The 3 Old Reds Fans Podcast

Reds superfan Jim Lisle joins Jeff and Kim fresh off three stops on the Reds Caravan. We've got interviews with Scooter Gennett, Sal Romano and Cody Reed from the Dayton stop. They talk about putting the rebuild in the rearview mirror, the excitement of the coaching and player additions, and about being ready and healthy for spring training and the 2019 season. This is a must-listen episode. But, of course, they all are.

The Reds celebrate a Merry Christmas with a blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, and we break it down. We like the aggressiveness of the front office and the additions of Wood, Puig and Kemp as well as Roark. We also debate the merits of Peraza and Winker as leadoff hitters or at least top part of the order guys. And what about another pitcher? There is no shortage of opinions on this show. And could one of our current pitchers throw like an ace at least for one season. It's happened before, and if you're at least 40 years old you probably remember that pitcher. So spend an hour with us and think for a while what it will be like when the weather is warm in Ohio.

Yes, we are eagerly awaiting our new starting pitchers. We're not too picky, but they have to be good. We hope Billy Hamilton lands in a good spot in the new year. But we are intrigued to see who our new center fielder will be. Will it be Nick Senzel? Two of us want to see him there. One of us says, "Yeah, but he's not proven."

David Bell is the big topic of conversation in this episode and there are varying opinions from the 3 regulars, our friend John and a new friend to the show Jim, an uber Reds fan, who runs the popular Cincinnati Reds Rounding Third and Heading for Home Facebook page. He loves Suarez.

We still love the Reds, but it's been rough since the All-Star break. No surprise, but we're still begging the Reds to go out and get pitching and stop trying to develop it all. If the Reds do that, we will be looking forward to next year. And apologies to Joey Votto. Right after we recorded this episode he hit a grand slam later that day and another homer the next day. He's still really good. And so is Scott Schebler.

The Reds' future still comes down to improving the starting rotation. We want a new face next year to lead the rotation and talk about who the five guys could be that will lead the Reds into contention. We learn that a legendary Red once wore No. 31. And we're split on whether Riggleman will be back for 2019.

While sitting poolside, we celebrate the resurgent Reds, the Reds' three all-stars, wonder what the Reds could and maybe should do with their roster and hear about Jeff's pressbox visit with Reds Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. 

The Reds are playing their best baseball since we started this show and they show no signs of slowing down. So we revel in that, talk about the merits of the double switch as it relates to Jesse Winker, reminisce about new Reds HOFer Fred Norman and lots of other cool Reds stuff. 

We're just as happy as everyone else that Jesse Winker is playing. Two of us at least think it's at least worth talking to Scooter Gennett about a new contract. We talk about the progress Hunter Greene is making in Dayton. And we love that guy who sprints in from the bullpen. 

We work really hard to see the glass half full with Tom's data-driven quiz. But it's hard when you talk about the outfield situation, the error-prone infield and Homer Bailey. The big question is does this management team have a viable plan? We also discuss Scooter, Hawaiian shirt day and a throwback player who got away.