The Official 2024 Reds season thread

Today's Philly lineup! Lefty starter...

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14Red said:
I have noticed this year that India looks more agile. I think the plantar fasciitis was more of a problem for him than we ever knew. I know the Reds like to be aggressive, but there's a fine line in being aggressive and blowing chances for big innings. Most of this group can hit the long ball so you have to 100% sure you can steal to risk it.
I'm not going to put all the blame on Bell because I really think he's getting orders from above in alot of cases. Now he'll never say that but when do so much with analytics, your kind of married to it then when situations in the game presents itself, you have to make moves that may go against your gut.
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Are you saying that you think the front office contacted Bell in the dugout in the 8th inning and said "pinch run for India"? Did they also tell him to waste the entire bench in one half inning as I described above? I seriously doubt it.
 
Bell's left/righty games continue. His thought process:
"Jake Fraley had 3 more hits yesterday and is batting .625 in this young season, but let's sit him down because lefty-righty".
Dipstick.
 
wolves82 said:
Are you saying that you think the front office contacted Bell in the dugout in the 8th inning and said "pinch run for India"? Did they also tell him to waste the entire bench in one half inning as I described above? I seriously doubt it.
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That's not possible?
 
How about those Reds!!! Spencer Steer GRAND SLAM!!! Andrew Abbott got roughed up early but hung in there for 5+ 2 run ball, bullpen was good tonight, Diaz was the old Diaz and Reds grind out a win!!
 
I wouldn't call that roughed up by any means. The two-run double was a nubber just inside the line and Schwarber reached on a sawed-off bloop. Abbott pitched well and so did the bullpen. That was a huge hit from Steer. He's just so damn steady.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ashcraft today. Thing is, Harper is 0-for-11 this season and due for a huge game. I was almost sure he was tying the game last night in the 10th.
 
MickeyMantle said:
I wouldn't call that roughed up by any means. The two-run double was a nubber just inside the line and Schwarber reached on a sawed-off bloop. Abbott pitched well and so did the bullpen. That was a huge hit from Steer. He's just so damn steady.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ashcraft today. Thing is, Harper is 0-for-11 this season and due for a huge game. I was almost sure he was tying the game last night in the 10th.
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Agreed on Abbott - he navigated a tough lineup pretty well. I was also pretty sure that Harper was going to hammer one in the 10th - glad he didn't...
 
MickeyMantle said:
Are you all just going to whine about the manager all season?
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Only when he does dumb things. So yes, unfortunately.

I give Bell credit for bringing along the young guys in a smart way last year. Clearly he has good rapport with the guys. So there are positives to him as a manager. But his obsession with lefty/righty matchups, and some of his in game decisions make me nuts. Just let your best players play, give them a consistent expectation of where they will be in the field and in the lineup, and give them a day off once in a while.
 
wolves82 said:
obsession with lefty/righty matchups, and some of his in game decisions make me nuts. Just let your best players play, give them a consistent expectation of where they will be in the field and in the lineup, and give them a day off once in a while.
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The lefty/righty thing has been going on as long as I can remember in baseball. It's just something we have to deal with. I'm pretty thrilled Benson is getting chances against lefties.

Of course, I question the manager all the time. For example, Antone in the 10th last night had me squirming from the start. But Bell has done a helluva job in his time here. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me.
 
I don’t get the Bell hate. He’s not an elite Manager, but he’s sufficient enough to where he’s not going to negatively impact the team on a macro level.
 
MickeyMantle said:
I wouldn't call that roughed up by any means. The two-run double was a nubber just inside the line and Schwarber reached on a sawed-off bloop. Abbott pitched well and so did the bullpen. That was a huge hit from Steer. He's just so damn steady.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ashcraft today. Thing is, Harper is 0-for-11 this season and due for a huge game. I was almost sure he was tying the game last night in the 10th.
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Just enjoy it while we can, I'm sure Harper will start hitting soon. True on Abbott, and great for him to hunker down and keep us in the game. REALLY good to see Diaz come in and finish the 7th and pitch a good 8th. He looked like his normal self.
 
MickeyMantle said:
The lefty/righty thing has been going on as long as I can remember in baseball. It's just something we have to deal with. I'm pretty thrilled Benson is getting chances against lefties.

Of course, I question the manager all the time. For example, Antone in the 10th last night had me squirming from the start. But Bell has done a helluva job in his time here. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me.
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I understand the righty/ lefty thing, but I also understand the hot hand approach as well. I think managers use the righty/ lefty thing to just not have to make a difficult decision as to who's a starter and who's a bench guy. Nick Martini is about as hot as you can be to start a season and he didn't play last night.
One thing I noticed in the first scoring inning for the Reds, India's not right. He's already laboring running. Now he only DH'ed last night, but my guess it's his foot again. Now he won't say anything and I'm fine with that, I like guys that grind it out, but you just wonder how long he can stick with it.
As for Antone, Bell was about out of bullets last night, Diaz, Suter, Pagan was already used, and what was left was Sims, Farmer and Cruz. Had to pick someone. Nice win for the boys.
 
