After the first month of the season, the Dragons starting pitching is doing VERY well….

Combined…

92.3 IP 72 H 40R 36ER 30BB 84K With a 1.10 WHIP and an ERA of 3.51.

The bullpen and offense has been the problem in Dayton, but assuming this is the beginning of a trend, this bodes well for Cincinnati fans.

The first-place Reds are going for the sweep today against the Astronomicals.

I can’t believe I just typed that…but it’s true. Leading the way today will be Elizardo Ramirez, who tries to put together a second straight effective start. On the hill for the Astros is someone named Taylor Buchholz, who has pitched very well this season.

But he’s never faced this offense. Let’s get it on.

According to Hal McCoy in the DDN:

Q: Shouldn’t the Reds be trying to sign Bronson Arroyo to a long-term deal right now? Of course, that’s assuming he wants to come back. — Michael, Wilmington, N.C.

A: And that’s the big assumption one shouldn’t make. Arroyo left Boston kicking and screaming. Because he was traded in the midst of a long-term contract, he has the option of becoming a free agent after the season. If he continues to have a monster year the Red Sox might offer him millions and the deed to The Old Church and Kenmore Square. He hasn’t sold his new house in Boston, either.

I thought it had been determined that Arroyo didn’t have enough major league time to void his deal? If this is true, no matter how good he is this year, one year of Arroyo isn’t worth giving up Pena.

AAA

Toledo 5, Louisville 6

The Bats belted 4 homeruns as a team to blast their way to a one-run victory. Robert Stratton went 2-4 with 2 solo homeruns in the game. Dane Sardinha hit his first homerun of the year, a 2 run shot in the 5th inning. Finally, Earl Snyder hit his 3rd homerun of the year, a solo homerun in the 6th.

AA

Chattanooga 5, Carolina 3

Aaron Herr went 1-5 but made his one hit count. Herr’s one hit was a 2-run homer in the 6th inning that broke a 2-2 tie and give the Lookouts a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Herr now has 6 homeruns on the year and is hitting .283/.316/.554 on the year.

High A

Sarasota 6, Tampa 2

Luis Bolivar went 2-4 with 2 runs scored and a solo homerun in the 9th. The HR was Bolivar’s 1st in Sarasota (he hit 2 while with Chattanooga).

Low A

Dayton went homerless! Not because of the outstanding pitching by Burlington but because of Mother Nature. The game was postponed due to rain!

Is this team fun to watch, or what? Discuss today’s game here! I should actually be around to discuss it today, as well, and I’m looking forward to it.

The Hardball Times has a good piece examining the NL Central, and the surprises we’ve seen in the early going.

…belongs to the Cincinnati Reds. Enjoy it, Reds fans.

AAA

Toledo 5, Louisville 3

The Bats outhit the Mudhens in the game, but fell short in the total that counts. Chris Denorfia and Ryan Jorgenson each had solo homeruns while Will Bergola went 3-5 in the game.

Mike Gosling couldn’t hit water if he fell off a boat. Gosling gave up 4 runs in 4.2 innings. He allowed 3 hits, struck out 3, but walked a whopping 7 Toledo batters en route to his 2nd loss on the season. Gosling only had 3 walks total in 3 starts coming into this game.

AA

Carolina 2, Chattanooga 0 final 7

This was the completion of Thursday’s fogged out game. Neither team mustered a whole lot of offense. The Lookouts got only 4 hits in the game and never mounted any offense. Tyler Pelland got the start for Chattanooga and went 4 innings, allowing 5 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

High A

Sarasota 3, Lakeland 4

Tonys Gutierrez had a perfect night at the dish, going 4-4 and contributing the lone run batted in for the Reds.

Sam Lecure continues to blow opposing hitters away. Lecure got a no decision in the game but pitched well. He went 5, allowing 3 hits and a run while striking out 6. Lecure now has 31 Ks in 26 innings pitched on the season.

Low A

Peoria 8, Dayton 6

Brandon Szymanski went 1-5 for the Dragons. The hit was his 4th homerun on the season with 1 on in the 3rd inning. Paul Janish went 2-5 including his 2nd homerun on the year.

Travis Wood started for the Dragons and went 4.2 innings, surrendering 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits and 4 walks.

Oh no.

World-famous Reds-killer Roy Oswalt is coming to town, and I admit that I’m nervous. This guy beats up the Reds every single time they face him. He’s Superman.

Of course, this is a different Reds lineup than he is accustomed to facing, filled with mashers. I expect Claussen to be back to his old self, so this is a winnable game.

Marty will be right about something: tonight will be a titanic struggle, if any game in April can be. The ‘Stros and Reds have the two best records in the major leagues.

Let’s get it on.

– –

But first, Redleg Nation would like to wish very happy birthdays to two of our all-time favorite Reds:

Happy 46th birthday, Tom Browning!
Happy 42nd birthday, Barry Larkin!

