The Official 2023 Cincinnati Reds Thread

Joey Votto is THE BEST HITTER on your current team. You stop being so dense. This whole "sunk costs" is such a vague comment. I mean if you're already set on not winning and not putting the best product of the field in 2023, then what are we doing? Teams would just sign the best high school players annually and throw them out on the field with your thinking. It does not work that way. There are pleanty of at bats all season fo these guys. We'll find out if Stephenson can play first base (defensively) and honestly, I'm still not sold he's a pounder that you need to have at first. I think Stephenson will be a nice player, .265/ .270 15-20 hrs, 35 doubles. I want our next first baseman to be a 40 hr guy
You are incredibly dumb.

You want a 40HR guy yet Votto has never hit 40 in a season.
Votto was atrocious last season.

Phil Castellini even said this team has no chance of competing this year. So what we're doing here (or should be) is finding out which players can actually play at this level in the future when hopefully they will be competitive.
 
1. Joey Votto’s past four or five seasons at the plate have been a very mixed bag, with his summer heater in 2021 being the standout period for him. Given his generally declining results, it’s not at all conclusive that he’s the best hitter on the team, especially coming off a shoulder surgery at an age when most athletes’ bodies no longer want to cooperate like in their youth, forcing them to retire. Maybe he’ll find another good year, but a safer bet for best hitter would be Wil Myers or Tyler Stephenson or even Jonathan India. And I won’t count Jake Fraley out.

2. “Sunk cost” is not vague. It means the Reds are paying $32 million for this year and to get out of next year, regardless of whether playing Joey Votto is in the best interest of the team’s current and long-term goals.

3. The Reds are already set on not winning in 2023. If they wanted to win this year, Castillo, Mahle, Winker, Suarez, etc. would still be in Cincinnati. Putting the best feasible product on the field in 2023 would’ve included those guys.

4. There are very few 40 HR guys in MLB. In fact, only four guys reached 40 HRs last season — three outfielders and Pete Alonso. And only 23 total players even hit 30 HRs, only 8 of which were first basemen. Sure, it would be nice to have a huge bopper at 1B, but those guys are pretty scarce. So I wouldn’t disqualify Tyler from playing 1B just because he doesn’t have huge HR power. Heck, Votto has only reached 20 HR once in the past five years including the 2020 Covid year (36 in 2021).

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
As our lineup looks today, Votto is at least in the top 3, he's going to go down as one of the best players - and one of the best men - in franchise history. He's earned the right to exit his way.

The Reds already have been set up financially for the years to come. Votto's contract is the last dinasour on the books. That does not mean you don't play him.

The Reds moved on from Castillo, Mahle, Winker and Suarez because we did not get from them what we paid them, AND we exchanged them to bolster a weak farm system and set this team up for the future. Plainly put, we were not winning with them, so why keep them around.

In GABP, the Reds should have a person capable of hitting 40 home runs. Now frankly the last several years, we haven't had guys play enough games, other than Suarez one season to push that.
Comparing Joey Votto to Tyler Stephenson is like comparing Tony Gwynn to Jessie Winker. No shade at Stephenson, but we don't know if he can
A. stay healthy for 140+ games a season
B. have any kind of serious power
C. play first base
 
As our lineup looks today, Votto is at least in the top 3, he's going to go down as one of the best players - and one of the best men - in franchise history. He's earned the right to exit his way.
No. He has earned the right to get paid $25M this year.
The Reds already have been set up financially for the years to come. Votto's contract is the last dinasour on the books. That does not mean you don't play him.
You don't play him to make your team better in those future years.
The Reds moved on from Castillo, Mahle, Winker and Suarez because we did not get from them what we paid them, AND we exchanged them to bolster a weak farm system and set this team up for the future. Plainly put, we were not winning with them, so why keep them around.
The Reds moved on from those players to save money and build for the future. Why stymie that growth by playing Votto?
In GABP, the Reds should have a person capable of hitting 40 home runs. Now frankly the last several years, we haven't had guys play enough games, other than Suarez one season to push that.
Or the talent.
Comparing Joey Votto to Tyler Stephenson is like comparing Tony Gwynn to Jessie Winker. No shade at Stephenson, but we don't know if he can
A. stay healthy for 140+ games a season
B. have any kind of serious power
C. play first base
NO KIDDING? THAT'S WHY YOU PLAY STEPHENSON THIS SEASON AT FIRST BASE TO FIND OUT IF HE IS THE FIRST BASEMAN IN 2024 AND BEYOND!

You are making the argument and then not listening to yourself. How do you manage to make it thru the day?
 
Ok guys, I'm calling a truce on Votto. He's going to play, you can whine all you want, if he's healthy, he's playing, it's really as simple as that.

