Reds General Discussion 2026, Part 2

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Marty Brenneman was on WLW this morning and he said that the Reds asked him to play Winter ball this past Fall and he refused. Can you imagine Sal Stewart refusing such a request? He did not come to ST prepared. He's made no effort to learn English. I'm seeing signs of Willie Greene in this guy but he can go to Louisville and prove me wrong. My guess is that he's traded before the deadline this summer

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The last person I ever listen to when wanting a fair take on things is Marty Brenneman. Seems right though that Marty would be out front of tearing down a young Reds player.

With that said it was reported by the Reds back in October that Marte would be playing winter ball in the DR so I would assume they didn't just come out and say that without asking him which tells me at some point the plan was to play. Do we know what happened to not play if he didn't?

Why does he need to learn to speak English? Does that make him hit the ball better?

I have no idea if Sal Stewart refused to play in winter league but since we don't know any of the details I am not sure we can say he would never decide to not participate in something.

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Originally Posted by RedTeamGo!

So? And how do you even know this?

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I'm basing that on the fact that he needs a translator to do interviews whereas Elly no longer does. He's been playing ball in our country since 2021. That's long enough to learn enough English to do an interview if he was making an effort. That's what my comment is based on

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Originally Posted by shaggy

The last person I ever listen to when wanting a fair take on things is Marty Brenneman. Seems right though that Marty would be out front of tearing down a young Reds player.

With that said it was reported by the Reds back in October that Marte would be playing winter ball in the DR so I would assume they didn't just come out and say that without asking him which tells me at some point the plan was to play. Do we know what happened to not play if he didn't?

Why does he need to learn to speak English? Does that make him hit the ball better?

I have no idea if Sal Stewart refused to play in winter league but since we don't know any of the details I am not sure we can say he would never decide to not participate in something.

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Learning English is a sign of his attitude and work ethic

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Originally Posted by NebraskaRed

Hinds coming up, Marte going down.

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Bout time!

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Originally Posted by Kc61

Here’s my take on this Marte thing. Reds entered ST with an absence of lefty hitting. They paid $1.4 million for Bleday and they obviously weren’t sold on him, they sent him down.

Tito, being an experienced manager, knows you can’t have 6 consecutive RHH against RHP in the lineup every day. So Reds decided they would try Benson. He showed some power last year when much of the team had little power.

The obvious spots for Benson were RF or LF. Reds chose Steer in the lineup over Marte who struggled late last season. They used Marte against lefties as the remaining RHH outfielder. They know it’s been a weakness, but give it a try, young player, needs the reps against LHP to become a more complete hitter.

Main problem is you don’t construct a roster this way. There is no team in baseball whose default lineup against RHP contains just two LHH. There was no perfect solution to this poor team construction. They now have to make some changes.

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I agree with the roster construction being the root of the problem. Keeping a 27/28 year old who has failed two years in a row and signing a couple guys off the scrap heap was not the way to address the OF.

I think Marte, because of his age, upside and success vs RHP in 2025, should have gotten the clear first crack compared to the alternatives. I also think, and noted several times, that he came with a huge risk of failure because he strikes out a lot and doesn't walk.

At the end of the day. They all failed. Some of it is from the Reds not putting them in a position to succeed. Some of it is because the group as a whole isn't very good. Now they have 90% of the season to play and no adequate answers in house to solve the OF problem that they have.

Time to start cutting bait on some guys. I'd give Bleday a look, but when he fails, I think I'd stick with Freidl (assuming he gets back to where he was last year) and as much youth as they can find (probably Hinds and H-Rod with Marte a possibility if he goes down and hits, improves his glove and is past whatever sins that put him in the doghouse). Meanwhile, I'd start looking at the trade market which probably means dealing off some prospects that we'd rather keep around.

I'd start giving Arroyo some time in the OF as well. The MI is blocked. If they can't deal him for an OF, he might be the best answer in house or would be a pretty solid option as a supersub who can actually play all the positions.

Rather than beat him up on stalled progress I am hoping Marte can fix his swing and sharpen his game. As for the other stuff, don't care

The team looks bad. The offense looks horrible. But the good news is it's still early and other teams are struggling as well.

