4th Place

[Red Rover]

A shake up in needed.

[nux fan]

no walt says he is happy with shortstop and if course stubbs will break the record for fanning, and of course volquez is a true ace

[redsfan1995]

A shake up in needed.

Yes i agree there are changes needed but, look at the positive the Reds are 3 out of 1st and with the problems they have right now just a few changes could make them a first place team.

[R_Webb18]

agree. But I do think they can get to 1st but not until they make a few changes.

[webbbj]

+cozart, sappelt, hermidia

-renteria, gomes, lewis

problem solved

[AintlifeGrande]

Yeah Hermida with his lifetime one Reds hit is the answer.

[R_Webb18]

Yeah Hermida with his lifetime one Reds hit is the answer.

yes it is

[webbbj]

Yeah Hermida with his lifetime one Reds hit is the answer.

thats 1 more than cozart and sappelt

[berryluther]

thats 1 more than cozart and sappelt

But only a few less than Gomes.:lol:

[wlf WV]

Yes i agree there are changes needed but, look at the positive the Reds are 3 out of 1st and with the problems they have right now just a few changes could make them a first place team.

The negative is,they have gotten about the best pitching they've had all year and have fallen behind.It is not promising as it stands.I cannot believe the organization will stand pat much longer.

[Red Rover]

I don't see the Reds getting any closer to the Brewers anytime soon. The Brewers are about to catch fire & then it will be to late to catch them. Not worried about Cards & Pirates.

[Vottomatic]

My problem is, I don't want to just MAKE the playoffs. I want to get to the World Series.

I don't feel like management has the same objective.

[mr. red]

+cozart, sappelt, hermidia

-renteria, gomes, lewis

problem solved

I agree with that completely.

However, the Reds also need pitching. Volquez is not going to figure it out. He needs to go to AAA for the rest of the year and stay there.

I would love to see the Reds make a play at Anibal Sanchez from the Marlins or Michael Pineda from the Mariners or Scott Baker from the Twins. These pitchers probably wouldn't command a fortune and they could really help turn this staff around.

I wish that the Reds could get their **** figured out....we have a good offense, but we could make it better....

[SqueezeplayJS]

The Mariners would never trade away their prized 22 year old flame thrower. Sanchez might be a nice addition however. I do not understand the reluctancy to at least try something different. Going into this season we knew LF and SS was a huge question mark. For the most part these two positions have failed us. Whats the hurt in trying Cozart and Hermida/Sappelt/Alonso out in LF? I think they are putting off a vibe of being content where we are in the standings and for a organization clammering to have more fans in the stands I would probably put off a want to win attitude. Show the fans you want to win. Make changes when they are obviously neccessary.

[texasdave]

In the last four games on the trip the Reds face:

Guthrie
Hellickson
Price
Shields

Good luck.

[TheBigLebowski]

Anibal Sanchez would command a king's ransom and the Fish aren't going to deal him anyway. Pineda isn't going anywhere either. Guthrie could be had, but I don't know that he's any real improvement unless it rids us of Walkquez.

[Redeye fly]

+cozart, sappelt, hermidia

-renteria, gomes, lewis

problem solved


To me Lewis is a better option than Hermida right now, who hasn't even hit or played as good as a left handed version of Gomes in quite a while. This year for all the flack he's taken Jonny is still at an OPS+ of 108 (in other words above the league average). Hermida hasn't been better than league average in OPS since 2007, which coincidentally was the only season that he was, unless you want to count his 47 plate appearances from 2005.

There's a reason that Hermida found his way to the Reds as a minor league free agent/non roster invite. He hasn't produced in the majors for quite some times. Yes Gomes came to the Reds basically the same way, but Gomes has also produced for the Reds, despite his very evident flaws and maddening cold streaks.

[R_Webb18]

To me Lewis is a better option than Hermida right now, who hasn't even hit or played as good as a left handed version of Gomes in quite a while. This year for all the flack he's taken Jonny is still at an OPS+ of 108 (in other words above the league average). Hermida hasn't been better than league average in OPS since 2007, which coincidentally was the only season that he was, unless you want to count his 47 plate appearances from 2005.

There's a reason that Hermida found his way to the Reds as a minor league free agent/non roster invite. He hasn't produced in the majors for quite some times. Yes Gomes came to the Reds basically the same way, but Gomes has also produced for the Reds, despite his very evident flaws and maddening cold streaks.

i don't know the answer myself but if jonny does bad over and over and over you will never know what someone else can do unless you try someone else. Its not like were talking about votto here either. Its gomes. Hes hitting decent now but we all no he will stop and should you keep giving the guy anthor 2 months to suck?

