Cueto gets Rocked, Reds Still Lose; Plus Thoughts on the Draft

Lets talk...Cueto's Return:

 
 Johnny Cueto made his return to Great American Ballpark last night as the starter for the San Fransisco Giants. Usually not someone you want to see as an opposing pitcher, but Cueto had a rough start to say the least. Although he was welcomed back graciously by fans and former teammates alike, the Reds didn't take it easy on their former All Star. Joey Votto hit a 425 foot bomb that plated 3 of the 6 runs the Redlegs scored in the third inning alone. Six runs; should be enough offense to win a game right? WRONG. Not with this bullpen anyway. True to fashion, the pen let another lead slip away, resulting in a 9-6 loss. If you can recall we had just snapped a six game losing streak on Sunday in extras over the Pirates. Now that we're on this home stand, I'd hope we could avoid another losing streak, but this team's relief is so god awful it's embarrassing.

Once again, I know this is a rebuilding year and that we aren't too expect the Reds to define the odds. But really, this team could have a winning record if not for the relief pitching. Half of last year's starters are still banged up on the DL. The ones that are starting are young, but for the most part have shown great promise. If you take out the dreadful series with the Cubs where we lost 13-0 and 9-0, our offense has been producing runs more than they have the past couple years. So we're left with the bullpen. Bryan Price being a former pitching coach, to me, should be able to MANAGE PITCHERS a little better. So glad Dusty Baker is out of here because he had no chance of getting us deep into the playoffs. Where's Dusty now you say? Oh just tearing it up with the Nationals this season. Yeah, but that's something that can't be changed. However; If I see Bryan Price looking dazed and confused as to why JJ Hoover is giving up run after run yet again I'm going to scream. The man has an ERA of 13.97!!!!! That's absurd. Send him down for the love of God. He can regain confidence in Triple A, but giving up runs every outing in the majors isn't going to do it.

Lets talk...Bengals draft picks:

With the 24th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select...William Jackson III, cornerback, Houston. Ok, I like the help in the defensive secondary which we will need with the loss of Reggie Nelson at safety. We'll also have to address the more than likely loss of free agent, Leon Hall, at the cornerback position. He will come into a young team of cornerbacks with the exception of veteran Adam Jones, who clearly still has some maturing to do  after last season. Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard will be mentoring the rookie and Kirkpatrick has strong thoughts on Jackson starting day one. He believes Jackson needs major development and it will take time to adjust into his role on the roster. We'll see, but I'd definitely like to see our first round draft pick making an impact sooner rather than later.

I think the Bengals came away with decent WRs too. They didn't reach in the first round when most of the top receivers had already gone off the board. They picked up Tyler Boyd out of Pittsburgh and Cody Core out of SEC powerhouse Ole Miss. These two will cushion the blow of losing Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu to free agency this off-season. Lets not forget, our offense is still quite strong. We have an elite WR in A.J. Green still, a standout TE in Tyler Eifert, and a great duo in the backfield with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. Also, a lot of the experts are saying we got a steal in Andrew Billings, defensive tackle out of Baylor. Billings already has a chip on his shoulder from falling so far in the draft, so hopefully he can use that to the team's advantage.

A Red Hot Start; How Sweep it is

Lets talk...the first series:

What a way to kick off the season! A sweep of the Phillies, including two comeback wins on opening day and night. I'm not saying we'll go 162-0, or 182-0 according to the drunk gal at the bar & grill I was at on Monday night, but the Reds have gotten off to one heck of a start. It always seems like we lose on opening day to me, so I figured that was how it was going to end. The Reds proved me wrong and went on a five-run rally in the eighth that lead to our first victory. This run production was backed up by a pretty good outing from starter Raisel Iglesias. In all reality he only made one big mistake by giving up a two-run homer. Other than that, he looked like he has potential to be a big asset. Definitely exciting.

On a frigid, rainy Wednesday IN APRIL, the Redlegs rallied again behind a double in the ninth by Scott Schebler. He hadn't seen the ball well all game, tallying a total of three strikeouts in his previous at bats. Low and behold he would have the game winner. With the bases loaded, he brought em' in to push the Reds past the Phillies for the second straight night, 3-2. Brandon Finnegan, who we acquired from the Royals in the Cueto trade, had a nice night himself including a career-high nine strikeouts. He's no Cueto yet, but it's refreshing to see we did get someone useful out of that heartbreaking trade.


