Matt’s Take: Reds should be buyers at trade deadline; random comments
By Matthew McAdow
HCP columnist
Oh boy, a topic as old as time in late July – should Cincinnati buy or sell?
Any answer other than buy is wrong. Maybe I am impatient (I am, ask my wife), but holy-prospect-hugging. Brad Meador (Reds GM), who I respect greatly, said some comments yesterday that couldn’t be more wrong in my opinion.
He stated, “We’re not going to hurt ourselves long-term by selling our best prospects.”
Well, I guess you can expect to get nothing in return. How’d that turn out with Nick Senzel, CES, Austin Hendrick, Alejo Lopez, David Vidal, Cody Reed, Amir Garrett, and the list continues.
Look, I understand not just going off the rails and completely changing the roster, but for once, I’d like to see the Cincinnati Reds really try and go for it. To go for it, you won’t acquire good talent for players that playing terrible. Nobody is giving us Eugenio Suarez for Blake Dunn (laughable example).
A mediocre bullpen addition and another Connor Joe replica will not get this team into the playoffs. This city wants winning baseball and I can’t believe the amount of people that are okay with this organization not trying to really improve when Cincinnati is within striking distance. Elly is only in a Reds uniform for so long.
Small market clubs need to take advantage of being in a position of striking distance at the break. Where is NSYNC? It’s time to “Buy, Buy, Buy.”
90 Win Target
If the Reds are wanting to play postseason baseball, they will likely need around 90 wins. This would require Cincinnati to go 38-24. This is doable, but it would require a streak of wins. Cincinnati would also need the Mets to continue their struggles and the Padres to fall apart in the second half as well. Floating around .500 in the National League this season isn’t going to cut it. Hunter Greene returning could be exactly what the doctor ordered for something like this to happen soon.
Random comments
Nick Lodolo deserves a ton of praise for his health this season and his ability to go deep into ballgames.
Noelvi Marte playing the outfield is a good thing. He is athletic and if he can be an average outfielder, he will greatly add versatility to this roster.
Shemar Stewart is getting terrible advice from his agent. I want him in a Bengals uniform and I hope he understands that his agent has been dropped from multiple players in the past for a reason. This Bengals defense needs him for depth. Otherwise, this will be a major bust.
I think a Trey Hendrickson deal gets completed in the next two weeks. I expect him to be playing week one.
The umpire issues against the Mets for the entire series was truly the worst calling that I have witnessed in my lifetime. The ump scorecards were horrendous.
Brent Suter likely doesn’t give up the game tying run if the home plate ump doesn’t call three strikes as balls.
I’d love to see Sal Stewart crush the baseball in AAA over the next three weeks and see if the organization is forced to call him up. He’s going to be very good.
Terry Francona, for some reason, simply isn’t a fan of Will Benson. He once again finds himself on the bench against a right hander.
While Espinal should play against left handed pitching, he shouldn’t be on the field against a right handed pitcher. Marte should play third base against right handers and Fraley/Benson should be playing the corner outfield spots. If Benson is going to ride the bench, I think he might be trade bait over the next week. I would hate to see Will leave this team.