NL Central thread

[tomcat1]

I read it. It's colder than a dog's nose but it isn't raining.
Wed and Thurs will suck.

John, I take it all back IF you will continue to beat up on those Brewers and I might be saying those mighty Reds for real if you do this.

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Thanks for the weather report! Well, if we can only play one game in this series, let's get ready to rumble tonight! Do you hear me Mr. Wainwright and a few bats to go with him?

Yessireee, Wainright needs to get uncle charlie working early. Get ahead of the batters so he doesn't have to groove pitches

 

[JohnU]

John, I take it all back IF you will continue to beat up on those Brewers and I might be saying those mighty Reds for real if you do this.

Reds will be happy to get 2 wins from the Brewsters.
They usually score a lot of runs there but unfortunately, the pitching.
Milwaukee has some injuries. Their lineup is still pretty potent.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Suck it Cubs!

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Tyler O'Neill to be called up by STL. Not sure if Pham's hammy is an issue or they send down a RP to make the offensive bench a little deeper.


oe Trezza @JoeTrezz 4 minutes ago

BREAKING: Cardinals planning to promote No.4 prospect Tyler O'Neill on Thursday, according to a source. #STLCards

Joe Trezza @JoeTrezz 1 minute ago

The Cardinals have not decided on a corresponding move yet, per source, but O'Neill's promotion is likely to come at the expense of a reliever. That will give Mike Matheny five bench players for the first time this season. #STLCards

 

[tomcat1]

Yessireee, Wainright needs to get uncle charlie working early. Get ahead of the batters so he doesn't have to groove pitches

Well my friend, Wainwright wasn't exactly lights out last night but he was solid during 5 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts, 4 walks, giving up 4 hits, and 0 earned runs even though the Cubs scored and unearned run, and taking his lifetime record at Wrigley to 11-2 in 24 career games there. I've got to tell you though that I remain very concerned about our Cardinals pitching from the 6th inning on! When the Cardinals led 5-1 going into the bottom of the 8th I couldn't believe Metheny allowed Greg Holland to allow the tying run to come to the plate before he yanked him. Thank you Bud Norris for finishing the job.

I'm sure you've heard the old saying which is so true most of the time which goes like this:

If you win 2 out of 3 at home and play .500 on the road you will win the pennant. Well, so far our Cardinals are doing this backwards with a 2-4 home record and an 8-3 road record but I'll take it and the good news is we are only 1 game out of 1st place in the NL Central. Have a great day!

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Well my friend, Wainwright wasn't exactly lights out last night but he was solid during 5 innings pitched with 5 strikeouts, 4 walks, giving up 4 hits, and 0 earned runs even though the Cubs scored and unearned run, and taking his lifetime record at Wrigley to 11-2 in 24 career games there. I've got to tell you though that I remain very concerned about our Cardinals pitching from the 6th inning on! When the Cardinals led 5-1 going into the bottom of the 8th I couldn't believe Metheny allowed Greg Holland to allow the tying run to come to the plate before he yanked him. Thank you Bud Norris for finishing the job.

I'm sure you've heard the old saying which is so true most of the time which goes like this:

If you win 2 out of 3 at home and play .500 on the road you will win the pennant. Well, so far our Cardinals are doing this backwards with a 2-4 home record and an 8-3 road record but I'll take it and the good news is we are only 1 game out of 1st place in the NL Central. Have a great day!

I think our BP is shaping up. Gregerson will be back soon, Reyes will be back May, and I feel he will start out in the pen. Can you envision Hicks, Reyes, Gregerson, and Norris for the final 3-4 innings? Holland will shake off the rust eventually which will be another bullet in the chamber. Just so MM can manage that pen.

 

[JohnU]

Lawd, I hope the Cardinals aren't too terribly worried about winning 3 this weekend.
This isn't even big-league ball now. The USS Redlegs:

 

[tomcat1]

I think our BP is shaping up. Gregerson will be back soon, Reyes will be back May, and I feel he will start out in the pen. Can you envision Hicks, Reyes, Gregerson, and Norris for the final 3-4 innings? Holland will shake off the rust eventually which will be another bullet in the chamber. Just so MM can manage that pen.

I really like your user name and if we can pull off another trade with the Cubs like that it will be another 100 years before they win another World Series.

I sure hope you're right about shoring up our bullpen because I sure do see some gaps in it right now. Those one run games that are losses really hurt and we've had three of those with the Brewers already. Anyway, I'm liking our current winning streak and let's keep it going my friend.

