Your (hypothetical) playoff roster

[Chip R]

IF (and it's looking pretty good now although things can change rather quickly) the Reds make the playoffs, who would you have on your 25 man playoff roster assuming everyone who isn't on the 60 day DL is healthy enough to go?

My 25 man roster would go like this:

Pitchers
Arroyo
Bailey
Chapman (If he doesn't turn into pre-Crash Davis Nuke LaLoosh)
Cordero
Cueto
Harang
Leake
Masset
Ondrusek
Rhodes
Wood

Catchers
Hanigan
Hernandez

Infielders
Cabrera
Cairo
Francisco
Janish
Phillips
Rolen
Votto

Outfielders
Bruce
Gomes
Heisey
Nix
Stubbs


If Chapman can't pitch up here then his spot goes to Bray. Hate to leave Volquez off but if it's between him and Ondrusek, I'm taking Logan. Volquez is just too wild to trust now. Love what Valaika is doing but they need another left hander off the bench besides Nix and that's why I take Francisco. Like last night, he can come off the bench and give you a knock.

[Ghosts of 1990]

I like your roster except for one sticking point.

No Mike Leake and I add in Jim Edmonds if he's healthy enough to get through a game here and there and be a pinch hitter off the bench.

[nate]

Yeah. Some tough decisions at the fringes. I wanted to see if Edmonds had one last spark in the tank but his injury put the kibosh on that.

[Redsfan320]

Rotation:
Cueto
Arroyo
Wood
Bailey

Pen:
Cordero
Rhodes
Masset
Ondrusek
Chapman
Volquez
Leake
LeCure

Starters:
C Hanigan for Arroyo/Bailey, Hernandez for Cueto, Wood could go either way
1B Votto
2B Phillips
3B Rolen
SS Janish
LF Heisey
CF Stubbs
RF Bruce

Bench:
C Hernandez or Hanigan, whoever's not catching that night
IF Cairo
IF Cabrera
OF Nix
OF Gomes

My only regret is having to leave Valaika off.

That's mine.

320

[joshnky]

Rotation:
Cueto
Arroyo
Wood
Bailey

Pen:
Cordero
Rhodes
Masset
Ondrusek
Chapman
Volquez
Leake
LeCure

I don't think you need 12 pitchers when you consider the fact that you only need 3 (maybe 4) starters and you only play 4-5 games a week.

[joshnky]

I like your roster except for one sticking point.

No Mike Leake and I add in Jim Edmonds if he's healthy enough to get through a game here and there and be a pinch hitter off the bench.

I agree with this, especially the ten pitchers.

[Redsfan320]

Okay, I didn't think about the point josh made. I would take LeCure and Volquez out of the pen, and add Valaika and Francisco to the bench.

320

[bucksfan2]

Starters
Arroyo
Cueto
Bailey
Wood

Relievers
Rhodes
Chapman
Masset
Ondrusek
Cordero
?

Starters
1B Votto
2B Phillips
3B Rolen
SS Cabrera
LF Gomes
CF Stubbs
RF Cabrera
C Hernandez

Bench
C Hanigan
OF Heisey
OF Edmonds
INF Janish
INF Francisco
INF Valakia
INF Cairo?

In the post season you shouldn't need a long man. You also don't need a 5th starter and you want as many bats as possible to come off the bench. If Edmonds is healthy I see no reason to keep Nix on the bench. If push came to shove I would keep Valakia over Cairo and even Alonso if he does something after the Sept call ups. The last reliever spot I leave open for maybe Bray/Harang/Volquez. If the Reds play the Phillies I want Bray in that last reliever's spot.

Right now I run the four starters out there. If Bailey or Wood continue this funk then I may move Harang into the rotation based upon how he pitches.

[Degenerate39]

Rotation:
Arroyo
Cueto
Bailey
Wood

Bullpen:
Cordero
Masset
Rhodes
Ondrusek
Leake
Chapman

Starters
C- Razor Ramon
1st- Votto
2nd- Phillips
3rd- Rolen
SS- O.Cab
LF- Gomes
CF- Stubbs
RF- Bruce

Bench
Nix
Hanigan
Francisco
Janish
Cairo
Heisey
Valakia

[hebroncougar]

Starters
Arroyo
Cueto
Bailey
Wood

Relievers
Rhodes
Chapman
Masset
Ondrusek
Cordero
?

