2019-20 Reds Off Season Rumors,News and Discussions Part Three

[mth123]

I just wish they'd have come up with another option behind the plate to compete with Casali.

Casali is an insider with Johnson, Gray and the whole pitching brain-trust. He's more of a lock to stay on the team than Barnhart IMO.

[JFLegal]

I read the article and that quote felt like it was due to recent seasons (Bengal treatment) or possibly sour grapes by an exec that didn't have money to spend (Hello Cubbies!). Now, are some of those points possibly valid? Sure... But baseball is the support that I will take the better roster over the better team 100 times out of 99. Give me good players. The defense, especially the infield, is an understandable concern. Moose's full time transition to 2nd, the play of Galvis, etc... The outfield defense largely depends on what lineup gets the start, in my opinion. I'll take this level of financial commitment to the roster, as well as the overhaul to the development system. The status quo wasn't working, so a plan was put in place to change that.

total sour grapes. that is the only thing i could think of while reading that piece. the only guy the reds overpaid for this offseason was moose, but i imagine that was the price it took to get him because he had other suitors that he would have picked if the money was even. i think the reds got good deals on the other 4 free agents they signed, or at least got them exactly at market value. shogo went for more than anyone initially expected, but $7 million/year over 3 years is not very much in today's MLB. i think that was more of a case of analysts undervaluing shogo, because there were definitely a handful of teams that were seriously going after him. miley for 2 years/$15 million was a good bargain imo and gives the reds a lefty in the rotation. a durable one at that. castellanos for 1 year, $16M is good. castellanos for 4 years, $64M is good. i like that one regardless. strop was a very good signing imo.

just sour grapes by a rival exec.

[WrongVerb]

???

[HammerTime]

Casali is an insider with Johnson, Gray and the whole pitching brain-trust. He's more of a lock to stay on the team than Barnhart IMO.

This is why it's not just as simple as getting a "better hitting" catcher. This stuff matters too.

[Bourgeois Zee]

This is why it's not just as simple as getting a "better hitting" catcher. This stuff matters too.

Casali is a pretty good hitting catcher.

As a Red, he's been right around league average with the bat.

Those guys have value even if their gloves suck. (And Casali's doesn't suck too badly.)

[MikeS21]

I honestly think the Reds' catching tandem could be a LOT worse than Barnhart and Casali (it HAS been worse). I think we're just bummed because we all thought the Reds were going to bring in a big-name guy. Everybody says catching on this team is a weakness, but it's not near as bad as it is being made out to be.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Everybody says catching on this team is a weakness, but it's not near as bad as it is being made out to be.

It's middle of the pack, perhaps a little less.

Last year, they ranked 16th in fWAR.

Both Casali and Barnhart had poor offensive, wherein they were 10% lower than their two-year average from 2017 - 2018.

[PuffyPig]

It's middle of the pack, perhaps a little less.

Last year, they ranked 16th in fWAR.

Both Casali and Barnhart had poor offensive, wherein they were 10% lower than their two-year average from 2017 - 2018.

And Barnhart improved greatly in the 2nd half once he got healthy. There is reason to expect some improvement from both of them this year.

[Big Klu]

Shogo Akiyama begins transition to major leagues with Reds

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/base...cc0abd95a.html

Will he wear "Akiyama" or "Shogo" as his name on the back of his jersey?

[corkedbat]

Will he wear "Akiyama" or "Shogo" as his name on the back of his jersey?

He should rock "Shogo-a'Go-Go"

[Ron Madden]

Votto, 36, was hard on himself about his 2019 performance, “It’s the worst season I’ve had in my career, pretty clearly. I don’t think it’s close,” said Votto, who debuted in the Majors during the 2007 season. “Everything went the wrong way.”

That prompted him to try something new for his offseason routine. He chose to mostly avoid baseball.

“I trained for sure. But I didn’t do any baseball stuff,” Votto said. “I needed to take some time away.

Votto arrived at camp early on Feb. 5, I’m excited to compete. I’m excited to work. I’m excited, I’m motivated to play well. I’m motivated to be part of a winning team and to play every day. I’ve got a lot to look forward to,” the first baseman said on Friday.

When Votto arrived in camp, he came ready to work and with one very lofty expectation.

“I needed to swing and throw and I needed to acclimate myself to the Arizona weather and the time zone,” Votto said. “I was going to go on a trip before I got here. But I decided against it because I didn’t want to deal with too much jet lag. I will have to save that for after we win the World Series.”

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/joey-v...ffseason-break

[MoneyInTheBank]

I wonder what percentage of players take all offseason off like Votto did. Did he just have a maniacal work ethic before? Or is that the norm?

[DocRed]

“I think people underestimate how (Farmer) plays that position (SS),” Bell said. “I would have no hesitation having Kyle play an extended period of time at short. You’re right, though, we don’t have the depth at that position as we do at pretty much every other position. It’s a consideration.”

[mth123]

“I think people underestimate how (Farmer) plays that position (SS),” Bell said. “I would have no hesitation having Kyle play an extended period of time at short. You’re right, though, we don’t have the depth at that position as we do at pretty much every other position. It’s a consideration.”

I think Farmer is the best IF defender on the roster outside of Galvis. I like him better than Blandino and everybody else is below average (though Moose is pretty good at 3B). If Senzel can play that might change things.

[MoneyInTheBank]

“I think people underestimate how (Farmer) plays that position (SS),” Bell said. “I would have no hesitation having Kyle play an extended period of time at short. You’re right, though, we don’t have the depth at that position as we do at pretty much every other position. It’s a consideration.”

I didn't realize Farmer was actually a college SS and was converted to catcher in the pros. So this isn't some wacky experiment, he actually has chops