Originally posted by shortcircuit The key to the Reds being the favorite in the NL is keeping Chapman in the bullpen.
Moving him to a starter will make a great bullpen a mediocre one.
Another key is if Shoo can handle CF. I believe they are going to have to stick Jay
Bruce in CF. I don't think that is a deal breaker, but Stubbs covers more ground than
either of these guys will. Shoo will increase the OBP out of the leadoff spot though.
Choo can barely play RF. Putting him in CF is a huge risk, but the leadoff spot was so unproductive last year and Choo's OBP is so good that they are willing to take it. Expect Heisey to be used as a defensive replacement late, but he is still a significant downgrade in the field from Stubbs.
Originally posted by no1marauder If Chapman can start, he should. He'll pitch two to three times as many innings in the rotation as he would in the pen and our fifth starter, Mike Leake, was only 8-9 with a 4.58 ERA and while Arroyo had a bounce back year, he remains a question mark. The Reds bullpen was #1 in baseball last year and would have been among the best even without Chapman, w ...[text shortened]... hapman went down for a couple of weeks in September, JB had 4 straight saves in 4 appearances.
If Chapman can eat through 200 IPs a year and maintain his high 90s/100 velocity like Verlander I will eat my words. His delivery/motion isn't incredibly violent so I guess it's not out of the realm of possibility. In recent memory, Jonathon Papelbon and Joakim Soria were both good closers who were always teased to be starters but it never happened. It will be interesting to see what Chapman endurance is like and if the risk pays off. One thing is certain, Dusty Baker is not afraid of pushing young arms to their limits.
Personally, I think the Reds rotation is good enough to keep Chapman in the bullpen and have him closing out games consistently. Broxton is a guy who had a good comeback year last year but, in my opinion, he is in a state of decline as far as Ks and injuries go. He's better suited as a reliable setup man to Chapman.
Assuming they will get in the playoffs since they are in a weak division, the Reds would be better suited having an elite closer in the playoffs rather than 5 good starters.
Originally posted by no1marauder It's more than a little ridiculous to blame the loss in a 10 inning 2-1 game on a guy getting thrown out at third in the 1st inning.
No its not. All Phillips had to do was keep running to third but instead held up at second. Then he later got thrown at third when he would have scored from third had he been there. They would have won 1 - 0 after 9 innings.
As for what they would have done after that is questoinable, especially with Cueto out and Votto hurt. Mind you, I'm not blaming Phillips, just observing what had happened. After all, Phillips is a big reason they were even there to begin with.
Homer threw a hell of a game. I just hated to see him lose it.
Incidentally, where is that prediction that they will win the World Series again, or have you given up on them?
Originally posted by Zamboner Assuming they will get in the playoffs since they are in a weak division, the Reds would be better suited having an elite closer in the playoffs rather than 5 good starters.
Good starters? If Cueto can turn it up a notch and Chapman adapts to the role, they would be akin to the Diamondbacks duo that won the World Series.
I don't deny that the closer role is a huge concern. No one they put out there will be as good as Chapman. It's just not possible.
Originally posted by no1marauder Choo can barely play RF. Putting him in CF is a huge risk, but the leadoff spot was so unproductive last year and Choo's OBP is so good that they are willing to take it. Expect Heisey to be used as a defensive replacement late, but he is still a significant downgrade in the field from Stubbs.
I think it had to be done. Stubbs simply was not good enough at the plate. My guess is that Bruce will be moved to center.
The potential is there, maybe he can figure it out somewhere else.
Originally posted by whodey No its not. All Phillips had to do was keep running to third but instead held up at second. Then he later got thrown at third when he would have scored from third had he been there. They would have won 1 - 0 after 9 innings.
As for what they would have done after that is questoinable, especially with Cueto out and Votto hurt. Mind you, I'm not blaming ...[text shortened]... ere is that prediction that they will win the World Series again, or have you given up on them?
Baseball doesn't work like that. You can't just assume the following batters would have had the same results if BP was on second rather than no one being on base.
I haven't given up on the Reds but I haven't really turned my attention much to baseball yet. I am looking forward to the World Baseball Classic and, of course, the 2013 season.
Originally posted by no1marauder Baseball doesn't work like that. You can't just assume the following batters would have had the same results if BP was on second rather than no one being on base.
I haven't given up on the Reds but I haven't really turned my attention much to baseball yet. I am looking forward to the World Baseball Classic and, of course, the 2013 season.
I am going to see the first two pool games for the US in Phoenix.
The team from Mexico looks very good.
Not so sure about Italy's offering.
I wanted to see the Canada game as well, but couldn't stay another day.
World Champion Cincinnati Reds
21 Feb '13 17:05
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