3-24-21 Reds vs Rangers 9:05pm

[Ron Madden]

Reds
1. Dee Strange-Gordon (L) 2B
2. Nick Castellanos (R) RF
3. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B
4. Eugenio Suarez (R) SS
5. Tucker Barnhart (L) C
6. Tyler Stephenson (R) DH
7. Tyler Naquin (L) CF
8. Aristides Aquino (R) LF
9. Alex Blandino (R) 1B
SP Tony Santillan (R)


Rangers
1. Leody Taveras (S) CF
2. Nate Lowe (L) 1B
3. Joey Gallo (L) RF
4. Rougned Odor (L) 3B
5. Andy Ibanez (R) 2B
6. Jose Trevino (R) C
7. Charlie Culberson (R) SS
8. Delino DeShields (R) LF
9. Anderson Tejeda (S) DH
SP Hyeon-Jong Yang (L)

[texasdave]

I've been spending too much time with my grandkids lately. I thought this thread's title was Reds vs. Power Rangers. With a MegaZord hitting cleanup, that's no contest right there.

[M2]

I've been spending too much time with my grandkids lately. I thought this thread's title was Reds vs. Power Rangers. With a MegaZord hitting cleanup, that's no contest right there.

Reds gotta sign this guy.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/90/44/2f/90442f9ed4b1dd0f486a60bac5207b32.gif

[goreds2]

The game only looks to be on 700wlw radio.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Reds gotta sign this guy.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/90/44/2f/90442f9ed4b1dd0f486a60bac5207b32.gif

Looks to be a leader, but is he juicing?

Also, what with all this posing crap? That ain't baseball!

[gagliano]

Not much baseball on tv this spring. Bummer.

[CySeymour]

I know they are only spring training lineups, but seeing Tucker penciled in hitting 5th so many times has me worried.

[LeDoux]

I've been spending too much time with my grandkids lately. I thought this thread's title was Reds vs. Power Rangers. With a MegaZord hitting cleanup, that's no contest right there.

For your own mental health keep those precious kids away from Blippi. I could watch many hours of power rangers to avoid 5 minutes of Blippi.

[Ron Madden]

The Rangers lineup has been added to the original post

[JaxRed]

The Rangers lineup has been added to the original post

Our lineup much better. Their cleanup hitter stinks.

[mth123]

Seems awfully late in Spring to be going with so many scrubs. We should have starting position players out there going 9 innings by now. This team hasn't seemed ready to open the season for the last several years. I think it's because the scrubs are playing too much and the main guys aren't out there getting ready. That's true of both the position players and the pitchers IMO.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Seems awfully late in Spring to be going with so many scrubs. We should have starting position players out there going 9 innings by now. This team hasn't seemed ready to open the season for the last several years. I think it's because the scrubs are playing too much and the main guys aren't out there getting ready. That's true of both the position players and the pitchers IMO.

I suspect they're trying to figure out the last few roster spots.

[mth123]

I suspect they're trying to figure out the last few roster spots.

I agree but if they haven't figured it out by now, these last couple games aren't going to mean much. Seems like a lesser use of the PT available.

[UPRedsFan]

Our lineup much better. Their cleanup hitter stinks.

That’s Rough

[M2]

I know they are only spring training lineups

That's where you've got to stop and spare yourself the bother.

[M2]

Seems awfully late in Spring to be going with so many scrubs. We should have starting position players out there going 9 innings by now. This team hasn't seemed ready to open the season for the last several years. I think it's because the scrubs are playing too much and the main guys aren't out there getting ready. That's true of both the position players and the pitchers IMO.

I am 100% sure the guys not playing in the ST games are getting in more cage and fielding work than the guys who are.

[westofyou]

I am 100% sure the guys not playing in the ST games are getting in more cage and fielding work than the guys who are.

They’ll be playing all year. I’m pretty sure we will see plenty of starters real soon.

I find ST games tedious, it’s all exhibition baseball and it’s obvious the games don’t matter, back in the day if you weren’t there you’d just see a box score and that would be enough until late spring when they’d start broadcasting some games regularly

[mth123]

I am 100% sure the guys not playing in the ST games are getting in more cage and fielding work than the guys who are.

I'm sure they are getting practice, but working on their skills is not the same as grinding out a game for 9 innings on back to back days. The starters should be doing that this week. What are they going to find out about Farmer and Blandino who have both been in the organization for multiple years? If they don't know about them by now, a couple more games isn't going to clear anything up. Naquin is a vet with 1000+ career PAs and an OPS+ of 100. He seems like a no brainer for the bench. I just don't see what these last few games are going to sort out. I'd rather use the PT to get the starters acclimated to regular season conditions.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I'm sure they are getting practice, but working on their skills is not the same as grinding out a game for 9 innings on back to back days. The starters should be doing that this week. What are they going to find out about Farmer and Blandino who have both been in the organization for multiple years? If they don't know about them by now, a couple more games isn't going to clear anything up. Naquin is a vet with 1000+ career PAs and an OPS+ of 100. He seems like a no brainer for the bench. I just don't see what these last few games are going to sort out. I'd rather use the PT to get the starters acclimated to regular season conditions.

See how they hit with the pressure on against real pitching would seem to be a pretty good idea to me.

