Reds Looking To Improve On "The Little Things"

[Ron Madden]

Reds Looking To Improve On "The Little Things"

Whether it was failing to move a runner over in a key spot, getting thrown out on the base paths, or making too many defensive miscues, the Reds will aim to make significant strides in these areas in 2025.

Terry Francona is known for being a player's manager but also for getting the best out of his players. He has talked with every single player on the roster.

“When you look at our team, we weren’t great at little things,” Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall told Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

“That’s what Francona is really good at, making sure those little things are done correctly and holding players accountable. That’s really exciting to see that. I think players are excited to have that, as well.”

Story Here
https://www.si.com/mlb/reds/news/cin...5-01jce1v35r11

[Bourgeois Zee]

Really like that he's already talked to every player on the roster-- and that he's had continuing conversations with many of them.

If I were one of the guys who's only had that one conversation, I'd definitely be trying to impress him one way or another.

[mth123]

I'm glad they recognize it, but I don't think a new manager, or coaches is going to stop some of these players from being boneheads on the field. They need some roster changes where players who are fundamentally sound are brought in and some of these guys are removed from the roster.

[Kc61]

I’d rather Reds add some big things more than focusing on the little things.

Just me, I guess.

I sense subliminal messaging here.

[JustaFan]

my only disagreement is the concept LITTLE, Be attentive on the base paths: or don't try to steal or create an out when more than two runs behind: or cover vacant bases or backup throws.

examples of failure to follow the LT: getting picked off second before the first pitch on the top of the tenth; or getting caught stealing when behind in the ninth by three runs.

how about Cole's failure to cover first base or Rizzo's lack of hustle to field the grounder leading to 5 runs and loss of WS. are those little or just magnified by the event?

[Redhook]

A combination of better coaching, accountability for dumb mistakes and getting the most out of each player will help for sure. There's really no excuse for any major leaguer to have a low baseball IQ.

[RedsManRick]

I wish OBP was a little thing.

[CySeymour]

I’d rather Reds add some big things more than focusing on the little things.

Just me, I guess.

I sense subliminal messaging here.

Why can’t they do both?

[Kc61]

Why can’t they do both?

Seems unlikely they will do both.

[SunDeck]

Krall calls them little things I call them playing better baseball. To me, it's the beauty of baseball that one "small thing" in the second inning of a game in the middle of the season can result in an extra batter in the other team's ninth inning who fouls off seven pitches in a row, then walks, steals second and scores on a no man's land bloop single for the win. Then the team misses the playoffs by one game. It seems like the Reds did that a dozen or more times in 2024.

[mth123]

Put me down for thinking that if a grown adult in his 20s, who plays baseball for a living and has risen to the highest level of the game, doesn't know basic fundamentals of the game that most kids learn by the time they are 10 years old, no amount of coaching or accountability is going to teach him.

Most people relate to when they were little leaguers and remember being taught by a coach and think that the same thing can happen to grown men in the big leagues. I think that ship has sailed for most of these guys. If Francona has any impact in this area it won't be by transforming players from what we saw last year into Joe Morgan. It will be through convincing Krall that the team needs to cut bait on some of these guys and replace them with players who don't have this basic deficiency.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Seems unlikely they will do both.

Will they sign Santander, Hernandez, or Soto? Nope, probably not.

Could they still do big things?

I suspect so.

I'm hoping Krall is allowed to make several trades this off-season to help the big league club-- and that he's given $10M beyond last year's meager payroll.

I couldn't see Francona signing on unless he was given assurances that they'd open up the payroll a little.

(And I remain unconvinced by the claims that they didn't talk payroll at all. That sounds remarkably unlikely.)

[Kc61]

Will they sign Santander, Hernandez, or Soto? Nope, probably not.

Could they still do big things?

I suspect so.

I'm hoping Krall is allowed to make several trades this off-season to help the big league club-- and that he's given $10M beyond last year's meager payroll.

I couldn't see Francona signing on unless he was given assurances that they'd open up the payroll a little.

(And I remain unconvinced by the claims that they didn't talk payroll at all. That sounds remarkably unlikely.)

This is wishful thinking based on the Reds history over the last 20 years. When under stress, they tend to cut payroll. In the mid-2010s, when the team got worse, Reds cut payroll. Post-COVID, the Reds again slashed payroll. The recent “build from within” mantra, “no peaks and valleys” is all based on low payrolls. Depending on the bottom line impact of the TV revenue loss, the concern should be another cut in payroll.

It wouldn’t be that easy to do, they don’t have many contracts they could dump. OTOH, almost every word out of Krall’s mouth these days is about getting better via internal development, the little things, etc.

As for Francona, he managed the Guardians, he’s attractive to the Reds because he doesn’t insist on big payrolls. Cleveland was a low budget team. Reds will still be active, shifting resources to the OF, etc., but don’t look for much spending and hope the payroll doesn’t get reduced.

[Bourgeois Zee]

This is wishful thinking based on the Reds history over the last 20 years.

Nah.

The last time they signed a relatively big-named manager (Dusty) was 2008.

As a result, they spent a decent chunk of payroll on the following in free agency:
- Jeremy Affeldt, a legitimately good left-handed middle reliever in his prime [$3M]
- Corey Patterson, a second-division CF starter who'd put up a 4.2 bWAR season two years prior [$3M]
- Paul Bako, a solid backup catcher [$700,000]
- Josh Fogg, a BOR SP [$700,000]
- Jerry Hairston, Jr., a utility infielder [$500,000]
- Francisco Cordero, a legitimate All-Star closer [four years, $46M-- $11.5M AAV]

Payroll went up $6M from 2007 to 2008, an 8% jump. Were they do do the same this season, the Reds would hypothetically have an extra $8M to spend on top of last season's payroll ($100M). That'd get Krall $36M to spend on free agents to improve the team.

It's not wishful thinking-- it's using a specific historical example to make an informed decision.

[RustyJ]

I’d rather Reds add some big things more than focusing on the little things.

Just me, I guess.

I sense subliminal messaging here.

Not that I trust Krall to successfully articulate what he means to say, but he’s been pretty strident about the youth/build from within/fundamentals messaging. Not sure that bodes well for a Francona payroll bump.