Arizona Diamondbacks @ Cincinnati Reds Series Thread. 06/06/25-06/08/25

[82CardsGrad]

I think he’s fine. We just need a power bat in left field and a better DH

He’s an extremely inconsistent .250 hitter, with very little HR threat.
That said, if we had a reliable LF at the plate, as well as catcher and first base, yea… Thomas would be serviceable I guess - though I’d still prefer to see him a a platoon guy versus an everyday CF.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Beeks is nails vs righties. Gallens balls vs strikes was not good today and he was tired. Torey appeased his former ace and failed again.

Yes, Beeks has been good vs righties.
You just don’t yank your top of the staff starter in a situation like that against a righty. Torey trusted his guy against a dude hitting .185. I can easily live with that decision.

 

[82CardsGrad]

We are 4th in the majors in scoring runs. If we had decent pitching we would be fine. And our defense has costs us in many games. We need better pitching and defense. I’m going with Thomas, he is our best defo. JMHO.

We’ll have to agree to disagree…

 

[Dback Jon]

He’s an extremely inconsistent .250 hitter, with very little HR threat.
That said, if we had a reliable LF at the plate, as well as catcher and first base, yea… Thomas would be serviceable I guess - though I’d still prefer to see him a a platoon guy versus an everyday CF.

You’re undervaluing his defense

 

[82CardsGrad]

You’re undervaluing his defense

I think I’m properly valuing his defense. I mean, he makes some nice plays. But of course, you have no idea of another player would make those plays as well… like, another player who is more reliable at the plate.

 

[krazy2k]

DBacks now 6 games and several teams out of the last wild card spot. Hazen has his finger hovering over that "Sell" button.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Awfulllll emberresin effort vs reds torrey should be ashameddddd

Torry beter not get 1 more shot after this shiatttyyyyy season

Not 1 dang good az pro team this yr makes my stomach turn (((( roughhh yr pro sports boooo

 

[AZ Native]

I think I’m properly valuing his defense. I mean, he makes some nice plays. But of course, you have no idea of another player would make those plays as well… like, another player who is more reliable at the plate.

Yeah, and who might that be? McCarthy? He batted 0.73 in the majors this year. Our defense sucks, our bullpen sucks and our starting pitching is highly inconsistent. But if we replace Thomas’s .257 with a comparable fielder (wherever he is) who hits .275, our problems are solved. Thomas is the least of our problems. I watch every game. He is not our problem.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Thomas has one serious issue that needs to be corrected and that is his walk to strikeout ratio. 6 walks to 42 Ks

 

[AZ Native]

Thomas has one serious issue that needs to be corrected and that is his walk to strikeout ratio. 6 walks to 42 Ks

You could find a deficiency in in any player. My question is, is he the problem?

 

[Dback Jon]

You could find a deficiency in in any player. My question is, is he the problem?

Has has been mentioned scoring runs isn’t the issue for the most part

 

[Chris_Sanders]

You could find a deficiency in in any player. My question is, is he the problem?

Absolutely not. To be honest, it's my only tangible criticism. If he starts walking more and gets his OBP to .320 he is top 8 CF

And K'ing less. With his speed, he can turn weak contact into singles.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

The problem to me is clear...

Only Burnes, Beeks, Martinez and Miller have been better than their career averages most pitching stats.

We have had multiple major issues with shoulder/elbow fatigue or straight damage

There is no rhyme or reason to bullpen roles or usage outside of Miller.

 

[Ronin]

Diamondbacks swept by Reds as offense goes down quietly

The third home run Zac Gallen surrendered on Sunday was the difference in a loss that saw the Reds complete the sweep of the Diamondbacks.

arizonasports.com

 

[82CardsGrad]

Thomas has one serious issue that needs to be corrected and that is his walk to strikeout ratio. 6 walks to 42 Ks

His OBP and OPS are sub-par and for a dude with his “speed,” he has a whopping 3 SB’s this season.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yeah, and who might that be? McCarthy? He batted 0.73 in the majors this year. Our defense sucks, our bullpen sucks and our starting pitching is highly inconsistent. But if we replace Thomas’s .257 with a comparable fielder (wherever he is) who hits .275, our problems are solved. Thomas is the least of our problems. I watch every game. He is not our problem.

