Reds won today but so did Cubs…barring a miracle last night’s horrific loss doomed them.
Great possible send off for Joey. I hope they pick up the option for next year. Even if they do payroll is likely to be in the bottom 10 of MLB so it’s not like they can’t afford it.
Don’t see them being very active in free agency but instead spending on the current roster. India, Fraley and Stephenson hit their first year of arbitration and one would think they would want to buy out those years for all three. Maybe 4-5 year deals if they can get it done. Maybe a few trades for some bullpen arms, Senzel and Newman could have value to other teams.
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Leaving the game today, we were talking about the chances that was it for Votto in a Reds uniform. I’d say zero chance they pick up the $20m option, but wouldn’t rule out a 1-year deal a bit more than the $7m option buyout. I’m not sure Votto knows what’s going to happen. Because of all the Reds youth, I’d suspect the Reds would value Votto more than any other team. He’s 7th on the team in SLG% so he can still provide power, and the team lacks power hitters. I don’t know if there’s anything more left in the tank than what we saw this season, which wasn’t very good. Anyway, there was some fantastic feel-good moments today that I was glad to be a part of.
Agree with 2XHawk about bullpen help (we may only see 3 of the current pen return for 2024) and that some pieces will be traded. They eclipsed 2,000,000 in attendance today so they have lots of cash available… but how much will they spend on free agents? Could use a power hitting OF and an experienced mid-rotation starter.
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Votto as a coach,maybe. Not as a player.
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Statistically he was at replacement player value, so he didn’t hurt the club there and we have heard from multiple sources how his presence in the clubhouse helped the younger players.
When he made contact his numbers were pretty decent so it would seem he has his strength back but he’s not line driving the ball at the rate he has when he’s had good seasons. A lot more of his contact is resulting in ground balls and easy outs. I would assume that’s correctable but I’m not a coach.
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No way they pick up 20m
Would be a great addition if they could get him in that 5-7m range. I hope it happens
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Even the most die hard Reds fans have to acknowledge that it’s time to move on to 2024. Just wish we could have even won one of the three games (Minn. Wednesday, Pittsburgh Friday and Saturday) and we would have had a shot at postseason. I was at the game yesterday and it was so nice to get the win and to celebrate Votto.
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Hope Reds finish above .500 at least.
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The Reds would be stupid to pay Joey the $20 million for next year. So they will have to pay the $7 million buyout. After that, I think he becomes a free agent. I don’t know if this rule is still in effect, but if you buy out the contract it used to be that you had to wait until sometime in May before you could resign the guy. Other teams could sign him right away. If that is no longer in effect and he is just a regular free agent, they could negotiate a much cheaper deal if both sides wanted him back with the Reds. He would, after all, already have 7 million in the bank.
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Toronto.
Reds come back from 2 run deficit to beat Guardians 11-7. De La Cruz blasts two homers.
Cubs leading Braves by 3 in the sixth so not looking good there.
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Braves get two in the 8th and beat the Cubs 7-6!
…Marlins game rained out.
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Doesn’t he want to finish in Toronto?
That rumor was being reported by Jim Bowden earlier this year and if anyone knows less about Joey Votto it’s Jim Bowden.
Guy didn’t even know his staff wanted to draft him. Only the Reds and Yankees were really on to drafting Votto and his staff kept it a secret from him until right before the draft because he had a big mouth and they feared he would blab about him to other teams. Bowden fired them all for “going against team policy”. Bowden was fired a year later.
Votto has said that he wants to play with Cincy next year. It’s easy for someone like Bowden to infer that if the Reds were not looking like a competitive team that might differ and he would want to play for his hometown team.
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ESPN gives Reds only 10% chance of making playoffs… obviously that loss to Pirates after leading 9-zip was a killer.
Marlins play double header today and Cubs play Braves. To have much of a shot Marlins need to lose both games along w a Cubs loss…of course Reds must also win out on the road.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance.
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Kinda sorta D-Day!
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After winning the last two games, there is still a little hope. We are one and a half games behind the Cubs and one game behind the Marlins. We have to finish ahead of both of them. Does anybody know the season record between the Reds And Marlins and between the Reds and Cubs? That is the tiebreaker and could still come into play.
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Reds own tie breaker over D Backs and Cubs . Marlins won 2 of 3 at Reds
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If we win tonight, then I’ll start getting excited.