Loading ...Here is a game thread. I would include more of my usual pre-game rambling, but I’m posting this on my blackberry because I’m out of town and this dump I’m staying in has the worst wireless internet connection in the world. If you are going to Virginia Beach, send me an email and let me warn you where NOT to stay.
Enjoy the game and discuss it here.
Cincinnati Reds
Norris Hopper, R, cf
Jeff Keppinger, R, ss
Ken Griffey Jr., L, rf
Brandon Phillips, R, 2b
Adam Dunn, L, lf
Conine, R, 1b
Encarnacion, R, 3b
Jorgensen, R, c
Dumatrait, R(!?), p
Rain delay brings out the Bananaphone.
Hopper over Hamilton again?
Gonzalez needs to stay on the bereavement list the rest of the season. His family needs him more than the team does.
Imagine if Hopper could actually hit.
The Keppinger hitting machine continues.
Tailor made DP
Pssssssssssssst
The air going out of the threat.
Welcome Ryan Jorgensen! 2-0 Reds.
Bat him cleanup tomorrow.
Whoa! Three catchers again?
Nope – just two catchers. David Ross got a concussion on Sunday in a homeplate collision with Mike Cameron, and went on the DL. Since Moeller got traded just a day or two before that, Jorgensen got called up from AAA to be the backup to ValentÃn in Ross’ absence.
You can pitch there at this level, Phil.
Correction:
You can’t pitch there at this level, Phil.
Ugh, come on, Phillips, you can do better than that.
Good for Conine – he’s been poor lately. Dunn gets pitched around and Conine makes ‘em pay with a two-out, 3-run, full-count homer. 6-3 Reds.
Okay, bat him cleanup tomorrow.
Dumatrait is living up to his minor-league peripherals and then some.
Whoa, he’s out already. Just 2 innings-plus.
a.) How can you keep putting Santos out there?
b.) Why is he still out there?
Three runs on exactly 1 hit… That’s pathetic.
“Learning How to Lose, Too” by W. Krivsky.
Hopper fouls off a ball…that was over his head.
Well, look at it this way: at least now Santos won’t get the Saturday start he was penciled in for.
With this team, there is no tomorrow.
Don’t save the bullpen. Santos has no reason to be out there.
…and does the same exact thing on the next pitch.
…then pulls a Willy Mays Hayes on the third pitch in the same location.
Santos saved by a terrible strike three call.
Let’s hope that’s the last we see of him.
Ever.
He’s still in there. Unreal.
What are we saving the bullpen for? The pennant race?
This is the first time this year that I’ve felt the team doesn’t actually care about winning.
1. Hamilton stays on the DL despite being healthy, to save a plane ticket to Denver(?).
2. Castro pinch hits for Hamilton.
3. Chad Moeller.
4. Hamilton activated last Sunday, but doesn’t play.
Just when you think it can’t get any worse, they put in Majewski.
Is that a list of sins, Chris? There’s many more to list.
Majewski = upgrade. Yikes.
Gotta hand it to the offense. Unfortunately, they’ll probably have to score 18+ to win tonight.
Majewski pitched like an all-star tonight. PERFECT 1/3 of an inning. Way to go, Gary!
I think I’ve found Bray’s problem. He has thrown 15 pitches tonight and all 15 have been strikes. He has been effective, yes, but could his problem be that he sometimes throws too many strikes?
The way Bray pitched that 7th is what i’ve been waiting for. He is the young arm in the pen we have needed alllllll year long.
Great job by Bray and Hamilton.
Reds just need seven more runs to hold on to this one.
Matt, maybe take a look at what he does when he’s ineffective. You might be on to something, though.
I hope Weathers can do it without his usual 8th-inning warmup!
Welsh showing some love for EE’s defense tonight.
Wow, the Reds didn’t deserve this one, but doggone it, I’ll take it.
After looking at the box score, I take back my last comment.
Except for Dumatrait, Phillips, and Santos, the Reds earned this win. Great job by the offense, the defense, and most of the bullpen!
My thoughts exactly, ren.
I guess they’re keeping Santos around because “he gives you innings”. Someone also needs to look up how many runs he gives up. Santos being on this roster is probably a reflection of how slim the farm system really is.
Santos being on this roster is probably a reflection of how slim the farm system really is.
We Want EZ!
Still scratching my head over the Belisle demotion. If he’s not in the rotation, why not let him have a go in the long relief role.
Brad Salmon or Belisle could come back. I don’t think they should bring back Saarloos or Stone. McBeth should be held back til next spring but then considered a front runner then. I wouldn’t try to have him throw a lot in September. He’s still adapting to pitching.
This is my favorite kind of Reds game, honestly. I always consider good Reds pitching to be a happy accident but I’ve always expected consistent explosive offense, which is too much to ask. The way the lineup made up for BP’s 0 for 5 says a lot. Dunn and Hamilton’s homers were on pitches that few hitters hit out of the park. Keppinger, Hopper, and Hatteberg fill in the blanks. There’s just a lot of potential for scoring runs.