Loading ...Aaron Harang looks to help the Reds snap a three-game losing streak tonight in game two of the series against the Texas Rangers. Texas starter Jamey Wright will be making only his second start of the season; he’s been on the disabled list since April 13.
Let’s hope the Reds greet his return very rudely.
Discuss it here….
I’m not going to bother posting the Rangers lineup. Suffice it to say, when they are starting 6 position players hitting .252 or lower, the Reds had better win.
Cincinnati Reds
Hatteberg, 1b
Phillips, 2b
Griffey, RF
Dunn, LF
Encarnación, 3b
Hamilton, CF
Gonzalez, SS
Ross, C
Harang, P
BP legs it out.
OK, I’ll ask this question early. Are there standing room only tickets available at the Dayton Dragons games?
BP got screwed on the call.
GRIFFEY!!!
BACK-TO-BACK!!!
Do we really want to trade this kind of tandem away?
Boo-yah. 2-0. Wright has only really retired one batter.
Did fog just roll into the ballpark?
How did he ever retire the red hot Hatteberg?
If no one is around to answer your Dayton tickets question, you should e-mail Bill directly – he seems to be the local Dayton expert.
An error by Edwin. I think maybe the first since being recalled from AAA.
Thanks, DA
Paris Hilton update:
Paris is eating roast beef and spaghetti & meatballs.
Paris has been praying in jail.
Paris is eligible for early release on June 25.
How many errors has Gonzo had during that time?
That is how pitchers should respond after an error.
I don’t know if the Dragons sell SRO tickets. They sell general admission lawn seats, but I think those might be sold out too. They do have “scattered singles” available for most games, from what I just saw on Ticketmaster. So you could buy a few of those, and just blend in with the crowd.
I’ve only been to 1 or 2 games there, but I can’t imagine there’s be a problem with wandering around the whole time — the place seems to be designed to keep you doing anything but sit and watch the game.
http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/180417/
my first game all year, and I got to see number 580!
and the first time I see hamilton bat, and he nails a double! woo hoo!
Roy Hobbs with the double.
Ross certainly has starting hitting the ball hard. Now if he can just start holding onto the ball.
Anybody see the Cubs/Padres mix it up today?
If Billy Beane were a GM in the NL would he permit the pitcher to sacrifice? Does he allow them in the interleague games?
Explain the value of that sac bunt someone.
Shoot, no. Pinella lit a fire under them for a change?
Imagine if Hatteberg had Dunn’s body and strength.
Hatteberg doesn’t get fooled like that too often.
Actually the Cubs-Padres fight was instigated by Lee, after he got hit by a pitch on the hand. 6′-5″ Lee went after 6′-10″ Chris Young The Pitcher after a short exchange of words.
And the Cubs lost 1-0 on a Russ Branyan homer in the ninth, after Zambrano had a no-hitter into the eighth. Ha ha.
Haha, indeed. Nelson Muntz-style.
Against this Texas lineup, Harang might well have a no-hitter into the eighth too.
I’m a little behind, via Tivo, but just heard George Grande BUTCHER some story about trading combining the Reds starters and Rangers bullpen into some sort of super-staff. He just could not get that story out, but he wouldn’t give up. Very comical.
What’s more insulting? Branyan hitting the game winning HR or not striking out a single time in the game?
That was a fast jinx. Lofton with the first hit of the game for the Rangers.
Now that that’s out of the way, the Reds can go about just winning the game.
George certainly butchered the story and what a dopey story anyhow.
Brandon Watson tied the IL hitting streak record today at 42 games in a row.
For the Rangers’ pitcher, 24 strikes, 23 balls. Pretty awful.
GRIFFEY!!!
Trade value keeps increasing.
Awesome. 4-0 on Junior’s second homer. Suck it, Sosa.
This is the Griffey of seven years ago.
“Suck it, Sosa.”
Early candidate for post of the night.
I just wanted to say that I love Ken Griffey Jr. Y-city…. dont say those words that rhyme with a bug spray.
Of all current Reds, Juan Castro has the most ABs against tonight’s starter, Jamey Wright. Go figure.
ANOTHER catcher interference with Edwin at bat. What causes this?
That sucked.
The only way I agree to a trade of Griffey if it is for the next Griffey-type player. Those people in Seattle were so lucky to see this guy play in his prime.
I go back and forth on this, but I really don’t think this team is that bad. With decent bullpen help and a better bench, this team could contend – at least in the NLC.
Judging by his son, Sr. is one heck of a hitting coach.
His swing is long and he leans back when he shifts his weight a lot. When you couple it together he gets a lot of the catchers mitt. When he was in Louisville he had 2 more. He has to be closing in on some sort of record with as often as he does this.
Chris, I agree. Bray and Guardado return could improve the pen especially with the subtraction of a couple older members.
Good hard stuff and away from Sosa spells WHIFF.
Ross does have a quick release, which is good since that throw was high.
Almost got him with the relay.
Baseball Prospectus’ Adjusted Standings say that Cincinnati is one of the two unluckiest teams in the league, with the Cubs taking the top ‘honor.’ Reds should by all rights have a record 4 to 7 games better than what they have.
But it could go on all year. I think Cleveland finished about 11 games unlucky last season.
Triple by the catcher. Oof.
Now put the hitter away.
I’m not counting on either Bray or Guardado. In fact, I was mostly talking about contending next year. I honestly think that Krivsky should be able to find bullpen and bench help in the off-season without trading away key pieces or spending silly money, Cubs-style.
Bray has a nice arm, but TINSTAAPP. It would be a miracle if Guardado comes back and contributes this year.
