Ludwick to 15 day DL; surgery set for Wednesday

[redsfanmia]

Hasnt Luddy always been a slow starter? Even if he comes back today how much would he really contribute?

[Marc D]

I agree the need to fill the void in LF has been obvious but I also agree with those who point out the ability to do so has been elusive at best.

Walt had the team built with a legit middle of the order RH bat in LF and a 4th OF with a track record of being able to play well in short spurts should he need to fill in for anyone. That should have covered 80-90% of the range of possible contingencies this year.

Unfortunately the 10% kicked in and the starter was lost for essentially the season on OD, the solid in small dose backup(s) were exposed with regular AB's (that's why they are backups) and the trade market for legit corner OF bat's was virtually non existent.

To add the cherry on top of our sundae of woe-the big RH power bat was the lynch pin needed to make the lineup really click as the front office had fixed the leadoff/OBP issue from the year before.

My hope is Ludwick comes back, gets through his struggles and gets hot about the same time this team limps into the playoffs as the #2 WC.

[wheels]

While I agree that there's nothing to be had at the deadline, crossing your fingers and hoping for health is no way to contend. They've had nearly 4 months to replace Ludwick's bat, with a clear revelation over the last two months of how weak this offense is, and they've literally done nothing. I hold the front office accountable for what's likely, at best, a very early exit in the postseason, and conceivably a near miss of the postseason.

The market, the ascendancy of offense over pitching, are the new contours of the game, and I've yet to see the FO shift approach to meet the new demands. I'll give em a mulligan this season, but they'll need to dig deep this offseason and rethink their approach.

I agree with your premise, but don't expect much in the off-season.

The only hope they have of improving the roster is via trade, but they are thin on viable trade commodities. I can think of three, maybe four guys that they can move. Bailey, Chapman, Hamilton (if he could find first base), and Stephenson (they'd be crazy). If they are serious about upgrading the offense, Bailey is the only real trading chip.

As far as free agents go, Choo will be the best bat on the market. I'm holding out hope that they sign him, but another poster pointed out the arbitration increases are going to suck the life out of the pay flex.

Next year looks bleak. They're going to be paying some serious albatross money to Ludwick, and Phillips is looking like a guy who's decline will be quite steep.

[Tom Servo]

It seems a bit premature to declare Ludwick's return to the Reds a failure considering he hasn't yet returned to the Reds. I get the signs aren't positive, but still.

[Revering4Blue]

Per Rotoworld.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty said he expects Ryan Ludwick (shoulder) to return next week.

Ludwick has been out since Opening Day with a right shoulder injury, but moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday and is finally close to being activated from the disabled list. He batted .275/.346/.531 with 26 home runs and 80 RBI last season and will immediately replace Chris Heisey as the Reds' starting left fielder.

[wheels]

To be fair, I don't think anyone is basing their opinion on a few rehab at bats.

The chance that Ludwick was going to perform at or around last year's numbers was slim before the injury anyway.

And we get to have this conversation again in March and April. Fun!

[NebraskaRed]

Has anyone seen Ludwick in Dayton or Louisville? If so, does he look stiff/uncomfortable at the plate?

[redlegs2370]

Does anyone know if Ludwick is playing for the Bats tonight in Indy?

[Falls City Beer]

My hope is Ludwick comes back, gets through his struggles and gets hot about the same time this team limps into the playoffs as the #2 WC.

This is my and the front office's hope as well. But again, they had the same thing befall them last year with Votto. Hoping he'd be healthy enough to contribute and he wasn't at all. They've gotten their lessons. Let's hope the offseason involves some learning and evolution on their minimalist offense approach. Dealing Bailey should return a very nice bat, I'd imagine.

[Marc D]

This is my and the front office's hope as well. But again, they had the same thing befall them last year with Votto. Hoping he'd be healthy enough to contribute and he wasn't at all. They've gotten their lessons. Let's hope the offseason involves some learning and evolution on their minimalist offense approach. Dealing Bailey should return a very nice bat, I'd imagine.

I wouldn't be completely opposed to a Homer for bat trade but that's just a transfer of "hope" is it not? Assuming you get the big bat in return for HB, we'd be hoping that Cueto comes back fully healthy and that Cingrani and Stephenson are both ready to fill in for Bailey and Arroyo, no?

I don't know that it's a minimalist offensive approach from the FO so much as a minimal amount of near MLB ready offensive talent from the farm that is our biggest constraint.

[Brutus]

This the one time Jocketty has failed with the Reds. They have known pretty shortly after Ludwicks injury that he was gong to be out until August and when he came he wouldn't be nearly the player he was. That's four months they could have acquired someone that could hit sufficiently in LF. I know much wasn't to be had at the deadline but I think there could have been someone that could have helped. That means giving up a good prospect in the minors. Stepenson,IMO is the only one untouchable. Anyone else should be considered a piece of a trade.

The only hitters traded this summer were (drumroll please)... Alfonso Soriano and Justin Maxwell.

Who do you propose they should have gotten that was available?

[RedlegJake]

Yeah, not sure what Walt could realistically do. The Reds have a very few pieces on the farm that are really noteworthy - and those aren't all that close. The farm really is in a fallow state and trading a couple of the better prospects for the dubious names that were available? I just don't see that as moving forward - now or in the future.

I do get the frustration, though. I very much feel it, too.

[Falls City Beer]

I wouldn't be completely opposed to a Homer for bat trade but that's just a transfer of "hope" is it not? Assuming you get the big bat in return for HB, we'd be hoping that Cueto comes back fully healthy and that Cingrani and Stephenson are both ready to fill in for Bailey and Arroyo, no?

I don't know that it's a minimalist offensive approach from the FO so much as a minimal amount of near MLB ready offensive talent from the farm that is our biggest constraint.

Pitching and hitting are now reversed in value in the market (or pretty close to it). I know why it's a minimal offense, and yes, a thin farm is one of the causes. But so is hoarding pitching. Sure Cueto got hurt and may never contribute again. But when guys like Westbrook, Leake, Locke, can anchor rotation spots with great success, you have to appreciate that it's probably not all that hard to fill the back end (or maybe a front end) of a rotation these days. The days of needing 4 K-heavy bulldozers in your rotation in order to contend are well over.

The Reds, even now with Cueto, Broxton, and Marshall out, still have a surplus of pitching relative to the league. The same cant be said about their offense.

I'll say again, I give the FO a mulligan for this season, as the market shift and decrease in trade activity have caused a disruption that even cagey front offices are getting stumped by. But something should give in the offseason. Some rethinking what "makes a winner" in this altered landscape.

[LeDoux]

The Reds have an excellent corner infielder to play LF; it is a shame that he roams CF on a nightly basis.

[mth123]

The only hitters traded this summer were (drumroll please)... Alfonso Soriano and Justin Maxwell.

Who do you propose they should have gotten that was available?

Maxwell would have been a nice addition.