Any chance at all for us to contend?

[redsrbetter]

I have looked over a lot of things the last few days while being disgusted over how this team has played this year. I wanted to get to the problem and suggest options to fix it. Has this team just run into an immense case of bad luck coupled with some bad managerial decisions?

Lets look at the numbers real quick:

There are 16 teams in the NL and this is where the Reds are at:

Offense:
AVG .255 (10th place)
SLG .427 (7th place)
OBP .326 (10th place)
OPS .753 (7th place)
SO 255 (11th place)
BB 124 (11th place)
HR 47 (1st place)
RBI 164 (6th place)
R 171 (6th place)
intangibles:
SB% 84.4% (1st place)
SH 17 (2nd place)
SB 27 (4th place)

Our offensive production has been about average. Pretty much in the middle of the pack for every category. 9 categories in the upper half and only four in the lower half. But the four lower half happen to be matters of getting runners on base (AVG, OBP, BB, SO). Looks like our HRs have given us a better push for putting up runs. Also, the intangibles look real good. We are stealing bases at a higher percentage than anyone and we are getting the sacrifices needed to move runners over. Our only concern is not being able to get on base as much as we need to.

Note: EdE should come back up soon and start hitting even sooner. This could give our numbers a much better look.

Starting Pitching:
ERA 4.02 (8th place)
BAA .271 (13th place)
BB 59 (2nd place)
SO 171 (4th place)

Bullpen:
ERA 4.22 (14th place)
BAA .252 (10th place)
BB 46 (8th place)
SO 75 (14th place)

So our bullpen surprisingly has a better BAA than the SPs. I am shocked by that really. But what hurts the pen is the walks. The SPs have been awesome this year on not allowing the free pass. The bullpen just cannot get that down like they have. But even still, the Reds relievers are right in the middle of the pack compared to all other NL teams. Allowing less hits but more walks and striking out batters at a far lower clip has illuminated this bullpen into the mess they are in and created the higher ERA.

Note: Majewski and Bray should make things a bit better. And possibly Guardado when he gets healthy.

So we still have a team that can contend with the best of them. We can defeat and lose to anybody. It is all a matter of putting this all together over the course of nine innings. And then getting the right players to come in to replace the ones who are not adhering to the standard.

With seeing these numbers, I feel like we have run into bad luck at bad times. Just in a bad funk right now. Do you guys believe we can build our way out of this and get back into contention?

[albbla2000mu]

They're toast. And thats probably a good thing, they should start focusing on the future. This team is going nowhere.... Stanton, Hatteberg, Conine, Castro, Weathers, Hopper, Ross, Milton etc. All guys I wont mind saying goodbye to.

[rockin500]

sure, why not? likely wont win 90 games, but no one in this division will. I dont care what the brewers are doing right now, but they WONT win 90. I think 86 can take it this year.

so why not the reds? anyone can get hot in this piece of crap division.

[realmofotalk]

The Reds are not likely to contend this year, but you hope they don't plan on being a farm team for other clubs by dumping key players such as Dunn and Harang for minor league prospects.

[NFLman2033]

my problem with us contending is the Brewers.. I mean if this was like last year where no team would step up and take the division.. then yeah we are still in it, but we just keep falling further and further out of it, I have a feeling by the time this team really hits its stride it will be too late

[Slyder]

Remember the Twins last year. Everyone had pronounced them dead at 25-33 and Detroit running away to hide from the rest of the division. We just need to figure out some way to cure the snake bites in the 8th inning. Those are some interesting numbers, I thought the pen's numbers would be much worse than that. Maybe the kick we need is to do like the Twins did last year and get rid of a Mike Stanton or Juan Castro (with Keppinger taking Castro's "role") for Ed E, Dumatrait, or a Marcus McBeth. Or if we want to go to the extreme maybe Votto for one of the vet 1bs? The rest of the pen seems to just be snake bit in the 8th. Looking at the ERAs doesnt look completely awful...

