Reds vs Marlins 5/4/09

[WVRedsFan]

they're not growing on trees...rollins and hardy ops'ing less than gonzo

I know. We all know. I still conend that you can have a shortstop who doesn't hit, but you must have the other positions hitting. That means Janish just isn't the ticket. Neither is Hairston. Left field?

[WVRedsFan]

One more thing...

Much was made tonight about harping on the hitting. Worry. Truth is, it's more than an appropriate topic. Yes, Phillips, Edwin (when he comes back), and Bruce will hit in time. But what of Gonzalez, Hariston, and Dickerson? I don't know. Gonzo had a year off (and he played little the year before), so rust might be settling in or maybe he's had it. time will tell. Hairston had a career year last year, but he looks like the JHJ or yesteryear these days. I think someone got fooled. Dickerson bloomed late, or did he? I think we're seeing the answer. That leaves left field a great wasteland (unless you go with the hot hand--Nix or bring Gomes up). Sad.

I do know a couple of things (which you can shoot holes in):

1. Leaving our pitchers a razon-thin percentage of error will only make future games more apt to causing losses. Oru pitchers are great, but giving them 2 runs to work with is inhuman. And using the excuse that this pitcher or the other is really pitching well doesn't compute when that pitcher is hit by everyone but the Reds.

2. Smallball is good when the players you have can execute it. We don't have those players.

3. When Dunn and Griffey (with their potential of 65 HR's and 200 RBI's) were sent packing for Massett and Owings, did anyone in the FO even consider where that production was going to come from? Did they actually think that they could win games while the pitcher allowed 2-3 runs if the offense didn't have the ability to score 4?

In 14 of the 25 games played this year, the Reds have scored 3 or less runs. they are 4-10 in those games. In games they have scored more than 3 runs they are 9-3. Runs matter. Defense and pitching be damned, runs matter and whoever put this team together forgot that. And whoever made the decision to bring McDonald over Gomes needs to be committed. You must hit the ball and you must score. The Reds have proven that.

[Ron Madden]

Top of 6:

Willy T tries to bunt. Called a strike, either on the attempt or the pitch. Willy T K's looking. Terrible at bat. 1 out

Dickerson singles on the 0-1 by a diving Uggla.

(Let's see if he steals)

Dickerson takes off. Votto swings and misses, Dickerson out dead to rights. Acrobatic and nice tag by Ramereiz. He's single handedly winning this game for Flordia. 2 out

Could've been a hit and run that Joey just swung thruogh.

[Ron Madden]

Willy T gets behind 0-2. Johnson befuddles him. UNTIL NOW! Willy T singles in front of Maybin.

Dickerson looks at 2 strikes on the outside corner. (IMO they are off the plate) He then singles to LF on a 1-2 pitch. Nice day at the plate for Dickerson. Runners on 1st and 2nd.

I believe Dickerson looked at those two strikes in order to give Taveras a chance to steal second base.

I agree with others in this thread who question the value of Taveras if he can't steal a base in situations like this.

[Ron Madden]

My main point is, every night the game threads are flooded with how putrid our offense is. We know, give it a rest.

I'd rather read a truthful game thread than look at 32 pictures of kitty cats.

[15fan]

Ramirez was out of the baseline on that slide. Bad call.

Yep. Janish threw the relay from short center field and still had to hurdle Ramirez to get the throw away.

:thumbdown

[durl]

3. When Dunn and Griffey (with their potential of 65 HR's and 200 RBI's) were sent packing for Massett and Owings, did anyone in the FO even consider where that production was going to come from? Did they actually think that they could win games while the pitcher allowed 2-3 runs if the offense didn't have the ability to score 4?

In 14 of the 25 games played this year, the Reds have scored 3 or less runs. they are 4-10 in those games. In games they have scored more than 3 runs they are 9-3. Runs matter. Defense and pitching be damned, runs matter and whoever put this team together forgot that. And whoever made the decision to bring McDonald over Gomes needs to be committed. You must hit the ball and you must score. The Reds have proven that.

