The Official 2021 Cincinnati Reds Thread

Seems like Sims expected to be ready opening day is good news. ??‍♂️
I would agree. Seems like Garrett, Sims, Doolittle are the back end of the bullpen this year, assuming Lorenzen is in the rotation.

I had never heard of Lucas Sims, went to a Columbus Clippers game a few years ago against Louisville and Sims started. I commented to my wife and son about his odd throwing mechanics as I sipped my beer during pregame. He proceeded to shutout the Clippers on 1 or 2 hits over 7 innings or so. He was lights out good that night. Anyone else missing going out to the ballpark?
 
I would agree. Seems like Garrett, Sims, Doolittle are the back end of the bullpen this year, assuming Lorenzen is in the rotation.

I had never heard of Lucas Sims, went to a Columbus Clippers game a few years ago against Louisville and Sims started. I commented to my wife and son about his odd throwing mechanics as I sipped my beer during pregame. He proceeded to shutout the Clippers on 1 or 2 hits over 7 innings or so. He was lights out good that night. Anyone else missing going out to the ballpark?
It's funny you mention that, you look at alot of relief pitchers especially, they have developed a peculiar deliver that honestly helps them get batters out. I mean, a big part of pitching is deception. If you only need to get a few batters out, they don't see you enough to get a bead on what you throw. Now Sims starts and has more reps than others, but you just wonder if a guy having an odd delivery used to deceive a batter lends itself to injuries?
 
It's funny you mention that, you look at alot of relief pitchers especially, they have developed a peculiar deliver that honestly helps them get batters out. I mean, a big part of pitching is deception. If you only need to get a few batters out, they don't see you enough to get a bead on what you throw. Now Sims starts and has more reps than others, but you just wonder if a guy having an odd delivery used to deceive a batter lends itself to injuries?
Weird deliveries definitely can help get guys out, and also could lead to injuries, depending of course on the motion. I agree it is usually relievers, but guys like Cueto, Kershaw, Juan Marichal and Luis Tiant did OK as starters with odd deliveries.

Sims' delivery today is a little smoother than it was in the minors when I saw him, but to me he short-arms it a bit, like a catcher who needs to fire to second quickly. Sims doesn't take the ball all the way back behind his head for max leverage. It is amazing he gets the velocity he does with that motion. But if it ain't broke don't fix it.
 
Barry Larkin joins Fox Sports Ohio
Good - he will do well - I heard him as analyst a few times on ESPN I think. I think he'd also do well in the dugout, I'd prefer that actually. Another summer of typing "ding-a-ling" Bell comments is not an exciting prospect.
 
Weird deliveries definitely can help get guys out, and also could lead to injuries, depending of course on the motion. I agree it is usually relievers, but guys like Cueto, Kershaw, Juan Marichal and Luis Tiant did OK as starters with odd deliveries.

Sims' delivery today is a little smoother than it was in the minors when I saw him, but to me he short-arms it a bit, like a catcher who needs to fire to second quickly. Sims doesn't take the ball all the way back behind his head for max leverage. It is amazing he gets the velocity he does with that motion. But if it ain't broke don't fix it.
I agree, I think these guys may feel they need to come up with a "gimmick" to get guys out, and for relievers, they only need to get 3-4-5 guys out as opposed to starters who see the same guy through the batting order two or three rotations. That's why starters get the big bucks!
 
Good - he will do well - I heard him as analyst a few times on ESPN I think. I think he'd also do well in the dugout, I'd prefer that actually. Another summer of typing "ding-a-ling" Bell comments is not an exciting prospect.
I think Larkin will be a nice addition. I think he'll be a little more relaxed than on ESPN. I think when your on nationally there's a tendency to "overdo" it and with being the Reds guy, he can settle down and just be more real. It's really what makes Jeff Brantley and Chris Welsh so good.
 
It's going to be strange hearing him call games when a large portion of the fan base want him to be the manager. Especially if/when things go bad which they eventually will. Managers rarely leave on their own terms.
 