Starters
1B Votto
2B Phillips
3B Rolen
SS Cabrera
LF Gomes
CF Stubbs
RF Cabrera
C Hernandez

Bench
C Hanigan
OF Heisey
OF Edmonds
INF Janish
INF Francisco
INF Valakia
INF Cairo?

In the post season you shouldn't need a long man. You also don't need a 5th starter and you want as many bats as possible to come off the bench. If Edmonds is healthy I see no reason to keep Nix on the bench. If push came to shove I would keep Valakia over Cairo and even Alonso if he does something after the Sept call ups. The last reliever spot I leave open for maybe Bray/Harang/Volquez. If the Reds play the Phillies I want Bray in that last reliever's spot.

Right now I run the four starters out there. If Bailey or Wood continue this funk then I may move Harang into the rotation based upon how he pitches.


You darn well better have a long man, or you risk blowing up your bullpen for one game. That's the only reason why you take Lecure, or Leake.

[Cedric]

You darn well better have a long man, or you risk blowing up your bullpen for one game. That's the only reason why you take Lecure, or Leake.

Teams play one game every 3 days I believe.

[blumj]

Starters
Arroyo
Cueto
Bailey
Wood

Relievers
Rhodes
Chapman
Masset
Ondrusek
Cordero
?

Starters
1B Votto
2B Phillips
3B Rolen
SS Cabrera
LF Gomes
CF Stubbs
RF Cabrera
C Hernandez

Bench
C Hanigan
OF Heisey
OF Edmonds
INF Janish
INF Francisco
INF Valakia
INF Cairo?

In the post season you shouldn't need a long man. You also don't need a 5th starter and you want as many bats as possible to come off the bench. If Edmonds is healthy I see no reason to keep Nix on the bench. If push came to shove I would keep Valakia over Cairo and even Alonso if he does something after the Sept call ups. The last reliever spot I leave open for maybe Bray/Harang/Volquez. If the Reds play the Phillies I want Bray in that last reliever's spot.

Right now I run the four starters out there. If Bailey or Wood continue this funk then I may move Harang into the rotation based upon how he pitches.
You definitely want an extra pitcher on the roster who could start a game in an emergency, or chew up innings in a blowout or extra innings, if you don't want to get stuck having to use starters on short rest or put a starting pitcher on the DL who's just a little hurt and can't pitch right now but could have been ready for the next series.

[bucksfan2]

You darn well better have a long man, or you risk blowing up your bullpen for one game. That's the only reason why you take Lecure, or Leake.

I thought you play two days and then get an off/travel day. I can't recall a series going 3 straight days but I may be incorrect.

The way I look at it there is no reason for a long man. If you need to go into the pen early on two consecutive games then in all likelihood you will lose both of those games. It may tax your pen but there will be an off day waiting to get everyone back to normal. Its not a good thing to waste a post season roster spot on a worst case scenario guy.

[blumj]

Teams play one game every 3 days I believe.
I think they cut back on the off days, and it would be easier to do this knowing the schedule, but, even then, games get rained out and rescheduled, so you have to be ready for that, too.

[medford]

Its not much of a secret, the key piece to the 1990 reds was the back of the bullpen. As the saying goes, they turned it into a 6 inning game. the starting pitching was solid, spectacular at times, but jack Armstrong scuffled in the 2nd half, Jose Rijo wasn't Jose Rijo until after his W-S dominance, Tom Browning was very solid, Danny Jackson was something like 6-6 during the regular season. the strength of that team was the bullpen, especially the tail end, and after much hand wringing, 20 years later, the same may be said of the the 2010 team when its all said & done. Coco has regained his command and has been dominant, the Cuban Missle, if he can replicate his AAA numbers, is filthy, Massett has been great since about mid season. All 3 are throw 95+ w/ good secondary pitches. Add to that Rhodes (who hopefully can get a lot of September rest and be on top of his game for the postseason) and Logan, though struggling a bit prior to the last couple, has been very good since being recalled in June and is a goundball machine. I'm thinking Nasty Boys Part Duex, plus 2 to set up my postseason roster and going from there. With the extra days off, I only need 1 long man, plus those 5 to give me a solid 6 man pen. If I have to pinch hit for my starter too often prior to the 6th, then we're touble anyways. So going off that:

Starters:
Arroyo (can come back on short rest if needed)
Cueto (Can he have a Rijo type surge into dominate ace?)
Wood (solid lefty for a different look)
Bailey (Can he find the consistancy he sometimes lacks?)

Relievers:
Coco, Chapman, Rhodes, Logan & Massett as mentioned above.