Brewers just got swept by the Nats, have lost 5 straight and are facing the BlueJays this week. Reds for all their struggles are 9-7, and only 4 teams in all of MLB have a better record.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I'm basing that on the fact that he needs a translator to do interviews whereas Elly no longer does. He's been playing ball in our country since 2021. That's long enough to learn enough English to do an interview if he was making an effort. That's what my comment is based on

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Learning English is a sign of his attitude and work ethic

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Many players that speak english but it is not their 1st language use translators because they want to make sure they do not say something wrong. Ichiro famously spoke english fluently, but used a translator:

https://www.gq.com/story/ichiro-suzu...ust-fine-moron

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chiro has his own reasons for why he continues to use a translator in media interviews. In a 2011 interview, via a translator, of course, he told John Hickey of Sportspress Northwest: “We have to connect to our fans through the media, and when you talk about that, it's got to come from your heart. And when it comes from your heart, it has to be absolutely consistent. There’s a big risk you take without an interpreter, because as professional baseball players, we are here to perform baseball, not to learn a language.”

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Ohtani does the same, he speaks english, but uses a translator to avoid any potential miscommunication

Has there been any news on CES? Not sure when the waivers claims are processed and/or when he can accept/decline the assignment.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I think Marte is a headcase who has way more talent than any of the other OF candidates (and it's not even close). If they are going to get something out of the talent (even if it's just a trade return) he should be put in a position to succeed. Marte had a 5.3 to 1 K/BB ratio last year and definitely comes with huge risk of failure. He also has a past of being suspended, looking completely unsure of himself when things go wrong (such as 2024 and his time as a 3B) and being the best returning bat on the roster vs RHP not named Elly. He's not had much success vs LHP (55 wRC+ in 2025 for example) and even the Reds themselves noted that he has a problem against them.

Why would they put a guy like that in a role like that? They know he's likely to fail and be a drag on the team's offense. They know he's been a guy who gets very uncomfortable when he's put in situations where he can't perform well (as evidenced by how he performed and their own assessment that he "wasn't relaxed" while playing 3B) and they know he's still a young player with a lot of potential and associated trade value. The last thing he and the team needed was for him to be pigeonholed in a role where they knew he was likely to fail. It's not like they put a guy with a history of success in there ahead of him vs RHP. I think he's been mishandled. It doesn't absolve him of his problems, but it certainly doesn't help the team or the player.

If they wanted to sit him for some transgression in practice, then sit him (or send him down). Don't stick him where he's at his worst. And please, don't try to convince me that a guy who has been a black hole vs RHP for two seasons in a row is a better choice.

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I see no problem with the Reds playing Marte against some LHPs. If he can't hit them he'd better learn. I would consider it "coddling" him to only play him vs RHPs. This is the big leagues. It's a no coddle zone

As for Marte:

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Yes, Cincinnati Reds player Noelvi Marte speaks conversational English, but he typically uses a translator for professional interviews and media engagements to ensure accuracy and avoid misinterpretation. While he has been developing his language skills since his time as a prospect, he often prefers to communicate via translators for detailed, on-the-record discussions.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+4
Context: Like many international MLB players, Marte understands English well but relies on interpreters to communicate complex feelings or technical topics properly.
Background: As a younger prospect, he was noted as having "good" conversational English but was hesitant to use it in official settings, which is common for ESL (English as a Second Language) players, as discussed by fans and analysts.
Recent Usage: In 2025, reports continued to note his interviews were conducted with the assistance of a translator.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+3

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I see no problem with the Reds playing Marte against some LHPs. If he can't hit them he'd better learn. I would consider it "coddling" him to only play him vs RHPs. This is the big leagues. It's a no coddle zone

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Was it coddling Benson only playing him against RHP or was it putting him in a position to succeed?


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Trying to pull balls on the outside barely in that box zone does not help. Almost one handed he does this.

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Originally Posted by RedTeamGo!

Many players that speak english but it is not their 1st language use translators because they want to make sure they do not say something wrong. Ichiro famously spoke english fluently, but used a translator:

https://www.gq.com/story/ichiro-suzu...ust-fine-moron



Ohtani does the same, he speaks english, but uses a translator to avoid any potential miscommunication

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I was going to mention Asian languages and how they differ from Spanish to English as I figured you'd come back with this. It is far harder for people to learn English from Japanese and vice versa. If you don't agree with me, that's fine but it is a completely different animal. If you go to Mexico you could still make out the meaning of a lot of signs. Go to Japan and you'll have no clue

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Originally Posted by LiferJim

Was it coddling Benson only playing him against RHP or was it putting him in a position to succeed?


