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Reds Tidbits (2008 season)

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jlb1705;1133442; said:
I disagree. Edwin is getting on base and should be one of the team's best hitters this year. Keppinger is looking like he could be in that group too. Gonzalez is one of four active players in MLB with 3000 ABs and a. career OBP below .300 (credit to RedsZone for that stat). His defense is good, but not great - and not good enough to make up for the superior bat of either Keppinger or Encarnacion.

Encarnacion + Keppinger > Gonzalez + Keppinger.
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if that's the case i don't see the point in keeping gonzo and castro around.. im trying to go through multiple situations via trade to get some more bullpen help
 
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Well, Castro should definitely be gone when Gonzo is healthy. He is untradeable. I'm not sure Gonzo is really tradeable either, but he would be more tolerable as a backup. He'd be an expensive backup, but it's better than having him out there being expensive and taking ABs from Keppinger.

I've seen this discussed on RedsZone a few times: Keppinger could make a good RH platoon partner with Votto, providing Hatteberg gets moved. The way I see it though, if Keppinger is going to keep hitting (he really hasn't shown any signs of slowing down) then using him in a platoon is a waste. The way he's going, the Reds need to get him into 140+ games this season.
 
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Keppingers current play means the departure of Castro when AG returns if there is a lick of sense in this teams FO. As jlb said, Castro has zero trade value to anyone other than WK. EE has a world of potential and needs to keep playing, he'll be just fine no matter what the Reds broadcasters may try and tell you.

One thing I like the most these first six games is that Dusty has kept the same basic lineup, even on a Sunday. My needs are simple and thats been one of them for the past 7 years or so.
 
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Jaxbuck;1133498; said:
One thing I like the most these first six games is that Dusty has kept the same basic lineup, even on a Sunday. My needs are simple and thats been one of them for the past 7 years or so.
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Agreed. I may not quite agree with his lineup construction, but at least it has been consistent so far this year. I think that helps the players out.

Also, he pulled Volquez at exactly the right time today. That makes him 2-for-2 so far when it comes to protecting the rookies' arms.
 
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jlb1705;1133509; said:
Agreed. I may not quite agree with his lineup construction, but at least it has been consistent so far this year. I think that helps the players out.

Also, he pulled Volquez at exactly the right time today. That makes him 2-for-2 so far when it comes to protecting the rookies' arms.
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Yep, AND he's let Votto play more than the vet even though Votto is struggeling.

So far, granted its only been 6 games, Dusty has not lived up to the vet loving, destroyer of young arms rep. Lets hope we can say the same in October.
 
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Jaxbuck;1133498; said:
One thing I like the most these first six games is that Dusty has kept the same basic lineup, even on a Sunday. My needs are simple and thats been one of them for the past 7 years or so.
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Glad I'm not the only one miffed at Narron's juggling act.

Dude left spring training and wrote out 162 different lineup cards on the flight back to Cincy just for shits and giggles -- turned them in to the crew chiefs at random.
 
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crazybuckfan40;1133731; said:
Lots of reason for optimism in Cincy after the first week of the season...
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The Reds looked great this weekend. Not to mention it looks like you'll have 2 young stude for the year.

Volquez and Cueto look like they're both capable of great years. Still early, but the consistency out of Volquez since spring training has been amazing. Cueto had a small hicup at the end of spring-training, but his stuff is amazing.

Both these guys remind me of Fausto Carmona. Same build, great velocity. Obviosuly different pitches, as Carmona relies on his sinker, but the make-up is similar.

As long as Dusty doesn't get to aggressive with these guys, Cincy might have something special. You have to be careful obviously, even a guy like Liriano got over-worked in his rookie season.
 
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Personally, I would like to Cueto and Volquez's regular season innings capped at about 170, regardless of circumstance. If we are in a battle to make the playoffs at that point, then there isn't a whole lot of optimism that we are going to go very far in the playoffs. Much rather we be careful with our future than mortage it for a first round playoff exit.