No comeback needed in game number three. Cincy rolled Philadelphia in a 10-6 win today. Now, if you read my previous post, I was a bit harsh on ol' Brucey boy, but I also said he needs to become the power hitter that we know he is capable of being. Would you look at that, the kid jacks out two homers, AND grabs five RBIs. I like what I see, and I want to see more of it. Eugenio Suarez had a big day with a grand salami. The battle of the big league debut went to the Reds. Both starting pitchers took the mound in the majors for the first time today, and our top prospect Robert Stephenson recorded the first win of his MLB career.

Lets talk...perspective:

I know it's the first series of the year people, I'm not delusional. However; when you're franchise is throwing words around like, "rebuilding year", you get a little down before the season even begins. It's refreshing to come out guns-a-blazin. Do I expect us to win the division? Probably not. Do I expect us to be in the hunt for a wildcard spot? Ehh. But guess what...we're 3-0 and I'm going to relish in that. And to make it that much sweeter, the Cardinals are at the bottom of the division at 0-3!

Opening Day FOMO

Lets talk...the festivities:

As I'm sitting here watching the parade, I'm thinking back to last year's Opening Day. It was about the same temperature, maybe a little warmer, and I had a delicious adult beverage in my hand. I was most likely intoxicated, if not well on my there :) Oh how I wish I was doing the same thing right about now. It's awesome that most work places allow you to dress in your Reds gear, and have the parade on TV, but I want to be there!!! I'm suffering from some serious FOMO right now, (fear of missing out for those of you who don't know). Nothing gets you in the spirit of baseball season more than Opening Day in Cincinnati. The Banks is a huge part of the celebration. It's like being surrounded by thousands of your drunk best friends because everyone is a Reds fan. And it's the first game of the season, therefore nobody is disappointed...yet.

Lets talk...the team:

I will admit that I'm not as pumped for the team that will take the field today against the Phillies. Mostly because I've never seen half of them play. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but Frazier is gone from third. The Cuban Missile is with the Yanks. Yes, we still have our staple players: Bruce, Votto, and Phillips. However; if Bruce continues to hit like he has the past couple seasons, so what if he's been here his whole career. He's got to step it up, become the power hitter he has the ability to be. If he's not going to jack out homers, than at least consistently be a threat of getting on base. Again, I'm going to try to maintain a positive attitude as the season gets underway, but with half of our starting pitching on the DL, I reserve the right to be skeptical.

Tri-State Teams are Ready to Dance

Lets talk...Bearcats:

They're in! Whew, what a sigh of relief it was when I saw them pop up on that screen, and as a nine seed at that. I kept saying that even with the crazy 4OT loss against UConn they should be in, but when I saw Temple, I got a little nervous I will admit. I was thinking more like an 11 seed, so I'm pleasantly surprised. The Cats will face number eight seed, St. Joseph's. They finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 this year with an overall record of 27-7. I won't lie, I haven't watched much of this team all year, but from their stats, it looks like they can score. They average just over 77 points per game. If the Bearcats hope to advance, they'll need to play their style of hard-nose defense and keep the Hawks in the 60s. The only thing I'm not happy about is that they are in the West Coast Region. They don't play until 10PM this Friday night!

Lets talk...regions:

I'm not a Kentucky fan, nor am I a Kentucky hater, but come on. They are a four seed, and they barely have to travel far from home with any advancement they make in the tourney. Don't get me wrong, their region is no cakewalk, but we all know UK fans travel well. Hell, look at the SEC Conference Championship game on Sunday against Texas A&M. It was practically a home game for them in Nashville. They do have Xavier in their region. I think it would be interesting to see these two teams go head to head against each other this year. Although, I don't have that matchup happening in my bracket. There is a good chance that the Wildcats will meet up with Indiana which I'd love to see too. After the bracket was finalized, I think we can all agree on one thing...t
here is no reason for the Selection Sunday show to EVER, I mean EVER, be two hours long again :)

The MADNESS has Begun; Not Just Talking College Hoops

Lets talk...free agency:

Tis' the time of year where we must say farewell to some of our favorite players due to free agency. If you are a fan of Cincinnati sports, you should already be warmed up to this idea seeing as the Reds gave away half the roster in the off season for prospects...I'M JUST SAYING. Anyways, the Bengals have said goodbye to a couple offensive elements in the mere beginning of free agency, including wideout Marvin Jones. Jones has signed with the Detroit Lions, and reports say that the Bengals gave him a competitive offer. However, I can see why Jones wants to be in Detroit. With Calvin Johnson retiring, there is a need for a number one receiver. Jones was a great asset for the Bengals, but he also was in the mix with a lot of great receivers, all falling in line of course behind A.J. Green. I don't know if Jones has the ability or height to become an elite receiver such as Green or Johnson, but he will definitely get more looks being in the Lions' lineup.