We need a long man, I suspect its going to be harang, though that depends on the next month. If we get mid June Aaron, he may even getting a starting nod.

Lineup (Should be fairly cut/dry w/ the exception of 3 spots that are a bit "up in the air"
C Hanny/Ramon
1b Votto
2b Brandon
ss OCab/Janish
3b Rolen
LF Nix/Gomes
CF Stubbs
RF Bruce

Assume the alternate to the LF, SS & C spot makes the 25 man postseason roster that's 11 spots. That leaves 4 more

Cairo is an easy choice
Heisey is another each choice
Francisco is my choice for lefthanded thunder

the last spot is a tricky one for me. Corky ain't up here, so it can't go to a 3rd catcher to allow Hanny/Ramon to pinch hit when not startings, so that leaves Valaika or Edmunds. they have options in the OF, plus Edmunds can't even play right now, so Valaika is the easy choice,plus don't you feel a little more comfortable with him in the field vs Cairo/Cisco?

Outside of Edmunds, there really are no wild cards w/ the players. I'm thinking Leake is done for the year, outside of a start or 2 at the end of the season after the Reds have hopefully clinched. Edison is another wild card, but he needs to find his command. He could be the long man, or either could replace Valaika as an extra arm. Lecure, I'm just not trusting him yet, unless someone gets injuried. At any rate, I'd hope they don't have to use a long man, so hopefully that's not a big issue.

[bucksfan2]

Interesting you would rather take Nix over Edmonds?

[Reds Fanatic]

I think they cut back on the off days, and it would be easier to do this knowing the schedule, but, even then, games get rained out and rescheduled, so you have to be ready for that, too.

They did cut back at least one off day this year for the LCS. The division series schedule should work out like this.

2 games
travel day
2 games
travel day
1 game

[guttle11]

I know a LH power bat off the bench would be nice, but I'd keep Valaika over Francisco. More versatile defensively and he's not as "all or nothing" at the plate. If it came down to one of them playing, I'd be more comfortable with Valaika.

[Chip R]

Interesting you would rather take Nix over Edmonds?


Absolutely. Nix has been with the team the whole year and has produced when called upon. He can play some defense too.

[Mario-Rijo]

Didn't see this thread (created another) and I looked must have just overlooked it sorry. Anyhow this was my post in that thread and I'll bold the 25 most likely IMO and probably what Id' do as well.

Arroyo
Cueto
Bailey
Volquez
Wood

Cordero
Chapman
Masset
Rhodes
Bray
Ondrusek

I'd say those guys are virtual locks so now to determine who is left and how they fit. I'm guessing a 12 man staff and that's 11 already, would they go with an 11 man staff since they have only 3-4 starters?

Leake
Harang
Jordan Smith
LeCure
Burton
Fisher
Maloney

If it's 12 I suspect Harang may take the extra spot even though LeCure would be my guy I like that he can hit his spots and actually use his really good defense.

Hernandez - C
Votto - 1B
BP - 2B
Rolen - 3B
OCab - SS
Bruce - RF
Stubbs - CF
Gomes - LF

Hanny - C
Cairo - IF
Janish - IF
Heisey - OF
Nix - OF

Again pretty straightforward but there may be an extra spot available so I'm guessing Francisco or Corky, heres who you have to choose from.

Corky - C
Alonso - 1B
Valaika - 2B/SS
Francisco - 3B

I could understand Francisco for sure but I might also consider Valaika what with the fact he could play 2 positions for ya and I like his ability to make contact though with Cairo that may be redundant. But I'm thinking in case of an injury in the OF you could use Cairo out there in a pinch and still have that extra IF.

My gut says go with an 11 man staff and keep Francisco on the bench that way you have 2 LHH options over there one OF and one IF. I've bolded my selections. One last note I still like Burton though it's painfully obvious that the organization doesn't feel the same so though I'd like to add him I think it's fruitless to debate it.

[mth123]

Put me down for 11 Pitchers

Short Leash Starters

Volquez
Wood
Arroyo

Alternates/Long Relievers

Cueto
Lecure

Lock Down after the 6th
Rhodes
Masset
Chapman

Defacto Closer
Cordero

Extra Lefty
Bray

Guy if you need a grounder
Ondrusek


Position Players 14

Hanigan
Hernandez
Votto
Phillips
Cabrera
Janish
Rolen
Cairo
Gomes
Nix
Edmonds
Stubbs
Bruce
Heisey

Sorry Homer. I still think the future is bright, but in a best of 5 with so many off days, Lecure and Ondrusek fit better.