The eternal optimist

[VR]

Those who know me....rose colored glasses. Tonight sucked. Here's some good things to consider.

Tyler Naquin. Leads NL in ribeyes, 2nd in dingers.

Barnhardt and Stephenson, both crushing Johnny Bench's MVP OPS.

No Cast or Moose in the lineup. They both came to play this year.

Mahle. Seriously? 6th in the NL in ERA and K's.

Suarez, Castillo and Votto have yet to realize spring training is over.

Antone soon to be closer. Lights out.

Senzel and India, farm guys bringing the energy.

No Shogo sightings yet.

Sonny has pitched one game.

90 wins should be a lock. Let's get it.

[Stray]

I agree with what you're saying, up until your last line. Tho I do hope you're right. It's a couple of games, heck it's one day. But there are serious issues in the pen that aren't just today that need to be fixed. I get you can't overhaul the entire mess at once, but the chairs need to be shuffled. AG can't pitch in a meaningful situation until he earns it. We can't throw games away waiting on him.

And I'm kinda worried about Suarez but not *that* much. I think he'll put up a line over 162. So will Votto.

[Tom Servo]

I think the NL Central is pretty weak and there’s no reason this team couldn’t theoretically be in the hunt come the dog days of summer. This series has sucked but it’s April and they still have more wins than losses at the moment, it’s not the end of the world.

[joshua]

I don't know, man. If MLB officiating doesn't screw us out of the playoffs, then our own incompetence will.

We are on a skid after a hot start. Which Reds are the real ones? Hopefully somewhere in between, but I have a feeling this is the same team that only made it into the post-season because of the expansion...and that ain't happening this year.

[HammerTime]

The pen was a mess at the start of the season last year too. I think they figure it out sooner than later.

[757690]

I am mad at the Reds’ first week for making me an optimist to start the season. My life is much simplier and relaxful when I am not optimistic about the Reds and don’t care if they win or lose.

[TexasRedsFan]

"Tyler Naquin. Leads NL in ribeyes, 2nd in dingers."

Has been fading fast lately. Based on his history, I don't expect him to keep it up or be around by year's end.

"Barnhardt and Stephenson, both crushing Johnny Bench's MVP OPS."

Agree that both are doing well so far.

"No Cast or Moose in the lineup. They both came to play this year."

They both started great last year too, especially Cast. I believe in them, but need to see more consistency in a Reds uniform.

"Mahle. Seriously? 6th in the NL in ERA and K's."

He's been the best pitcher on the staff without question.

"Suarez, Castillo and Votto have yet to realize spring training is over. "

I wouldn't put Votto in that group. The way he's been swinging, I think he'll be fine. Luis is a head case who'll hopefully get it turned around. Suarez is looking like toast unfortunately.

"Antone soon to be closer. Lights out."

Would've been already if we had a manager who pays attention rather than trying to get everyone in the game, regardless of talent level.

"Senzel and India, farm guys bringing the energy."

Energy is nice, but production is what counts and I need to see more from both.

"No Shogo sightings yet."

He can't get here soon enough and should be platooned with Senzel when he does. Naquin would make a good bench piece.

"Sonny has pitched one game."

And it wasn't encouraging given how he ended last season. We need him though and I hope he can find his groove again.

"90 wins should be a lock. Let's get it."

With this bullpen??? I gotta get some of what you're smoking over there. I hope that happens, but I can't objectively see it with the team this front office has assembled.

[westofyou]

Baseball will break your heart more than most things, but tomorrow is another day of baseball, so there’s that

[cumberlandreds]

There's always another game tomorrow. Reds will win and this game will go into the dustbin of history and quickly forgotten.

[BCubb2003]

I consider this team deep but thin, if that makes any sense. On any given night, there’s Winker and Senzel hitting like we were told they could, Castellanos and Moustakis with their fierce at-bats, then add Votto finding his groove and eventually, maybe, Suarez. That’s a tough lineup for a pitcher to get through. Then he has to deal with pesky Naquin and India. And after that, that’s when Stephenson or Barnhart get the big hit. But thin, because any of those guys can be having an off night. This lineup can bang, or be shut down.

By the way, overlooked in Wednesday’s events was how well Sean Doolittle pitched.

[Griffey012]

Bullpen issues are everywhere. Typically about 2/3rds of save chances get converted by teams' bullpens, this year it is below 60% across MLB. And that number is buoyed by some strong bullpens (NYY, SDP, CLE) having success early. Without those teams it is closer to a 55% success rate. The Reds are one of 8 teams who have blown more saves than they have converted. Of those 8 teams, there are a few surprised such as CWS, PHI, MIN, HOU.

[UK Reds Fan]

1. Reds have a deep offensive lineup....having much higher quality at bats at the 5-8 spot from years past makes this offense more daunting. Guys like Semzel, Naquin, Moose, the catcher spots, even India...we have threats much deeper than we used to run out there.
2. But the pitching is not going hold up.
- Losing Lorenzen is a crusher
- DeLeon, Hoffman, Miley.....will those guys hold up....I tend to doubt they will
- Antone is a great surprise this early....but he's sort of offset by Garret so far.

I think this is a .500 team....maybe a trade gets them over the hump and into playoffs

[NC-Red]

I really hope people on here don’t waste their money going to the games and watching this team play. 30 plus years being awful and yet every single year they sucker people into thinking this year will be the year including myself. After 2012 I accepted the Reds will never win a WS in my lifetime and I was 24 during that season.

[Reds Freak]

I really hope people on here don’t waste their money going to the games and watching this team play. 30 plus years being awful and yet every single year they sucker people into thinking this year will be the year including myself. After 2012 I accepted the Reds will never win a WS in my lifetime and I was 24 during that season.

If there's one thing I hate more than anything in life, it's sitting at the ballpark on a beautiful day with good company and a cold drink in hand watching baseball.

/s

[NebraskaRed]

I really hope people on here don’t waste their money going to the games and watching this team play. 30 plus years being awful and yet every single year they sucker people into thinking this year will be the year including myself. After 2012 I accepted the Reds will never win a WS in my lifetime and I was 24 during that season.

This is an absolutely genuine comment: I hope you find something you enjoy and stop trying to convince people to stop doing something that they enjoy.