This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
I don't know how or where to find it.. but this team needs to get more runs on the board then what is being put up by Jay Bruce! Personally I would like to see Frazier back up here in LF. I would move Gomes to the bench as my lefty killer. Lewis can get spot starts and play any 3 of the OF spots when someone needs a day off.
I'd also look at a Jose Reyes deal. A deal would likely include Travis Wood/Mike Leake & Zack Cozart/Billy Hamilton; perhaps more. Keep the golden glove of Janish and have him back up SS, 3rd, and 2nd. You now have a leadoff hitter whose having a solid year. I know he's a free agent at the end of the year but he is that SS you want on your team for years to come.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Ok, altogether now. We lead the NL in RPG, so while getting Jose Reyes would be fun, unless he's going to go all Wilson Valdez, he isn't going to fix what's currently the glaring weakness on the team.
We need pitching help, where we are in the bottom third in most categories, esp. the rotation. Right now, we have Cueto and some reliable relievers to try to win games with. Maybe Wood and Leake can be more consistent, but any posts that begin with "we need more offense" is problematic.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
I don't see any real upside at 3B, LF or SS. Not sure what they're seeing or waiting for with the AAA guys. Give them a chance to win a position from the current schlock, including Rolen, who needs that 1-2 games off every week apparently, or a DL stint. He can barely hit it out of the infield.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by
traderumor
Ok, altogether now. We lead the NL in RPG, so while getting Jose Reyes would be fun, unless he's going to go all Wilson Valdez, he isn't going to fix what's currently the glaring weakness on the team.
We need pitching help, where we are in the bottom third in most categories, esp. the rotation. Right now, we have Cueto and some reliable relievers to try to win games with. Maybe Wood and Leake can be more consistent, but any posts that begin with "we need more offense" is problematic.
Nothing they can do about the pitching other than endure, meanwhile they have 2-3 obvious holes in their lineup and lose close games quite often.
They have no choice but to out-score people, and even in relatively low scoring games, they are not doing it nearly enough.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
What about Ryan Ludwick? I know the last time we played the padres he was'nt doing good at all.I was thinking thow all he might need is to come back to the nl central.He played very well with the cards and I think he could put up the same numbers for us.Does'nt he play left field also?
Just a thought!!
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Other than the two obvious holes at SS and LF, the offense will be--and is--fine. They ran into a very, very good pitcher tonight and there is no shame in that. The pitching staff, on the other hand, is worrisome despite Cueto's excellence. Our staff is paper thin right now and it isn't exactly high quality paper.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by
reds1869
Other than the two obvious holes at SS and LF, the offense will be--and is--fine. They ran into a very, very good pitcher tonight and there is no shame in that. The pitching staff, on the other hand, is worrisome despite Cueto's excellence. Our staff is paper thin right now and it isn't exactly high quality paper.
Very true, but what can they do about the pitching? You hope Homer gets healthy for the 2nd half, Arroyo and Volquez and Chapman come around, but do you have a month or two to wait for that? I don't know if one AAA start will fix Volquez.
I do think the Phillies/Atl series skewed the offense's ability, and they'll be "ok," but they are going to need to out-score people more often with the pitching situation, and absolutely need more from LF/SS/3B, 5 games back. They are out of arms.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
I really don't understand how some fans can realistically look at our team as it has been playing and looking at numbers such as 5-22 record when scoring 5 or fewer runs and say our OFFENSE is the issue. We're 13th in the National League (25th in baseball) in ERA. We have seen that song and dance and it does not work. We lead baseball in runs scored, is the offense inconsistant? Certainly, but we need a hammer and we wouldn't have some of the issues if our starters could go more than 5 innings before imploding.
Right now we have 1 pitcher who can do anything remotely close to a TOR pitcher (Cueto), our #2 is an innings eater that will have starts where he will get absolutely DESTROYED, when he's on he's a great 3/borderline 2 but when he's off he's not a MLB pitcher (Arroyo), we have a guy who looked like he was starting to turn a corner that is starting to make Austin Kearns look durable (Homer), we have a head case that can't find the strike zone at times and can't get out of the first inning without giving up runs (Volquez), and a bunch of guys who are young and limited in their talent or (so far) making adjustments to the league the second time through (Leake, Maloney, Wood), and we have a glorified circus attraction that can't find home plate with a compass, diving rod, a guide dog, and a map (Chapman).
We had (have) an excess of prospects and got rid of a couple more for ancient vets that could have been packaged for SOMETHING. Our team needs even a #2 caliber guy who can stay healthy or to figure out Dave Duncan's miracle "cream" and give it to our entire rotation. This team could have (and still could) use Greinke and I still would have packaged ANY player not named Bruce, Cueto, Votto, or Mes for him.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVPacman
What about Ryan Ludwick? I know the last time we played the padres he was'nt doing good at all.I was thinking thow all he might need is to come back to the nl central.He played very well with the cards and I think he could put up the same numbers for us.Does'nt he play left field also?
Just a thought!!
If he can do around what hes done this month then I wouldn't be against it.
I just worry he might go back to what he did in April.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
I would rather trade for Carlos Beltran than Jose Reyes. The cost will be a lot lower, and while I realize Paul Janish can't hit he is better than a sub-.500 OPS. I'm fine with riding out the shortstop situation with Janish and Renteria. Third base does worry me, but we have some decent in-house guys for when Rolen goes down...
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
There is a LF on our team with a .800 OPS and our best prospect has the ability to play LF. We have options there.
At SS? We have Paul Janish.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
This isn't an either/or situation. The Reds need another bat for the middle of the order and another established solid starting pitcher who doesn't have injury questions or a short track record. While they are at it they could use a late inning lefty as well. The Reds have internal options for all three of these needs, but those are all question marks and the team needs some established less volatile production. The team is no longer in accumulate pieces and see if we can form a core mode. They are in fix the holes and win it all mode. They don't need more question marks from AAA. They need to acquire some answers to questions instead.
These are the same needs that went unaddressed in the off-season. The season is now one third complete, it's Memorial Day and we can officially stop saying "its early." Time to solve these problems and start accumulating some wins.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by
reds44
There is a LF on our team with a .800 OPS and our best prospect has the ability to play LF. We have options there.
At SS? We have Paul Janish.
Sorry, but I don't view Heisey as the answer in LF. Alonso should be traded for the ace pitcher well all know this team needs.
I still think Paul Janish can OPS .650, which is enough for me with the defense he provides...
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
There is no chance Paul Janish OPS' .650.
Re: This Team Needs More Offense The Just Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by
traderumor
Ok, altogether now. We lead the NL in RPG, so while getting Jose Reyes would be fun, unless he's going to go all Wilson Valdez, he isn't going to fix what's currently the glaring weakness on the team.
We need pitching help, where we are in the bottom third in most categories, esp. the rotation. Right now, we have Cueto and some reliable relievers to try to win games with. Maybe Wood and Leake can be more consistent, but any posts that begin with "we need more offense" is problematic.
This is just wrong.
This offense is dysfunctional, and no matter how you want to spin your silly Inside Baseball numbers, the bottom line is this offense just isn't getting the job done when it matters. The pitching gives up all of two runs and that's just too much for this sick, pathetic, feeble, punch-and-judy "offense" to overcome.
I'd go through the 6 million reasons why I'm right, but tonight is a simple, convenient microcosm to sum it all up. One run on a solo HR ... weak. Of course, the Reds will probably pop up about 4 cheap, solo HRs into the first row of bleachers tomorrow in a 7-6 loss to Milwaukee and everyone will gush over the offense despite the fact that they strand 27 base runners.