Next up to ship out was Mohamed Sanu. Another great compliment to our number one Green, and I'm sad to see him go to the Falcons. Sanu was a good receiver and made some clutch catches for us this season, but off to Atlanta he goes. The silver lining here is that our former offensive weapons are going to teams OUTSIDE of our division. We won't be matching up with either Sanu or Jones in a divisional grudge match against the Steelers or the Ravens, and that does bring me some relief.

The one trade I don't want to see would be AJ McCarron going to the Broncos. After Brock Osweiler decided to go to the Texans for the mullah, the defending Super Bowl Champs are on the hunt for a starting QB. Now, they could draft a rookie and hope that pans out, or the more viable option...pick up someone in free agency. The list of free agent, veteran QBs is a little sad. You've got your pick between RGIII, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Against those three, I'd take AJ McCarron any day. I am a little biased, but the kid showed a lot of poise and control after taking over for Dalton. He should've had a post season win, but I won't rehash those memories. I just hope he stays in Cincinnati because we learned last season that injuries can happen at the worst time, and I want a reliable back-up when they do.

We are doing a solid job on the defensive side. The Bengals have resigned George Iloka, Adam Jones, and linebacker Vincent Rey. As much as everyone wants to boohoo about Jones' behavior, (including myself), you can't deny his talent. He's a great corner, and a good punt returner. An attitude adjustment would definitely help his cause, but lets face it, he can get rid of the nickname but he's had these issues his whole NFL career. All we can do is hope for the best.

Lets talk...the real madness, March:

One of my favorite times of the year. The journey to the tourney is underway in the form of Conference tournaments this week. Cincinnati will face off against Connecticut tomorrow for the third time this year in the American. They've had the Huskies' number, sweeping their previous two meetings which could be good or bad. Both games went right down to the wire, and I'm sure UConn is looking for some revenge. The Bearcats made a good push for an at-large bid by beating #24 SMU on Sunday, but a good showing in their conference tourney should seal the deal.

And as much as I have neglected Xavier this year because of my pure hatred for them, I will give credit where credit is due. Musketeer Head Coach, Chris Mack, was the winner of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Henry Iba Award for National Coach of the Year. It's an impressive honor that warrants a two-clap from me. Mack and his #5 Muskies go up against Marquette tonight on their quest to become Big East Tournament Champs. Regardless of their conference tournament outcome, Xavier is looking at either a #2 or possibly a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

I'm all about that Tourney, bout' that Tourney, No Bubble

Lets talk...this past week:

Wednesday was rough to watch. I was at Fifth Third Arena when the Bearcats PUMMELED Tulsa in their first meeting, and then an overtime loss to them on the road? Tough to stomach, that's for sure. Especially since the Cats are battling for an at-large bid to the tourney. Yes, 95% of their losses this season have come down to the wire. The only problem with that is, they have eight of them. The sad truth being that after watching this team all season, I almost expect them to lose in a close game. I need a cushy 10-point lead to feel comfortable that they'll snag a victory. It's definitely not what I would have predicted in the pre-season. I mean, on paper this team is the best Cronin has had in his head coaching stint at UC.


The Cats redeemed their loss to Tulsa with a big win over Connecticut on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd. UConn had just beaten top 25 opponent SMU prior to this game which helps the Cats' cause. Also, the fact that they swept Kevin Ollie's team this season doesn't hurt.

Lets talk...the bubble:

UC is smack dab in the middle of the bubble conversation. With the regular season winding down, I think they can solidify an at-large bid if they win out. They have East Carolina next, which should be an easy W. Then, they face a tough Houston squad on the road and round out their season with big, bad SMU. When they faced #15 ranked SMU in the beginning of January, they narrowly lost on the road, 59-57. This time they'll need a win on their home court.  It helps us bubble teams that there are teams like SMU that have been ranked all season, but because of NCAA sanctions are unable to participate in the tournament. Hey, every little thing counts. The Bearcats also need to make a convincing run in the American Conference tournament to make a trip to March Madness.

