Regular season -- 2nd half

[JohnU]

29-52 ... times 2 equals 58-104.

I don't know how far out we are in the wild-card but it doesn't look good.

 

[eburg5000]

It's a sad time to be a Reds fan.

 

[JohnU]

If we play .640 ball, will finish .500 for the season.

 

[JohnU]

Signed a Cuban SS

 

[JohnU]

JUST CURIOUS... is popping up with men on base a strategy that Don Long thinks will work?

 

[Hit-n-Run]

It was reported several months ago that the Reds had a deal in place with Cuban Alfredo Rodriguez.

Yesterday was the first day of the new International FA signing period and the Reds would have incurred penalties if the deal was made official prior to July 2nd.

The Reds will most likely incur penalties this signing period, but waiting allows them to sign additional players if they desrire. If made official before July 2nd they would have been limited.

I'm interested to see if there are additional signings.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Votto scratched yesterday with a sore shoulder.

During the game Friday Votto made an awkward head first slide into 2B. Was slow to get up and kept stretching and paying attention to his right shoulder.

It was similiar to the way you see players tear their labrum. Time will tell how serious it is and it may not be, but I wouldn't be surprised if he at least has a small tear in his labrum.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

If Votto goes to the DL I could see Duvall moving to 1B and the Reds recalling Scott Schebler who is having a descent AAA season.

The Reds are deeper at the OF position than recent years. But that's looking at it from what used to be zero depth, so take that for what it's worth.

I'd guess Schebler would be at the top of their list if an everyday roster spot opened up followed by Selsky and Waldrop.

Or.... do they call up Winker? I say they wait on him. Why?? Because the Reds wait on everyone.

Meanwhile..... Where in the hell is Yorman Rodriguez? They conveniently DL'd him prior to Opening Day and I haven't heard a peep. He's either in a witness protection program or the Reds are waiting until they get close enough to the September call up period to send him on rehab and call him up September 1st when rosters expand.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I guess I left Peraza off the list of guys that could play OF. I don't see his future in the OF, but with the team looking to get him at bats, sure.... he's in the mix also.

 

[JohnU]

Obviously Votto to the DL would not be too troublesome this year and provides a 'what if' scenario for the front office. How bad can it really get? JV has contributed next to nothing other than 'wow, Joey's up to bat.'

Yorman is out of options, I think, so he's probably going away after he's well enough to be claimed. If he's being paid, he probably doesn't care. If he doesn't care, then who in hell wants him?

Votto to the DL would certainly answer a lot of questions for the Reds about Peraza, who they evidently think is a budding big-league hitter. Power numbers clearly decline. Schebler would provide a lefty bat, as would Winker.

Winker makes more sense but we know how Somsen-like this front office can be.

Bruce talks ought to be a lot hotter in the next 2 weeks, so who knows?

I was a little bit amused at watching the Nats bullpen melt down in the 10th. Of course, no Papelbon .... Announcers seemed convinced the Nats would go after another arm. (Chapman? Dang, that would be brutal.)

 

[JohnU]

I have tix for Wednesday's game at Wiggly ... I just hope -- for once -- I can wear my Reds jersey with pride.

 

[JohnU]

Just watched enough of the Lamb slaughter today to get a tummy full.
Looks like another no-hitter in the making.

 

[JohnU]

It's sad when we are looking forward to the return of a pitcher who spent last season in the independent leagues.

Does the Reds coaching staff actually DO anything? I haven't seen an inch of improvement from any single pitcher on this team, unless you count Straily, who was scraped off the waiver wire on April 1.

 

[eburg5000]

Just gets worse every day. It amazes me how one player in just about every series beats the Reds to death. 2 grand slams or am I mistaken. In the 4 game series he had 5 home runs 2 grand slams 15 RBI's.

Price should be fired just for that alone. And please someone say that price wasn't on the field. because he could have had them walk him . pitch around him and my favorite ..set him on his ass in the dirt

 

[TKOSpikes]

Nothing like a promotion for the coach of the worst bullpen in the league! Yeah, firing the pitching coach was probably a wise decision...but replacing him with the bullpen coach I reckon has the opposite effect.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I thought the Reds should have made Jenkins the pitching coach when they promoted Price to manager. Instead they hired Pico, replaced him with Riggins, now Jenkins gets his turn. Let's see if he can keep the job longer than the other two.

Most fans kept saying Cody Reed was MLB ready. Doesn't look ready based on his performances. He works fast and has descent velocity with a good hard slider, but doesn't have a very big separation in velocity between fastball/ changeup. Has good control, but command within the strike zone could be better. He's more thrower than pitcher from what I've seen.

 

[JohnU]

The entirety of the Reds pitching coach system, from Price down to Ted Power, seems nothing short of bizarre.
I watch relief pitchers from other teams and they often get shutdown innings, pitching to the hitters' weaknesses. Evidently there is none of that happening in the Reds pre-game, pre-series talks. When the pitcher throws a home run ball on the first or second pitch, somebody called for something stupid.

When a hitter drives in 15 runs in 3 games or sets league records for total bases in one game, when exactly did the dugout staff stop to say, 'ya know, we need to do something different.'

The Price/Reds philosophy is apparently to sell the green-and-yellow pill that says, all will be well next year when these guys get more experience. They are halfway through the season and I see guys pitching in the indy ball league who have better command. Every single one of these guys has the pro experience to pitch at the top level and it's clear nobody is making that work for them. If the pitchers are to blame, then ... call them out for it.

But yeah, as Spikes said ... the guy who runs the worst bullpen in MLB in more than 60 years is now the pitching coach. Can't dream that shit up on any holiday.

 

[JohnU]

I forgot the Reds were on ... well, fuck it's only 10-1 in the 6th inning.

 

[JohnU]

So the Reds walk Bryant twice in three plate appearances, the other one he homers ... and scores 3 runs.
Geezus fuckin' batshit.

 

[JohnU]

Finnegan through 3 innings ... 62 pitches, 37 for strikes. 3 home runs, 3 walks.