Weathers ERA 2.40, Whip 1.00
Santos ERA 3.63, Whip 1.63 (The one thing that scares me)
Coutter ERA 4.09, Whip 1.36 (been pitching better since a rough end of Apr/start of May)
Saarloos before yesterday had an era of 3.12 in 19 games (yes hittable but I consider that solid).

Anyone know where we could get 1 more legit setup man and use those above as basically MR along with Coffey and Weathers as "closer for now"?

[albbla2000mu]

Slyder...Im sure you know the difference betwen the reds and the twins is pretty simple. The Twins are a lot better team.

The Reds dont have the best catcher in the game. The best SP in the game. The AL MVP. An All-Star CF. Great pen, Dominant Closer, Great defense. etc.

[albbla2000mu]

I don’t know what everyone else thinks…but I think the thing that could put this team over the top would be a minor league reject of the Royals at 3b, a one year wonder catcher, veterans past their prime and fat backup catcher. Oh, and hiring another 'baseball guy'

[redsrbetter]

I don’t know what everyone else thinks…but I think the thing that could put this team over the top would be a minor league reject of the Royals at 3b, a one year wonder catcher, veterans past their prime and fat backup catcher. Oh, and hiring another 'baseball guy'

Ok I get Gordon, but first off, why? We have EdE? Who has a slightly lower ceiling, but Gordon can't be had anyway. He is the Royals future. And who are the rest of these guys?

[redsrbetter]

Remember the Twins last year. Everyone had pronounced them dead at 25-33 and Detroit running away to hide from the rest of the division. We just need to figure out some way to cure the snake bites in the 8th inning. Those are some interesting numbers, I thought the pen's numbers would be much worse than that. Maybe the kick we need is to do like the Twins did last year and get rid of a Mike Stanton or Juan Castro (with Keppinger taking Castro's "role") for Ed E, Dumatrait, or a Marcus McBeth. Or if we want to go to the extreme maybe Votto for one of the vet 1bs? The rest of the pen seems to just be snake bit in the 8th. Looking at the ERAs doesnt look completely awful...

Weathers ERA 2.40, Whip 1.00
Santos ERA 3.63, Whip 1.63 (The one thing that scares me)
Coutter ERA 4.09, Whip 1.36 (been pitching better since a rough end of Apr/start of May)
Saarloos before yesterday had an era of 3.12 in 19 games (yes hittable but I consider that solid).

Anyone know where we could get 1 more legit setup man and use those above as basically MR along with Coffey and Weathers as "closer for now"?

A few of those ERAs aren't bad. I am glad you posted their WHIP though too. It is telling. But you can't be serious when you say that Coffey should be setting up. He is likely the second worst pitcher on this team behind Stanton.

[realmofotalk]

Ok I get Gordon, but first off, why? We have EdE? Who has a slightly lower ceiling, but Gordon can't be had anyway. He is the Royals future. And who are the rest of these guys?

albbla was referring to Jeff Keppinger as the Royals' reject at 3b.

[albbla2000mu]

redsrbetter....that was supposed to be a joke post as mofo pointed out

minor league reject of the Royals at 3b, = Keppe
a one year wonder catcher, = Ross
veterans past their prime = half the team
and fat backup catcher = Valentin
'baseball guy' = jerry narron

[redsrbetter]

Ok, I read it wrong. I thought you meant that we needed those type of guys to come over and help us contend. I thought you were out ofyour mind for a minute. Thanks for clearing that up. I don't have to worry about trying to figure out a way to tell you you are way off base with your line of thinking.

Now that I have read it correctly, I agree with your sarcastic manner. It sucks having these so-called role players.

[Slyder]

A few of those ERAs aren't bad. I am glad you posted their WHIP though too. It is telling. But you can't be serious when you say that Coffey should be setting up. He is likely the second worst pitcher on this team behind Stanton.

my bad, Ive had too much coffee for Coffey I was thinking of McBride maybe as the power arm combo for the end of games.

[Mr. D™]

at this point I see no future for the Reds this year

15-24

lost the 7 in the last 8 games

pathetic