Reds Love on Foxsports.com

[reds44]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5770588

. How, um, wild will the NL Wild-Card chase get?
This one's a mess. Right now, seven teams — or almost half the league — are within three games of the Wild-Card lead in the NL. That's a crowded fray to say the least. The Dodgers, Reds, Rockies, Giants, Brewers, Astros and Diamondbacks all have shots at the final NL playoff berth, so you can bet it'll be a frenzied stretch drive in the senior circuit.

Our take: We'll put our money on the potent bats and decidedly easier schedule of the Reds. Cincinnati will also get Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen and Grant Balfour back in the second half, so they'll have pitching options.

[Ltlabner]

will also get Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen and Grant Balfour back in the second half, so they'll have pitching options.

Yes, but will they be good options for us?

But it is nice to get a little props from someone outside of the city.

[Falls City Beer]

Easier schedule?

I doubt it.

[KronoRed]

Put those 3 together and they might be better then what we have..Maybe

[Reds Fanatic]

When your hopes for the 2nd half rest on Paul Wilson and Brandon Claussen you are in trouble.

[vaticanplum]

Here we go with the fact checking problems again! Here is the typo they missed:

Our take: We'll put our money on the potent bats and decidedly easier schedule of the Reds. Cincinnati will also get Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen and Grant Balfour back in the second half, so they'll have pitching liabilities.

[Redhook]

Chances of them pitching for the Reds this year:

Balfour: 0.5%
Wilson: 1.0%
Claussen: 100%

Chances they'll help the team this year:

Balfour: 0.001%
Wilson: 0.005%
Claussen: 75%

[kheidg-]

Chances of them pitching for the Reds this year:

Balfour: 0.5%
Wilson: 1.0%
Claussen: 100%

Chances they'll help the team this year:

Balfour: 0.001%
Wilson: 0.005%
Claussen: 75%

Good post. But I think Balfour might be a bit higher on the scale. I'm looking forward to see if Claussen can string together a few good starts. I've all but given up on Wilson.

[goreds2]

We can't give up on Wilson. He is a veteran and a good leader. If he can go number 5 in the rotation and give us 5 to 6 good innings each time, this will be huge.

I am confident our offense will kick in (can you say EDWIN?) and take pressure off the bullpen. :wilson:

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

Just a thought but wouldn't Paul Wilson be a good fit in the long relief spot, I would also like to see the reds pick up a top notch starter and bump Ez to the bullpen as well. Giving us Ez, Wilson, Belisle, Mercker, Weathers, and Guardado in the pen. Also any chance Narron could visit the bullpen in the 7th inning and try to fire those guys up before they go out. There is a break for the 7th inning stretch and I think it's obvious that something needs to be done to get those guys some confidence out there.

[WVRedsFan]

If Paul wilson ever pitches again in a MLB uniform it will shock me. Even if he does, he'll be Chris Hammond. Don't count on him.

I can't say much about Balfour because I haven't heard much news, but experience tells me that an injured pitcher is a liability.

Brandon Claussen is a much better choice than Joe Mays or almost anyone we can afford. If he decides to carefully challenge hitters with strikes, he can be effective. If he decides to nibble, as is his custom, he'll get bombed again and again.

It's time for the Reds to appoint an "interim" pitching coach and not Tommy Hume. I'd vote for anyone who will teach our pitchers to pitch inside and move people off the plate. The one thing this staff has lacked for too daggone long is an aggressive pitching staff. We have a staff made up of nice guys.

[kheidg-]

If Paul wilson ever pitches again in a MLB uniform it will shock me. Even if he does, he'll be Chris Hammond. Don't count on him.

I can't say much about Balfour because I haven't heard much news, but experience tells me that an injured pitcher is a liability.

Brandon Claussen is a much better choice than Joe Mays or almost anyone we can afford. If he decides to carefully challenge hitters with strikes, he can be effective. If he decides to nibble, as is his custom, he'll get bombed again and again.

It's time for the Reds to appoint an "interim" pitching coach and not Tommy Hume. I'd vote for anyone who will teach our pitchers to pitch inside and move people off the plate. The one thing this staff has lacked for too daggone long is an aggressive pitching staff. We have a staff made up of nice guys.

Exactly. The only Reds pitcher I've seen try to throw inside lately has been Standridge.

[oregonred]

"Our take: We'll put our money on the potent bats and decidedly easier schedule of the Reds. Cincinnati will also get Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen and Grant Balfour back in the second half, so they'll have pitching options."

With that kind of in depth analysis and can't miss pitching upgrades. Sign me up for playoff tickets!

[GAC]

"Our take: We'll put our money on the potent bats and decidedly easier schedule of the Reds. Cincinnati will also get Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen and Grant Balfour back in the second half, so they'll have pitching options."

With that kind of in depth analysis and can't miss pitching upgrades. Sign me up for playoff tickets!

I've started printing mine!

Mays will be relegated to the BP once Claussen comes back. Talk about compouding a problem.

Wilson, as gutsy as he is, will, IMO, never pitch again.

And Krivksy knows they have to do something to improve this BP... not only to even have a shot this year; but MORE IMPORTANTLY, to save the arms of guys like Arroyo and Harang.

[Redhook]

Just a thought but wouldn't Paul Wilson be a good fit in the long relief spot, I would also like to see the reds pick up a top notch starter and bump Ez to the bullpen as well. Giving us Ez, Wilson, Belisle, Mercker, Weathers, and Guardado in the pen. Also any chance Narron could visit the bullpen in the 7th inning and try to fire those guys up before they go out. There is a break for the 7th inning stretch and I think it's obvious that something needs to be done to get those guys some confidence out there.

IF, and it's a big IF, Wilson comes back putting him in the pen is not a bad idea. I just don't see him coming back this year.

Having said that, why would you put EZ in the pen? He's been a consistent #3 starter for us this year. And he has the potential to be really good for a long time. Do I think he's a #3 starter right now? No. I think he's a very good #4 and would be a great #5 starter. A couple of moves could make that happen. I do think he has the potential to be a very good #3 starter next year and beyond. Putting him in the bullpen just doesn't make any sense. At all.