2022 Cincinnati Reds

[PTrojan59]

[quote=PTrojan59 post_id=<a href="tel:1994151">1994151</a> time=<a href="tel:1647495836">1647495836</a> user_id=1013]
I have been scratching my head over the moves the last week or so. But looking at the possible roster I think this team may be better than people think. Will they win 83 games no, but I think they can still be decent. Bullpen still looks shaky, but that’s nothing new.

My guess at the opening day lineup and roster.

Roster-
C: Stephenson & either Kolozsvary or Knapp
INF: Votto, India, Farmer, Moose, Solano, Moran
OF: Senzel, Naquin, Aquino, Fraley, Akiyama
SP: Castillo, Mahle, Minor, Gutierrez, Greene
BP: Warren, Cessa, Wilson, Hoffman, Hendrix, Moreta, Dunn
CP: Sims

Lineup-

2B: India
RF: Naquin
1B: Votto
C: Stephenson
3B: Moran
DH: Moose
SS: Farmer
CF: Senzel
LF: Fraley
SP: Castillo

I think there will be some cases this year we will also see Senzel at 3B with Barrero in CF since they don't seem to want to try him at SS much with Farmer there.

Don't get me wrong, we will still have some athletes, it's just the idea of being so close and instead of taking that next step we go 10 steps backwards. Especially when we had a really good chance to capture the division.
[/quote]

Oh I completely agree. Win 83 games with a pretty bad bullpen, missing maybe 2-3 pieces from being a 90+ win team. Not to mention with these expanded playoffs if we kept the team together I think we make it no question. Still could make it. But the path looks much more difficult. I understand wanting to offload Suarez and his bad contract, I get the Garrett trade I think he regressed majorly, letting Tucker walk because we have Stephenson. I also know we were never going to realistically sign Castellanos back. But I’m not sure I get the other moves.

[Geronimo]

Suarez trade understand but why Winker that I don't understand ???

[Omega]

Suarez trade understand but why Winker that I don't understand ???

Who would take Suarez with his sterling .193 batting average and $35 million still due on his contract? The Reds had to sweeten the deal to dump Suarez's contract with something of value and that was Winker. Why Winker ? Again to cut payroll now and in the future. Winker makes $7 million and will be a free agent in 2024. A win win situation for the Reds front office, cut payroll and get a prospect they can control for six years. The fans be damned of course.

[BuckeyeBlood]

[quote=Geronimo post_id=<a href="tel:1994393">1994393</a> time=<a href="tel:1647696860">1647696860</a> user_id=13375]
Suarez trade understand but why Winker that I don't understand ???

Who would take Suarez with his sterling .193 batting average and $35 million still due on his contract? The Reds had to sweeten the deal to dump Suarez's contract with something of value and that was Winker. Why Winker ? Again to cut payroll now and in the future. Winker makes $7 million and will be a free agent in 2024. A win win situation for the Reds front office, cut payroll and get a prospect they can control for six years. The fans be damned of course.
[/quote]

Yep, Winker was a casualty due to them wanting to rid Suarez. Makes me sick because Winker was caught off guard, the video he released was quite sad, man didn’t want to leave Cincinnati.

[Omega]

Jose Barrero to miss 6 weeks with hand injury. Barrero was expected to contend for the starting SS or CF position.

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseb ... r%20season.

[BigGuy10]

As much as I still can't stand our ownership, I can't help myself with still following our games.. Reds start the Spring season 2-1 with solid offensive performances back to back games. Barrero being hurt isn't ideal at all and hoping it doesn't affect him later in the season.

India is guaranteed 2B and leadoff. He's also looked to have bulked up some (I give credit to his dad for that one )
Farmer will have SS locked up to begin the season. Votto 1B, Stephenson at catcher, Senzel at CF

3B/DH I believe can be any mixture of Moose, Moran and Solano. Corner OF we'll see Aquino, Naquin, Fraley and Akiyama.
Max Schrock 100% deserves a spot on the roster and IMO a chance for some quality starts this season. He can hit
Knapp should be the backup Catcher over Kolozsvary I believe with Chris Okey being one of our next up and comers hanging in AAA.

I can't seem to get an understanding on what our plans are still.. will we make anymore FA signings? Are we gonna lose another fan favorite?

[Omega]

As much as I still can't stand our ownership, I can't help myself with still following our games.. Reds start the Spring season 2-1 with solid offensive performances back to back games. Barrero being hurt isn't ideal at all and hoping it doesn't affect him later in the season.

India is guaranteed 2B and leadoff. He's also looked to have bulked up some (I give credit to his dad for that one )
Farmer will have SS locked up to begin the season. Votto 1B, Stephenson at catcher, Senzel at CF

3B/DH I believe can be any mixture of Moose, Moran and Solano. Corner OF we'll see Aquino, Naquin, Fraley and Akiyama.
Max Schrock 100% deserves a spot on the roster and IMO a chance for some quality starts this season. He can hit
Knapp should be the backup Catcher over Kolozsvary I believe with Chris Okey being one of our next up and comers hanging in AAA.