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Benson should not be coddled either. He also deserves a demotion. But there is a difference between sitting LH hitters vs LH starters. The physics makes that a more difficult thing. The physics are in Marte's favor when facing a LH pitcher. He needs to get past this

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I was going to mention Asian languages and how they differ from Spanish to English as I figured you'd come back with this. It is far harder for people to learn English from Japanese and vice versa. If you don't agree with me, that's fine but it is a completely different animal. If you go to Mexico you could still make out the meaning of a lot of signs. Go to Japan and you'll have no clue

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Yes, Cincinnati Reds player Noelvi Marte speaks conversational English, but he typically uses a translator for professional interviews and media engagements to ensure accuracy and avoid misinterpretation. While he has been developing his language skills since his time as a prospect, he often prefers to communicate via translators for detailed, on-the-record discussions.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+4
Context: Like many international MLB players, Marte understands English well but relies on interpreters to communicate complex feelings or technical topics properly.
Background: As a younger prospect, he was noted as having "good" conversational English but was hesitant to use it in official settings, which is common for ESL (English as a Second Language) players, as discussed by fans and analysts.
Recent Usage: In 2025, reports continued to note his interviews were conducted with the assistance of a translator.
MLB.com
MLB.com
+3

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Originally Posted by RiverfrontRed

Maybe Marte is just not good.

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Yeah I think it's time to face reality. We had high hopes for Barrero and CES and to me Marte is another in the same mold as them. He has the physical tools to be a stud, but the lack of plate discipline and in Marte's case lack of baseball instincts is holding him back.

I'm not expecting Hinds to be a savior, but he will make the defense better when he's out there.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I see no problem with the Reds playing Marte against some LHPs. If he can't hit them he'd better learn. I would consider it "coddling" him to only play him vs RHPs. This is the big leagues. It's a no coddle zone

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I see a problem playing a guy vs Pitchers he has a 55 wRC+ against and sitting him against guys who he has a 119 wRC+ against while playing a guy with an 83 or so wRC+ against those some guys.

If you want him to get experience against LHP, then play him every day. Don't sit him when he's at his best so a guy who is about 30% worse can play instead.

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Originally Posted by LiferJim

Was it coddling Benson only playing him against RHP or was it putting him in a position to succeed?


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I would have never only played Marte against LHP to start the season; I would have had him playing every day whether that's with the Reds or in Louisville. But there really isn't a comparison to the stage that Marte and Benson are at in their careers. Benson is a somewhat known quantity in terms of his age that if he's going to be used, it should only be against RHP. Marte is young enough that he should have the opportunity to improve against the handedness that most right hand hitters do better against, and while his numbers coming in to the season against LHP were certainly not good, it's not as if we're talking about some huge sample size. If Marte is ever going to be an every day player, he needs reps against LHP whether that's in Cincinnati or Louisville rather than trying to make him a reverse platoon only option at his age.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Learning English is a sign of his attitude and work ethic

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No it isn't, he is being paid by the Reds to play baseball not speak a second language.

Do you also think that Ohtani has a bad attitude and no work ethic? I mean he has been playing here since 2018 and doesn't do interviews in English.

Also there is the issue of Marty being full of crap as always since Marte does speak English, its just he doesn't seem to do it the way Marty wants him to.

Marte getting picked off 3B had to be the final straw. I question this kid's motivation. Another Austin Kearns.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Benson should not be coddled either. He also deserves a demotion. But there is a difference between sitting LH hitters vs LH starters. The physics makes that a more difficult thing. The physics are in Marte's favor when facing a LH pitcher. He needs to get past this

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Yes he needs to get past that, but forcing him to do that at the expense of the team was clearly not a good idea. If that’s what they wanted or needed from him, that should have been done in AAA, not the major league level, as it was obviously already a problem.

Hopefully they learn from their mistakes and don’t make the same mistake with Hinds.


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Originally Posted by JCM11

Yeah I think it's time to face reality. We had high hopes for Barrero and CES and to me Marte is another in the same mold as them. He has the physical tools to be a stud, but the lack of plate discipline and in Marte's case lack of baseball instincts is holding him back.

I'm not expecting Hinds to be a savior, but he will make the defense better when he's out there.

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Might be right, but I don't think Barrero or CES had anywhere close to the level of talent that Marte has. It's probably going to be wasted, but it's a much bigger waste IMO. Barrero doesn't have Marte's power. CES has similar power without the speed and CES is even a lesser defender.

