Track The NL Central Champion Reds (Week 13)

[HammerTime]

Wily Mo is back in the bigs.

 

I heard he was crushing it in the minors with a really good average. Good for him.

[UKMustangFan]

Stubbs CF

Phillips 2B

Votto 1B

Bruce RF

Rolen 3B

Gomes LF

Hernandez C

Janish SS

Cueto P

 

It looks like it's about to monsoon outside right now on the river....

[HammerTime]

^ It just got really dark and a nasty little patch of rain looks like it's moving in.

[HammerTime]

Wily Mo is back in the bigs.

 

.363/.439/.726 line with 21 home runs in 271 Triple-A plate appearances.

[EZ Living]

^ It just got really dark and a nasty little patch of rain looks like it's moving in.

 

Believe it or not weather.com shows a window from 7:00p - 10:00p and then all you know what breaks loose again. I sure hope so but I'm taking a brella anyway.

[EZ Living]

.363/.439/.726 line with 21 home runs in 271 Triple-A plate appearances.

 

These numbers make old "leatherpants" proud. If only Wily could carry it over to the next level.

[EZ Living]

I didn't see those conversations, but I'll add this. That is the dumbest idea in all of sports and the stats back it up. Some smarter teams are now using their best reliever earlier in the game and in tougher situations because they know the win percentage for teams leading after 8 innings is almost exactly the same as it's been in baseball for 100 years. It also saves them a ton of money if they aren't letting guys collect save stats. I think Massett is the Reds best pitcher out of the pen so I like that he isn't the closer. I would love if Dusty started the 9th out with Bray against a lefty before going to CoCo if the hitter struggles against lefties, but I understand why he doesn't. I just don't agree with it.

 

Guess you and I are a small minority on this one. There have been many a manager go to their closer in the 8th when the game was really on the line. How many times have you seen the meat of the order come up in the 8th and then the closer just has to close against the bottom of the order in the 9th. If my closer was my best in the bullpen which I am not convinced CoCo is in this pen I would want him to face the meat of the order to save the game. If he threw too many pitches to come back in the 9th bring someone else to face the bottom. CoCo rarely ever gets through an inning with a small pitch count anyway. I know the thinking is that the closer gets paid to get saves and he wouldn't be credited with a save in this situation. So what, you have a better chance to get the win. Isn't that the main objective to get a win, not get somebody their numbers? This 7th inning guy, 8th inning guy, 9th inning guy stuff drives me crazy. Pitch to the situation to get the best results.

[AverageJoesGym]

I didn't see those conversations, but I'll add this. That is the dumbest idea in all of sports and the stats back it up. Some smarter teams are now using their best reliever earlier in the game and in tougher situations because they know the win percentage for teams leading after 8 innings is almost exactly the same as it's been in baseball for 100 years. It also saves them a ton of money if they aren't letting guys collect save stats. I think Massett is the Reds best pitcher out of the pen so I like that he isn't the closer. I would love if Dusty started the 9th out with Bray against a lefty before going to CoCo if the hitter struggles against lefties, but I understand why he doesn't. I just don't agree with it.

 

Guess you and I are a small minority on this one. There have been many a manager go to their closer in the 8th when the game was really on the line. How many times have you seen the meat of the order come up in the 8th and then the closer just has to close against the bottom of the order in the 9th. If my closer was my best in the bullpen which I am not convinced CoCo is in this pen I would want him to face the meat of the order to save the game. If he threw too many pitches to come back in the 9th bring someone else to face the bottom. CoCo rarely ever gets through an inning with a small pitch count anyway. I know the thinking is that the closer gets paid to get saves and he wouldn't be credited with a save in this situation. So what, you have a better chance to get the win. Isn't that the main objective to get a win, not get somebody their numbers? This 7th inning guy, 8th inning guy, 9th inning guy stuff drives me crazy. Pitch to the situation to get the best results.

 

That line of thinking is getting more and more popular around the league. The Red Sox have use Daniel Bard in just that capacity. Papelbon is still an effective closer but Bard has the best stuff on the staff. He is usually brought in to pitch the 8th inning or earlier if it is a game-saving situation then Papelbon pitches the 9th. There is a lot of speculation on Red Sox boards that if Papelbon leaves as a free agent that Bard will be kept in his setup role and Bobby Jenks or Felix Doubront used as a closer.

[SSC]

That line of thinking is getting more and more popular around the league. The Red Sox have use Daniel Bard in just that capacity. Papelbon is still an effective closer but Bard has the best stuff on the staff. He is usually brought in to pitch the 8th inning or earlier if it is a game-saving situation then Papelbon pitches the 9th. There is a lot of speculation on Red Sox boards that if Papelbon leaves as a free agent that Bard will be kept in his setup role and Bobby Jenks or Felix Doubront used as a closer.

 

I've seen some of that talk and it's because even though people act like it's a huge deal it isn't that huge of a deal to close out a game. Like I said teams with the lead after 8 innings now are winning at about the same clip they were 100 years ago. I've seen the estimates that the Sox think they'll save by keeping Bard where he is and it's a staggering amount of money. It makes a lot of sense.

[SSC]

Rain out tonight. Day night double header tomorrow. Leake goes early and Cueto goes late.

[AverageJoesGym]

I've seen some of that talk and it's because even though people act like it's a huge deal it isn't that huge of a deal to close out a game. Like I said teams with the lead after 8 innings now are winning at about the same clip they were 100 years ago. I've seen the estimates that the Sox think they'll save by keeping Bard where he is and it's a staggering amount of money. It makes a lot of sense.

 

Say what you want about Theo Epstein's merry band of stat geeks and number crunchers but the teams like the Red Sox, that stay ahead of the curve and think outside of traditional mindsets are experiencing a huge amount of success.

[westsider]

A friend and mine were supposed to go to the game tonight and on Wednesday, but since tonight's game is rained out, we have two tickets available for the Wednesday night game.

 

They're in Section 516 ... will gladly take the $30 face value.

[SSC]

Say what you want about Theo Epstein's merry band of stat geeks and number crunchers but the teams like the Red Sox, that stay ahead of the curve and think outside of traditional mindsets are experiencing a huge amount of success.

 

No doubt. They are out in front of most other teams on a lot of things and when others figure out what's going on they've found another angle.

[westsider]

I've always abhorred the idea that certain pitchers have to work the 7th, 8th and 9th innings based on "their role" in the bullpen. As far as I'm concerned, your job is to pitch when you're called to pitch.

[EZ Living]

No doubt. They are out in front of most other teams on a lot of things and when others figure out what's going on they've found another angle.

 

Maybe you and I should volunteer to help the "toothpick" with a few ideas, but afterall we are just a couple of of Bluegrass posters with "dumb" ideas.