Your post makes no sense. You'd never have someone running if the guy on second stayed put, therefore whether there is a runner occpuying second or not, the base is always open.
At an individual level, that sucks. Their problem is much larger than that, though. The scouting and management up and down the organization needs a reset. Individual players not getting the attention they should get is a symptom.
We've been beating that talking point to death here for years now. The Lowder example is just one of many I can name in that time. There is talent in the organization, it is a top 10 ranked farm system overall. Cincinnati can develop pitching. The development of position players, in particular outfielders and catching prospects is the biggest concern. Cincinnati routinely is an organization that will not fast track prospects like other teams such as the Braves.
I somewhat agree with what you say about being doomed since day one. Injuries before the season even began and dating back to last season has effected the entire 2024 season. Keeping around the inept Bell, Joel McKeithan, poor training staff and a front office with too many chiefs and not enough Indians who would rather sit on a deep farm system than try to be aggressive and improve this team. Until Bell is gone, this organization will not win anything in the postseason. Instead, Bob just gives them all another promotion without ever accomplishing anything to earn them.
Go to MLB.com, click on the Reds link then click on "Front Office." This organization is the very definition of "Top Heavy." Bet those listed, and it's almost too many to count, don't have a clue what most of these people are doing or are supposed to be doing. And their minor leagues are a joke. AA Chattanooga, and AA is just a heart beat away, is currently 40 games, that's FORTY games, below .500! Worst record in organized baseball. What's Lowder learning from that?
It's still a symptom. Sounds like no one wants to know WHY it's happening. Me, personally, I think it's because they don't want to start the clock on these guys. Trading reasons. It's certainly not because the talent at the big league is so great that there isn't any room for the prospects.
Did anbody here disagree with you? I literally said it is a point we have been beating that dead horse for awhile now. Not sure why you would think no one wants to know why the Reds some of these guys aren't developing like a Austin Hendrick or a Jay Allen buried in the minor leagues for years now. Reds don't need to be worried about TOS clock when they are going to move these guys before their arbitration is up anyways and the latest collective bargaining rewards teams for fast tracking prospects if they place high in ROY voting. When organizations like Cincinnati choose to rebuild with fire sales every so often, can't afford to retain players, then they need to be more aggressive in calling up prospects like Atlanta or Tampa Bay with these narrow windows to contend in.
Rhett Lowder has improved lately down there in Chattanooga so much that he should get called up. He is starting to come into his own and it is high time they move him to Louisville for a few starts if there is any shot of him joining the rotation to begin the 2025 season. Sometimes seasons like this happen when they push a load a prospects up to AAA like they did with Hinds, Aguilar, Hurtubise, Dunn, Arroyo would have been at AAA and last year with Marte, Richardson & Abbott to Cincinnati. Also, this season Zach Maxwell excelled down there, called up to Louisville and would love to see him in Cincinnati as a September call-up. My biggest concern still is the lack of depth with outfielders and catchers in this system should something else happen to Tyler Stephenson. No one in the system is close to being Major League ready yet.
It is a bunch that has their heads stuck up their asses. What is the point in keeping Rece Hinds in Louisville to delay the future and having Will Benson on the roster right now? One of Hinds best games as the NL Player of the Week he had multi-home run game vs the Marlins. Cincinnati plays Miami this past week and he is still down in Louisville. Hasn't been seen since the double-header was scheduled vs the Braves before it got postponed.
