Good Wil Hunting
Wil Myers put together a great performance over the weekend and I was so happy for him to finally see some results on the field. This past Saturday in particular, Wil crushed 2 homeruns, a double, and a single. He had 4 runs and 5 RBI’s. His batting average improved to .269 and it was one of the most fun games that I have attended at Great American Ball Park. While Sunday ended up being quite the opposite, the Reds managed to split a series with a very good Phillies team before taking on the Rays, Pirates, and Rangers. The Reds currently sit in last place in the National League Central at 6-9 and are 4.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers. In the Reds defense, they have had a tough schedule to begin the year and some bullpen woes have led to some losses that should have been wins. While it is still early in the year, let’s take a look at the positives and negatives after the first fifteen games of the season.
Positives
· Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, and Hunter Greene are the “real deal.” Despite Greene’s rough start to the season, I think the “Big Three” will continue to get better as the season progresses.
· Alexis Diaz has been very good. I have enjoyed watching him and I am happy that we have officially named him as the closer. His intro at Great American Ball Park is very neat and it is good for his confidence and the fan base as he enters the 9th inning.
· Jonathan India is having a great start to the season. He is batting .333 with an OBP of .424.
· TJ Friedl has been such a bright spot in the lineup. He is still batting over .300 and he has been able to show off his speed around the bases often.
· Spencer Steer has shown that he is more than capable of “holding his own” in a big league lineup. He is slashing a .320 average with 2 homeruns.
· Tyler Stephenson has continued to show discipline at the plate. His .400 OBP has been very impressive and he is showing that he is one of the best hitting catchers in the league.
· Jake Fraley is leading the team with 10 RBIs and continues to put together great at-bats.
· Nick Senzel is healthy and has rejoined the outfield that really needs him to play well. His performance at the plate will play a huge role in the success of this lineup.
Negatives
· Luis Cessa has shown that he doesn’t have the ability to be a starter. After a 9 run first inning over the weekend, I believe it is safe to say that he needs to go back to the bullpen where he has shown some success in the past.
· The bullpen woes are beginning to pile up. This team really needs Santillan, Sims, and Antone to return and remain healthy.
· Jason Vosler began the season on a very high note, but he has began chasing a lot of pitches. Joey Votto isn’t quite ready to return yet, so Vosler’s duties will be needed for a little longer.
· Cincinnati is 4.5 games back early on. While it has only been 2 weeks of baseball so far, it is key that Cincinnati doesn’t get behind double digits before the end of April.
NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, as it begins on April 27th in Kansas City, Missouri this year. While I have already previously discussed the needs of the Bengals this offseason, I decided to put together my hopeful “Matt’s Take Mock Draft.”
· Round 1, Pick 28: Darnell Washington TE – Georgia
· Round 2, Pick 60: Sydney Brown S – Illinois
· Round 3, Pick 92: Moro Ojomo DI – Texas
· Round 4, Pick 131: Jackorian Bennett CB – Maryland
· Round 5, Pick 163: Keaton Mitchell HB – East Carolina
· Round 6, Pick 206: Jake Andrews C – Troy
· Round 7, Pick 246: Desjuan Johnson DI – Toledo