I can't point to specific posts, but I seem to recall quite a few people on this board thinking that average outfielders could produce enough offense to make up for the departure of Dunn and Griffey. "Runs would be saved because of better defense..." "Fewer strikeouts means better OBP which translates to more runs..." Stuff like that.

[redsmetz]

I can't point to specific posts, but I seem to recall quite a few people on this board thinking that average outfielders could produce enough offense to make up for the departure of Dunn and Griffey. "Runs would be saved because of better defense..." "Fewer strikeouts means better OBP which translates to more runs..." Stuff like that.

It's interesting to look at the breakdown of the games where we scored three or fewer runs. As was noted, we won four of those games and lost ten. Of those ten games that we lost, six were blowouts where we lost by an average of 6.50 runs (two @ 5, one @ 6, one @ 7, two @ 8). We lost three by one run and the other by three runs. Certainly more offense in three of those games (including last night's), and our record would be appreciably better.

I'm in the camp that the offense will improve. I really don't believe that Encarnacion and Phillips will remain in the doldrums and that's a quarter of our offense. Despite the lackluster offense, we're still above .500 and not out of it and this from a club that most of us assumed would not, and could not, contend.

[SirFelixCat]

I believe Dickerson looked at those two strikes in order to give Taveras a chance to steal second base.

I agree with others in this thread who question the value of Taveras if he can't steal a base in situations like this.

I agree wholeheartedly w/ this. His value to this team is to turn BB's and singles into doubles and he has done that at a surprisingly low rate.

[Razor Shines]

I can't point to specific posts, but I seem to recall quite a few people on this board thinking that average outfielders could produce enough offense to make up for the departure of Dunn and Griffey. "Runs would be saved because of better defense..." "Fewer strikeouts means better OBP which translates to more runs..." Stuff like that.

I don't think an argument was made that getting rid of Griffey and Dunn would improve OBP. And I certainly don't believe that fewer strike outs translates to higher OBP. Look at the leaders in OBP and you'll see some pretty high strike out rates.

[OnBaseMachine]

I didn't notice just how far Hanley Ramirez was out of the baseline last night on the game ending botched doubleplay until just now when I saw the replay on Sportscenter. What the heck was the umpire looking at? Ramirez was out of the baseline by five feet. The umpire must have wanted to get the game over with it so he could go home.

[WVRedsFan]

I can't point to specific posts, but I seem to recall quite a few people on this board thinking that average outfielders could produce enough offense to make up for the departure of Dunn and Griffey. "Runs would be saved because of better defense..." "Fewer strikeouts means better OBP which translates to more runs..." Stuff like that.

I can't remember the OBP argument as related to strikeouts, but there were some who believed that Dickerson and somebody could do that--make up for the loss of production. It's early. Time will tell, but I'm not optimistic.

[WVRedsFan]

It's interesting to look at the breakdown of the games where we scored three or fewer runs. As was noted, we won four of those games and lost ten. Of those ten games that we lost, six were blowouts where we lost by an average of 6.50 runs (two @ 5, one @ 6, one @ 7, two @ 8). We lost three by one run and the other by three runs. Certainly more offense in three of those games (including last night's), and our record would be appreciably better.

I'm in the camp that the offense will improve. I really don't believe that Encarnacion and Phillips will remain in the doldrums and that's a quarter of our offense. Despite the lackluster offense, we're still above .500 and not out of it and this from a club that most of us assumed would not, and could not, contend.

I want to believe the offense will improve, but I'm a little worried. Even if Dickerson, Hairston, and Phillips go back to norms, Reds will still be pretty much a punchless team. The only reliable power the team has--Bruce and Votto--can't do it all. Witness the 11 singles last night. I worry about Encarnacion's wrist and him coming back and the shortstop position is scary. That's in addition to left field. Not a pretty picture. I contend that you cannot continue to place this much pressure on a pitching staff. Sooner or later they will break.

Other than more offense, that above .500 record won't last long. Look at the Pirates who were flying high earlier and now are below .500 and sinking.