[dorciepatrick]

What does luck have to do with Cueto's pitch count? Isn't that just due to how he was throwing?

[dorciepatrick]

Interesting that Dusty is once again using Chapman for 2 innings. He pretty much blew them away in the 8th. Hopefully, the same will occur in the 9th.

[Polar Bear 73]

Wow, Chapman gets 5 K's in 2 innings. C'mon now Reds, just need one little run in the 9th.

[dorciepatrick]

Chapman looks good -- under control with his delivery, not too concerned with hitting 100MPH on the radar gun.
His control so far is much better than it's been since he's been with the Reds. The Cards' hitters just couldn't catch up with his fastball, since it was on the corners.

[Polar Bear 73]

Yeah Heisey. Red's win.

[bird]

Reds get a much-needed win on a ninth-inning single by Heisey after Votto had opened the inning with a double. Four hits for Votto today. The Reds actually collected 14 hits for their 4 runs.

[Polar Bear 73]

I sure wish I could see the games. Gamecast on ESPN is too slow and the new system doesn't show how outs are made, it just says so and so pitching to whatshisname. It only shows hits and walks, doesn't show how they are retired.

There was one Reds game on AFN, but it was a night game and came on at 2:30am over here. A little late for someone of my age.

[NC Rattlesnake]

....and this one belongs to the REDS!

[bird]

Four games in Washington now, and then it's back to St. Louis for three.

[14Red]

Heisey delivers a pinch hit single in the 9th to score Votto and send the Reds to a much needed 4-3 win. Chapman is dominant in to relief innings and gets the win (2-0 on the year).
I've said it on here before, I prefer Chapman in this role than being a starter. He's now appeared in 3 games, 5 innings, has two wins. I think this is the most economical way to use him. Sure, he'll be a starter eventually, but using him this way allows you to put him in meaningful games at crunch time.
Cueto pitched ok today, would like to get more than 5 innings out of him. Arrondondo, Ondrusek pitched well. Scary thing is the Reds had 14 hits, 8 out of the top three spots (Stubbs, Zozart & Votto) and they only score 4 runs.

[dorciepatrick]

It's a marathon, not a sprint.
This Reds' team is not a powerhouse. It's basically the same team that won 79 games last year, and 91? the previous year. Some parts are better; some parts are weaker. There is still a glaring lack of depth.
If everyone plays well and injury-free, we'll be in contention. If not, then we could see a repeat of last year.

[14Red]

Originally Posted by dorciepatrick

It's a marathon, not a sprint.
This Reds' team is not a powerhouse. It's basically the same team that won 79 games last year, and 91? the previous year. Some parts are better; some parts are weaker. There is still a glaring lack of depth.
If everyone plays well and injury-free, we'll be in contention. If not, then we could see a repeat of last year.

Not sure I agree, major upgrade at shortstop, Rolen is healthy and I think the Heisey/ Ludwick combo in left will be better than Gomes. As far as the staff, addition of Latos makes the starting staff better, and I'll take the back end of the bullpen with anybody (Marshall, Chapman & Brey).

[dorciepatrick]

I agree that the SS position is better. How much better, we won't know until we've seen Cozart over more than 17 games (11 last year, 6 this year).
The rest of the infield is the same as the last 2 seasons.
The catching tandem is actually weaker than the last 2 years -- unless you consider Mesoraco as better than Ramon Hernandez. I do not.
Left field is basically the same. At this point, we don't know whether Ludwick will be better or worse than Gomes.
As for the bullpen, we have replaced Cordero's 77 saves over the last 2 seasons with Marshall. Chapman seems to have improved. Other than that, it's the same guys we had before. Probably a little better bullpen than the past 2 years.
The starting rotation, with the addition of Latos, is probably a little better than before.
Overall, I see the Reds as having a good chance to contend for the division title -- just as the outlook was last year. How things will end up is anyone's guess, especially considering our lack of much quality depth in postion players.
Maybe you see a powerhouse. I see a pretty good team that, IF things go right, has a chance to make the postseason.

[wilco98]

I was at the game yesterday, and while it was a Reds victory, they left a small village on the bases. Gotta find a way to get those guys in. Hopefully, Stubbs shows no ill effects from that crash into the center field wall. Chapman was awesome, mowing down 5 batters in 2 innings. Ludwick must be trying too hard. Seemed like he was swinging at pretty much everything they threw at him, no matter where it was.

[14Red]

Originally Posted by dorciepatrick

I agree that the SS position is better. How much better, we won't know until we've seen Cozart over more than 17 games (11 last year, 6 this year).
The rest of the infield is the same as the last 2 seasons.
The catching tandem is actually weaker than the last 2 years -- unless you consider Mesoraco as better than Ramon Hernandez. I do not.
Left field is basically the same. At this point, we don't know whether Ludwick will be better or worse than Gomes.
As for the bullpen, we have replaced Cordero's 77 saves over the last 2 seasons with Marshall. Chapman seems to have improved. Other than that, it's the same guys we had before. Probably a little better bullpen than the past 2 years.
The starting rotation, with the addition of Latos, is probably a little better than before.
Overall, I see the Reds as having a good chance to contend for the division title -- just as the outlook was last year. How things will end up is anyone's guess, especially considering our lack of much quality depth in postion players.
Maybe you see a powerhouse. I see a pretty good team that, IF things go right, has a chance to make the postseason.

Baseball is all about performance, not names (as the Mets have proven over the past several years). This team is set (on paper). One thing this team has not proven to us over the past season is any reasonable consistency offensivley. They'll have games like yesterday (14 hits) and games like the two previous (combined for 7 hits over two games). I do feel there are less question marks than last season. And maybe we'll just have to live with this teams inconsistencies? The biggest problem I see with the unknown offensively, is that two of the starters (Arroyo and Bailey) are going to be guys that need 5+ runs in their starts to be successful.

[bird]

Do we think the Reds are any more inconsistent than any other team?

1:05 start today, Latos gets his second start.

[NC Rattlesnake]

^^Absolutely agree.

[dorciepatrick]

Reds lose a tough one to the Nationals in the 10th, 3-2.
Can anyone explain to me why the Reds picked up Alfredo Simon after he was cut by Baltimore? His track record is terrible.
More to today's point -- Why was he pitching in the 10th with the game obviously on the line? We had Bray available. We had Marshall available. Why not use them for an inning apiece. Then, if we HAVE to, give the ball to Simon.

[14Red]

Upon further review...watching the replay, Simon has not pitched bad. Hit the first batter, that was bad. Then got an out, Werth was completely fooled,threw his bat at the ball and hit a 16 hopper through the hole. The next batter dribbled one to third to move the runners up and then the wild pitch. Didn't hit the ball hard once that inning. Today, again was on the offense. 2 runs???

[WGOU]

Originally Posted by 14Red

Upon further review...watching the replay, Simon has not pitched bad. Hit the first batter, that was bad. Then got an out, Werth was completely fooled,threw his bat at the ball and hit a 16 hopper through the hole. The next batter dribbled one to third to move the runners up and then the wild pitch. Didn't hit the ball hard once that inning. Today, again was on the offense. 2 runs???

What game were you watching?