s decisions. It’s usually just “the team is winning, so why are you complaining” or “he has a lot more information than we do” or “I’m surprised nobody has hired you to manage a team because you obviously know more than Bell.” They can’t defend some of his choices and don’t even bother.
The whole lineup is a wreck. Bell gets 3 year deal and goes back to shooting darts to determine the lineup.
It’s a Clete for me as well! I was dozing off at my desk this afternoon around 3:30. Obviously need a good nights sleep! Hope for better results tomorrow!
Just remember, any new pitcher they got wasn’t taking Lively’s spot. It would (should) have been Weaver’s spot.
Yes, but now we have this AND Weaver in the rotation. Would sure be nice to have a proven major league pitcher facing the Cubs in this series? Instead, we’ve got Weaver to look forward to.
I just got texted by Krall to get the AAA shuttle bus going. Im headed to Chicago. Duarte is warming up and I am driving both Lively and Duarte back to AAA. Im picking up Sam Moll and dont have the name of the 2nd pitcher from AAA heading back to Chicago yet. I will let you all know,
Lively still stays in the game because the Reds lack of a long man in the BP and the others 1-inning guys are taxed…. So the Reds need to have added another reliever that can work in that role…
The Reds run differencial being hurt again so far…
Who goes down from the bullpen in that scenario?
They would have to make a decision but in my opinion when you are in this exhausted BP situation one way of get some refresh is using a reliever for 3 or 4 innings and even could held the other team and give the chance to come from behind in the case of your starter crashed early….The trade deadline was a nice chance to find someone right now but they didn’t so we could think on, for example, Vlad Gutierrez for this role when he gets back in action …but could be so late…
One thing about EDLC that is pretty apparent….If he doesn’t learn how to stop swinging at that low non-strike pitch, they are never gonna stop throwing it ….and so far, he hasn’t learned
I hate him at leadoff. Put India back there when he is back from injury.
EDLC in in no way shape or form a lead-off hitter
Elly is just not a leadoff hitter at this point. . .I don’t care how fast he is. Right now he is swinging at everything thrown up there. A leadoff hitter needs to be more selective, and he is just not that at this moment.
Come on Bell, move him well down the order. . .
Its one game and thank goodness its just one game.Cubs aren’t missing the cookies tonight.
LOL at anyone who thought Lively would not regress to his mean…including Krall.
God Senzel is a terrible outfielder….
This is just brutal. Enough is enough!
Lively is talking to her ugly friend
I E….taking one for team, jumping on the grenade
12-2……Burrow really needs to get this team down the field and at least get a FG before half
Headline for tonight’s loss.
Team loses drive to win since ownership and GM refuse to help team down the stretch.
4th Inning. 12 to 2.
Lively is gonna lose close to 1.0 WAR as is humanly possible in one game.
Williamson and Weaver. We really really need 1 of these next 2 or the Cubs genie might bust out of the bottle
Have to feel for LIvely.Defense hasn’t helped at all but the cookies he threw are on him.
Agree. He cannot live off his low 90s fastball unless he has his off speed pitches working and they are not working tonight. Will get our revenge tomorrow and Ashcraft will serve it cold.
Uh, Graham Ashcraft pitched Sunday against the Dodgers. Unlikely he pitches tomorrow.
Brandon Williamson pitches tomorrow for the Reds, versus another Cubs lefty, Smyly.
I predict….PAIN. 😉
And Weaver pitches Thursday’s game. Let’s hope the Reds can get home at 5 – 5 on this road trip.
I really want to see Connor Phillips up here very soon…..but Weaver gets another start because he pitched “well” last Saturday against the Dodgers. He’ll have to get bombed two times in a row to take the shine off that start.
I’m sure all Reds fans are enjoying this game immensely. 🙂
I thought the 12-5 drubbing against the Padres that I paid money to see last month was bad.
No way in hell anyone should pitch tonight besides Lively and a position player.
Slow and steep learning curve for EDLC.
Krall should have known this staff is running on fumes, yet he did nothing and says help is coming in 3 weeks. This is August Mr. Krall and 3 weeks in August has killed many of teams season. All the Reds have done tonight is inspire the Cubs, the rookie Williamson has an answer tomorrow and Bell please play Benson and Votto.
How can you have a lead-off hitter that strikes-out by the boat load & rarely if ever takes a walk?
Boy oh boy does EDLC K a bunch.
You got that right!
EDLC , 0 for 8 with 6 strikeouts in first two games. Time for a break.
I heard that!!! At the pace Elly has K’d thus far, he will lead the Majors next year in Ks,…and by a wide margin.
To reiterate my pre-trade deadline commentary: The Reds were and still are in dire need of a proven starter. Every team in contention except the Reds had multi acquisitions to bolster their team chances. A wasted opportunity.