If we are already in the playoffs and can give them a couple of weeks of rest before we pitch them again playoffs, I'll go for that. But right now, I want to be way overprotective of our young arms.
 
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BengalsAndBucks;1133755; said:
Personally, I would like to Cueto and Volquez's regular season innings capped at about 170, regardless of circumstance. If we are in a battle to make the playoffs at that point, then there isn't a whole lot of optimism that we are going to go very far in the playoffs. Much rather we be careful with our future than mortage it for a first round playoff exit.

If we are already in the playoffs and can give them a couple of weeks of rest before we pitch them again playoffs, I'll go for that. But right now, I want to be way overprotective of our young arms.
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Minnesota and the Dusty Baker of the Cubs prove that. It's very difficult to call the dogs off when you're in the midst of pennant chase though. Not to mention, a young pitcher rarely recognizes fatigue. Liriano compounded his problem b/c he kept telling the training staff he felt great.

I 100% agree with your assessement. I think the key will be to cap their innings at 6-7 a start even if they're gliding through a game.
 
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Cueto and Volquez are a pleasant surprise, but I'm not so concerned about how many innings they throw as how they respond once they get shelled in a bad start, and how they compensate when everyone in the NL Central has a scouting report.

Great Reds debuts or no, they're still young pitchers in GABP. There'll be some growing pains before the All Star Break with these young guys.
 
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Jaxbuck;1133137; said:
Starters have got to eat some innings when the weather gets warmer though, the less that pen is used the better.
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6 games in and the bullpen has given up at least 1 run in all of them. The numbers don't look bad (19-2/3 IP, 14H, 6 BB, 7ER, 16K, 3.20 ERA), but I wouldn't mind seeing the bullpen shut someone out in a close game.

jlb1705;1133400; said:
Keppinger - solo HR. He was also the man on base for Griffey's HR. All he does is hit. He should probably start over Gonzalez when he's healthy.
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I 100% agree. I don't care how much Gonzalez is making, Kepp should be playing.
 
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Dryden;1133832; said:
Cueto and Volquez are a pleasant surprise, but I'm not so concerned about how many innings they throw as how they respond once they get shelled in a bad start, and how they compensate when everyone in the NL Central has a scouting report.
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I agree here...But the Phillies had already seen Volquez twice in the spring and still couldn't do much yesterday...

I think Cueto needs to be watched more, due to him being younger...Volquez has worked innings in his career and could go more innings...
 
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Well, it looks like we're getting the good ol' Sunday Special today.

Here's the lineup:

1. Freel cf
2. Castro ss
3. Phillips 2b
4. Dunn lf
5. Keppinger 1b
6. Encarnacion 3b
7. Hopper rf
8. Bako c
9. Arroyo p

I think we all knew that Castro was going to get a start sometime. I guess I don't understand why he's batting second. Keppinger has been doing a good job in that spot. Even if the rationale is to move him down in the order to give him a chance to drive in some runs, you still have Hopper in there who is a much better candidate for the 2-hole than Castro. Even when you clear the bench on this team, Castro should bat no better than eighth.

I guess I don't have too big a problem with this lineup other than that. Hamels is devastating to lefties, so it's a perfect spot to rest Griffey. At least he didn't sit Dunn as well. An outfield of Hopper-Patterson-Freel would be tragic. At least Castro is in there on a day where you can rationalize it a little (Keppinger slides over to 1B to spell the struggling lefties against the dominant LHP) as opposed to putting him in arbitrarily just to get him some PT.

Listening to Dusty speak with Marty on the pregame show, it sounds like he is at least basing this lineup construction on something, rather than just pulling out of his ass or doing it "just because". I don't agree with the way he's doing it, but at least he's bothering to present a valid "old school" argument to back it up, which is more than what we got from the miserable procession of managers that came before him in Cincinnati.
 
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