2014 Reds Season Thread!!! GO REDS!!!

[CincyInDC]

anyone see Dave Parker at the beginning?  he's looking slim.

[|Elflocko|]

Must be the coke... 

[Go Skins]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/sports/best-beer-in-baseball/

And the market exploded. Counting single-day offerings, the Cincinnati Reds’ selection of distinct beers went from 42 to more than 130 – the most in Major League Baseball, according to a Washington Post analysis. Craft sales increased even more dramatically, by 363 percent. The biggest-selling beer at the Brewery District is still Bud Light – not exactly a craft product – but stadium officials found that rather than taking away from existing beer sales, craft consumers were actually creating a new category.

[Jason]

Must be the coke... 

 

Or maybe the Parkinson's disease. 

[JC]

The amount of cheers for the sox tonight is sickening.  I despise these puta's.

[JC]

el oh el.  fuck this team.  

[JC]

Think they trade Cueto in the off-season to get maximum value?  Can't get much more for him than this off-season.

[Jason]

Cozart getting some love for his defense:

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/50473/unsung-defensive-player-zack-cozart

 

It's not easy getting recognition for your defense when you play in the same league asAndrelton Simmons and Troy Tulowitzki, but such is the fate of Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart. 

But when we look at the leaderboards in 2014 for defensive metrics, Cozart is leading the way (all statistics through Sunday): 

Defensive Runs Saved 
1. Cozart +20 
2. Simmons +14 
3. Jhonny Peralta +13 
4. Jordy Mercer +9 
5. Tulowitzki/Alexi Amarista +8 

Ultimate Zone Rating 
1. Cozart +12 
2. Peralta +9.7 
2. Erick Aybar +9.7 
4. J.J. Hardy +9.4 
5. Simmons +8.2 

Defensive metrics may be subject to some range of error and judgment -- and thus argument -- on a one-year basis, but the metrics agree that Cozart has been the best shortstop in 2014. It's not a fluke, as Cozart was solid in his first two seasons in the majors, with plus-16 DRS and plus-17 runs via UZR. This season, he has played nearly mistake-free defense. But when the game's elite gloves are discussed, Cozart rarely gets mentioned, perhaps in part because he's a .245 career hitter -- and hitting is still a way to earn a little more recognition. 

Simmons may win the Gold Glove in the National League for the next decade, but Cozart should be a yearly challenger and arguably deserves it this season. His glove is good enough that even though the Reds need more offense, they're not looking to replace him despite his poor offensive season. 

Cozart may not have a cannon arm like Simmons or Tulowitzki do, but he makes many spectacular plays that don't show up on the highlight reels. Here's a diving stop off a high hop where he gets the forceout; here's a nice double play he starts off another diving stop; and here's another diving stop and forceout. 

Baseball Info Solutions tracks every play for its Defensive Runs Saved statistic, and when digging into the numbers, we see that Cozart rates so well overall because of his consistency and mistake-free defense. BIS has two categories called Good Fielding Plays and Defensive Misplays & Errors. Through Sunday, Cozart ranked 14th among shortstops with 34 GFPs (Adeiny Hechavarria of the Marlins was first with 60, while Simmons was second with 55). Cozart had just 14 Misplays & Errors. Compare that to Hechevarria (28), Simmons (23) or the flashy Alcides Escobar (40). Even Tulowitzki, known for his steadiness, had 18 (in less playing time due to his DL stint). 

Still, the focus much of the year has been on Cozart's bat. 

He hit .180 in April and his power numbers are way down from last year, when he had 12 home runs and 45 extra-base hits. It hasn't helped that with Jay Bruce having a down year and Joey Votto on the disabled list, the Reds sorely needed some of the secondary guys to step up. But Cozart hasn't taken his offensive struggles into the field. 

"Defense is the thing that's kept me sane all year," Cozart said last week. 

Through Sunday, Reds starters had the lowest balls-in-play average in the majors. Their unsung shortstop is one major reason for that.

[Go Skins]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/cin/colorado-rockies-announce-that-a-broken-water-main-at-the-intersection-where-coors-field-is-will-delay-the-game-vs-the-cincinnati-reds?ymd=20140816&content_id=89980142&vkey=news_cin

 

DENVER -- In what has to be one of the more unique reasons to postpone a game in the history of baseball, Saturday's Reds-Rockies game was called off because of a water main break outside of Coors Field.

The game will be rescheduled for Sunday as part of a day-night doubleheader. Game one will begin at 4:10 p.m. ET with Game two slated for 9:10 p.m. ET.

Reds manager Bryan Price called this type of postponement a first he's seen.

"It is for me, no doubt," Price said.

Mat Latos is scheduled to pitch Game 1 for Cincinnati against Colorado's Jordan Lyles. Dylan Axelrod, who was called up from Triple-A Louisville to make his Reds debut on Saturday, will now pitch Game 2 against Yohan Flande.

Word of the water main breakage occurred around one hour before the scheduled 8:10 p.m. ET first pitch. A Rockies official said it happened at 20th and Blake Streets, just outside the main home plate entrance of the ballpark. The stadium lost its water pressure, which left rest rooms inoperative and no running water.

[JC]

LLLLLOOOOOOOOLLLLLLOOOOOLLLLLOOOOLLLLLOOOOLLLLOOOLLLLL

[JC]

Things that suck more than:

 

 

 

 

 

...GO!

[T-Dub]

[T-Dub]

& now the starting rotation is all FUBAR, too. Which itinerant minor-leaguer is throwing this late game?

Boxcar Jim or was it ol' Hambone?

[Jason]

I think I might be done with baseball this year.

