The rest of the Reds season

[AmarilloRed]

Their starting pitching has really been good, the offense has come around,and the Reds defense is really improved. Call me crazy, but I think we can catch the Brewers by the end of June and take over the division by july. A 7-game lead will take some time to overcome. The Brewers are a really good team, but right now they are overachieving and they will come back down to earth. Of course this all hinges on us finding a way to fix our bullpen.

[Will M]

Their starting pitching has really been good, the offense has come around,and the Reds defense is really improved. Call me crazy, but I think we can catch the Brewers by the end of June and take over the division by july. A 7-game lead will take some time to overcome. The Brewers are a really good team, but right now they are overachieving and they will come back down to earth.

IMO we really need someone who can be a true closer.
I like Weathers but as an 8th inning guy.

[Screwball]

Their starting pitching has really been good, the offense has come around,and the Reds defense is really improved.

I agree with you, but our achilles heel is our bullpen. It's tough to make up 7 games in the standings with the worst bullpen in the league.

[Marc D]

Call me crazy, but I think we can catch the Brewers by the end of June and take over the division by july.

OK, your crazy.

No way, no how. This team is going to be 10+ out by the end of May. Too many holes and Jerry can't get the most out of what little he's got. The SP will come back to earth, the pen isn't going to get any better, the D is still spoty and the O won't be able to overcome all that.

[AmarilloRed]

I think youre a little pessimistic; our only real weakness is our bullpen. You will be pleasantly surprised by our rotation,our offense has been giving us 5-10 runs a game,and Hamilton and Gonzalez have improved our defense. Our bullpen is the only thing losing us games; fix that and we will win the division.

[redsupport]

20-25 games out, no bullpen, no situational hitting, five games blown already

[FutureRedsGM]

I think youre a little pessimistic; our only real weakness is our bullpen. You will be pleasantly surprised by our rotation,our offense has been giving us 5-10 runs a game,and Hamilton and Gonzalez have improved our defense. Our bullpen is the only thing losing us games; fix that and we will win the division.

I agree, and I think most others will too, that the bullpen is the most glaring weekness on this team. I think if the reds can acquire a real, fireballing, lights out closer, they can contend. Unfortunately, that closer is not already in the pen and not Eddie Guardado either. Weathers needs to be pushed to set-up duty but we have no one that can push him into that role.

The Brewers are probably playing a little above their heads right now and I expect them to falter some. Both Sheets and Capuano are on the DL. THIS is the time to make up some games.

[Redsman80]

Crazy

[coachw513]

I agree, and I think most others will too, that the bullpen is the most glaring weekness on this team. I think if the reds can acquire a real, fireballing, lights out closer, they can contend. Unfortunately, that closer is not already in the pen and not Eddie Guardado either. Weathers needs to be pushed to set-up duty but we have no one that can push him into that role.

The Brewers are probably playing a little above their heads right now and I expect them to falter some. Both Sheets and Capuano are on the DL. THIS is the time to make up some games.

If the Brewers sustain this start over the next month especially with the injuries to the pitching, watch out...they have a little of the "out of nowhere run away and hide" smell to them...

It's all about bullpen stability...accomplished by:

1. striking blow by WK...a well-thought out trade to make things better immediately (which I don't think will happen until #2 below plays itself out)...

2. healthy returns by Bray, Maj and Guardado in that order (only because I'm not convinced Eddie's gonna be healthy for a year with that injury)...Bray is so important if Stanton continues to have some inconsistency...we need Coutlangus as a LOOGY only and Bray gives us a 2nd lefty who can give "important" innings...

3. better luck...instead of a bloop here and a dink there, we start getting a DP here, a lineout there and the bullpen's results level off to their norm...not the 14 scoreless innings but a much more stable pen...(question: What is the bullpen's BABIP so far???)

4. Salmon and/or Coffey giving the Reds a true, consistent 8th inning power guy...

We wouldn't need all of these, but any 2 of them probably gives us the stability necessary to compete...simply not having 3 of the 8th inning implosions would give us a 17-14 record and we'd be in good position, ESPECIALLY since we didn't hit for a couple of weeks...

This would be a good week to prove the Astros aren't going to be treating us like their ugly stepchild this season