[Redeye fly]

i don't know the answer myself but if jonny does bad over and over and over you will never know what someone else can do unless you try someone else. Its not like were talking about votto here either. Its gomes. Hes hitting decent now but we all no he will stop and should you keep giving the guy anthor 2 months to suck?


Yes he will stop... and then he will start hitting again after that in all likelihood. I think it's pretty clear that's what Jonny Gomes does.

By no means do I think he's the best option and I do not think he should play every day. There probably is someone better. I just don't think that someone is Jeremy Hermida. Sappelt is an unknown. He may or may not do very well. But in the scenario I responded too, you're betting on Sappelt and Hermida being better than Lewis and Gomes, and I don't know if that's a bet I'd be willing to take.

[davrix]

I would not focus on LF. I think Gomes is coming around and there is enough talent on the roster to compete. I think SS and Starting Pitching are the keys. Cozart needs a shot, but the SP will be expensive.

I hope it is not Guthrie.

[R_Webb18]

There probably is someone better. I just don't think that someone is Jeremy Hermida.

if you look at his numbers in the majors there close to each other and now in the minors hermida having his best year yet. so id say hes an upgrade.

[Redeye fly]

if you look at his numbers in the majors there close to each other and now in the minors hermida having his best year yet. so id say hes an upgrade.

I would hope that a 26 year old former first round pick with a lifetime major league OPS of near .750 over almost 2200 plate appearances could do fairly well against Triple A pitching.

In some ways you're right, the numbers aren't that far off over their careers. Jonny hits for more power, Hermida will get on base a little more due to a slightly higher average and a few more walks. Although this year Jonny has of course walked more than usual, so even with all the bashing of him on Redszone, he's got an OBP of around .350. Yes, it's come with some hot streaks and cold streaks. But truthfully I think if Gomes was used correctly (whatever that may entail), there would be very few people on this board who would complain about him being on the team.

It's not that Hermida is an awful player. He may have just had an awful year. But for a former first round pick he has pretty much been an underachiever. He's certainly young enough to turn things around. Maybe at some point he "gets it" like Jose Guillen did later in his career (hopefully without the steroids). But he's had declining major league numbers throughout his career since 2007, with the exception of an OBP rise in 2009 but a slugging percentage that fell below .400, which isn't at all good for a corner outfielder. That's over roughly 1300 plate appearances. Gomes on the other hand has at least had a bounceback (of sorts) since joining the Reds.

Even if they're roughly the same player, then what. You've got Jonny Gomes from the left side with less power?

[50YrRedsFan]

I think our biggest problems are: 1)a legitimate #4 RIGHT handed batter who can give Votto protection. The O's walked Votto 3 times today because there was little if any threat hitting behind him. Rolen is NOT a #4 hitter anymore..show me another #4 hitter with only 4 home runs, besides needing two days a week off. Bruce hitting 4th didn't work. #2) a decent SS that can hit at least .250 - .260 instead of the .200 range.
3) a consistent reliever that can throw strikes....our bullpen walk ratio is unacceptable.
Masset, Arredondo, and Chapman have had trouble throwing strikes. 4) Staring Pitching
needs to be more consistent. Getting a top of the rotation guy via trade is not going to happen.

[Vottomatic]

I think our biggest problems are: 1)a legitimate #4 RIGHT handed batter who can give Votto protection. The O's walked Votto 3 times today because there was little if any threat hitting behind him. Rolen is NOT a #4 hitter anymore..show me another #4 hitter with only 4 home runs, besides needing two days a week off. Bruce hitting 4th didn't work. #2) a decent SS that can hit at least .250 - .260 instead of the .200 range.
3) a consistent reliever that can throw strikes....our bullpen walk ratio is unacceptable.
Masset, Arredondo, and Chapman have had trouble throwing strikes. 4) Staring Pitching
needs to be more consistent. Getting a top of the rotation guy via trade is not going to happen.

You beat me to it.

They pitched to Joey yesterday and he made them pay for it. They didn't pitch to him today and he walked 3 times. There's a reason Votto is leading the NL in walks.........every opponent has decided to take their chances with the rest of the lineup and not pitch to him.

I swear, if this team had Matt Kemp batting 4th, they'd probably be in first place by now. Seriously. I said it in the offseason........teams didn't believe Votto was that good last year. Now they do, so they're not going to pitch to him. We need protection for him in the lineup. If they don't get it and he spins his wheels for the next 2 seasons (after this one), the dude will go someone else that can get him protection.

I am really upset with management right now. The division is there for the taking and they won't step up and fix the problems.

[DGullett35]

Kemp would be a nice fit with this team and with LA's financial troubles a deal like that could be done..IMO we also need bullpen help and we need it badly..I've said before that losing Arthur Rhodes hurt..He's not having that good of a year in 2011 but he was clutch for the Reds last year