This Nationals Series

[redssince75]

Given the way we struggled to score runs against the Cubs, and we're on the road, and the Nationals had just been swept by the Cardinals, I can't find anything surprising about the last 3 games. Still, very disappointing and frustrating.

[Kc61]

Given the way we struggled to score runs against the Cubs, and we're on the road, and the Nationals had just been swept by the Cardinals, I can't find anything surprising about the last 3 games. Still, very disappointing and frustrating.

Just keep in mind that the Reds have a murderous schedule in April. My own view before the season was that .500 in April wouldn't be bad.

Six games at St. Louis. Seven with the Nats who won 98 games. Three with the Callifornia Angels of Anaheim California of the West Coast, USA.

Even the Pirates who tend to play well early and swept the Reds in Pittsburgh.

Also, the Reds have faced some very tough pitchers.

So all is not lost. I'd like to see XPaul in left, or maybe a new stop gap acquisition. But they will get it going.

[Mutaman]

Just keep in mind that the Reds have a murderous schedule in April. My own view before the season was that .500 in April wouldn't be bad.

Six games at St. Louis. Seven with the Nats who won 98 games. Three with the Callifornia Angels of Anaheim California of the West Coast, USA.

Even the Pirates who tend to play well early and swept the Reds in Pittsburgh.

Also, the Reds have faced some very tough pitchers.

So all is not lost. I'd like to see XPaul in left, or maybe a new stop gap acquisition. But they will get it going.

Agreed. Although we need JC healthy. But the efforts by Latos and Homer have been really positive. What we really need is for one guy to step up and start producing like Ludwick did down the stretch last year.

[RedlegJake]

I agree mutaman. All that seems lacking offensively is a guy to step it up. Could br the old Votto with powrr or BP or a Bruce hot streak. The 2 hole remains a problem but even that doesn't account for the sluggish offense. I am convinced as long as the pitching remains solid thr O will heat up with the weather. They will be fine. Plus the schedule gets easier after April. This was a murderous month to start out. Teams with good pitching in almost every series.

[757690]

Reds lost their cleanup hitter and number one starter, and had a brutal scnedule. Finishing April around .500 is a victory in my mind.

[Mutaman]

Which is not to say 8 straight losses on the road is not hard to take. Particularly, as I recall, Baker teams have always played well on the road.

[1940757690]

Reds lost their cleanup hitter and number one starter, and had a brutal scnedule. Finishing April around .500 is a victory in my mind.

This is right. Resets how I'm thinking about it given what I've witnessed close up these past two days.

Is odd though. We're looking near exactly like the Nats were looking before we came into DC. That Nats, pre Reds visit, had been swept not just by the Cards but also by the mediocre Mets. Except for Harper, no O, day after day. The Nats' Heisey is Espinosa but Espinosa plays more consistently than Heisey causing even more self inflicted harm. Some shaky performances by the aces (most of all Strasburg who has yet to stabilize like Zimmerman and Gio). Now, that's us. Our starters haven't been better. Our pen hasn't been helping. And the O continues to be pretty anemic though most of those things improved some today.

I'll be there again tomorrow and I'm really hoping Tony wow's us. Especially against Detwiler, who's arguably done the best job for the Nats so far this year. I'm ready for my team to leave my town just for a change of scenery that can get us winning again. Also so I can root for the Nats again instead of wishing them ill as I have been (without regret).

[Gizmo]

Will be nice to see Cingrani in action live. I hope he's a stud tomorrow and I can finally see a winner here and not worry about stopping my daughter from cheering along with the fans lol

[Redsfansince72]

the REDS go 0-10 on this trip, please dont tell me your ok with that!!! THAT will not sell tickets!! tired of the lack of hitting approach for EVERY game.. when your down 1-0 in the ninth and your team makes 3 outs on 5 pitches, thats not focusing on the game at hand, thats more worried what museum your going to go see after the game.. I want a leader to step it up and call a players meeting and stop this awful road record.. do soemthing different, not make excuses on how great the other teams pitchers are.. Haren was the Worst starter on the Nationals.. we made him look like the two that pitched the day before.. PLUS this team doesnt get on base and when it does, they dont steal, no 1st to 3rd like 2010 and all is ok with dusty on this.. GRRRR

[cincyinco]

Good lord people..

Its April.

[Kc61]

Good lord people..

Its April.

It may be early to criticize the team's performance. But I don't think it's too early to see flaws in a ballclub.

Last year, early on, I saw deep flaws in the offense. The team had only two lefty hitters among position players early on. The team had no OBP guys except Votto.

This year, just IMO, those flaws aren't still present. The one major flaw I see in the team is the unfortunate result of injury, the LF situation. We already have threads on that and it's just an unfortunate turn of events that Ludwick got hurt.

In terms of the Reds' hitting, keep in mind that the NL's average OPS this season is .700 even. That's 18 points below last year's league average OPS. Offenses are down, generally, around the league. The Reds' team OPS is down from .726 to .718. So hitting is a league wide problem so far.

If the Reds would change their approach to filling LF, I think they would be fine with no major weaknesses - on paper.

[Red Raindog]

The Reds are 5th in runs scored - 6th in on base % - 19th in batting average and 20th in slugging % -- they have played 16 of their 25 games at the hitter's paradise called GABP - so you can pick and choose the offense's numbers to make about any point.

The pitching staff has given a 3.45 ERA during that time with our ace and a stud reliever missing.

What does this all mean?

Ludwick's loss has been more of a problem than I expected. The pitching has been even better than I think we should have expected with the injuries incurred.

IMO -- it is early and the team does have a winning record. I see reasons for concern because the offense has scored 38 of the 118 runs in three of the games so they are averaging 3.64 runs in the other 22 games. If that is going to continue it is going to be a long and painful season that will not meet anyone's expectations.

For now - I'm trying to play happy ♫ in my head but keeping the handy!

[Kc61]

Ludwick's loss has been more of a problem than I expected. The pitching has been even better than I think we should have expected with the injuries incurred.

!

And even the problems caused by Luwick's loss have been compounded IMO by an unrealistic view of what Heisey would bring to the offense.

In other words, even with the loss of Ludwick, i don't see a deep flaw in the ballclub because (a) it's temporary and (b) IMO management can find ways to improve LF without too much difficulty.

So I'm still hopeful despite this bad stretch.

[klw]

This April's Nationals series reminds me of last April's Nationals series.

[Gizmo]

I'm more concerned with the October Nationals series.