Excited about this team for the first time in ages

[villain612]

I haven’t posted here in a very long time, although I do lurk from time to time. Lets face it, there’s been a lot of lows for this franchise over the last several years, coupled with incompetent management, and ownership that at best has been aloof/tone deaf. It really took the sail out of being a fan for years. Even though I still rooted for the team, my expectations were below the gutter.

But for the first time in years, as a fan, I actually have excitement about the future of this team. I know sample size isn’t large but these young kids seem to have some promise. I don’t expect them to contend this year, but there’s some hope for the future. And haven’t felt that in a long time.

I’m not as knowledgeable as most of you are when it comes to the team/baseball but as a lifelong Reds fan, am finally feeling excited about this team again. Maybe there’s others out there like me.

[Old school 1983]

Good to see you back and posting.

[RedsBrick]

I feel the same V612 and it's been a while for me, too.

I'm not saying they'll contend, but if they can pick up an arm or two in the 'pen, the central feels there for the taking.

But to your point, it's fun to be interested in the team again.

[Powel Crosley]

It feels great to have a bright future ahead of us. I was at the game tonight and it was an amazing atmosphere. The walk off was just icing on the cake. It's been quite a while since I had that much fun, maybe since Aquino had that 3HR game in 2019. Even the rain and swirling winds helped make it a night I won't forget. Playoff run starts now!

[wolfboy]

I haven’t posted here in a very long time, although I do lurk from time to time. Lets face it, there’s been a lot of lows for this franchise over the last several years, coupled with incompetent management, and ownership that at best has been aloof/tone deaf. It really took the sail out of being a fan for years. Even though I still rooted for the team, my expectations were below the gutter.

But for the first time in years, as a fan, I actually have excitement about the future of this team. I know sample size isn’t large but these young kids seem to have some promise. I don’t expect them to contend this year, but there’s some hope for the future. And haven’t felt that in a long time.

I’m not as knowledgeable as most of you are when it comes to the team/baseball but as a lifelong Reds fan, am finally feeling excited about this team again. Maybe there’s others out there like me.

I share your excitement. The great thing is that there's more monster talent in the pipeline. Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been a favorite since they traded for him last year. He has the easiest power I've seen in a long time. Can't wait to see him get the call. On a personal note - my daughter had her Reds shirt on tonight and put on the rally cap in the 9th and (barely) saw it out to the end of the game tonight. How cool is that?

[johnny_cash36]

I’m with you, this is the most excitement I’ve had for a Reds team in a long time. I hope they build on tonight, and the FO is willing to continue to shed the chaff on the roster and bring up talent.

[Redhook]

I share your excitement. The great thing is that there's more monster talent in the pipeline. Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been a favorite since they traded for him last year. He has the easiest power I've seen in a long time. Can't wait to see him get the call. On a personal note - my daughter had her Reds shirt on tonight and put on the rally cap in the 9th and (barely) saw it out to the end of the game tonight. How cool is that?

Ditto. CES will be their best hitter the moment he’s called up which is incredible considering Elly, McLain, India, etc. It’s just frustrating and idiotic that he hasn’t been called up yet.

[OesterPoster]

Ditto. CES will be their best hitter the moment he’s called up which is incredible considering Elly, McLain, India, etc. It’s just frustrating and idiotic that he hasn’t been called up yet.

It was pretty obvious that Elly is going to need some protection in the lineup, and CES is that guy. I love Steer, but I don't think he's the guy to be behind Elly in the long-term. Elly should be hitting third, simply because he'll get X number of additional at-bats per game, per season. I'm not even sure what the best lineup construction would be. The bottom of the lineup needs more punch, so having some combination of Steer/India/Fraley/Stephenson in the 5-6-7 slots would be ideal, IMO.

[krm1580]

You go back to Opening day of 2022 and that is about as down as I had ever been on the Reds. Suarez/Winker were dumped for an underwhelming return. You knew everyone else that could play would be gone by the trade deadline and had little faith the organization would get things right. It appeared the roster for the next few years would be Greene, Lodolo, India, Stephenson and a host of AAAA players.

The farm system had a solid but unspectacular McLain, ELDC who was an unknown quantity and largely dreck. Siani, Hinds, Callihan, Hendrick, Ivan Johnson, etc

14 Months later it’s astounding. ELDC could be a generational player, McLain blew up, Steer has been really good. You have quality pitchers like Abbott and Williamson who are fighting to be your #4&#5 starters. CES and Marte are raking and will be up before the year is up as well as interesting arms like Connor Phillips and Joe Boyle

Where it gets really crazy is you would think with all that movement the farm system would be bare but the group of teenagers in the system that are looking promising is incredible. Arroyo, Coller, Petty, Cabrerra, Jorge, Duno, Hector Rodriguez

Throw in 3 picks in the top 40 in this year’s draft and the Reds could have a really strong pipeline both near term and longer term

[Tom Servo]

I realized watching the game last night that I probably hadn't been so excited and into a Reds game since maybe 2013. I was happy with making the playoffs in that short 2020 season but that felt miniscule compared to the excitement of last night.

[foster15]

All I can add is that it's much more fun watching an under .500 team with future stars coming into their own than it is even a slightly over .500 team with a group of knowns that are starting their decline.

[Powel Crosley]

2020 was exciting, but mostly frustrating with how bad the offense was and thinking about what could have been with a full season. All of a sudden it feels a lot like the end of 2009 and 2019 when you just had that feeling they were going to be a contender the following season. Except now we're not even halfway through the season in a weak NL Central.

[membengal]

Agree. It has been at least a decade since I've been this excited about this team. Actually really fired up to watch the game tonight. Like, genuinely looking forward to it.

And, went from not-gonna-go-to-any-of-the-games when they come to Camden Yards at the end of the month to -hells-yes-I-am-gonna-attend-all-three-games...

[Ron Madden]

Enjoy The Moments

[membengal]

If you get the Fangraphs or still have a free article access - enjoy -

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/elly-de-...cinnati-debut/

A taste -

With Matt McLain, a ZiPS favorite, having a torrid debut himself, Cincy has already made two de facto “acquisitions” that may be as good as any that another team in the NL Central makes this year. And they’re not the only ones. The Reds cleared the way for Spencer Steer to get an extended shot in the majors from Opening Day and Andrew Abbott, a 2021 draft pick who was our no. 90 prospect before the season (no. 130 in ZiPS) had a huge start in the high minors. He earned a promotion and threw six scoreless innings (and nearly five hitless) in his debut.

In a division where the Cardinals have dug themselves a hole from which extrication may prove difficult, the Reds have higher playoff hopes than they have any right to at this point in the rebuild. Going into the season, ZiPS pegged them with a 2% chance of making the playoffs, with the assumption that the Reds wouldn’t be overly aggressive with their top prospects. But McLain was up by mid-May and De La Cruz has a great shot at grabbing an ironclad lock on at least the third base job before the All-Star Break. As of Wednesday morning, ZiPS has the Reds at 9% to make the playoffs — still a long shot, but about the odds of an Aaron Judge homer in any given plate appearance and nobody’s exactly shocked when that happens.

And De La Cruz isn’t the end of it. That vanquisher of William Van Landingham and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, is hitting .352/.408/.716 in Louisville; ZiPS projects that the Reds would hit 11% playoff odds if they simply made him the starting first baseman right now.