Right on. Easiest thing in the world – still 4-0.
Couple post #50 to post #53, and the Reds could tear up the league next season – look how well Cleveland is doing this year.
Is Hamilton still in the game?
I thought Guardado was just a few weeks away.
Reds batters are 9 for 15 to this point in the game.
DA,
The easiest way to deviate from what you should be and what you actually are is by having a very good bullpen (and being better than your runs scored actually say you should be) or having a very bad bullpen (and being worse than your runs scored says you should be).
Its not hard to figure out why the Reds have been ‘unlucky’.
Hamilton was in the field last inning . . . why do you ask?
Cleveland is essentially the same team with a better bullpen and improved play from Peralta. Plus Ugly Beard is playing great ball.
I’m aware that the performance of the relief corps has an effect on the, quote, luck in those deviations between the Pythagorean projection and reality. Which is the same thing that killed Cleveland last year, if memory serves, and highlights Chris’ idea of getting bullpen help. It would be an easy way to pick up several more wins in the standings than one would normally think.
Browning looking well fed.
Did they ever determine why he kept breaking his arm?
Chad has to be thrilled – a Tom Browning sighting.
Bear down, Aaron. I want the shutout.
Hamilton didn’t run out that double-play ball to end the 3rd. He just stood there and watched.
No Moneyball in Texas it seems.
Is Lofton still an a-hole?
Dunno about that, but I’m pretty sure he wasn’t “an all-American basketball player,” as George Grande claimed last night.
Send Gonzo down to Louisville to work on his defense.
Aha, Chris. I assumed that he fell or something, because Marty harped all night long about it when Edwin didn’t run out his early-May pop-up – and I haven’t heard an extra word about it this time with Hamilton.
Nope.
I’m glad we got rid of Lopez and his crappy defense.
23 pitches this inning for Harang, and things don’t seem to be working all of a sudden.
Maybe a high school All-American but not at the college level. He was the 6th man on the Final Four Arizona team.
I just went back and looked at it again, DA (1:06 on the Tivo). Hamilton just watched it. He hit a hard 2-hopper right at the 1b, who was holding EE, and stood and watched it.
Yeah, the ball had already been thrown to 2b by the time he could’ve gone anywhere, and he did get moving eventually, but I don’t see how Narron justifies not doing anything. Not saying he should, but it’s exactly the same as w/ EE.
Put Sosa away.
Good job. Harang needs a rest after those 31 pitches – Reds Rally coming up, with the middle of the order due.
And I would have gone ape if Sosa had hit another grandslam there for his 600th. An ugly thought I will now put out of my mind.
Is Narron stupid enough to sit Griffey tomorrow on Father’s Day?
I just looked at the Lookouts game – Carlos Fisher got hit hard for the first time all year, I think. 5 runs in 4.1 innings balloons his ERA all the way to a stratospheric 2.09 .
For any sentence starting with the words, “Is Narron stupid enough to…”
…the answer is usually “yes.”
I would love to see Sr. show up for the game to then find out that his son isn’t playing. Narron would be a dead man.
Aaron is certainly screwing around a lot with a bunch of mediocre hitters.
A double play ball would be nice here.
Harang’s on the razor’s edge. And so are the Reds, if the bullpen is about to enter the game.
This bites.
Marty sez if all goes according to plan, Guardado could be activated in time for the series in Seattle.
Bats are coming alive again here in the sixth. Good thing too, because once the bullpen enters the game, the Reds need three things: runs, runs, and lots more runs.
ROSS 2006 version!!!
BOOM goes the bat of Ross. 7-3.
Stanton is hitting for himself. Is that score as a sacrifice?
Ross up to .191 batting average now.
Stanton hits for himself. Huh.
If the hard hit ball of late had been falling, he’d be hitting .230 perhaps.
Hatteberg gets a hit, and every Reds’ starter has gotten on base now.
Who would think that Hatteberg would be the last one?
Talking about the ball boys, I bet they get some interesting propositions.
How about the hat trick for Griffey tonight?
Reds fans want to see Sosa’s 600th? I think not.
That’s what Reds fans want to see Sosa do. KK
Only thing better for Cincinnati fans than the K of Sosa, would be if he broke his bat and cork came out.
Oh, wait . . .
Talk about stacking the deck, Sosa did ‘roids AND used cork.
Exactly what happened on that play?
The defense stinks big time tonight.
So the Texas catcher has a triple and a bunt single on the night. Next thing we know he’ll straight steal home.
Jerry’s love is playing LF now.
Some of these young relievers might be pretty good once they understand the concept of throwing strikes consistently.
How about we christen Hopper “Jerry’s kid”?
BYRDMAN!!!
McBeth seems to do pretty well in that department – strike-throwing. Coutlangus, Burton, and to a lesser extent Salmon, not so much.
Marty sez, Stanton left the game with a strained hamstring. Did I hear that right? Are we going to lose two of our worst relievers on the same weekend?
Let’s hope they don’t call Majewski back up to take his place.
FRICKIN’ ROSS!!!
Ross goes out again, and the Reds get the run back. 8-4.
I wish I could be a ball boy.
Weatherman, finish the night with a Sammy K.
I’m okay with the Sammy GO.
Sosa makes the last out. Poetry.
Then came Bronson.
Just wish Jr. could have beaten Sammy to 600
“Hey ma, how ’bout some cookies?”
“No dice.”
“This. Ain’t. Over.”
At tonight’s pace it will only take Griffey ten more games to get there.
I can’t believe what-his-face on FSOH just said, “Chicks did the long ball.”