Bell just thinks he’s a genius…if I remember right, didn’t he have Votto bat lead off last year?
Krall’s grade for the dead line = F
I give Krall and F and an Incomplete. He’ll say he tried hard though.
For sure. Very uninspiring.
EDLC needs to move out of the leadoff until he can stop striking out with no pitches in the zone
Silver lining: look like we can count in MM and Senzel to hit against LHP. Steer and ECS can hit but need to see more of it.
Add Stephenson to the list.
I feel a big losing streak coming on. Hope I am wrong the team looks terrible tonight and they did before the deadline too. The energy level is way down and the bullpen is just exhausted
Nick Krall may have just ruined the season today. The players were looking for help and all they got was a lefty for the pen. It’s a shame. This game is so ugly I can’t even watch it.
I took a screenshot of the standings today. My wife ask why and I told her I have a feeling this might be the high point of the season. Hope I am wrong, but the Reds could be out of this thing before Hunter Greene throws his next major league pitch.
It was folly for the Reds to start the season without more starting pitching. It was folly to let the trading deadline pass without adding more pitching. I’m afraid the dye has been cast now.
I took a screenshot of the standings today. My wife ask why and I told her I have a feeling this might be the high point of the season. Hope I am wrong, but the Reds could be out of this thing before Hunter Greene throws his next major league pitch.
It was folly for the Reds to start the season without more starting pitching. It was folly to let the trading deadline pass without adding more pitching. I’m afraid the dye has been cast now.
Lively’s ERA was badly damaged tonight
Nat’s going to the bottom of the 9th, 2 runs down to the Brewers…maybe Nat’s can pull it out & make the Reds drubbing feel less painful
Or not
I’ll never understand why the unwritten rules of baseball say you can’t bunt or steal in a game like this, but you’re allowed to tag up and move to third on a deep fly ball. Why isn’t there a brawl now?
Is it over yet? Afraid to look.
My observation along is that we were more than 1 starting pitcher short. However, minor prospect or 2 for a Lorenzen type would have been acceptable. Regardless next year we need to have 3 or 4 starting pitchers that can make 30 starts, pitch 150 innings or more and win 10 to 15 games each.
The big 3 plus Abbott & Williamson. Plus Phillips will probably be up shortly and Richardson too. Not to mention Lowder is probably more advanced then most of them. I expect him to either make the rotation or arrive in May like Abbott
A young team like the Red’s most likely needed help at the dead line and Krall failed to deliver. Oh well we will see what happens.
Could have gotten Ohtani today, and it wouldn’t have changed what happened in this game.
Moll didn’t walk the first guy he faced. He hasn’t yet learned the Reds’ system. Let’s give him time.
He’s not going to make it here if he keeps that up. 🙂
Did Sadak just say Moll of the 4.54 ERA has been “excellent “ this year?
Is Moll now unavailable tomorrow? Why on earth use him today? To make sure Law doesn’t get too tired?
We need a long man. We have 8 one inning guys… law would be the obvious choice to me as he has starting experience.
I think this was the day to let him go at least two. I don’t think his arm would actually fall off.
But yes, the Reds desperately need a long man. They’ve needed one all season. But it would require Bell sacrificing one of his one-inning guys, and I don’t think he can handle that. They prefer to just keep bringing guys up from the minors to pitch an inning and then get replaced the next day.
Well 5-5 homestand followed by 4-4 road trip so far. Would’ve been better to 2-1 in Milwaukee then LA but it is what it is.
My candidates to fade are Miami & Arizona. SD feels like a long shot. Philly has so many vets and a big payroll. They feel like Wildcard #1. If I’m right that leaves the Reds, Cubs, Milwaukee, and SF to battle for 3 spots. I think we’ll get in with the reinforcements + a soft September schedule
I remember in 2021 when everyone on here was counting on an easy September schedule to benefit the Reds.
I remember in 2021 when everyone on here was counting on an easy September schedule to benefit the Reds.
Yeah. I remember that too. Didn’t turn out so well that time.
Why not steal here. What have we got to lose?
Senzel has now seen 6 pitches in 4 ABs including swinging at 2 straight at 4 balls no where close to elly. He is a superb athlete, but not a baseball player. You can’t swing at the first pitch every single time and be a team player. I’d be furious if I was McClain
I’ll just say again that I’m not convinced Bell has told a single player to take a single pitch in all the years he’s been managing. He just doesn’t think it’s his job to meddle like that.
I think Nick Krall’s failure to acquire pitching both last winter and this week has more to do with Bob and Phil Castellini than anything else.
Those who are expecting the Reds to go out and spend millions on free agents this winter are living in a dream world.