From a talent/tools standpoint, only EDLC is better than Marte on this roster.

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Originally Posted by Boss-Hog

I would have never only played Marte against LHP to start the season; I would have had him playing every day whether that's with the Reds or in Louisville. But there really isn't a comparison to the stage that Marte and Benson are at in their careers. Benson is a somewhat known quantity in terms of his age that if he's going to be used, it should only be against RHP. Marte is young enough that he should have the opportunity to improve against the handedness that most right hand hitters do better against, and while his numbers coming in to the season against LHP were certainly not good, it's not as if we're talking about some huge sample size. If Marte is ever going to be an every day player, he needs reps against LHP whether that's in Cincinnati or Louisville rather than trying to make him a reverse platoon only option at his age.

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I agree with this. I think he should have learned how to hit LHP in Louisville, before being forced to do it at the MLB level.


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Originally Posted by GAC

Marte getting picked off 3B had to be the final straw. I question this kid's motivation. Another Austin Kearns.

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I do enjoy how a 24 year old kid who was rushed to the big leagues by a bad organization has struggled and immediately his motivation and ability to speak English are what Reds fans focus on.

It is crazy to me how so many unmotivated, chain wearing, non english speaking, soft players all end up on the Reds.

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Originally Posted by mth123

I see a problem playing a guy vs Pitchers he has a 55 wRC+ against and sitting him against guys who he has a 119 wRC+ against while playing a guy with an 83 or so wRC+ against those some guys.

If you want him to get experience against LHP, them play him every day. Don't sit him when he's at his best so a guy who is about 30% worse can play instead.

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He started 3 games vs LH starters. 3 games. He started 6 games vs RH starters and he still can't hit a line drive. I'm not hanging my hat on those 3 games screwed him up. He hasn't looked good vs RHPs either. It's the major leagues. He's the only RH hitting right fielder we have. He's going to have to deal with 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games. If he has to be so coddled that he can't handle 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games then he's not worth a darn anyway. 3 starts

Lots of coding going on here, awesome restraint

My hunch -

Reds outfield against RHP will be Friedl LF, Hinds CF, Steer RF.

Against LHP will be Steer LF, Myers CF, Hinds RF.

Benson moves into a pure bench role. Friedl sits v lefties. Hinds plays everyday for now.

To get the third LHH into the lineup, we’ll see Lowe playing instead of Hayes a bit more often.

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Originally Posted by shaggy

I do enjoy how a 24 year old kid who was rushed to the big leagues by a bad organization has struggled and immediately his motivation and ability to speak English are what Reds fans focus on.

It is crazy to me how so many unmotivated, chain wearing, non english speaking, soft players all end up on the Reds.

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His English is one thing I mentioned that is a bad sign and you've decided to make a big deal about it. It's one of many signs with this guy. It's mainly other things. Don't blow up the language thing into more than it is. I think it's a big plus that Elly learned English. Kudos to him

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

His English is one thing I mentioned that is a bad sign and you've decided to make a big deal about it. It's one of many signs with this guy. It's mainly other things. Don't blow up the language thing into more than it is. I think it's a big plus that Elly learned English. Kudos to him

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I mean, it's been posted multiple times here that he does know English, he just chooses to do interviews in Spanish.

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Originally Posted by LiferJim

I agree with this. I think he should have learned how to hit LHP in Louisville, before being forced to do it at the MLB level.


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There are only so many good LHP out there and most of them are at the MLB level. It's why we see a lot of our young hitters including Elly struggle against LHP early on. All the good ones are at the MLB level. I don't think Marte is going to learn how to hit MLB quality LHP in AAA. HE might learn some plate discipline, but at 24 time is running out. H Rod has already shown much improved plate discipline at age 22.

Any language barrier is not the problem. There are tons of player from foreign lands, that need an interpreter yet hit the cover off the ball.

Heck, I couldn't understand Tony Perez or Davey Concepcion most of the time when they spoke ... "I see da ball. I heet the ball" LOL

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Originally Posted by JCM11

There are only so many good LHP out there and most of them are at the MLB level. It's why we see a lot of our young hitters including Elly struggle against LHP early on. All the good ones are at the MLB level. I don't think Marte is going to learn how to hit MLB quality LHP in AAA. HE might learn some plate discipline, but at 24 time is running out. H Rod has already shown much improved plate discipline at age 22.

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Marte's chase rate during this stint in AAA should carry just as much weight (if not more) than whatever his actual stat line turns out to be. I image that will be the case.

