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I don't look for Lowder to debut until about the time of season Abbott did mid-way through next year so long as he finishes the year out on a strong run and get off to a hot start in Louisville. The initial jump to AA Chattanooga should have people pumping the brakes who think he needs to be the next Paul Skeens.

The first start against the Smokies was fair, 5 innings with 3 runs. He got rocked in Birmingham for 7 runs in 4 2/3 innings, 9 hits off of him. 5 runs tonight vs Mississippi so he is definitely a work in progress. People need to be patient with him instead of rushing it with the decent pitching the Reds have had this year. Some articles out there would lead you to believe he'll be in Cincinnati this year no matter what. Back to the Abbott reference, will say he did not look sharp the year he was in the Futures Game in 2022, blew threw the minors last year, got called up and you know the rest.

I doubt we've seen the last of Connor Phillips getting a shot at the rotation. He will have to get it turned around though or get passed up. 36 ER in 38 IP!! There is still Lyon Richardson in Louisville that I think would be a good middle reliever to eat innings here in Cincinnati. Also, if Chase Petty can get his season on track and to Louisville before the end of the year. He will factor into the equation.

Read an interesting trade proposal the other day that would send Blake Dunn & Lyon Richardson to Oakland to get their All-Star outfielder with some power, Brent Rooker. Doubt Krall has the gumption to pull the trigger on the trade but I wouldn't expect him to land anyone better than Rooker. Skeptical of his ability to impact a team given how awful Oakland was last year and this Reds lineup is trash. This would have to be a secondary move and move some IF prospects to make a bigger splash. We can only dream though given this cheap skate front office.
I think Phillips is the odd man out in all of this and not doing himself any favors with his piss poor performance in Louisville this year. The need for him this year will be even less whenever Williamson comes back. They have enough depth to pull off a much better trade than a Brent Rooker. That is a typical Reds move by the FO to say they did something to 'satisfy' the fan base, but he doesn't move the needle. Every team gets an All-Star. He just happened to be the one that sucked the least on a 112 loss Oakland team with his measly .246 batting average. A 'Boom or Bust' power hitter. Lets see how long that .294 average lasts. If Oakland wants to include the super utility infielder Abraham Toro and the enticing young closer who can start, Mason Miller. Then I might be interested in that deal with Rooker.
 
Except for Ohtani, Dodgers were mashing all night. Don't recall ever seeing as many balls caught at the wall inc. Fairchild's rob.

KKKKKruz now 3 for his last 29.
 
Reds get the monkey off their back for now with a big series win over the Dodgers. What else can you say about Hunter Greene's great start with that Dodgers lineup in GABP. The bullpen did their job with the only blemish a walk tonight by Cruz and Diaz gets a save. Steer seems to be coming back around with another home run tonight. Glad to be in Cincinnati when my man Benson hits a home run. Hopefully he can get everything to click one day and sustain these glimpses he has shown with all of the tools and athleticism to be a star. I like the impact Hurtubise makes with his speed in the lineup. 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored out of the leadoff spot. He is more of your traditional leadoff hitter as a speedster than some of these guys teams send out there who have some pop. Friedl last year really thrived in that role.
 
Is it really possible that the Reds can sweep the Dodgers? Greene starting to look like a top drawer pitcher
Could but Reds are throwing Billy Bullpen Sun. Maybe it's my imagination but LAD seems to have been totally disinterested in the first two games. Let's hope they are today too.
 
Could but Reds are throwing Billy Bullpen Sun. Maybe it's my imagination but LAD seems to have been totally disinterested in the first two games. Let's hope they are today too.
Martinez was dealing today. And Hopefully the last two days have helped Diaz turn a corner. Two big saves from him. Has to be big for his confidence going forward.
 
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Martinez was dealing today. And Hopefully the last two days have helped Diaz turn a corner. Two big saves from him. Has to be big for his confidence going forward.
It is big for his confidence but only time will tell if the struggles are behind him.
 
KKKKKruz 4 for his last 37 with 16 K's. OBP of .292 and hitting .202 in May...anyone else and they're getting benched but not the golden child.
 
KKKKKruz 4 for his last 37 with 16 K's. OBP of .292 and hitting .202 in May...anyone else and they're getting benched but not the golden child.
Benched for who? There are five guys in the lineup hitting worse than he is.
 
KKKKKruz 4 for his last 37 with 16 K's. OBP of .292 and hitting .202 in May...anyone else and they're getting benched but not the golden child.
The fans come to watch EDLC. He provides excitement. Not sure why you bench him.

Leading the team in OPS, Slugging, HRs, Runs, SBs, and second in RBIs.
 
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Just looked at 24 MLB draft order. How the heck did the reds end up with the second pick.

Hagen Smith?
 
The fans come to watch EDC. He provides excitement. Not sure why you bench him.

