I don't know if we can call what the Reds are doing a "build" or a "rebuild." Maybe come June-July we can start seeing a roster turnover but right now it looks like "maintain the status quo" is the order of the day.
Reds
- Thread starter mrschwump
- Start date
One of my best friends in High School lived in a log cabin home. A candle in the bathroom fell over. Broke or something and set the house on fire. Total loss. They rebuilt. Another log cabin. That’s how the Reds are. Like putting up another trailer after having one wiped out in a tornado.
The Opening Day 2023 lineup saw six new players vs Opening Day 2022. If the 2023 roster isn't an actual rebuild, it's about as close as I've seen in my lifetime.
Reds announce Opening Day lineup
The Reds are scheduled to take on the Guardians at 4:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park.
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Looking forward to seeing what Ramos does as well. He is hungry, plays hard and hit .448 during Spring Training. That RBI triple today was huge and have to admire the hustle out of players like him and what Friedl have been doing. Much needed in this outfield situation.
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It'll be interesting to see what direction the Reds take in say 6 weeks from now. Assuming all stay healthy(an almost impossible assumption I know) they'll pretty much be out of any contention by then so do they turn the roster over or do they continue with the same wannabes, hasbeens, neverweres? We should have a good indication on where younger guys are by then too so that will be an indication on what, if anything, is next. Next 6 weeks of baseball will tell us much.
Benson not being ready for opening day has possibly set back an organization that's proven to be bad at baseball.
Instant red flags to me that Cleveland was so willing to take a 2nd Round pick of the Reds in the 2022 draft OF Justin Boyd in exchange for a former 1st Round pick with Benson who should be major league ready at this stage of his career but is not. Not to mention the underwhelming minor league numbers and Cleveland could use an outfielder too and still decided Benson wasn't the guy. I get the Reds needing OF help sooner than later so a trade needed to be made, just think they targeted the wrong player here. Plenty of SS prospects to go out there and the the right one to help this team.
Guess we'll be seeing more Stephenson at 1B with Casali catching or they use Steer at 1B like they did last year. Either way Casali is playing a lot more with Maile catching since Stephenson, Steer & Casali are the only ones with 1B experience.
If they're going to play Senzel, moving Steer 1B temporarily and Senzel at 3B like Larkin said yesterday, he's better there. His natural position.
Steer has a lot of potential and I like him, but where does he fit in to all of this in the long run. Even if they move somebody to the OF, something will have to give and somebody will need to be unloaded. Barerro seems to be the odd man out in that equation. Hopefully they build him up for a trade deadline move. But if CES is the 1B of the future do we have an infield of 1B CES, 2B India, SS ELDC, 3B Steer, with McClain in CF? or does India get moved for McClain to play 2B?
I know people like to rag on India's defense but his clutch bat is something this lineup sorely needs to keep around, Unless they can get something really good in return for him like a quality starting Pitcher with experience or MLB ready like Luis Castillo was when he joined the Reds, but maybe an OF with some pop would be better. Abbott seems like he may be ready sooner rather than later. He may be able to join the rotation next season, if not by the end of this one.
The Reds' Nos. 1, 5 and 6 prospects -- Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand -- combined to go 11-for-16 with 22 total bases and 11 RBIs. Cincinnati's top prospect De La Cruz finished 4-for-6 with a triple, a double, three RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base. MLB's No. 8 overall prospect had gotten off to a slow start after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injuring, collecting just one hit in his first 21 at-bats. CES had 5 hits and 6 rbi. Also 2 HRs.
I've mentioned this before and you've touched on it....trade India for a starting pitcher. That gives you an INF of 1B CES, 2B McClain, SS EDLC, 3B Steer with Barrero in CF. If the Reds are building for the future then build, don't recycle a bunch of AAA/AAAA guys. And Abbott needs to join the rotation soonest.
Have those 3 plus Abbott meet the team at GABP when the Reds return for the West Coast trip....then set back and watch the FO screw it up.
I just feel like Barerro is Billy Hamilton 2.0. Hamilton is playing AAA ball In Charlotte now. Do you keep him solely for the Defense?
Dumb question, what about India in the OF?