If Stephenson is healthy, hopefully he gets 400+ at bats between catching 60% of the time, DH'ing 20% of the time and playing first base 20% of the time.
Go Reds
 
Ok guys, I'm calling a truce on Votto. He's going to play, you can whine all you want, if he's healthy, he's playing, it's really as simple as that.

If Stephenson is healthy, hopefully he gets 400+ at bats between catching 60% of the time, DH'ing 20% of the time and playing first base 20% of the time.
Go Reds
Of course he'll play. The Reds are an inept organization.
 
Ok guys, I'm calling a truce on Votto. He's going to play, you can whine all you want, if he's healthy, he's playing, it's really as simple as that.

If Stephenson is healthy, hopefully he gets 400+ at bats between catching 60% of the time, DH'ing 20% of the time and playing first base 20% of the time.
Go Reds
You are amazing.

If Stephenson is healthy he should get about 600 plate appearances (150 games - 4 PA each). Like all full-time players who are among the best on their team. Why do you want him to get 400? Why dio you want him on the bench for a third of the season if he is healthy?

Stephenson is not catching 60% of the games, the Reds already (stupidly) said he is catching 65 games. That is about 40% of the games. Do you pay attention?
 
You are amazing.

If Stephenson is healthy he should get about 600 plate appearances (150 games - 4 PA each). Like all full-time players who are among the best on their team. Why do you want him to get 400? Why dio you want him on the bench for a third of the season if he is healthy?

Stephenson is not catching 60% of the games, the Reds already (stupidly) said he is catching 65 games. That is about 40% of the games. Do you pay attention?
😷
 
Lucky that none of the Reds are good enough to play for their countries in the WBC. Edwin Diaz hurt celebrating a meaningless save and Ohtani out there throwing 102 in mid-March for nothing...
 
Lucky that none of the Reds are good enough to play for their countries in the WBC. Edwin Diaz hurt celebrating a meaningless save and Ohtani out there throwing 102 in mid-March for nothing...
Ohtani is playing for more now than he ever will in an Angels uniform and Diaz's injury was a non-baseball thing that could've happened anywhere. It just so happened to happen there
 
Ohtani is playing for more now than he ever will in an Angels uniform and Diaz's injury was a non-baseball thing that could've happened anywhere. It just so happened to happen there
Both your statements are true, but let's not confuse this with the olympics. Does anyone really care?

Seems to me that the teams/owners that pay their mega salaries deserve 100% of the players time and effort. I realize that the MLB puts on the WBC, just another case of the MLB being the MLB -- stupid. Try to grab a few bucks for TV and national jersey sales.
 
Both your statements are true, but let's not confuse this with the olympics. Does anyone really care?

Seems to me that the teams/owners that pay their mega salaries deserve 100% of the players time and effort. I realize that the MLB puts on the WBC, just another case of the MLB being the MLB -- stupid. Try to grab a few bucks for TV and national jersey sales.
I would say more people care about this than Olympic baseball where none of these guys play. Nobody follows those games.

The ratings have been pretty good, as has the attendance. The entire weekend's been sold out. Many guys have a great deal of national pride in where they come from so it gives them an added reason to play. They're missing a couple weeks of spring training where many wouldn't have been playing games yet anyways. And it's a very long season. MLB's doing anything it can to try and grow the game and this tournament every 4 years was part of the worldwide effort. We'll see if it works.
 
Lucky that none of the Reds are good enough to play for their countries in the WBC. Edwin Diaz hurt celebrating a meaningless save and Ohtani out there throwing 102 in mid-March for nothing...
And now Jose Altuve apparently has a fractured hand from getting hit by a pitch last night.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
And now Jose Altuve apparently has a fractured hand from getting hit by a pitch last night.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
Sucks, but part of the game. And could just as easy happen in Spring Training. I still think it's a once, maybe twice in a lifetime experience to represent your country and compete at the top of your level?
 
Senzel is out with a big toe injury 😂 you can’t make this stuff up
True, but the fractured toe was late last season, it's just that a lot of folks had stopped paying attention. But hard to imagine he is still recovering from that.

In other sad news, the Reds "plan" for a stronger bullpen relied on TJ Antone (out until at least July with elbow issues) and Lucas Sims (recurring back issues). Pretty solid plan...
 

It looks like Chad Pinder is making the Opening Day roster, despite not doing much of anything to deserve a spot. Fairchild seemed like the only other realistic candidate for Senzel’s 13th spot. I guess Jason Vosler from the Giants is still in camp, but I’d be surprised if he got the last spot since I figure they want a RH bat who can platoon in the outfield (as well as being a backup infielder.)

