The longest running internet radio show returns for it’s sixth season Monday night, March 7th. The “Ohio Baseball Weekly” show makes its season debut at 9pm. Your hosts, Mark Donahue and Dave Mitchell bring their insight and opinions back on the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.
The Indians look to return to the playoffs after just missing last year. The pitching staff returns intact, anchored by Cory Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. The starting pitching should keep the Indians in games, but can they score enough to win is the question. Mike Napoli Joins the team to take over first base and the teams right handed power hitter they have desperately need over the last 3 season. Raji Davis also is signed on to play the outfield. Meanwhile the team has also brought on for Giants and Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe to play that spot.
These changes are ancillary, as the Indians will be successful only because of their core players. Those player would be Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana. Santana needs to return to his form early in his career, although the Tribe is contemplating batting him in the lead off spot because of his propensity to walk. Brantley will return to the team late in April after the season has begun due to shoulder surgery in the off season.
The Reds are in full, rebuild mode after finishing last in the NL Central last season. Gone are Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier and Johnny Cuerto. In their place is Anthony DeSclafani, Jose Peraza and Eugenio Suarez. Returning is an aging yet dependable core, yet dependable on what looms. That being Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips and Billy Hamilton.
Bryan Price returns for his third season and has been given the unenviable task of making a winner out of this assembly of youth and veteran players. The speedy Hamilton has been expected to propel the Reds lineup into a run scoring machine. Yet his strikeout to on base ratio is upside down. Peraza will move into a spot on the infield and bat second, giving the Reds a fast one-two punch in the order. However they need to get on so players like Votto, Phillips and Bruce can knock them in.
Then comes the pitching. Homer Bailey will return after Tommy John surgery last year, yet he won’t be available until May. Michael Lorenzen, Rasiel Iglesias and Robert Stephenson are expected to be in the rotation with DeSclafani. Yet John Lamb and Tony Cingrani will battle for spots also. And the question remains, who will replace Chapman in the closer’s role?
This is year six Mark and Dave have been doing the show, and this year our show is stepping up it’s game. We will accept phone calls, along with the usual tweets and emails. We also will expand our “Ask Us” segment to include phone calls. Last year our listening base was coast to coast, showing the Reds and Indians still have fans world wide. We invite you to call us, email us or tweet us. Let us know your questions about the teams or baseball in general. We will be including more interviews and team soundbites throughout the year.
As always pitching is the great equalizer, so during the next four weeks in Arizona both are looking to solidify that part of their team and make sure they have replacements in case of injuries.
The “Ohio Baseball Weekly” show returns on Monday night, March 7th at 9pm and will be every Monday evening until the end of the season. You can also listen to each show on the archives anytime. The weather is breaking and baseball is close. Join us all season long.
Dave Mitchell co-hosts with Mark Donahue the UST talk show “Ohio Baseball Weekly,” highlighting the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. The Show is at 9pm every Monday evening. If you have a comment on this or any other article,email Dave at dmitch@ultimatesportstalk.com or on twitter @ohbbcohost or @ultsportstalk.