Agreed, and Larkin is a smart guy. He will hear the rumors and rumblings about fans wanting him to manage. Will he be able to be a true 'analyst' and question Bell's strategy/decisions on the air? It could seem self-serving. Should be interesting.
 
Agreed, and Larkin is a smart guy. He will hear the rumors and rumblings about fans wanting him to manage. Will he be able to be a true 'analyst' and question Bell's strategy/decisions on the air? It could seem self-serving. Should be interesting.
The Reds broadcasters are hired and paid for by the team, so there is going to be little questioning of things. Marty got away with it because he was an institution, and Thom was able to do it as well. Brantley does question things quite a bit, but for the most part, its fanboy announcing.

Larkin wants nothing to do with managing. It's difficult to manage major league players, and I just don't think Barry wants the grind of everyday baseball.
 
Barry Larkin will be given the freedom to call the games as he pleases. I don't expect him to be super negative since that's never been his personality but the Reds aren't going to step in and censor him. He's arguably more popular than Marty in Cincinnati, the last thing the Reds want is to cause issues with the media.
 
Zeeyore hangs out with Pooh, Tigger and Piglet. They aren't really his friends, but they tolerate him because they are nice. They avoid him when possible.
 
Yep, they all agree the Reds organization sucks
Atta way to begin the season with optimism....:rolleyes: So I'm curious, and I'm not picking on you zeeman, but what do you like/ expect/ get out of sports? My point is if you root for a team and you're "championship or bust" every season, how is that good?
Now the Reds make me mad from time to time, if I were running the team, David Bell wouldn't be my first choice as manager. But I like and follow the team, winning or losing and I just enjoy the daily grind of baseball. I go into most seasons with a certain degree of optimism. In baseball, you CAN hit lightening in the bottle. The 1990 Reds were kind of like that. No one expected them to achieve much, they won their first 9 games, built up momentum and it carried them all the way to a sweep of the A's.
So for all out there...why do you follow the Reds?
 
Atta way to begin the season with optimism....:rolleyes: So I'm curious, and I'm not picking on you zeeman, but what do you like/ expect/ get out of sports? My point is if you root for a team and you're "championship or bust" every season, how is that good?
Now the Reds make me mad from time to time, if I were running the team, David Bell wouldn't be my first choice as manager. But I like and follow the team, winning or losing and I just enjoy the daily grind of baseball. I go into most seasons with a certain degree of optimism. In baseball, you CAN hit lightening in the bottle. The 1990 Reds were kind of like that. No one expected them to achieve much, they won their first 9 games, built up momentum and it carried them all the way to a sweep of the A's.
So for all out there...why do you follow the Reds?
Followed the Reds since I was seven so 1970, they used to be known as one of the best run organizations in MLB. Now we have a 1-2 year window which last year was unfortunately. They let one of the best pitchers in baseball get away yet are paying a washed up player like Votto 25 mill a year. They tried to move Gray and Castillo which shows me they have already given up.
 
Followed the Reds since I was seven so 1970, they used to be known as one of the best run organizations in MLB. Now we have a 1-2 year window which last year was unfortunately. They let one of the best pitchers in baseball get away yet are paying a washed up player like Votto 25 mill a year. They tried to move Gray and Castillo which shows me they have already given up.
We're about the same age, I was 10 for the two championships in the mid 70's. Lived through the bottoming out in the early 80's, Pete's return and fall, then the 1990 magical season. The Davy Johnson era, ownership changes, Barry Larkin, Pete Harnish, Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, Cozart, Billy....etc.
I'm not sure they were the best run organization, they got lucky and had all the talent fall into place in the 70's and won alot. Then they fired Sparky, the rebuild was on and other than 1990, the lows have been more than the highs.
The dynamics of baseball have changed drastically since the 70's. Free agency, TV network money has made it difficult (for small markets)to compete. I'd be the first to say the Reds draft and develop horribly. If there is one thing to point to, that's the downside of this organization. Giving Trevor Bauer $40 mill a year was never, ever ever going to happen. The Votto deal, signed in 2012, was at the time considered a good move for locking up the young star and giving the organization stability. Not sure if you were on board with that decision, but most were. Like him or not, Joey has historic offensive numbers, especially when look at it from an analytic standpoint.
As the Reds sit, they HAVE to at least listen to offers for all of their players ever year. Gray and Castillo have good contracts which make them attractive to trade. No one stepped up with a good enough deal so they are still Reds, which is a good thing.
 