Pinch hitting and spot starting is all about the small sample. Find out who's stinging the ball and steal a couple wins early (a la Chris Heisey a decade ago).

[mth123]

See how they hit with the pressure on against real pitching would seem to be a pretty good idea to me.

Pinch hitting and spot starting is all about the small sample. Find out who's stinging the ball and steal a couple wins early (a la Chris Heisey a decade ago).

What pressure? They've been fighting for a job all spring, they've had plenty of pressure. Nothing anyone does in this game will separate the candidates. At this point it should be about getting ready for the season.

[ochoa30]

Reds might lose 20 games this spring. Whether it matters or not that’s not ideal.

[Bourgeois Zee]

What pressure? They've been fighting for a job all spring, they've had plenty of pressure. Nothing anyone does in this game will separate the candidates. At this point it should be about getting ready for the season.

And now it's down to brass tacks. I'd argue this is as much pressure as they'll face throughout most of the regular season.

If they flourish now, I'd feel better about them flourishing in April.

[Kc61]

Reds might lose 20 games this spring. Whether it matters or not that’s not ideal.

Anyone unhappy about the W-L should definitely avoid reading Reds’ ST pitching stats.

Reds’ offensive numbers are more pleasant, I try to stick to those.

[UPRedsFan]

Naquin goes the other way with a double against a left handed pitcher.
I think he’s making this team.

[757690]

Aquino with an RBI single. Another good AB this spring by him.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Anyone unhappy about the W-L should definitely avoid reading Reds’ ST pitching stats.

Reds’ offensive numbers are more pleasant, I try to stick to those.

If it helps:

- Bad numbers can be dismissed as small samples
- Bad numbers can also be dismissed if players are "working on things."
- Bad numbers can also be dismissed if the player says that he's just looking to find "rhythm."
- "Feeling good out there" is a sure sign for seasonal success (even if it's accompanied by bad stat lines).
- Good numbers can be accepted as gospel because of a new swing.
- Good numbers can also be accepted as gospel if the player has discussed "a new approach".
- Players who mention a "new swing plane" are almost assured of MVP-level seasons.
- "Best shape of my life" always means good things.
- "Getting serious about baseball" and "I just want to have fun" are both exceptionally good news and sure signs that he is indeed "feeling good out there".
- Never trust a man who hits himself in the Jimmie every time he does something good.

[texasdave]

Reds gotta sign this guy.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/90/44/2f/90442f9ed4b1dd0f486a60bac5207b32.gif

With Yasiel Puig gone, this guy will be needed when we go up against the Pirates.

[MikeS21]

Our guys are “working” on things. Their guys are “working” on things. So why does it seem that the other guys seem to have better success working on things than when our guys work on things?

[HammerTime]

Nice to see another solid outing from Doolittle.

[757690]

Doolittle and Bedrosian with strong innings.

Bedrosian with 3 K’s. He now has 14K’s for the spring. He’s only faced 29 batters.

[M2]

I'm sure they are getting practice, but working on their skills is not the same as grinding out a game for 9 innings on back to back days. The starters should be doing that this week. What are they going to find out about Farmer and Blandino who have both been in the organization for multiple years? If they don't know about them by now, a couple more games isn't going to clear anything up. Naquin is a vet with 1000+ career PAs and an OPS+ of 100. He seems like a no brainer for the bench. I just don't see what these last few games are going to sort out. I'd rather use the PT to get the starters acclimated to regular season conditions.

I assume the idea is to have them build to opening day and be fresh for the start of the season rather than have them grinding it out before the season starts. Frankly, I'd rather have the prospective regulars getting in a few extra cage sessions in advance of the season. I'm not particularly worried that guys who've spent decades playing baseball are going to forget how to play the game if they don't do it every day in exhibition games.

[JaxRed]

Blandino has cooled off. Now 1 for last 11

[757690]

Aquino with his first HR of the spring. He’s looked good at the plate, but he also made an error the previous inning. He’s made a few of those in the field and on the bases.

[mth123]

I assume the idea is to have them build to opening day and be fresh for the start of the season rather than have them grinding it out before the season starts. Frankly, I'd rather have the prospective regulars getting in a few extra cage sessions in advance of the season. I'm not particularly worried that guys who've spent decades playing baseball are going to forget how to play the game if they don't do it every day in exhibition games.

It's not about forgetting how to play. It's about being ready to play 9 innings. We've seen early in the season guys get taken out mid-game with the explanation that it's eary and they need to build up to going 9 innings every day. Isn't that what Spring Training is for?

[Umkubas]

Blandino has cooled off. Now 1 for last 11

Hopefully, Blandino returns to a double every third at bat but he has been given a chance to produce with the bat but now is failing........very disappointed

[CySeymour]

It's not about forgetting how to play. It's about being ready to play 9 innings. We've seen early in the season guys get taken out mid-game with the explanation that it's eary and they need to build up to going 9 innings every day. Isn't that what Spring Training is for?

Position players? I honestly can never remember that happening. Plus right now the only regular I would say there's a concern about that is Votto, and I highly doubt he'd have any issues playing a full game even now.

[Ron Madden]

Levi Weaver
@ThreeTwoEephus
The Rangers have defeated the Reds by a score of Nobody Got Injured to Finally, One Day Without An Injury, Thank God