Jumbo jettisoned

[JohnU]

The Reds are giving the illusion that they are unloading non-performers Gregg, Marquitter and Jumbo. I assume Bad-and-worse will be next.

But what it seems like to me is a front office temper tantrum, getting rid of guys who probably should have not been in the mix in the first place. Jumbo hasn't pitched well all year and nobody worked with him. Now they just send him back to Lousyville where somebody **else** will be in charge of upgrading his game.

They should never have signed Gregg or Marquis, and now they make us think they are just not going to put up with bad pitching. Had they read this board in March, they'd be 5 or 6 wins ahead. Ah, what do the fans know, right? Walt?

So they bring in rookies and tell the fans to be patient -- that these 9-7 meltdowns won't happen in the future.

Chapman has had trouble throwing strikes for a month and evidently was able to figure it out on his own.

Pico must have photos of the owner's wife.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Jumbo's main problem has been walks and weight issues throughout his career. This season he's found the plate more when pitching and less when eating....but the ball has found the seats a equal amount of the time. He throws hard, but location and quality of his stuff aren't above average. His slider rolls to the plate instead of snapping and despite good velocity his fastball isn't that effective without better command. Good human interest story last year, but unlikely to improve much moving forward.

Gregg and Marquis both had inevitable endings.

Chapman's command has been less than the last couple years, but the quality of his stuff is still as good as ever. He looks pissed off to me....not as relaxed and focused. Whether it's the lack of save opportunities or some issue in his personal life...something is out of sorts with him. Doesn't look to be a physical issue.

 

[Redsfan1507]

The pitching staff was/is a mixed bag. I understand why Jumbo made the team, and strictly from the back of his baseball card, why Badenhop was picked- but Hoover's would have suggested he would have been DFA last year. No logic can explain how Marquis and Gregg got here. Marshall has been a DL foregone conclusion for a long time, then all the sudden he has good news from the med staff- but leaves his discomfort (and is fan's discomfort with his pitching) and relative pitching acumen, unexplained.

Given the overwhelmingly poor performance of so many pitchers that made the opening day roster, I understand why Corcino was upset about not making this team, and would have understood LeCure having similar feelings.

Bailey was expected or hoped to be healthy and making us not so despondent about the impending loss of Cueto and Leake.

Desclafani has lived up to expectations so far, I think, and Lorenzen is probably ahead of percieved schedule. Iglasias is interesting. Moscot, and others, are probably going to get pushed up beyond opening day plans.

Chapman is probably the best trade piece on the roster.

It will be interesting to see how many survivors from this pitching staff are actually on the opening day roster next year. Might not be many..and I'n not sure that means it will be better, either.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Things didn't get better for Jumbo with being optioned to Louisville. He pitched 1 inning..4 hits...1 walk...1 K...2 runs...blown save and the loss.

Mesoraco played LF and hit 3rd. He went 0-3 with no chances on defense.

Jason Bourgeois is also making a rehab. The Reds have been DFA'ing injured minor league players lately...I'm a little surprised Bourgeois is still around.
Sadly...as bad as the active outfield has hit...it's even more sad when a team feels a marginal retread is a option.

De Jesus had a home run and a couple hits last night....but when you're plaYing light hitting utility guys in LF you're scraping the bottom. The LF saga continues.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

To 1507 point on how many guys make it back for Opening Day 2016....I'm not sure most are going to make it to August 1st and definitely September 1st of this year. Between inning shut downs, injuries, and potential trades....there may only be a couple guys from the OD roster pitching in September.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Bailey won't be pitching, but he'll still be on the team. Ditto for Marshall probably...but they don't help us in September most likely. Desclafani, Lorenzen and Iglasias will be here, probably not pitching due to innings limitations, so they can't help late either. I doubt Leake and Cueto are here- they will be traded...maybe Leake might be persuaded to take the $13M "qualifying offer" for 1 more year, or just take the supplemental compensatory pick- maybe he'll finish the season. Hoover. Hoover will probably be here. Maybe Parra and Matteus. Chapman might be traded if they want a junp start on a rebuild.