We're about the same age, I was 10 for the two championships in the mid 70's. Lived through the bottoming out in the early 80's, Pete's return and fall, then the 1990 magical season. The Davy Johnson era, ownership changes, Barry Larkin, Pete Harnish, Jay Bruce, Homer Bailey, Cozart, Billy....etc.
I'm not sure they were the best run organization, they got lucky and had all the talent fall into place in the 70's and won alot. Then they fired Sparky, the rebuild was on and other than 1990, the lows have been more than the highs.
The dynamics of baseball have changed drastically since the 70's. Free agency, TV network money has made it difficult (for small markets)to compete. I'd be the first to say the Reds draft and develop horribly. If there is one thing to point to, that's the downside of this organization. Giving Trevor Bauer $40 mill a year was never, ever ever going to happen. The Votto deal, signed in 2012, was at the time considered a good move for locking up the young star and giving the organization stability. Not sure if you were on board with that decision, but most were. Like him or not, Joey has historic offensive numbers, especially when look at it from an analytic standpoint.
As the Reds sit, they HAVE to at least listen to offers for all of their players ever year. Gray and Castillo have good contracts which make them attractive to trade. No one stepped up with a good enough deal so they are still Reds, which is a good thing.
This is all your opinion which is fine. My opinion is it’s a dumpster fire of a profession sports organization who competes 1-2 times in a 10 year cycle. If that good enough for you then cool.
 
This is all your opinion which is fine. My opinion is it’s a dumpster fire of a profession sports organization who competes 1-2 times in a 10 year cycle. If that good enough for you then cool.
Yep, and we're just like about 20 other baseball organizations then. It's really hard to build a champion.
 
As the Reds sit, they HAVE to at least listen to offers for all of their players ever year. Gray and Castillo have good contracts which make them attractive to trade.

i agree with most of your optimistic posts. However, I take issue with this statement. If you have your 2 top pitchers with favorable contracts, and you are spending big money on Votto, Moose, Castellanos, Suarez, Shogo, your window is NOW. Trading either of those 2 pitchers is basically slamming the window shut on your own fingers. It would be immensely stupid and painful.
 
i agree with most of your optimistic posts. However, I take issue with this statement. If you have your 2 top pitchers with favorable contracts, and you are spending big money on Votto, Moose, Castellanos, Suarez, Shogo, your window is NOW. Trading either of those 2 pitchers is basically slamming the window shut on your own fingers. It would be immensely stupid and painful.

And as of now they haven't traded either. I take off season trade rumors with a grain of salt. They're released by baseball writers who are doing anything they can to grab a headline. Their options are FA, trades rumors or someone gets in trouble (see Mets, Angels and Mariners).

We've now moved to the roster move portion of the writers year
 
i agree with most of your optimistic posts. However, I take issue with this statement. If you have your 2 top pitchers with favorable contracts, and you are spending big money on Votto, Moose, Castellanos, Suarez, Shogo, your window is NOW. Trading either of those 2 pitchers is basically slamming the window shut on your own fingers. It would be immensely stupid and painful.
I certainly don't disagree, but listening and making a trade is two different things. At this point it appears Sonny and Luis are both safe. I think going into 2022, we'll add Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo to the rotation and one or two may be parted ways with.

and don't you hate it when you slam the window on your fingers! Ha!
 
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