I can't seem to get an understanding on what our plans are still.. will we make anymore FA signings? Are we gonna lose another fan favorite?

Hate to admit it, I can remember seeing Ted Kluszewski play baseball for the Reds on tv so following the Reds is kinda of a habit, be they contenders or bums.

As to strategy of the front office, who knows. Low payroll is obvious but they also seem keenly focused on length of service and call up options before a player is eligible for free agency or arbitration. One plays into the other of course.

As to 2022, the Reds have assembled a cast of journeyman players to support some young talent. Likely their ceiling is 81 wins. Conversely I can see them flirting with 100 losses.

[Geronimo]

I'm still trying to figure this bomb shell that hit the Reds out yet ???

[PTrojan59]

The Reds signed RP Hunter Strickland today. He had a very nice year last year. This is a guy the Reds needed out of the pen last year. Good move, I worry GABP may be a bit small for him though. Could give you some homers. But he had a nice era last year. He should have 0 trouble making the opening day roster in the bullpen.

[Omega]

I'm still trying to figure this bomb shell that hit the Reds out yet ???

The Reds were rumoured to have been in the running to sign free agent pitcher Johnny Cueto. His return to the Reds would have been a PR win for the front office as he was a fan favorite. However Cueto is reported to sign with the Twins.

[Geronimo]

Bad choice ???Giving Homer Bailey the big pay day over Johnny Cueto back then was a terrible move Reds are full of bad movies ?.and still doing it.

[PTrojan59]

The Reds added OF Tommy Pham this evening. Another solid addition to the team. The OF seems to be a little crowded at this point. Aquino, Akiyama, Senzel, Naquin, Pham, Fraley, Friedl. Not sure what guys we will see on the opening day roster in the OF.

[Geronimo]

Hope the reds prove me wrong stand at 4-2 putting up runs the last 2 games!!!

[Geronimo]

May have jump the gun??? Reds pitching may be better? Knew look outfield could fit right in the mix ? Bullpen may be better ? Still a question about third base ? Shortstop should play out ?second in good shape ! Votto is a year older? Catching is good! Going to be interesting. Go Reds!!!

[BigGuy10]

May have jump the gun??? Reds pitching may be better? Knew look outfield could fit right in the mix ? Bullpen may be better ? Still a question about third base ? Shortstop should play out ?second in good shape ! Votto is a year older? Catching is good! Going to be interesting. Go Reds!!!

MLB has also agreed for April rosters can be expanded from 26 to 28 players. With that being said:

Stephenson everyday C
Votto everyday 1B
India everyday 2B
Farmer everyday SS
3B/DH will be Moose and Solano
OF is a mix of Senzel, Naquin, Pham and Fraley

Utility guys are a mix of Aquino, Akiyama, Schrock, Moran, Backup C (Knapp or Garcia; one of them has to make it)

I am personally not huge on Aquino (out of options, if he doesn't make Opening Day roster he's cut) or Akiyama. I think Akiyama is pretty bad if we're being honest. Bad thing about his contract is we can't send him down to AAA unless he agrees to it, so he's basically taking up a roster spot IMO.

With 5 starters and 10 bullpen guys, 2 of the 5 utility players listed won't make the Opening Day roster.. who's your thoughts? My picks, bye bye Aquino and Akiyama

[BigGuy10]

As far as SP goes for Opening Day roster, Luis Castillo will miss the start due to shoulder soreness and Mike Minor is stated to miss longer than Luis with his own shoulder issues.. not very ideal. Justin Dunn (acquired from SEA) is set to miss months possibly.

Tyler Mahle will start as our Ace with you can only assume Vladimir Gutierrez, Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo as the 2-4 which leaves a 5th spot open to begin the season. Reiver Sanmartin? Debut of Graham Ashcraft? Tony Santillan? (I like him better eating up innings from the bullpen) or do we get nostalgic and bring back a Johnny Cueto to try and eat up some innings?

Gonna have a lot of young guys trying to eat up big innings to start and will definitely need backup plans.

[Geronimo]

Goodby Aklyama my guess? Other can't say ?

[Geronimo]

Pitching ???

[PTrojan59]

Cincinnati Reds get B- offseason grade from ESPN.
Krall says they are better positioned than 2 weeks ago. The bench is better, the bullpen is better, but starting pitching I’m not so sure. With some guys banged up the Reds are going to have to rely on some young guys in the rotation early on. Also I seen a tweet from someone inside the Seattle organization saying the player to be named later coming to Cincinnati is going to be a tough one to part with. Reds got a list of their prospects and got to pick from said list. Hoping it’s one of their top 10 guys.

[Geronimo]

Starting to look good??? Not jumping the gun !!! Pitching a lot of young guns !!!