One things for sure, every player plays in just about every game with Bell. No worries about pizzed off mommies and daddies with this club
 
RazorRamon said:
One things for sure, every player plays in just about every game with Bell. No worries about pizzed off mommies and daddies with this club
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That's a great point, although I certainly would had found a spot to put in Nick Martini for at least an at bat.
 
Reds are on a pace to go 121 and 41 on the season.

If they can keep the pace up, they should win the division, but it is still too early to book it yet.
 
14Red said:
I understand the righty/ lefty thing, but I also understand the hot hand approach as well. I think managers use the righty/ lefty thing to just not have to make a difficult decision as to who's a starter and who's a bench guy. Nick Martini is about as hot as you can be to start a season and he didn't play last night.
One thing I noticed in the first scoring inning for the Reds, India's not right. He's already laboring running. Now he only DH'ed last night, but my guess it's his foot again. Now he won't say anything and I'm fine with that, I like guys that grind it out, but you just wonder how long he can stick with it.
As for Antone, Bell was about out of bullets last night, Diaz, Suter, Pagan was already used, and what was left was Sims, Farmer and Cruz. Had to pick someone. Nice win for the boys.
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What? Did you see India's triple? He was not laboring at all - he was flying. Sometimes I wonder what you watch. He absolutely should have slid into home, but speed was not the issue, it was a brain cramp.
 
MickeyMantle said:
The lefty/righty thing has been going on as long as I can remember in baseball. It's just something we have to deal with. I'm pretty thrilled Benson is getting chances against lefties.

Of course, I question the manager all the time. For example, Antone in the 10th last night had me squirming from the start. But Bell has done a helluva job in his time here. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me.
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Agreed - but not everyone takes it to extremes.

Last year Bell would sit Votto against lefties, for righties like Vosler and other guys that belong in the minors. Votto crushed lefties his whole career. Bell likes to act like a metrics guy, but in 2023 he always would shift Friedl from lead-off to 8th or 9th against lefties, when Friedl actually had a higher OBP against lefties than righties. That makes no sense at all.

OK I'll drop it for now, but can't promise I won't vent on this topic again. I just want him to let the best players play most every day. It's not a huge ask.
 
14Red said:
I understand the righty/ lefty thing, but I also understand the hot hand approach as well. I think managers use the righty/ lefty thing to just not have to make a difficult decision as to who's a starter and who's a bench guy. Nick Martini is about as hot as you can be to start a season and he didn't play last night.
One thing I noticed in the first scoring inning for the Reds, India's not right. He's already laboring running. Now he only DH'ed last night, but my guess it's his foot again. Now he won't say anything and I'm fine with that, I like guys that grind it out, but you just wonder how long he can stick with it.
As for Antone, Bell was about out of bullets last night, Diaz, Suter, Pagan was already used, and what was left was Sims, Farmer and Cruz. Had to pick someone. Nice win for the boys.
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I have not heard any reports on India being less than 100%......alls I know is I was a tad surprised when he didn't slide at home on the sac fly in the first. If he slides, he's safe. If he can not slide he shouldn't have attempted to score on that shallow fly ball, especially with CES coming up next and less than two outs.
 
wolves82 said:
What? Did you see India's triple? He was not laboring at all - he was flying. Sometimes I wonder what you watch. He absolutely should have slid into home, but speed was not the issue, it was a brain cramp.
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I actually did not see that so I stand corrected. But I see what I see. I just know when he went first to third on Steer's he looked like he was laboring. Who knows. He's got off to a great start and we need him to be as good as he can be in McLain's absense.
 
wolves82 said:
Agreed - but not everyone takes it to extremes.

Last year Bell would sit Votto against lefties, for righties like Vosler and other guys that belong in the minors. Votto crushed lefties his whole career. Bell likes to act like a metrics guy, but in 2023 he always would shift Friedl from lead-off to 8th or 9th against lefties, when Friedl actually had a higher OBP against lefties than righties. That makes no sense at all.

OK I'll drop it for now, but can't promise I won't vent on this topic again. I just want him to let the best players play most every day. It's not a huge ask.
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What a novel idea, the best players play. I like that. My rift is too many times guys are just given days off for "rest". And I get it, we're not in the 70's where guys play 150-162 games and rarely come out. But again, we hear about how great of athletes these guys are, and they work out year around, lift weights, run, and yet we get to the pinnacle of their careers, and we have to sit them at least weekly, even in weeks where there are already days off? To me it doesn't make sense. Guys in the 70's and 80's played on astroturf, summer temps on the field 120 degrees, they flew regular flights, not charter.
I'll promise to attempt to not bog everyone down with this, but I can't say it won't ever come up.
 
JUSTGOPLAY said:
I have not heard any reports on India being less than 100%......alls I know is I was a tad surprised when he didn't slide at home on the sac fly in the first. If he slides, he's safe. If he can not slide he shouldn't have attempted to score on that shallow fly ball, especially with CES coming up next and less than two outs.
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You are right, he should of slid. He slid on the triple a few minutes earlier, so he was able. He just had a brain lapse, and CES was not back there waving him down. So CES also had a brain lapse.
 
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