He is definitely not “the” problem… no one person is the problem. But, he is a problem who, IMHO, detracts from the team’s potential for success more than he adds.

McCarthy should never see a MLB roster until after September… and even then it would have to be because a team literally has nobody else to call up.
I honestly don’t know what else could be possible down on the farm. And it will be interesting to see if Thomas is still on this team post- trade deadline.

 

[82CardsGrad]

The problem to me is clear...

Only Burnes, Beeks, Martinez and Miller have been better than their career averages most pitching stats.

We have had multiple major issues with shoulder/elbow fatigue or straight damage

There is no rhyme or reason to bullpen roles or usage outside of Miller.

Agree. Add Gallen’s subpar performance thus far, and no Pfaadt trending in the wrong direction, and E-Rod not coming close to living up to his contract, pitching overall has been a massive issue all season long.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Has has been mentioned scoring runs isn’t the issue for the most part

No…it might just be more optics than fact-based, but it seems to me this team will often score a bunch in an inning or two, and then go long stretches of innings/games struggling big time at the plate.
Consistency at the plate is not a feature of this team.

That said, and as I stated above, Thomas is not at all huge problem, ONLY because you can make the argument (which I don’t agree with) his defense makes up for his putrid hitting abilities…
Example: Point it out to me the next time Thomas goes the other way. Most hitters who are scuffling at the plate will make the decision to drive the ball the other way in order to find some rhythm. Thomas continues to pound the ball into the ground to the secondbasemen…on repeat.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

His OBP and OPS are sub-par and for a dude with his “speed,” he has a whopping 3 SB’s this season.

No question. But that should be fixable

 

[82CardsGrad]

No question. But that should be fixable

This is what I’ll never understand. And this is coming from someone who actually played the game thru college and semi-pro leagues!
I can totally get how guys can make marginal improvements in batting average, OBP and OPS. But rarely do you see a guy as low as Thomas is in those categories elevate them to meaningful, impactful levels. I’m sure if I thought about it long enough, I’d be able to come up with a few, but it’s far more often where you guys who were already at above average levels when they were called up, and then took those levels to superior levels.
I guess my point is, Thomas is who he is. With all the professional level coaching and games he’s played, and STILL not be able to get over the hump, he just is the guy we see in CF each day. A better than average defender with a sub-par arm, and a seriously sub-par hitter…

 

[Chris_Sanders]

This is what I’ll never understand. And this is coming from someone who actually played the game thru college and semi-pro leagues!
I can totally get how guys can make marginal improvements in batting average, OBP and OPS. But rarely do you see a guy as low as Thomas is in those categories elevate them to meaningful, impactful levels. I’m sure if I thought about it long enough, I’d be able to come up with a few, but it’s far more often where you guys who were already at above average levels when they were called up, and then took those levels to superior levels.
I guess my point is, Thomas is who he is. With all the professional level coaching and games he’s played, and STILL not be able to get over the hump, he just is the guy we see in CF each day. A better than average defender with a sub-par arm, and a seriously sub-par hitter…

He's 25. He's absolutely not who he is. Look at Jake Meyers. Same sort of player

 

[82CardsGrad]

He's 25. He's absolutely not who he is. Look at Jake Meyers. Same sort of player

Gotta say… I just don’t see with Thomas. His swing is not one that will consistently produce at the major league level. Unless he seriously overhauls his swing (which is highly doubtful), I going with Alek has already seen his best years at the plate in the majors.
Yes, he’ll get his swing timed up just right every now & then… but I seriously don’t see him any better than .260 hitter, 8-9 dingers at most, and continued sub-par OBP and OPS.