Voice of Reason

The next two days are going to be interesting to see what moves the Reds make or don't make. They are playing better since the all star break and making the postseason is within reach. If they somehow make the postseason and have Greene and Burns at the top of the rotation, they could be a dangerous team. Anything can happen in baseball. Even with an offense as bad as the Reds'.

https://linknky.com/sports/2026/07/28/five-things-to-know-about-covington-catholic-football-for-2026/ And there is little mention of the player who will be the most highly recruited player on the team - sophomore Brandon Smith.

Got any scoop on your friend Shermar? He left the field today and there are concerns it is serious - a knee.

These threads might be relevant here:

I have had a good experience probably 30 times in the past few months. No negative experiences other than having to smell marijuana crap - and we are running into that crap everywhere these days.

Absolutely problem #1. The Reds are last in the NL in AVG, tied for last in all of MLB. The Reds are last in all of MLB in Hits. The Reds are second last in the NL in Runs and RBI. One of the main measurements for player quality in analytics is WAR (Wins Above Replacement). An average everyday player should be at a 2. The Reds have one batter at 2 or higher - Elly is at 3.3. A 1 or less is a bench or part time player. The only other batters at 1 or more on the Reds are Dunn 1, Bleday 1.2, Stewart 1.3 and Stephenson 1.4.

Yes, they are young. More growth to come. Most baseball analytics experts point to the age 27 season as the year players get close to their potential. We need to keep them all at least through age 27. We will lose Elly in four years at age 28 when he is a free agent. All four have been All Star team players. They each can be a difference maker in a playoff game against any team. What is your definition of "great"? Does a player have to be Hall of Fame level?

Here are GREAT players that every team in MLB would love to have: Elly, Stewart, Burns, Greene A team MUST have some great players to be a serious contender. You build the team around them the best you can to become a contender.

The Reds are playing better but it is too little, too late I believe. Here is the key question as the team looks at trading away players and who they trade. When do you want to be a playoff team? That question shapes everything. If the Reds want to seriously try and be a playoff team in 2027, there are some players being mentioned as trade targets that I think they absolutely should not trade - number one being Hunter Greene. What do you need to have a playoff team? You need GREAT players first. Brady Singer is a solid starting pitcher but he is not a GREAT pitcher. He is at best your #3 starter and on playoff pitching staffs probably #5. He is #50 in NL starting pitchers in 2026 one stats ranking I looked at. That makes him a #4 starter. Good piece to have, but not the anchor of a playoff contender. Hunter Greene is a #1 level starter - with the obligatory "when healthy" note added here. The bigger factor in why you keep Greene is his contract. Contracts is really what drives the vast majority of the trades we will see in the next couple weeks. Greene has a contract that we all want the Reds to do with their young players. Two more years of control at a favorable salary. And now the Reds are going to trade that away? A player they need if they want to contend in 2027. And you can still have him in 2028 if you finally get over the hump and put a contender on the field. There is no player the Reds can get in a trade that will be capable of Hunter Greene level stats in the next 2 years. If they want to be a playoff contender in 2027 and/or 2028, they keep Greene. Brady Singer - On the other hand, Singer is the player you trade. No contract control next year. He isn't going to be a Reds player in 2027 so get what you can for him. Tyler Stephenson - Arbitration years are done. I like him and hate to see him go, but the Reds need to get what they can for him. The Reds have Trevino under contract for next year. They have one of the top catching prospects in MLB so they may have to bring him up a little early. Spencer Steer - Getting named as a possible trade away. That question comes into play here - when do the Reds want to be a contender? If it is 2027, keep Steer. he is too valuable a piece with multi position capability. Eugenio Suarez - Reds signed him for 2 years. They owe him $16M next year if they keep him. Tough call. They have to get something worthwhile in return to move him. I know he is very up and down, but the Reds need HR power and he can provide it. Others that you trade if you can - Nate Lowe, Brock Burke, Caleb Ferguson, Pierce Jonson, Sam Moll. I want to win in 2027 and the reds have GREAT players in place to add pieces around. They just need to do better getting the other pieces.

August 3 for the team but every day for MC44. ?

Have a great day Deuce! You share a birthday with one of my sons.

Very nice. I didn't watch it all but that first five minutes that shows the field house and gives a quick history of Raceland football was excellent. That field house is as good as it gets. For others reading this, it is worth a few minutes to look at that fieldhouse.

Last they were 4-7. The four teams they beat had a total of 5 wins. They lost to Powell County who only had 3 wins. They lost to Caverna who only had 2 wins. They lost 26-0 in round 1 of the playoffs to a team that lost 49-22 in round 2 to state runner up Raceland. That is a HUGE amount of ground to make up. In Class 1A, a team can make big gains. They could get to round 3 in the playoffs. Then it comes down to matchups as to possibly winning in round 3, but doubtful they win a round 3 game. I don't see a team going from that 2025 resume to a state title. Give 1A some credit. I don't think it is that easy - add some D1 players and win a title.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

True. It's all on paper. Stein hasn't coached a game yet as a head coach. But I will reiterate, I think this adds pressure on Stein to win this year. It all starts up front and this says UK has the hosses up front to beat every team they play.

Using this ranking, UK's o-line will be better than every opponent. They do play OK and TN, so chalk those up as losses. 8 wins means they lost 2 other games to teams with worse o-lines than them.

Title or bust.

If accurate, that puts a lot of pressure on Stein in year one. The #3 offensive line should equal at least 8 wins and I don't care what the schedule looks like.

That did not look right to me. I thought UK under Fran Curci in the late 70's got to #2 or 3 but looked it up and #6 ranking for the 1977 team is the highest they got.

I agree no trade now. I say not before 2028 unless it is an overwhelming offer.

Looks ok. Different but the much of the same info is there. I will be curious to see if team and player stats are linked like it was on Riherds. Is that link on the KHSAA site anywhere? I couldn't find it.

Reds trailing 7-0 in the middle of the 8th. Painful watching. Abbott pitched well leaving with a 1-0 score. Then the bullpen happened - allowed 6 runs in the 7th. Suspect defense ignited the Mariners.

What is the downside? His value is at a low point.

As I have said previously, healthy Hunter Greene is a top 10 NL starter. That is the value I want if he is traded. That value isn't coming in July 2026. Two, I adamantly oppose the tear it down rebuild strategy. I favor rebuild for next year. Greene gives the Reds a better chance to win next year than any players we get for him in a trade now.

What season are trying to win? 2027? 2028? Beyond? If I am the Reds, I am making trades to win next year. That means keep Greene. He is under contract at a bargain price. Trade Singer and other players who won't be here next year.