David Bell Needs To Go

[Kc61]

David Bell is now facing his biggest test as Reds manager.

Has to find a way to get the team on track quickly. They were expected to win, and he still has a chance.

Should he up the sense of urgency? Or, get the players more relaxed, avoid pressing? Or make some change in lineup, rotation, or bullpen usage?

This is how a manager earns his stripes. We’ll see if he can do it. Team is basically healthy. This is his moment, sink or swim.

[Coopdaddy67]

His biggest task is finding a few of guys in the bullpen he can trust. Unfortunately, having only 60 games makes that very difficult because you don't have time for it to work itself out.

Raley and Reed have removed themselves from contention.

Sims has looked very good. Strop and Garrett solid.

The most frustrating pitcher is Lorenzen. He's the guy Bell SHOULD be able to count on and he's looked like crap every appearance.

I've basically given up on Iglesias being the dominating force he once was.

[mth123]

David Bell is now facing his biggest test as Reds manager.

Has to find a way to get the team on track quickly. They were expected to win, and he still has a chance.

Should he up the sense of urgency? Or, get the players more relaxed, avoid pressing? Or make some change in lineup, rotation, or bullpen usage?

This is how a manager earns his stripes. We’ll see if he can do it. Team is basically healthy. This is his moment, sink or swim.

He should put his best guys out there and let them play. Yesterday's line-up is the right line-up against RHP. Against LHP, play Casali at C, Aquino in RF and Rotate guys around for rest at DH against LHP Castellanos, Senzel (Akiyama in CF and Aquino in LF), Votto (Senzel at 2B and Moose at 1B), Suarez (Senzel at 2B and Moose at 3B), Akiyama (Aquino in LF). Occasionally he might start Farmer at SS against a LHP but not regularly. Ervin is only used as a RHPH for Barnhart or Galvis against a LH Reliever.

VanMeter, Jankowski, Colon and Davidson only used in emergencies.

The shake-up should be in the Bullpen. Move Lorenzen to long relief role with Antone. Iglesias to Middle Relief with Jones. Give the late innings to Garrett, Sims and Strop for now. Avoid using Reed unless its garbage time and the Reds are way behind. Send Raley down When Stephenson returns.

If the bullpen continues to struggle, think long and hard about Hunter Greene as an option. Maybe he could be this year's David Price or K-Rod just on stuff.

[redsfanmia]

I think Bell needs to have his options limited, if I were Dick & Nick I’d give him a regular bench and load the roster with bullpen arms. Bell wants to use his entire roster every night, ok then limit the players he can use.

[NC-Red]

This team isn’t nearly as talented as everyone was led on to believe. Too many power hitters that can’t get on base with a weak bullpen. SP is the only quality thing about this team. All that considered they are definitely in the bottom third of MLB team rankings

[redsfanmia]

This team isn’t nearly as talented as everyone was led on to believe. Too many power hitters that can’t get on base with a weak bullpen. SP is the only quality thing about this team. All that considered they are definitely in the bottom third of MLB team rankings

Dick/Nick acquired talent but didn’t assemble a team.

[Patrick Bateman]

This team isn’t nearly as talented as everyone was led on to believe. Too many power hitters that can’t get on base with a weak bullpen. SP is the only quality thing about this team. All that considered they are definitely in the bottom third of MLB team rankings

The reds are 9th in the league in obp while being next to dead last in bapip.

Getting on base is not the issue of this team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ron Madden]

This team isn’t nearly as talented as everyone was led on to believe. Too many power hitters that can’t get on base with a weak bullpen. SP is the only quality thing about this team. All that considered they are definitely in the bottom third of MLB team rankings

Lance McAlister
@LanceMcAlister
#Reds stand 2nd in MLB with .359 OBP (Phils .361).

[NeilHamburger]

Update: I still hate David Bell.

[Tom Servo]

Well the posts lambasting him for removing Castellanos for defensive purposes on Opening Day didn't age too well.

[Bruce Berenyi]

how about the posters who said vanmeter stinks

[reds77]

VanAAAMeter.

[OGB]

This team isn’t nearly as talented as everyone was led on to believe. Too many power hitters that can’t get on base with a weak bullpen. SP is the only quality thing about this team. All that considered they are definitely in the bottom third of MLB team rankings

While I've been critical of Bell, this team isn't a WS contender if Akiyama, Winker, Senzel, and Votto aren't in the .375-.475 OBP range. That might be a tall order, but they've shown to be capable of it.
Votto is at .375. Winker .318. The other two under .300.
The team OBP is .332 with the mashers (Moose, Cast) propping it up.
This needs to be a higher OBP team to win.

[OGB]

I'm not a David Bell guy.

I appreciate the fact he embraces analytics.

At the end of the day, in a 60 game season with an expanded roster, I just want to see him going to the tail end of the bullpen and bench less, not more.

[Kc61]

I sense Bell is settling in. He’s repeating his starting lineup as much as possible. But he still goes to RHH against lefty pitchers.

He’s not removing guys so often in mid-game for lefty/righty switches. At least in winning game, he’s avoiding these unnecessary switches.

He used Sims in “late inning” yesterday (short game) rewarding his good performance so far. Appropriate IMO. Got a good save inning from Iglesias, his forte. Good pen usage IMO.

Allowed Bauer to pitch over 100 pitches to finish game. Even if there was lobbying by the pitcher, Bell avoided the quick hook. Good move.

These are positives IMO. One big item going forward is organizing the bullpen in the most effective way. Lot of guys, mostly cold starts to season, has to figure out his usage patterns quickly and correctly.