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
I think Pinder's past gave him some credibility. The Reds view Fairchild as a career minor leaguer, which sadly we've had alot of the past few years. I'm really excited to get the season started. Looks like Votto will be ready for opening day!
 
I think Pinder's past gave him some credibility. The Reds view Fairchild as a career minor leaguer, which sadly we've had alot of the past few years. I'm really excited to get the season started. Looks like Votto will be ready for opening day!
I agree with their view that Fairchild is a minor leaguer. True big-league talent doesn’t get passed around among 4 organizations in a year like what happened to Fairchild last year.

It’s not worth getting worked up about Pinder since he’s probably gone when Senzel is ready. But he was bad last year, has had a terrible spring, and has been a below-average hitter the past four years, with a notably poor on-base rate. Basically he’s the Reds’ version of a player I dislike: the White Sox’s Leury Garcia. In other words, a veteran who can play a bunch of positions while being a net negative for the team.

And I’d rather use 2023 as a trial run to see if Benson or Friedl can hit lefty pitching instead of giving those at-bats to Chad Pinder.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
I agree with their view that Fairchild is a minor leaguer. True big-league talent doesn’t get passed around among 4 organizations in a year like what happened to Fairchild last year.

It’s not worth getting worked up about Pinder since he’s probably gone when Senzel is ready. But he was bad last year, has had a terrible spring, and has been a below-average hitter the past four years, with a notably poor on-base rate. Basically he’s the Reds’ version of a player I dislike: the White Sox’s Leury Garcia. In other words, a veteran who can play a bunch of positions while being a net negative for the team.

And I’d rather use 2023 as a trial run to see if Benson or Friedl can hit lefty pitching instead of giving those at-bats to Chad Pinder.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
Agree, Benson may be a wild card this season. I think Friedl, Fraley will get time. The guy I'm pretty excited about this year is Wil Myers. He's got pop to the opposite field and played in a pitcher friendly ballpark in San Diego. He could have a big year in Cincy. I like our outfield of Myers, Fraley, Friedl, Benson and Pinder. Senzel when he returns.
 
Agree, Benson may be a wild card this season. I think Friedl, Fraley will get time. The guy I'm pretty excited about this year is Wil Myers. He's got pop to the opposite field and played in a pitcher friendly ballpark in San Diego. He could have a big year in Cincy. I like our outfield of Myers, Fraley, Friedl, Benson and Pinder. Senzel when he returns.
Sounds like a 60-102 team to me.
 
Sounds like a 60-102 team to me.
I think it’s more like 70-92 when you factor in Greene, Lodolo and Ashcraft no longer being rookies, plus the team likely adding as the year goes on with CES, Elly and McLain instead of subtracting like last year when they lost Castillo, Mahle, Drury, Pham and Naquin.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
I think it’s more like 70-92 when you factor in Greene, Lodolo and Ashcraft no longer being rookies, plus the team likely adding as the year goes on with CES, Elly and McLain instead of subtracting like last year when they lost Castillo, Mahle, Drury, Pham and Naquin.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
Oh great, a lower draft pick and still no chance at the playoffs.
 
I think it’s more like 70-92 when you factor in Greene, Lodolo and Ashcraft no longer being rookies, plus the team likely adding as the year goes on with CES, Elly and McLain instead of subtracting like last year when they lost Castillo, Mahle, Drury, Pham and Naquin.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
I'll officially predict 65-97. Expecting 3 young pitchers to be 1-2-3 in the rotation, be consistent and stay healthy seems like a stretch. I'm not so sure Ashcraft did not hit his peak last year anyway. Hope they prove me wrong.

Any injuries to guys like Greene, Lodolo, Stephenson, Myers, and this thing could get way off the rails, much worse than 65 wins. We have zero depth.
 
I'll officially predict 65-97. Expecting 3 young pitchers to be 1-2-3 in the rotation, be consistent and stay healthy seems like a stretch. I'm not so sure Ashcraft did not hit his peak last year anyway. Hope they prove me wrong.

Any injuries to guys like Greene, Lodolo, Stephenson, Myers, and this thing could get way off the rails, much worse than 65 wins. We have zero depth.
Definitely agree that any of the top three pitchers getting injured for any significant time makes this season really ugly.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …
 
I'll officially predict 65-97. Expecting 3 young pitchers to be 1-2-3 in the rotation, be consistent and stay healthy seems like a stretch. I'm not so sure Ashcraft did not hit his peak last year anyway. Hope they prove me wrong.

Any injuries to guys like Greene, Lodolo, Stephenson, Myers, and this thing could get way off the rails, much worse than 65 wins. We have zero depth.
What about Votto?

He'll save this team!
 
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