Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Reds (Part Two)

 

Continuing our celebration of Reds players who didn't get into the custom mix during regulation, their perennial closer, Raisel Iglesias, brought his ERA down to 2.72 with 8 saves, and brought his career save totals past 100. Iglesias has yet to have a fully consistent season since 2018, and unfortunately the Reds won't see if he gets back there, having traded him to Anaheim.

2021 Prediction: Another 30 save year, and less blown saves than 2019.

Meanwhile, Amir Garrett followed up his all-star 2019 season with a 2.45 ERA and 26 Ks in 21 appearances. The truncated year didn't show it, but Garrett is still one of the most valuable relievers in Cincinnati, and is still reaching peak numbers.

2021 Prediction: A slightly bloated ERA, but lots of innings and consistency.

Gotta love Michael Lorenzen. He hits, he pitches, he's a fun clubhouse presence. Nothing but good things to say about him. Lorenzen, despite a 4.28 ERA, had the most strikeouts in the bullpen this year with 35, and was used as a starter, in relief, and as a bench option in 6 games. So while this season wasn't quite as good as last for him, he's still as trusted as ever in Cincinnati. 

2021 Prediction: The Reds have been talking about moving Lorenzen to the rotation full time. So, I say they do so, and it works super well for Lorenzen, and they'll just have to wish the NL nixes the DH eventually so he can hit homers while staying in the lineup. 

The big rookie unsung hero in the pitching staff this year was longtime farmhand Tejay Antone, who finally made it to the majors this year and was used in relief and as a starter, totaling a 2.80 ERA and 45 Ks despite 3 losses. Antone is wily, he's versatile, and he's sure to be an intriguing piece next year with one less space in the rotation.

2021 Prediction: Most of his innings are gonna be out of the bullpen, but his low ERA is gonna fit right in with Garrett and Lucas Sims.

I stand firm in my belief that Curt Casali is the best backup catcher in the game right now. Even when Barnhart was on and off the IL, the last two years, he's been hitting for average and for power, stepping up to the plate to Safari Song by Greta van Fleet and erasing any memory of his mediocre Rays numbers. This year, Casali was a solid bench/backup bat, with 8 RBIs and 6 homers in 31 games, mostly as a defensive sub. Not quite as good as last year, but still good enough to land him a nice WAR.

2021 Prediction: More predominantly backup work [wherever he signs], but the clutch contact hitting will remain a factor.

Okay. Mini-rant here. The Reds are really good at stuffing their roster with talent, but sometimes they go too far with emphasizing the wrong type of people. Like...they've had two hard-hitting prospects ready the past two seasons, Aristedes Aquino and Tyler Stephenson, and in 2020 there was absolutely no room for them. Stephenson was only up as a catcher, and though he bat .294 in 8 games, he was barely a factor in this season cause there were two better catchers than he. Aquino had a HUGE come-up last year, and was supposed to be a big part of the 2020 Reds season, but the outfield was set as Senzel-Akiyama-Castellanos with Winker as occasional fill-in and DH. No room for Aquino, or even Phil Ervin who they release so the Ms can get him. Then, as Senzel gets hurt and misses some time in the OF, and Aquino has time to start, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO? THEY TRADE FOR ANOTHER DAMNED OUTFIELDER, and Aquino is back to filling in every few games. It's maddening. Why waste him? Just trade him if you're not gonna use him, cause he's clearly ready, as is Stephenson. 

Yeah, Aquino bat .170 in 23 games, but that was because the team screwed him over. If he would have actually been given a starting position he would have bat .290 with 18 home runs and all the stats he's more than capable of producing. But instead, they just wasted a year of his career for absolutely no reason.

2021 Prediction: More of the same, then he gets traded to frigging Pittsburgh or somewhere and catches fire again. I HOPE this happens. 

This was the guy the Reds traded for to keep Aquino from playing. Brian Goodwin. After a strong start with the Angels, Goodwin hits .163 with 19 strikeouts in 20 games, and goes hitless in the playoffs. Bold move, Reds GM. Boooold move. Quite obviously, the Reds non-tendered him, because there's no reason to either start him or keep him as a backup, which makes this trade, that's right, entirely pointless. 

2021 Prediction:  Whoever gets him gets 100 games of B material.

The one trade deadline deal the Reds made that I am 100% okay with is Archie Bradley, the former Arizona relief expert who shined in 6 games for the Reds, with a 1.17 ERA and 6 Ks. Sadly, he did bring the Reds a loss in the playoffs against the Braves. 

2021 Prediction: Signs somewhere big for a ninth inning job. Hell, maybe Arizona again.

Coming Tomorrow- Christmas in Denver.