Marte did not help his cause, but the lack of playing time given to him by Tito is certainly a factor. What's the excuse for the rest of the team not named Sal or Elly? The issues are organizational deep, can putting lipstick on a pig will not change things

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Originally Posted by JCM11

Yeah I think it's time to face reality. We had high hopes for Barrero and CES and to me Marte is another in the same mold as them. He has the physical tools to be a stud, but the lack of plate discipline and in Marte's case lack of baseball instincts is holding him back.

I'm not expecting Hinds to be a savior, but he will make the defense better when he's out there.

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MLB traderumors reporting his chase rate on pitches outside the zone this year is 47.4% which is 6th worst in all of baseball this year among players with at least 30 plate appearances. There in lies his problem. Even the seeing eye single he got this weekend was clearly a ball off the plate. He needs to go fix this in Louisville.

Hinds on the other hand has improved his chase rate in AAA from 37% last year (despite the good AAA production) down to 31% this year. And his walk rate is up and strike out rate is down to 24.6%. Heading in the right direction and maybe maturing as a hitter.

Anyways, Spencer Steer’s bWAR is lower than Marte’s.

Could this be because Spence isn’t speaking proper English?

I think Marte will hit AAA pitching well. He’s too good for AAA pitching. But he unfortunately needs the AAA time to re-set his plate discipline. To get his timing back. And to face some more lefty pitching, which can be a learning curve for a young hitter. Always thought he had good instincts at the plate, but somewhere along the line he developed bad habits.

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Originally Posted by redsfan9988

Anyways, Spencer Steer’s bWAR is lower than Marte’s.

Could this be because Spence isn’t speaking proper English?

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Steer is another subject altogether. We can deconstruct this outfield player by player.

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Originally Posted by Sea Ray

He started 3 games vs LH starters. 3 games. He started 6 games vs RH starters and he still can't hit a line drive. I'm not hanging my hat on those 3 games screwed him up. He hasn't looked good vs RHPs either. It's the major leagues. He's the only RH hitting right fielder we have. He's going to have to deal with 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games. If he has to be so coddled that he can't handle 3 starts vs LHPs in 16 games then he's not worth a darn anyway. 3 starts

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I guess I don't understand why Benson is playing ahead of him against anybody. Benson hasn't hit since April of 2024 against anybody. Benson is past the young developing player stage and we know who he is and that is a guy who doesn't hit enough against RHP, LHP or guys who throw with their feet.

Marte is a young developing player with more upside than anyone on the roster not named Elly.

You know, all these struggles in the first 16 games might just be a slow start to the season. Joey Votto never hit much in April. For Benson, it comes on the heels of two years of not being any good. For Marte it comes on the heels of a decent overall season that ended with month long slump. That's better than a 2 year slump IMO.

I don't think anything is based on 16 games. I do think Marte looks completely lost at the plate. Since we are looking at these uber small sample of 2026, Marte does have a .316 OBP vs RHP in a whopping 19 PAs. He's not an automatic out against them. He's 0 for 12 with a .000 OPS in his 12 PAs vs LHP. 39% of his PAs are against his weaker side.

Meanwhile Benson has a .290 OBP and .587 OPS in 31 PAs vs RHP. He's only been forced into 1 PA vs LHP. Only 3% of his PAs against his weaker side.

Any judgement should be based on prior seasons IMO. Benson has been bad vs RHP 2 years in a row coming onto the season. Marte was 19% above average vs them last year.

I'm ready to send them both down, but I don't really believe that Hinds and Bleday will be any better. Of the entire group, Marte has the most upside by a significant amount, but I think he's got a bit of a head problem. Benson's head is in the right place, but he's a proven failure at this point.

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Originally Posted by Kc61

My hunch -

Reds outfield against RHP will be Friedl LF, Hinds CF, Steer RF.

Against LHP will be Steer LF, Myers CF, Hinds RF.

Benson moves into a pure bench role. Friedl sits v lefties. Hinds plays everyday for now.

To get the third LHH into the lineup, we’ll see Lowe playing instead of Hayes a bit more often.

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Hope so Kc. I'd like to see Lowe playing with Hayes sitting about 3 times a week

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Originally Posted by Kc61

Steer is another subject altogether. We can deconstruct this outfield player by player.

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Yes I’m in favor of this.

Unfortunately, I suspect the torches and pitchforks will be pointed at Hinds by the end of April. It is what it is.