 

[tomcat1]

Lawd, I hope the Cardinals aren't too terribly worried about winning 3 this weekend.
This isn't even big-league ball now. The USS Redlegs:


View attachment 177859

John, Revenge is deadly in all sports and especially when the team seeking revenge has payback on their minds in less than a week. I've seen this movie many times before and I can think of a lot of teams that I had rather see coming to Busch Stadium this weekend than the Cincinnati Reds. Just don't bring Bench, Foster, Morgan, and the rest of the big red machine with you or I will be worried.

 

[JohnU]

John, Revenge is deadly in all sports and especially when the team seeking revenge has payback on their minds in less than a week. I've seen this movie many times before and I can think of a lot of teams that I had rather see coming to Busch Stadium this weekend than the Cincinnati Reds. Just don't bring Bench, Foster, Morgan, and the rest of the big red machine with you or I will be worried.

Well, most of those guys are in their 70s now and probably can't run fast.

 

[steelparrot]

Imho, the Reds need to talk someone into waiving his no trade trade clause. Then, trade him asap. He is 1 bad year away from moving to the top of everyones bad contract list.

Might as well try to lock up the number 1 pick asap.

 

[navamind]

Just don't see the point in firing someone mid-April, especially if your alternative is Jim Riggleman. Why didn't they just fire him prior to the season?

 

[JohnU]

Imho, the Reds need to talk someone into waiving his no trade trade clause. Then, trade him asap. He is 1 bad year away from moving to the top of everyones bad contract list.

Might as well try to lock up the number 1 pick asap.

Sadly, the window has slammed shut on Votto's fingers. That maybe was an organized gamble that they could structure a team around a long-term contract to a first baseman. Looking at other teams that have done it, it's usually a recipe for failure.

Alas, firing the manager in April shows there is a naivete about running this team. The metrics in January showed this team was -- at best -- a .490 team. They have tried to sell a can of hope to the fans for 3 years with this "rebuild" that is pinned to a couple of pitchers who have thrown less than 50 innings since 2016.

But Price lost this team and it shows. RIggleman is not going to rescue it, but the change had to be made. The owner is about to panic. He doesn't want to own the worst team in baseball and that's more likely than not if this "rebuild" becomes another teardown and start over. Pirates fans know that feeling. In a way, it isn't fair that MLB has put this sort of business model into play, but it is what it is.

 

[JohnU]

Just don't see the point in firing someone mid-April, especially if your alternative is Jim Riggleman. Why didn't they just fire him prior to the season?

It may be it was 'I ought to quit' instead of 'get the fuck out' ... and Price was quietly polite but peeved at the roster choices he had, if you can read between the white lines on his comments after the St. Louis series.
The problem with an interim guy in April is that an interim guy should come in on the last day of August and limp a team home -- he should not be the guy who runs it for 7/8th of the season. The team lost confidence in Price, who was sitting right next to Riggy in the dugout. I can't even imagine how Riggy is going to transform the clubhouse. He will get a couple of guys back off the DL and that may make him look good for a couple of weeks. Warmer weather will contribute to that.
I think the owner threw a temper tantrum. It's the same tantrum he threw when he fired Dusty Baker and lurched into getting Price, who had no competition.

 

[tomcat1]

Well, most of those guys are in their 70s now and probably can't run fast.

John, Some of those guys hit the ball so far they didn't have to run at all but I guess you're right that the Cardinals should be able to beat a team with players in their 70s.

Now I am worried though since the Reds will be bringing a new manager with them to St. Louis this coming weekend. Hopefully he didn't get the memo on what happened in Cincinnati last week.

 

[JohnU]

John, Some of those guys hit the ball so far they didn't have to run at all but I guess you're right that the Cardinals should be able to beat a team with players in their 70s.

Now I am worried though since the Reds will be bringing a new manager with them to St. Louis this coming weekend. Hopefully he didn't get the memo on what happened in Cincinnati last week.

Ah, Rigs was on the bench watching it. Any illusions that this team will improve are just that.
Can it get worse? Not really.

 

[packerzrule]

Holy crap

Eric Thames owns the Reds

 

[BrockForBroglio]

I really like your user name and if we can pull off another trade with the Cubs like that it will be another 100 years before they win another World Series.

I sure hope you're right about shoring up our bullpen because I sure do see some gaps in it right now. Those one run games that are losses really hurt and we've had three of those with the Brewers already. Anyway, I'm liking our current winning streak and let's keep it going my friend.

Thanks about the username....

Today Weaver didn't have it and the pen came in and did well witt the exception of Bowman allowing a homer to non other than Heyward. Gregerson, Holland, and Leone pitched well....

On to 3 with Cincy

 

[scoutyjones2]

Imho, the Reds need to talk someone into waiving his no trade trade clause. Then, trade him asap. He is 1 bad year away from moving to the top of everyones bad contract list.

Might as well try to lock up the number 1 pick asap.

No one is taking that horrible contract. Reds would need to eat a bit