Two years ago we won 97 games....the next year replace Choo for Stubbs, Frazier for Rolen, Leake, Homer, Latos, Cingrani, Arroyo all better than year before and they won fewer games.

Worse in CF, at least on offense. LF should be better with a healthy Ludwick. Votto should improve with a healthy knee, but Phillips will probably show a decline. Bruce is Bruce so likely no change either way. Mez, Frazier, and Cozart: please don't suck. Cozart showed improvement in the 2nd half so maybe. Hopefully 2013 was just a sophomore slump and we'll see the return of 2012 Frazier. Mesoraco finally gets a shot at regular starts.

Hopefully the rotation has 2012 health. A healthy Marshall should improve the bullpen.

I'm not that confident going in to the season but I'm not ready to declare it over either.

Ironman92;1573531 wrote:Two years ago we won 97 games....the next year replace Choo for Stubbs, Frazier for Rolen, Leake, Homer, Latos, Cingrani, Arroyo all better than year before and they won fewer games.

2012 - 15 games vs Houston
2013 - 3 games vs Houston

No Dusty Baker to fuck things up so I actually have some optimism heading into the year.

Terry_Tate;1573544 wrote:No Dusty Baker to fuck things up so I actually have some optimism heading into the year.

I will say, I am very excited to see what Price can do. I love that guy.

justincredible;1573547 wrote:I will say, I am very excited to see what Price can do. I love that guy.

Definitely agree with this.

justincredible;1573542 wrote:2012 - 15 games vs Houston
2013 - 3 games vs Houston

Great point.

justincredible;1573541 wrote:Mesoraco finally gets a shot at regular starts.

Did he not in 2013? Me thinks he did, and didn't do well.

SportsAndLady;1573602 wrote:Did he not in 2013? Me thinks he did, and didn't do well.

Yeah, I guess he did, especially with Hanigan being hurt. I still think he will improve this season.

justincredible;1573605 wrote:Yeah, I guess he did, especially with Hanigan being hurt. I still think he will improve this season.

I like Mesoraco, and want nothing more for him to be an All-star this year...but the fact remains he got the keys to the car last year when Hanigan went down, and he was not very good, consistently.

I think it's hard to be consistent when you only get 85 starts. Only a few times he had runs of more than 3 starts. Hopefully being back there everyday will help his consistency.

se-alum;1573635 wrote:I think it's hard to be consistent when you only get 85 starts. Only a few times he had runs of more than 3 starts. Hopefully being back there everyday will help his consistency.

He's a catcher, he's not going to be back there every day. He's going to get a day off during the week. It's just his fans making excuses for him. I'm cool with it, he's our best option at the catcher position. Just not too optimistic he's going to have a good year, that's all.

I guess we have to define good year. If he has an .800 OPS, it's a good year. If he drives in 80 runs, it's a good year. My biggest concern with Mesoraco is framing pitches, not allowing passed balls and just overall command of the staff. If he brings anything as a hitter in the NL, in today's pitching-dominant game, it's a bonus.

Hanigan was clearly NOT the answer. The guy had like a .550 OPS....and was on the DL 3 times.

I don't want Mesoraco to go 4/4 on Monday, then 0/4 on Tuesday, 0/4 on Wednesday, and 1/4 on Thursday. Yes, that's batting over .300 in a 4 game span, but I'm big on consistency. I'd much rather see 1/4, 2/4, 1/4, 1/4 then I would the earlier example.

SportsAndLady;1573659 wrote:He's a catcher, he's not going to be back there every day. He's going to get a day off during the week. It's just his fans making excuses for him. I'm cool with it, he's our best option at the catcher position. Just not too optimistic he's going to have a good year, that's all.

Starting basically 1 out of 2 games isn't getting a game off during the week. Big difference between starting 4 of 5 games and starting 2/3 of 5. I'm not so much a fan of his, as willing to give him a season as the main option to gauge how well he can play. Hopefully he has a good year, we're going to need it. The bottom of the order was a blackhole this past season.

I agree, but the problem isn't him. It's the design of the offense. That's exactly what Bruce, Ludwick, Phillips, Frazier and Cozart do. NONE are consistent all year. None have a great eye that they can use to get on base when they aren't seeing the ball great. There were times last year where Choo couldn't hit a fucking beach ball, but he walked 100+ times and was a HBP magnet.

They can make up for the loss of Choo, but it will take a collective effort of about 5-10% improvement from ALL of those guys. That's one reason getting rid of Jacoby and Dusty was important. There needs to be a complete approach change.

So what do people see as an acceptable OBP for Billy this season? I would be ecstatic if he could get around 33/34%.

.270 with 90 SB would be more than fine.

Will he be Donell Nixon, Otis Nixon or Vince Coleman.....can't wait to watch

se-alum;1573667 wrote:So what do people see as an acceptable OBP for Billy this season? I would be ecstatic if he could get around 33/34%.

I'd be happy with .300 this year.

I was eating lunch down in OTR today and saw Bryan Price walk by and then head in to the donut shop (Holtman's, GOAT donuts) across the street.

justincredible;1573938 wrote:I'd be happy with .300 this year.

If he was 45/65 SB?

Azubuike24;1573665 wrote:That's one reason getting rid of Jacoby and Dusty was important. There needs to be a complete approach change.

I agree with this. Also regarding Dusty and catchers, I thought that was Dusty's strongest point - how he played the catchers.

Votto was on with McCallister the other night. He mentioned how at times an organization must rely on its players to simply get better and progress when asked about the lack of offseason acquisitions.

Cozart and Frazier need to make more progression. Ludwick needs to stay healthy and put up numbers, or Heisey must do it. Votto needs to put up some better numbers. I believe the catching position as a whole will put up better numbers with DM playing 5-6 days a week. BP is the type of guy I think plays better when he has an attitude so I expect a good year out of him. Question as we all know is how BH will play in CF. I dont thin we can expect Bruce to put up better numbers, maybe just be more consistant.

He also commented about the new hitting coach. He basically talked how a hitter, especially vets, are pretty much set in what and how they do things and the new hitting coach/philosophy will change the overall hitting just a bit.

It will be interesting. I dont see the Pirates doing what they did last year and I thin the Cards take a step back. The division will go from 3 postseason teams down to one. Reds win 90 and they win the division

I actually like the signing of Rodger Bernadina.

Bronson gets 2yr/23.5M from Diamondbacks. Good for him!