I have a diamond seat ticket I bought back in May I might be willing to sell if anyone wants.

It is for 9/24/14.

[JC]

That the sound of a window slamming shut.  If they are smart, they will load up on prospects by trading Johnny and Aroldis this off-season.  If they can get anything for Alfredo, do that to.  Anything.

[Jason]

That the sound of a window slamming shut.  If they are smart, they will load up on prospects by trading Johnny and Aroldis this off-season.  If they can get anything for Alfredo, do that to.  Anything.

 

I would try and keep the core together at least another year.  

 

Consider:  Turn 4 of Hoover's losses/blown saves into wins and this team is in the WC race.  Without BP, and JV for several weeks, and Jay Bruce having his worst year as a pro.

 

If Frazier and Devin can approach next year what they have done this year, and figure a little improvement from Billy, and a healthy BP and JV, and they could compete.

[JC]

And let Cueto and Latos walk for free?  It would essentially set this club back for years.  Get some stud prospects and start to rebuild this team.  They have some young pitching that could get them back to competitive if they can get some bats.

[|Elflocko|]

Sigh...

[Bleeds Orange]

 

I would try and keep the core together at least another year.  

 

Consider:  Turn 4 of Hoover's losses/blown saves into wins and this team is in the WC race.  Without BP, and JV for several weeks, and Jay Bruce having his worst year as a pro.

 

If Frazier and Devin can approach next year what they have done this year, and figure a little improvement from Billy, and a healthy BP and JV, and they could compete.

 

I have never seen a manager sacrifice a potential playoff season attempting to salvage a below-average middle reliever, but that's essential what Price has done this year.  I'm done.

[BengalRep85-9]

This season is over.

 

We can look forward to next year but I honestly don't see where the improvement can come from without significant increase to the payroll. Don't see that happening.

 

You absolutely 100% must trade Cueto next year, listen to offers this winter to get a feel of the market. Who knows, maybe someone will blow you away with an offer for the draw of an extremely cheap year of Cueto next year. He's going to get at least $25M a year and it isn't happening here. Trade him for multiple prospects to start to rebuild this team. This is a must. Latos has had a down year this year, see what next year brings for him.

 

I feel Bruce is approaching a tipping point because, believe it or not, this is his 7th year and he's a career .250 hitter. Not what most had in mind when he came up.

 

Not sure what to think about Votto either, he turns 31 next month and is becoming very injury prone. Did he take his money and "go home"? I certainly hope not.

 

Lots of work to do for this club to get back to the playoffs, probably gonna take more than 1 year at least.

 

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET RID OF HOOVER

[Bleeds Orange]

The sad thing about Hoover is that he has actually pitched worse than even his stats indicate.  Last night he left the bases loaded and no outs, but didn't have to defend that mess because the game ended when he hit the batter.

[BengalRep85-9]

What more can be said about Price's continued use of Hoover?

 

The fact he continues to throw him out there is incomprehensible.

[|Bunghole|]

Yeah, it's over...and I kept holding out hope too. Games back-wise, the Reds are theoretically still in it, but there's just too many teams to leapfrog and they simply aren't playing well at all. Hoover's walking in the winning run last night for me put the exclamation point on the season once and for all.

 

This really, REALLY sucks too because EVEN AFTER their post All-Star break slide (and they were 1.5 games back at that point...for the DIVISION!), they kept giving me glimmers of hope. 

 

But now it has all come to an end. Bengals football must arrive soon.

 

It sucks to feel this way because while I have always looked forward to the football season moreso than baseball because the NFL is a vastly more entertaining product even while the Bengals sucked even worse than the Reds, those expectations have changed over the last four or five years where the Reds no longer became a placeholder for the football season. They gave us a reason to be engaged, something to root for, they didn't suck. And now this. Talking heads warned against this type of season based on the Reds inactivity in the offseason and more recently, the trade deadline.

 

I kept holding out hope that the offense would come alive, as it had done in short bursts with Mesoraco and Hamilton propelling the rest of the team, but Phillips was hurt along with Votto, and guys like Bruce fail to live up to their billing, not to mention their paycheck. And all that stellar pitching from the rotation was essentially wasted....which kept me watching and is also a shame given that it's unlikely that we will see such good pitching any time soon as Bailey is hurt and was questionable at best after his contract, Latos is in a similar boat, Cueto has been great but can the Reds afford him, Leake we can probably keep but isn't an ace and Simon came down to Earth, although he pitched great in the second game against the Cards.

 

Le sigh. This doesn't even bring into question the obvious need for upgrades in the bullpen, as Hoover, Ondrusek and Parra just plain suck. Even the formerly steady LeCure (who never seems to play) is shaky. The best arms in our pen aside from Chapman are Diaz and...Diaz.

 

If the Bengals have a shitty season it's going to really blow.

[JC]

They quit last week it seems.  Just wish they weren't giving the cards a free pass to the playoffs.

[BengalRep85-9]

This team is farther away from competing than most people think IMO

 

Big money to aging stars in Philips and Votto. (Votto isn't "old" but nothing robs an athlete of their youth faster than leg problems)

 

Signing Homer to that ridiculous contract when you know Cueto and Latos are coming due. Now signing Cueto isn't realistically possible. Latos either most likely. They'll be traded next year, or at least should be.

 

The bullpen sucks, Bruce is Adam Dunn 2.0, Cozart can't hit, who's going to play LF next year? The plan better not be Heisy.

 

Frazier and Mes are solid but that's about it really. Lots of moves need to be made to get this team back to competing for the division and it's going to revolve around prospects, time, and smart decisions (i.e. the opposite of the Bailey contract).

 

This isn't a 1 year fix.