From MiLB.com:

MiLB.com has learned that the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (PBUC) reached a tentative six-year agreement with the Association of Minor League Umpires (AMLU), the umpiring union, late on Thursday evening.

“Late last evening PBUC reached a tentative six-year agreement with the AMLU to end the strike,” PBUC lawyer George Yund said in a statement. “After two full days of mediation Federal Mediator Lou Manchise made a recommendation that proved acceptable to both sides. The AMLU Committee agreed to unanimously recommend the deal for a membership ratification vote, the results of which should be known on Monday, May 1. If the agreement is ratified, the strikers will be returned to work on or before May 8.”

I’ve attended 3 minor league games thus far this season and, other than last night, hadn’t seen much difference in the umpiring from past seasons. Last night’s home plate ump seemed to have a bad night, but that could happen to anyone.

But it’ll be good to have ‘em back.

Ken Griffey will not be returning from the disabled list today, as we’d been told he would. So sayeth Lancaster. In other news, water is still wet, the sun rises in the east, and my dog still won’t stop chewing on that rawhide bone.

AAA

Columbus 7, Louisville 2

Robert Stratton went 1-4 on the night with a 2 rbi single in the 4th which counted for the only 2 Bats runs on the night. Chris Denorfia and Ray Olmedo each added 2 base hits to the Bats total to raise their batting averages to .373 and .356.

Justin Germano was roughed up, giving up 7 runs (6 earned) in 5.1 innings pitched. The runs were scored via 9 hits, 1 walk, and 1 homerun allowed. Germano’s era is now at 4.30 on the season.

AA

Carolina 7, Chattanooga 1 final 7

The Lookouts could only muster 6 hits in game 1 of the double header. 3B Aaron Herr recorded the only run batted in for the Lookouts with an rbi single in the first inning.

Edward Valdez got the start for Chattanooga and gave up 5 runs (3 earned) off of 6 hits and 2 walks. Valdez struck out two, but served up 2 homeruns to the Mudcats.

Game 2 was postponed in the 4th due to fog at the stadium

High A

Sarasota 2, Lakeland 0

The opposite of yesterday’s game. This one was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish. The duel was highlighted by Homer Bailey’s outstanding performance. Bailey threw 6 innings, giving up 0 hits 2 walks and struck out 9 batters. Bailey left the game with the scored tied at 0-0.

Sarasota manager Donnie Scott pulled his starter after the sixth because Bailey was too close to his mandatory 90-pitch count to justify beginning another frame. Scott said that Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky is keeping the organization’s top prospect on a short leash.

Brock Till preserved the no hitter by pitching 2 hitless innings and striking out 2. Till recorded the win since the Reds didn’t score until the 8th. Carlos Alvarado recorded the save but lost the team no hitter in the 9th. Alvarado allowed a hit while striking out 2 batters to give the Reds pitchers a total of 13 Ks on the night. As for Bailey, his stats on the year now read as this: 1-2, 3.08 era, 26.1 innings pitched, 18 hits allowed, 7 walks, and 29 strikeouts.

Brock Till (1-0) was nearly perfect in the seventh and eighth and earned the win for the visiting Reds. However, Carlos Alvarado gave up a bunt single to Gilberto Mejia with one out in the ninth to end the team’s no-hit bid. The Mejia roller toward second base turned out to be the only Tigers hit.

Ouch! A bunt single. Breaking an unwritten rule of baseball. Of course in a 2 run ball game, I guess it can be excused!

Low A

Peoria 6, Dayton 2

Bill summarized this game in detail down below. Thanks Bill!

Paul Wilson make his first rehab start last night at Dayton. With the Reds being off, the Enquirer and the DDN both gave big coverage to Wilson’s appearance in Dayton.

Wilson’s line score was 7 IP 10 H 6 R 4 ER 0BB 4K

The article in the DDN says:

But in the words of both the pitcher and the doc, it was a good outing because he had location on his pitches, he threw deep into a game for the first time in more than a year and his arm and shoulder felt fine afterward.

My observation was that in the first 4 innings, he gave up 6 hits, 2 doubles and a long home run. But then settled down and retired 9 straight before the wacky 7th inning that put the game out of reach for the Dragons (two runs scoring on a ball that SS Paul Janish should have caught, but that went off his glove).

They didn’t have the radar gun working last night at 5th 3rd Field (and it’s been spotty all season and the numbers haven’t seemed right most of the time), so it was difficult to tell about velocity, but Wilson didn’t seem to be getting it up there as fast as the starter for the Peoria club (Donald Veal). He did seem to get better as the game went along, which is probably to be expected.