After losing 100 last year, no rebuilding team is going to go out and sign 3-4 frontline starters. You keep saying this, but it is not realistic at all. They had 3 starters, signed Weaver….and had Overton, and Cessa, who showed promise last year. So in your mind, you think they should of had 10 MLB caliber starters on the roster to start the year after losing 100 games.
Not realistic.
I keep saying it because it’s true. The Reds lack of starting pitching this season was entirely foreseeable.
What isn’t realistic is relying on four rookie pitchers and a converted relief pitcher, none of whom threw more than 125 innings in a season. Not even mentioning the injury histories of some of the starters.
The rotation that you are now saying was adequate, has pitched a grand total of 270 innings for the Reds this season. Of those 270 innings pitched, 153 innings was pitched by Graham Ashcraft. So, I think it’s pretty clear the starting rotation at the beginning of the year was wholly inadequate.
So no, I am not wrong in saying the Reds front office failed miserably in making sure the team had adequate pitching for the 2023 season.
Two mid-level free agents that’s it. This winter.
Interesting route that Senzel took on that ball
Larkin Phillips, I’d be furious with EDLC’s ineptness if I was batting 2-9. Table setter that won’t walk and strikes out what seems like 50% of the time. He’s a much bigger piece than Senzel.
Ellys ineptness doesn’t change McClains ABs. If the guy in front of you has a one pitch AB you normally are forced to take a pitch which often starts you trailing in the count.
That’s insane logic. You can be a EDLC rah rah guy but he has some serious shortcomings as a hitter. But I know he’s only 21.
You got that right. Elly strikes out even more than Suarez ever did. Elly will lead the Majors in Ks, if he does this for a full season. Someone needs to show him how to put a bat on a baseball. He seems to think it’s fine to strike out 2 to 4 times every game. Someone needs to tell him that’s not allowed.
I’ve been waiting all night for this. Maile is pitching 😉
Let’s see. Reds make one deal that doesn’t move the needle and doesn’t really affect payroll so we’re still aligning to resources despite the surge by the youngsters. Only thing we spent on was a bottom ten manager. Way to go Bob and Phil! SELL THE TEAM!!!
Don’t forget that the money they didn’t spend last winter allowed them the flexibility to notspend it at the trade deadline. This savings will be carried over to next winter, when they won’t spend it in order to have the flexibility not to spend it at the trading deadline next summer if needed
I’m glad I went to see Mission Impossible tonight. Then again, I could have stayed home and watched Lively’s mission impossible.
I’d like to nominate this game for worst managed game of the year. Start with the lineup, add the lack of plate discipline at the top of the order, a starting pitcher who didn’t seem focused, using Moll for a inning in a meaningless game (to save Law from having to pitch two, I guess?), then you bring in Cruz who gets replaced in the middle of the inning by Maile (I guess you had Cruz start the inning to save Maile from having to throw too many pitches?), and who knows what else he might still have up his sleeve.
I’m not saying this actually IS his worst managed game of the year, but I’m nominating it.
Hey just heard that Dallas Kiechel (SP) is available. He opted out of his minor league deal with the Twins today. He had a really good ERA and Strikeouts in AAA.
Maybe worth a shot?
20 spot!
Maile is a strike thrower though!
Maile has the best command all night
More unwritten rules of baseball: you can’t bunt or steal in a game like this, but you can tag up and score on a fly ball to center against the other team’s backup catcher, because somehow that’s not considered bad sportsmanship.
I would sure love to have someone explain the logic of a set of rules in which swinging for the fences, taking extra bases on balls hit in the gap, and tagging up are all perfectly fine, but laying down a bunt will get you killed.
Weeeee!!!!!! 20 to 5.. what a game. If the Reds score 3 touchdowns we can still win the game. Oh wait this isn’t the Vikings.
I don’t think the Reds have this kind of rally in them. I think this one is a loss.
When I saw the lineup today, I guessed it was going to be a loss.
Good for the Reds players to attempt a comeback. Scoring 4 runs and having 2 more on is pretty impressive considering where the game stood at the start of the 9th inning.
I’m thinking they make up something to put Lively on the IL and replace him with Phillips. Weaver keeps it up and Stoudt or Richardson for a couple starts til Greene. Then bring back Lively fresh or Lodolo for September
Lively could have gingivitis perhaps.
Kevin Newman’s OBP is higher than Elly’s and CES. Hmm, so interesting.
Maille has a lower ERA than Weaver. Two-way player of the future!
We we had 13 hits and our rookies had eight of them. I think it’s safe to say this could have very well been another 100 loss season without our rookies. They’ve been awesome.
@ beaufort red,I am far from an EDLC rah rah guy. Not sure what my post about senzel even had to do with elly. But taking the first pitch after the guy before you had a 1 pit h AB isn’t insane logic, it’s common baseball practice.