Time to Move: Scoreboard watching for August

[Ron Madden]

I mean teams hardly ever come back from a 4 run deficit

[dfs]

So at the end of last season the reds were the 7/8 best team in the NL and while they got into the expanded covid-playoffs they showed that their quality when asked to put up against good teams.

And now after all that's happened between here and there....even with Suarez tanking and Votto banging....and w/out Trevor Bauer but with Stephenson and India exploding.....

after all that, at the end of the 2021 season the reds are again likely the 7/8 best team in the NL.

During the offseason it was apparent that they needed a shortstop, to replace Bauer's innings and to shore up that bullpen.

The immediate plan of playing Suarez at short didn't really work, but Farmer was up to the task and now Barrero is likely ready. Going forward shortstop doesn't appear to be an issue.
The replaced Bauer/DeSclafani's innings with the resurgent Wade Miley.
The bullpen never really got fixed. Or at the very least was so bad during the first part of the season that we all now have PTSD about it and don't see that it's fixed.

Moving forward this off season they need to replace Castellanos's right handed production.
Centerfield and Third Base are unsettled. They need to figure out roles for Suarez/Moustakis/Shogo
The bullpen part 2.

[cumberlandreds]

I know, it's hard to have to compliment the Cardinals but what they've done is pretty remarkable stuff.

Also, for those saying they cheated their way to this winning streak, I find that implausible. Did they cheat to overcome the 4 run lead against Castillo and just keep cheating after that? They were close to being finished (in fact, they would have been finished had the Reds finished off the last two of the series)and were thrown a lifeline and took advantage, Big Mo took over from there and they rode that wave of momentum to where they are now. I do not want to see the Dodgers win this thing against so if it's the Cards who get the chance to knock them off , I'll pull for them to do it. (And then I'll root against the Birds).

[Captain Hook]

Happy elimination day!

And if by some miracle the Reds aren’t eliminated today you better believe I’m coming back and doing this again every day until they are eliminated.

[Kinsm]

Happy elimination day!

And if by some miracle the Reds aren’t eliminated today you better believe I’m coming back and doing this again every day until they are eliminated.

Weird

[Ron Madden]

Well, although it isn't ending the way we hoped it would, I think it's been a helluva entertaining season.

[GAC]

Loved reading Sheldon this morning .... "Few expected the Reds to contend for the postseason in 2021, so it was a remarkable season in many respects that the club challenged for a playoff spot into September."

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-e...ntention-x1472

Few? And trying to save face or encourage a disappointed fanbase that the team had a good season because they "challenged" for a play-off spot just ain't the same. It was an exciting and enjoyable season up till these last few weeks (when it mattered).

[klw]

[membengal]

Loved reading Sheldon this morning .... "Few expected the Reds to contend for the postseason in 2021, so it was a remarkable season in many respects that the club challenged for a playoff spot into September."

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-e...ntention-x1472

Few? And trying to save face or encourage a disappointed fanbase that the team had a good season because they "challenged" for a play-off spot just ain't the same. It was an exciting and enjoyable season up till these last few weeks (when it mattered).

A team that was in the playoffs last year and playing in a division where all the teams did not much this last off-season and that's his take? lol.

[REDREAD]

Both Reds and Cardinals with run Differentials not indicative of a play-off caliber team. 14 game winning streak in September or not, a +32 run diffefrential doesn't belong in the play-offs. That 5th play-off spot really allows for mediocrity in the post season.

Run Differentils.

Atlanta +120
Milwaukee +126
Giants +193
Dodgers +244

St. Louis +32
Cincy +24
SD +39
Philly +1

All others are negative.

I despise rewarding mediocrity.

I hope results like this prevent MLB from expanding the playoffs beyond what they already have.
I think they let 8 teams from each league in last year.. So if they kept the same system this year, the Reds, Padres, and Phils would have also all made it in.
There would have been no tension or drama after the allstar break (most likely). In fact, expanded playoffs are probably more likely to make the over 500 teams
rest on their laurels instead of trying to get better at the deadline.. (My opinion/speculation).

[indyscott]

Cardinals won. Oh wait.....they're not in the pennant race this year.

These age so well

[SomeCallMeTim]

I hope results like this prevent MLB from expanding the playoffs beyond what they already have.
I think they let 8 teams from each league in last year.. So if they kept the same system this year, the Reds, Padres, and Phils would have also all made it in.
There would have been no tension or drama after the allstar break (most likely). In fact, expanded playoffs are probably more likely to make the over 500 teams
rest on their laurels instead of trying to get better at the deadline.. (My opinion/speculation).

RH. I agree with you 100%. I was opposed to adding the 2nd wc to begin with or at least just a 1 game.

I had no issues with the original WC setup.

You want in? Beat the rest. In the AL its is turning into a 4 team, week-long dash.

But why should a 100 win team like the Dodgers or Giants with those kinds of run diffs be subject to a “play in game” when they clearly separated themselves from the rest?

Oh if I might add:

GO SEATTLE MARINERS BASEBALL!!!!
GO TORONTO BLEU JAYS!!!!

[mth123]

RH. I agree with you 100%. I was opposed to adding the 2nd wc to begin with or at least just a 1 game.

I had no issues with the original WC setup.

You want in? Beat the rest. In the AL its is turning into a 4 team, week-long dash.

But why should a 100 win team like the Dodgers or Giants with those kinds of run diffs be subject to a “play in game” when they clearly separated themselves from the rest?

Oh if I might add:

GO SEATTLE MARINERS BASEBALL!!!!
GO TORONTO BLEU JAYS!!!!

One of those two will have proven over 162 games that they aren't the best team in their own division. As far as I'm concerned they shouldn't even get a 1 game play-off. I hate wild cards in baseball. Its not football where the season is only 17 games and one flukey loss can eliminate you. Over 162 games, by the end of it, the division winners have proven they are the best in their own division and anybody who doesn't win teh division has proven they aren't deserving IMO. Since these teams don't play the same schedules, the wild card is unfair by design and I hate it almost as much as tanking.

If they want more play-offs, expand and make smaller divisions with only the division winners getting in, 8 Four team divisions with each team playing 30 games against their division rivals and 9 games against each of the other 8 teams in their league. No interleague. Winners of divisions only in the play-offs.

[M2]

I'm not a fan of wild cards, but if you're going to have one, a panic-stricken play-in game is the way to do it.

[REDREAD]

One of those two will have proven over 162 games that they aren't the best team in their own division. As far as I'm concerned they shouldn't even get a 1 game play-off. I hate wild cards in baseball. .

Agreed. Wildcards were a bandaid to keep teams like the Reds artificially "in the playoff race" due to the huge payroll desparities.. A gimmick to make it appear like a more even playing field.
I am afraid they are here to stay though. If I was in charge of everything, I probably keep one wildcard or realign to 4 divisions in each league (better).

If baseball goes back to 8 teams in each league making the playoffs, I think I am done watching the regular season.. I mean. what's the point of a 162 game season when basically everyone over 500 makes the playoffs? I said this in another post, but if they had 8 teams make it this year, I believe the Reds, Phils, and Padres all make it (or at the time of my post, that was true).. Where's the pennant race in that? It was disappointing the Reds did not make the playoffs, but at least we had games that meant something and had hope and drama.. Last season when the Reds got into the expanded playoffs, it honestly felt like they accomplished nothing, and the playoff series was of course a complete mismatch. It's not good TV.