If they can make it to the NCAA Tournament, I think they can do some real damage. If Gary Clark can keep being a dominant presence underneath and keep playing great defense, he's going to do big things. They've got Troy Caupain as their floor general who somehow hits the biggest shots at just the right times. The freshmen have been a delight to watch this year. Justin Jennifer can handle the point when Caupain needs a breather, and Jacob Evans III looks more and more confident with each game I watch. Throw in our other big men, Ellis and DeBerry, and it's a recipe for success! As long as Ellis can keep that attitude of his in check.  I know I'm a little biased, but I'm not the only one that thinks this team has a real shot. ESPN's Myron Medcalf believes that out of all the teams in the American, Cincinnati has the best chance to make a run at the Final Four. They could easily have 4 more wins on the season if not more, they just have to learn to finish in close games.

Lets talk...baseball...only because we have to:

Pitchers and Catchers have reported! Usually that would be an exciting statement, but I'm keeping my hopes low for this season. After last season's ugly ending, and all the liquidation of assets they had this offseason, the Reds cease to excite me. Of course I'll watch the games and cheer on my hometown team as always, but being a pessimist by nature, I don't expect much. I assume I won't even know half the 25-man roster because of all the "prospects" we've received. And Bryan Price, much like other professional coaches in this town...has another chance to show what he can do when in reality, he doesn't deserve it. He's a pitching coach. That's what he's good at, and that's what he should return to. He's not a team manager and I don't have faith that he'll turn it around.

Speaking of turning it around. Jay Bruce, after trade rumors swirled around all offseason, still remains on the team. I've loved Bruce since he came up, but my love is running short. He needs to step up or get out for how much money we threw at him. I'm almost embarrassed to own the man's jersey. He's only 29, and I feel like he's already washed up. He did show good faith to the team by showing up to spring training two days early this year. However, the only thing that will really get my attention, is if he shows up batting in the high .200's for longer than a week.

A Tale of Two Defenses Plus, Why We All Love Tyler Eifert

Lets talk...Bearcats at Huskies:

Forgive me readers, for it has been 20 days since my last post. Honestly, I have just now gotten over the Bengals loss, and can begin to discuss Cincy sports again without such distain, but we'll talk football in a minute. First, lets talk about the Bearcats match up tonight against the UConn Huskies. Two teams that used to hold their own against the monster Big East opponents of a couple years ago, are now floating in the middle of the American Conference. Not holding anything against the American, they do have some quality teams, including both the Cats and the Huskies. But lets face it, Tulsa is no Georgetown. In order for the Bearcats to even THINK about getting into the tourney, they need to take care of business within their conference. That means a quality road win tonight, and it won't come easy.

Defense is the Cats' bread and butter, but the past two games against both Memphis and Tulane they have been an offensive machine. They almost put up 100 in the Tulane game where Coach Cronin got his 200th win! Nothing made me happier than to see Kenyon Martin out there celebrating with him. Although, I wish they could've saved some of those points because UConn is almost a spitting image of UC. Their defense can shut down their opponent, only allowing an average of 62.6 points per game, compared to the Bearcats' 62.4. The Huskies are allowing opponents to shoot only 37.3% from the field, (courtesy of gobearcats.com). This means two things to me; One, the Cats will have to score a good amount of their points on the run in transition, before the Huskies' defense can get set. And two, they can't rely on making an absurd amount of three pointers. This has been the Achilles heel in almost all of their losses. You live by the three, you die by the three. I've always believed in that saying, especially when it comes to this squad. They'll need to focus on feeding it down low to their big men, Clark, Ellis and DeBerry. Points will be hard to come by in this game, so they'll need to take more high-percentage shots if they want the win.

Lets talk...my ever growing love for Tyler Eifert:

Tyler Eifert. The list of adjectives to describe this man goes as follows: talented, athletic, gorgeous, and you can add humble on there too. After the playoff debacle that lead to most NFL fans thinking the Bengals were nothing but dirty thugs, Eifert got some positive publicity for our team on Wednesday night. Eifert is in Hawaii for the NFL Pro-Bowl and he is used to giving out his signature to fans. Instead, he decided to highlight the people that fight for our freedom by having members of our military autograph a football helmet that he had. The link to the vine is below for a small glimpse of Tyler's good will.  Eifert is one of seven Bengals selected to this year's Pro Bowl which includes: Geno Atkins, Andrew Whitworth, Cedric Peerman, AJ Green, Carlos Dunlap, and the late addition of Adam Jones.

https://vine.co/v/iiL7LbxLFpp