Leading the team in OPS, Slugging, HRs, Runs, SBs, and second in RBIs.
Some people would bitch if you gave them a new rope to hang themselves. Reds sweep the most talented team in the NL and carry the momentum over into the next series. Can't give the Reds any credit. It had everything to do with the other team just not playing well or find someone to blame all the time. In this case, the guy who has been consistently the best all-around hitter on the team this year in a struggling lineup and this is the one to put on the bench? Agenda-driven nonsense while everyone else goes through prolonged slumps too. Only a f***** idiot would suggest taking EDLC out of the lineup with the lack of alternatives in this entire organization.
 
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Just looked at 24 MLB draft order. How the heck did the reds end up with the second pick.

Hagen Smith?
MLB put the first 6 picks of the Draft into a lottery system after the recent CBA because the league got tired of teams tanking in the 2nd half and using nothing but minor leaguers down the stretch. Teams that liked to bank on tanking for the #1 pick aren't guaranteed anything under these rules. Same reason they limited the roster expansion in September to 28 players.
 
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Benched for who? There are five guys in the lineup hitting worse than he is.
Cole picks on EDLC with every post he makes. Wonder where that same ire is for the likes of Will Benson and his 40%+ strikeout rate? Not a peep from Cole about that.
 
4 in a row! Win over the Cards. Fernando Cruz hell of a game today.
Fernando Cruz has proven to be a durable arm and is definitely one guy that gets better as the year progresses. One thing I have noticed with him throughout parts of 3 seasons now. Started off last year and this year slow, now he is proving to be a reliable relief pitcher again.
 
Reds hurting themselves again against the Cubs. 2-2 in the bottom of the 5th and Ashcraft hits a batter then walks the next two. Cruz comes in and walks in a run before recording 2 outs two end the inning. I don't how many times so far this year I have seen the Reds load the bases with walks and hits batsman and then walk in a run or two.
 
KKKKKruz w/ one of the worst months ever.
.210 BA
40 K's in 100 AB's
1 HR and 5 RBI's

With his 3 K's today, he now has the most in MLB.
 
Espinal comes through with a pinch hit 2-run bomb!! Friedl in the 9th driving in Hurtubise. Those two will be spark plugs for this lineup as Jacob continues to develop and hopefully keep Friedl healthy.


 
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Elly...a deeper dive into his misery.

For all of May and first 2 games of June (29 games)....

~46 K's in 111 AB's

~14 games where he has K'd at least twice, inc. 4 times in three games, and 3 times in 3 games.

~Avg. went from .280 on May 1st to .233 now.

~1 HR and 5 RBI's during the 29 games

~0 for his last 14 w/ 9 K's.

This guy has no business playing every day. None. And for his own well being, send him down and get him some help (if the Reds have anyone capable) He is being thrown out there now and it is painful to watch. He is long over due for a good game and Sadak will scream and the fans will rejoice, but is incapable of long term success, and this has been proven.

If the Reds want to make him a long term face of the team, then get him some help now, because he is way out of his league. And have him lose the chains, and button his jersey, and act like a professional. The novelty act is tired.
 
Elly...a deeper dive into his misery.

For all of May and first 2 games of June (29 games)....

~46 K's in 111 AB's

~14 games where he has K'd at least twice, inc. 4 times in three games, and 3 times in 3 games.

~Avg. went from .280 on May 1st to .233 now.

~1 HR and 5 RBI's during the 29 games

~0 for his last 14 w/ 9 K's.

This guy has no business playing every day. None. And for his own well being, send him down and get him some help (if the Reds have anyone capable) He is being thrown out there now and it is painful to watch. He is long over due for a good game and Sadak will scream and the fans will rejoice, but is incapable of long term success, and this has been proven.

If the Reds want to make him a long term face of the team, then get him some help now, because he is way out of his league. And have him lose the chains, and button his jersey, and act like a professional. The novelty act is tired.
This player is totally discombobulated at this point. He's wildly flailing away at about everything and the Reds have done nothing to help him become a better hitter, hard to figure why unless it's just plain incompetence. Don't see every dugout scene but I've NEVER seen EDLC in convo with the hitting coach, not once. But he isn't the only one...same can be said about Benson, India TS, Steer et al. Whomever the hitting coach is, he's just cashing a pay check.
 
Elly...a deeper dive into his misery.

For all of May and first 2 games of June (29 games)....

~46 K's in 111 AB's

~14 games where he has K'd at least twice, inc. 4 times in three games, and 3 times in 3 games.

~Avg. went from .280 on May 1st to .233 now.

~1 HR and 5 RBI's during the 29 games

~0 for his last 14 w/ 9 K's.

This guy has no business playing every day. None. And for his own well being, send him down and get him some help (if the Reds have anyone capable) He is being thrown out there now and it is painful to watch. He is long over due for a good game and Sadak will scream and the fans will rejoice, but is incapable of long term success, and this has been proven.

