Are the Reds for real?

[thorn]

Does that include the 2.5 games they played in the 2020 post-season against a team with great pitching?

(13 for 77 with 12 singles, a double and 0 runs scores in 22 innings.)

Beating up on the 2021 Pirates at home may feel good. Cathartic even.

Let’s take the next step and knock around some good teams.

This narrative of you can't be good unless you beat the best is wrong. They are the best teams for a reason, that doesn't mean the Reds can't be a good team. Besides, if the best teams only beat the good teams, do they get the same narrative?

#2 everyone in the central plays the Pirates the same amount of games, do you discount them for beating the Pirates also? They are the worst team in the division, you dang well better beat them, ALOT.

[bm1475]

It would be super funny if they were cruising like that and still couldn't crack the top 10.

I feel like there have been years the Bengals had a great record 2/3 of the way through the season and been ranked below teams they had beaten and had better records than. But you couldn't really blame national media for not giving them any respect until they actually won a playoff game.

[PuffyPig]

Does that include the 2.5 games they played in the 2020 post-season against a team with great pitching?

(13 for 77 with 12 singles, a double and 0 runs scores in 22 innings.)

Beating up on the 2021 Pirates at home may feel good. Cathartic even.

Let’s take the next step and knock around some good teams.

I don’t believe all of those 38 games were against the Pirates.

My point being, the Reds have been playing good ball for some time. It’s just not 3 games against the Pirates.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[fearofpopvol1]

Last night was such a huge win. It didn't need to be close, but it was, and they eeked it out. You need to win the games you're supposed to win and it was a breath of fresh of air to see the Reds actually do that last night. Barnhart had an incredible game. The team obviously needs to get Gray back as that'll help. Still a small sample size but let's see how they continue to fair on the road and against bestter competition. Things are looking optimistic right now for sure.

[NeilHamburger]

Really am liking what I've seen from Mahle so far. If you get Gray back and can have Castillo, Gray and Mahle that will work for a top 3.

I still think they need 1 more starter to be legit. But, I don't think it's immediate, and by mid-season it might be Greene or Lodolo (or via a trade).

A real slam-bang closer wouldn't hurt either.

[Hamilton95]

Really am liking what I've seen from Mahle so far. If you get Gray back and can have Castillo, Gray and Mahle that will work for a top 3.

I still think they need 1 more starter to be legit. But, I don't think it's immediate, and by mid-season it might be Greene or Lodolo (or via a trade).

A real slam-bang closer wouldn't hurt either.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Hamilton95]

They never really did replace Bauer. They need somebody. Also the bullpen could use one good dominant arm. Other than that I really can't think of anything else they need. Maybe tighter defense.

[Kc61]

Reds need to have enough good pitchers to cover most of the innings. They are unlikely to replace Bauer or to get a top proven closer. That’s ok. The question is filling innings when Gray, Castillo, Mahle, Antone, Garrett, Sims are not pitching. It’ll take several weeks to evaluate what they have, at least initially, and if necessary make a few changes.

[GAC]

Winning, especially streaks of any sort, are ALWAYS fun to watch. The question is can one handle it when they come back to earth, or even go on a losing streak? The grey hairs in this beard didn't come from old age.

[klw]

The Reds are not for real nor is this board. It is all part of the construct of the Matrix. Why else do think the pill which opens Neo's eyes is called the Reds pill? Carry on.

[Thisyear]

Really am liking what I've seen from Mahle so far. If you get Gray back and can have Castillo, Gray and Mahle that will work for a top 3.

I still think they need 1 more starter to be legit. But, I don't think it's immediate, and by mid-season it might be Greene or Lodolo (or via a trade).

A real slam-bang closer wouldn't hurt either.

I am guessing Antone could be either one. He really has elite stuff. Deciding where he will help most is the Reds dilemma.

[UKWhoDey]

Been very pleased with Mahle so far. Really happy for him. Seems like a genuinely good dude, and he's out there just doing work. As a UK fan and the basketball season we just had, I don't need to tell y'all just how awesome having winning baseball to look forward to is for us down here right now! Go Reds!

[JFLegal]

i don't see any way this bullpen holds up. we're allowing ourselves to get excited about guys like cionel perez, without asking ourselves why the astros would be willing to give him away for almost nothing (an A-ball catcher who we took in the 13th round in 2019). good left-handed relievers have a lot of value. why would the astros give a guy like that away for almost free?

[podgejeff_]

i don't see any way this bullpen holds up. we're allowing ourselves to get excited about guys like cionel perez, without asking ourselves why the astros would be willing to give him away for almost nothing (an A-ball catcher who we took in the 13th round in 2019). good left-handed relievers have a lot of value. why would the astros give a guy like that away for almost free?

This may be a weird thing to read:

We are better at developing pitchers than the Astros.

[JFLegal]

This may be a weird thing to read:

We are better at developing pitchers than the Astros.

ok, but that is beside the point. why would the astros be willing to give up a quaity left-handed bullpen arm for close to nothing? which makes me seriously wonder if perez qualifies as "quality."

just seems like we're all banking on several scrap heap guys having career years in the bullpen. that is a plan that almost never works out well.