Don't see Barrero as BH, who is faster but lacks power. I think Barrero's power potential is why you stick with him. He'll never hit ,350 with 40 HRs but .260 and 20 HRs are within his reach.
Don't know if India has any OF background, think he was a 3B in college. I guess if the Reds thought he had OF potential he would've already had a shot there. Reds future OF are in low minors.
Barrero needs to start picking it up. For his size the .260, 20 HRs in GABP should be a minimum for him. Not going to get anywhere at this pace. For as much flack as India gets for his defense, I feel like that's an area Barrero has been a let down too for a guy people like Larkin have clamored about being a slick fielding SS. What separates India from the likes of Senzel & Barrero is he can hit. For the other 2, whoever can stay healthy, give the most position versatility and be a halfway decent hitter in the lineup should be the one that plays.
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Steer was a Top 100 prospect in MLB when he was acquired from the Twins. He should be every bit as good as what the Reds have coming up in the system. It's anyone's guess how they are going to fit all of these infielders into the lineup every day. If one of them can transition to the outfield it will significantly help their chances of getting in the lineup every day and raise their value.
As far as India, they better know for sure what they have in the prospects first before considering trading former Rookie of the Year and when healthy the best all-around hitter in this lineup. He is playing out of his natural 3B position out of need for the Reds in 2021 with his bat and fill the void at 2B. Steer has experience at 2B so it should be something to consider putting India at 3B before ever getting to the point of moving him if it gets to the point a move to 3B for India needs to happen. By then McLain should at least be up.
Have to look at it this way, if the Reds are concerned about his defense, wouldn't the rest of the league have done their due diligence on him knowing his weakness is defense at 2B? Might not be so certain that he brings in an ace pitcher or an All-Star outfielder. Perhaps another organization will remember he is a 3B coming up and while at Florida. For now, he's better off playing in Cincinnati. To me, his offense in this lineup today is more crucial to the Reds than his defensive struggles. Not excusing his blunders, he needs to improve though he is far from the Reds issues that are holding them down today.
Trading India now sets this team back even longer. How do we even know for sure the top prospects like De La Cruz, CES & McLain all adjust to the MLB level from day 1 and carry this team without struggles of their own? People unfamiliar with Elly need to know that he strikes out about 30% of the time at the plate and needs to be more patient. Still has incredible numbers but there's room for improvement in his game. Their upside is much higher than the likes of Newman, Barrero, Senzel, Reynolds, Myers & Benson. Those should be the ones feeling the heat more than India. Shouldn't even put Myers in this group, he's had an All-Star career but is getting older. That's why he's in Cincinnati, just a stop gap until someone better comes along. Probably not even here beyond the trade deadline.
As far as Andrew Abbott, I think it's sooner than later and could see him in the rotation by June or July. He is the real deal and no one in the 4-5 spots in the rotation have taken claim to their spot and ran with it. Should have let Stoudt stay up and gain experience. Cessa will be serviceable and can easily slide him back to the bullpen. We saw from Luke Weaver just why he hasn't been a starter in 2 years. He is not the future of this organization. Stoudt is 25, the time is now for him.
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Fraley 2-run home run. Just what he needs to get going. I know Oakland is garbage but still this series could be what it takes for some of these guys to snap out of their early season struggles.
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Watching Oakland actually makes me appreciate the Reds a little more. Lol. Oaklands ownership makes the Castellinis look like George Steinbrenner.
No. Not really. But Oakland is flat out awful.
No. Not really. But Oakland is flat out awful.
Overall he did his job with a quality start going 5 innings, 3 runs and I don't blame him completely for the last 2 runs for Friedl's mistake in the outfield and needs to be smarter about his limitations as a center fielder. Had no chance to make a play on that one. Anytime Cessa can eat 5 innings, I'll take it. Law & Cruz giving up 2 runs out of the bullpen. Don't need them getting complacent playing down to Oakland as strong as the pen has been recently.
Former Wildcat Luke Maile hits the 1st home run by a Reds catcher and it was crushed!!
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Fraley go-ahead 2-run double!! 3-2 comeback win. 5 in a row! Came through in the clutch, hope they sweep tomorrow before the road trip in San Diego. Get the terrible White Sox to start off the home stand at the end of the road trip.
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