If the Reds want to make him a long term face of the team, then get him some help now, because he is way out of his league. And have him lose the chains, and button his jersey, and act like a professional. The novelty act is tired.

I think most of us tend to agree with you, we're just not obnoxious assholes about it like you.

After reading this article, Elly is a platoon player. The left vs right numbers are embarrassing and he has ZERO business being a switch hitter.

The Reds best course of action is to try and trade the guy now while his value is still high because this could go one of 2 ways. 1, this could be who he is for his career and youre not getting anything for him. Or 2, he takes 2-3 years to figure it out, becomes a star and you can't afford him and get nothing in return for him. If he blows up and learns to hit, Cincinnati can't afford him.

 
I think most of us tend to agree with you, we're just not obnoxious assholes about it like you.

After reading this article, Elly is a platoon player. The left vs right numbers are embarrassing and he has ZERO business being a switch hitter.

The Reds best course of action is to try and trade the guy now while his value is still high because this could go one of 2 ways. 1, this could be who he is for his career and youre not getting anything for him. Or 2, he takes 2-3 years to figure it out, becomes a star and you can't afford him and get nothing in return for him. If he blows up and learns to hit, Cincinnati can't afford him.

Think EDLC needs to ditch switch hitting, concentrate on hitting lefty. His story, to this point, shows what has plagued the Reds for decades....they do a horrible job developing players.
 
Think EDLC needs to ditch switch hitting, concentrate on hitting lefty. His story, to this point, shows what has plagued the Reds for decades....they do a horrible job developing players.
I agree that they struggle developing players, but Elly watches way too many strikes, I’m not sure that’s on the Reds management.
 
It is way too early to throw in the towel on Elly De La Cruz. As I recall, Edwin Encarnacion got optioned every single year down to Louisville and looked like shit for the Reds. Had his glimpses of success much like EDLC has had. Once he got out of here and went to Toronto, became one of the game's most feared power hitters. Came up in '05 and things did not click for him until the 2010 season. Still hasn't even been one full season in MLB yet for Elly. Dumping him now, the rest of the league will mock what is already a laughing stock of a franchise that hasn't won a postseason round since the mid-90s. Another team will figure him out.

Agree though that this franchise has not developed the full potential out many players dubbed as 'can't miss' prospects. Some got out in time to salvage a decent career. Others became jokes like Senzel or never made it out of MLB. It is ignorant to single out any one player for the struggles of this offense. India is a shell of his 2021 campaign. Steer should be the best hitter on this and is nowhere near his potential. Neither are Stephenson or Benson who hit .275 last year. Only player that is doing his job is Fraley hitting .295 but his power is zapped. June 3rd and 1 HR so far. They have figured out a way to win 6 of 9 sweeping LA and winning on the road at Wrigley compared to what most of May is. Marte is back later this month. CES gets re-evaluated tomorrow and will get a clear timetable for his return.
 
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It is way too early to throw in the towel on Elly De La Cruz. As I recall, Edwin Encarnacion got optioned every single year down to Louisville and looked like shit for the Reds. Had his glimpses of success much like EDLC has had. Once he got out of here and went to Toronto, became one of the game's most feared power hitters. Came up in '05 and things did not click for him until the 2010 season. Still hasn't even been one full season in MLB yet for Elly. Dumping him now, the rest of the league will mock what is already a laughing stock of a franchise that hasn't won a postseason round since the mid-90s. Another team will figure him out.

Agree though that this franchise has not developed the full potential out many players dubbed as 'can't miss' prospects. Some got out in time to salvage a decent career. Others became jokes like Senzel or never made it out of MLB. It is ignorant to single out any one player for the struggles of this offense. India is a shell of his 2021 campaign. Steer should be the best hitter on this and is nowhere near his potential. Neither are Stephenson or Benson who hit .275 last year. Only player that is doing his job is Fraley hitting .295 but his power is zapped. June 3rd and 1 HR so far. They have figured out a way to win 6 of 9 sweeping LA and winning on the road at Wrigley compared to what most of May is. Marte is back later this month. CES gets re-evaluated tomorrow and will get a clear timetable for his return.

Nobody is throwing the towel in on him, but whether you like it or not he's the face of the franchise and he's not performing up to expectations. I think he is being asked to do wayyy to much by management and is likely feeling the pressure. I blame his failures on the organization.

One thing that bothers the hell out of me is him hitting in the 2 hole. Its idiotic.

In the 2 hole, Elly is hitting .209 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, a .299OBP in 139AB's.
In the 6 hole, Elly is hitting .280 with 7 HR, 17 RBI, a .386OBP in 75AB's.

Pretty clear he performs infinitely better hitting down in the order.
 
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