reds offense

[webbbj]

is it just me or are they very hot and cold offensively? they have the top scoring offense in the league but also lead the league in being shut out. they have many games where they put up 8+ and too many where they are at 3 or less.

so what does this mean? is it just variance and they will eventually consinstently put up 5-6 runs every nite instead all the highs and lows?

[crazyjdawg]

They are good at hitting, terrible at plate discipline. When they're hitting the ball right, they can't be stopped. When they are playing against a veteran pitcher who throws strikes, they seem to get an itchy "trigger finger" if you know what I mean. They don't walk unless the guy is missing by a mile. Votto and Hanigan are really the only ones who have the patience to look at a borderline ball.

[sivman17]

It means if they get hot at the right time they can win the World Series. If they aren't hot they can miss the playoffs.

[GIDP]

They are completely hit based. They dont walk a lot and they strike out more than average. If they arent smacking hits they likely dont score that many runs. I think its that simple.

Their BB/K rate is 7th worst in the majors.

Its not that its bad when they lose although they have been shut out a ton, its just that when you swing as much as they do and make at little contact as they do its easy for the other pitcher to get into a groove and for the Reds to give up easy easy out.

[ian_madden]

I think earlier in the year they had really good plate discipline. They would have 9, 10 pitch at bats and even if they didn't get a hit, this is good for the team. This leads to more pitches being thrown by the starter, whom then tires quicker, and makes a mistake pitch, then leads to hits that leads to runs. Plate discipline also leads to the bullpen quicker. More times than not the bullpen is not as good as the starter. Which will also lead to more hits, and in return more runs.

I realize that they have struck out a lot, but as long as its not a quick K, its not as bad. have good at bats, take some pitches, tire the pitcher. It will only help the team.
But yes it has been feast or famine with this team.

And no I don't believe this team will settle into a groove and simply score 5 or 6 runs a game. They will have their really good games (tonight), and they will have their really bad games (seems like every Sunday).

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by ian_madden

I think earlier in the year they had really good plate discipline. They would have 9, 10 pitch at bats and even if they didn't get a hit, this is good for the team. This leads to more pitches being thrown by the starter, whom then tires quicker, and makes a mistake pitch, then leads to hits that leads to runs. Plate discipline also leads to the bullpen quicker. More times than not the bullpen is not as good as the starter. Which will also lead to more hits, and in return more runs.

I realize that they have struck out a lot, but as long as its not a quick K, its not as bad. have good at bats, take some pitches, tire the pitcher. It will only help the team.
But yes it has been feast or famine with this team.

And no I don't believe this team will settle into a groove and simply score 5 or 6 runs a game. They will have their really good games (tonight), and they will have their really bad games (seems like every Sunday).

What basically happens is that since they swing so much that when they are off they tend to be off or go 1-2-3 after scoring 2 runs just like the first game in the brewer series. They can put them on the board as quick as anyone but they also can go quiet just as quick. Its the nature of the beast right now. Gomes isnt going to change, Cabrera isnt going to change, Phillips has improved, although I havent checked recently, but likely isnt going to stop being a hacker.

Rolen, Votto, Bruce, Stubbs, and Hanigan are basically the only batters that work a count. Some better than others but they do go up there and try to work it.

Add in that the bench consist of Nix who basically is an all or nothing batter and hardly walks unless its an IBB, and Cairo who seems to put the ball in play quickly its going to be hard to change the way the offense works.

[Kingspoint]

We're 12th in the National League at making "productive outs".

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...-batting.shtml

San Diego is 2nd.
St. Louis is 3rd.
San Francisco is 4th.
Atlanta is 9th.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by ian_madden

I think earlier in the year they had really good plate discipline. They would have 9, 10 pitch at bats and even if they didn't get a hit, this is good for the team. This leads to more pitches being thrown by the starter, whom then tires quicker, and makes a mistake pitch, then leads to hits that leads to runs. Plate discipline also leads to the bullpen quicker. More times than not the bullpen is not as good as the starter. Which will also lead to more hits, and in return more runs.

I realize that they have struck out a lot, but as long as its not a quick K, its not as bad. have good at bats, take some pitches, tire the pitcher. It will only help the team.
But yes it has been feast or famine with this team.

And no I don't believe this team will settle into a groove and simply score 5 or 6 runs a game. They will have their really good games (tonight), and they will have their really bad games (seems like every Sunday).

Good post. I agree. They have fallen in to bad habits and their plate discipline isn't what it was earlier in the year.