Cincinnati Reds: 3 takeaways from the 30 inning scoreless streak

3. Derek Dietrich and Kyle Farmer need more ABs

It took Kyle Farmer’s first major league home run to break the Cincinnati Reds’ scoreless streak. That should earn him another start. Derek Dietrich also contributed to the Reds’ offensive efforts yesterday, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Let’s get him in the lineup as well.

The talent is there, but I’m just not seeing it in the early going from Scott Schebler, Matt Kemp, and Jesse Winker. I think David Bell should pull a surprise out of his hat and shake up his lineup a little bit as he did yesterday. Bell started Farmer in place of Eugenio Suárez and Dietrich got the start at second base over José Peraza who moved back to shortstop.

I’ve got a wild idea. Let’s see Peraza moved to center field, as he did in the 10th inning yesterday, put Farmer in left, and let Dietrich man second base. I know, that’s a bit off the wall, but what do the Reds have to lose. Desperate times call for desperate measures and I’d like to see Bell send a message to his players that subpar performances won’t be tolerated.

Schebler, Kemp, and Winker have a combined batting average of .061 and have 1 extra base hit between them. Yikes! Why in the world wouldn’t you entertain the idea of sitting those three down in order to send a message and give an opportunity to those who’ve produced? None of those three players mentioned are elite defenders at their positions, so there’s nothing to lose on that end either.

I’m not saying that benching Kemp, Schebler, and Winker will solve the Reds’ offensive woes, but Bell has to find a way to get others involved that are contributing. Sports is all about what have you done for me lately.

Schebler’s 30 homer runs in 2017 don’t mean anything in 2019. Kemp’s All-Star appearance last year is meaningless this season. Winker’s .405 on-base percentage in 2018 was nice, but it’s sitting .136 right now.

The instant that a pitcher surrenders a home run to an opposing batter or issues a walk, they know that it’s very possible for David Bell to walk out of the dugout and yank them in favor of another hurler. Maybe he should impose the same theory with his three batters that are in major slumps.