Other game notes:

- The game was essentially over after the Dragons had the bases loaded in the 4th with no outs and the top of the lineup coming up, but a pop to right by Mike Griffin, a pop to the 1st baseman by Janish, and a fly out to CF by Jay Bruce and the Dragons came away with no runs.

- Jay Bruce was out of the lineup on the 24th and has DH’ed the last two nights. I have no idea if it’s for rest or some nagging injury.

- J.D. Reininger was back in uniform last night, but hasn’t been re-activated (I don’t believe) to the roster. He had left the team because of a death in the family.

- Gerardo Cabrera had a nice night, 2-2 with 2 walks. IMO, he should be leading off for this team. He has a .395 OBP, while the leadoff hitter, Michael Griffin, who’s hitting .314 with a .500 slugging pct. has only drawn one walk all season. IMO, Griffin should be down lower in the lineup, with Cabrera, when he’s in the lineup, leading off.

- Griffin did have a nice night, with 2 hits, Janish had 3 and backup catcher Chris Denove had 2.

- Zac Stott finished the game for the Dragons with 2 innings of 1 hit, scoreless baseball.

TEASE: Wait until you see what Homer Bailey did last night in Sarasota. Read it later today on “Down on the Farm”!

In this space, we had intended to bring you a big exclusive: an interview with Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky.

Last week, Mr. Krivsky graciously allowed me to pepper him with questions for a half-hour, or so. After the interview, I checked my digital recorder…and there was nothing. Well, my voice was barely audible, but I couldn’t hear Mr. Krivsky at all.

That recorder now resides at the local landfill.

Anyway, I’ve been attempting to re-create the interview from my notes, and I’m not having much luck…but I hope to have something for you guys and gals very soon. In the meantime, let me give you my impressions of Wayne Krivsky.

First of all, I have to note my appreciation that he would take time out of his day to speak with me. He was under no obligation to do it, and in fact, I expected him to decline the invitation. It is to his enormous credit that he was willing to take a few questions.

I have to say that I came away impressed. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and the profiles of Krivsky in local media haven’t really given me a sense of who he is. I know now: Wayne Krivsky is very confident that he will turn this team around, and he is more confident in the plan he has established to reach his goals. This is a man who sees no reason why the Reds shouldn’t be contenders, and he believes that his experience with the Twins is the perfect background for someone who is in charge of the Reds.

I inquired about performance analysis — i.e., stat geek stuff — and while Krivsky clearly isn’t a “stat guy,” he came across as very open-minded about what statistical analysis can bring to the table. He isn’t hostile to the Baseball Prospectus-types, and I expect him to rely on such analysts…though he will rely on scouting, as well. Krivsky made a very convincing argument about what scouts bring to the table — he was almost defensive about it — but he also recognized that scouting is a piece of the puzzle and that it’s all about getting as much information as you can.

The biggest reaction I got from Krivsky was when I asked about the new owner, Bob Castellini. I got the feeling that these guys are on the same page, and that they want to turn this organization around quickly. Krivsky says that Castellini has infected the entire organization with his attitude, and there’s a “different feel” around the team.

Overall, I’m a pretty optimistic guy. I like to hold out hope that the Reds are going to be good, even when things don’t look bright. After talking to Wayne Krivsky, I am even more optimistic about the Reds future…and I’m willing to give him some time to implement his plan.

We may just see the glory days return to the Queen City. My fingers are crossed.

AAA

Louisville 0, Columbus 3

Chris Denorfia went 2-4 and was the only Bats hitter to record multiple hits as Louisville only scraped out 5 total hits. On the year, Denorfia is batting .365/.437/.524.

On the pitching side, Josh Hall went 5 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs (1 earned) , 3 walks, and 1 strikeout. On the season, Hall has a 1.72 earned run average in 3 games started this season. Negatively, he has 7 walks compared to 6 strikeouts.

AA

Chattanooga and Carolina were postponed due to rain

High A

Lakeland 2, Sarasota 20

Break out the whooping sticks. Take ‘em out behind the woodshed. Red-headed step child. Whatever phrase you want to use would accurately describe the Reds 20-2 stomping of Lakeland. Jeremiah Piepkorn went 1-4 with 5 runs batted in. Cody Strait went 2-6 with 4 runs batted in. He also belted a 3 run homer in the 7th, his 5th on the year. Adam Rosales hit a solo homerun, his 2nd on the year, in the first inning. He also recorded 3 walks. Trevor Lawhorn went 3-5 with 3 runs scored and hit his first homerun of the year. Finally, Tonys Gutierrez went 2-5, recorded 3 runs batted in, and hit his first homerun of the year.

Low A

Peoria 6, Dayton 4

Jeffrey Stevens went 4 innings, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout to fall to 1-1 on the year. The bad outting raised Stevens’ era to 5.79 on the season. Peoria took an early 5-0 lead due to the starting pitching and never trailed in the game.