They have to come up with about 4 more SP and 5-6 more relievers for September than that, somehow. Maybe they will put an ad in the paper, go thru the Temp Service, or ask Price and Pico and Walt to toss some innings. It wouldn't surprise me to see them not trade anyone, just let them walk into free agency for the comp picks because they couldn't fill the innings without them. I haven't a clue how they will make the end of season work with the pitching they have. I hope they have a clue.

 

[JohnU]

I think the idea of a rebuild is simply trying to find a way to play better baseball.
All in all, the Reds everyday lineup is not terrible. They just can't fucking hit.
How do we repair that problem by trading guys who can't hit to teams who are willing to trade back guys who can hit?
Hitters are rare in pro baseball.
I don't know that the Reds have enough to offer.
The trick is to fix the hitting. Whatever the hitting coaches do in the minors isn't enough.
Obviously nobody in the dugout is fixing it.

Yeah, the bullpen blows and I blame the manager for not having either the will or the inclination to demand better. There are enough good pitchers out there that we don't have to squander $1.5 million on guys like Gregg and Marquis.

Starters? I think there's enough upside there that I can live with. Injuries not included.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Saying we need a LHSP and a LF that hits, while staring at Chapman in the bullpen and Mesoraco pinch hitting because he can't catch. The only .300 season BP had, they moved him to cleanup the year after. We bat Billy 9th, but never ask him to drag a bunt for a hit. We wait on Bruce to make contact, and Marshall to get healthy. At some point, long ago, the Reds should have recognized better options under their noses, they keep looking for additional answers for.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Who's the best team with cash, without a lights out closer ? Which player on that team would help the Reds most ? That's where Chapman probably should go, unless he's going to the Reds rotation. Damned shame.

 

[JohnU]

The only team in the NLC who needs a closer is probably the Cubs, who can afford to pay Chapman. Asserting we don't trade inside the division, I think most teams don't need to deal for him. Maybe in the AL, where I don't much care. I think contenders are contenders because they don't wait till the middle of June to find solutions.
Unlike the Reds, who are still finding left fielders.
But if I was a team and could get Chapman cheap, I'd go for it in a fastball minute.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I didnt think Rondon was that bad, but the Cubs did just sign Soriano to a minor league deal with a MLB pay exception- I assume they'll bring him up to close after he gets some throws in on the farm. They do have Motte and a couple others too.

Can you imagine the Dodgers, or Giants with Cueto and Chapman ? Or any team, really...Miami probably shot their payroll already. The Redsox and Yankees could change their prospects immediately with those two, and have cash apparently...not sure about the Yankees, but the Redsox have some good position playing prospects- Betts and Castillo that might be wrestled away if those two were packaged. He'll, the dastardly Cubs have a boatload of prospects, and supposedly some cash. Bryant isn't going anywhere, but Soler could be had-I don't want Castro. Houston may be ready to step up financially, and they have a minor league All-Star team in their organization. If Chapman is in the conversation, I'd say most teams will listen.

 

[JohnU]

I take Castro if he agrees to move to center field.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I'm sure the Cubs would rather play one of several SS other than Castro. I wouldn't be interested... He's a guy with plus speed but normally only average range and below average steals. He's got a good arm, but sometimes just doesn't throw hard when he should. He's a guy that doesn't swing and miss much, but doesn't walk, and swings out of the zone early in counts, for outs, a lot. He's never shown any real power in a small park. It isn't really the talent issues that I don't care for Castro- it's the other things...IMO, He's a spoiled child that makes Alex Gonzales look like Pete Rose, hustle and work ethic-wise. He usually looks like he just doesn't feel like giving a shit...sometimes its on defense, sometimes on offense, sometimes its on the bases. He's had some off the field issues that suggest he might be mentally challenged and/or maturity of a 16 year old.

I'd rather have Hamilton in CF hitting .220 than Castro in CF hitting .260. Billy hustles and fans and teammates love him. Castro might be trolling teammates 15 year old little sisters.