Loading ...I was at my first game of the year today, as was Chris W and his team. He can add his report (and hopefully some photos) here when he gets home.
- Harang looked good. No surprise there.
- Gallardo looked okay, too.
- Neither guy seemed to be throwing at his normal velocity – Harang was usually around 88-90 with his fastball.
- This team had ZERO offense all day. EE crushed his first HR, and Kepp hit a couple balls hard, but that was IT.
- A slide wouldn’t have saved Dunn at the plate, but he DID have the chance to knock Kendall into the backstop, and passed it up. I think he was gassed from being in motion 3-4 pitches in a row.
- Patterson is hopeless. The guy is what – 1 for 28? And he keeps playing.
- I didn’t understand why Gallardo was hitting for himself with a runner on base and >100 pitches, but it turns out that the guy is a pretty legit hitter: MLB career going into today – 10 for 40, with 2 HR and 3 2b; an 831 minor league OPS (48 ABs), and a 2b today off Harang.
- While that managerial decision can be understood, Dusty’s blind faith in Patterson was especially frustrating in the 8th, when Milwaukee brought in lefty sidewinder Mitch Stetter. Patterson was set to lead off, hadn’t done jack in two weeks, and both Hopper and Freel are on the bench. Patterson stays in, and grounds out pathetically. As Patterson was Stetter’s first batter and had to stay in the game, Dusty had control over the matchup, and chose the crappy, slumping lefty, against a tough LHP.
- I’ve never seen a team as whipped-looking as the Reds were walking off the field in the top of the 10th. Phillips and Keppinger, particularly, looked like there were going to slit their wrists. If EE, and especially Bako hadn’t jumped on Gagne quickly, I don’t think the top of the lineup would’ve been able to. Good hustle by BP on his ground, though.
- Patterson again failed in the 10th, when he couldn’t bunt the winning run over to 2nd. The one time when it the bunt is absolutely the right strategy, and the bunting specialist can’t get one down off the great Salomon Torres.
- Burton looked pretty good.
- Gagne did not. Both EE’s #2 and Bako’s blasts were smoked.
- As was Griffey’s game-winner off Torres.
In all, it was a pretty lousy day – constant rain throughout the game, colder than you’d think, and zippo offense. That said, a lousy day at the ballpark is better than a good day a lot of places, and the finish was fun. I’ll be back down there in about a month to see our “traditional rival,” the Indians.
I am disappointed to hear that Dunn passed up an opportunity to slam into a catcher to tie the game. Here’s a guy in a pathetic slump (possibly worse than Patterson’s because at least Corey was hot the first couple of weeks) and this is the kind of thing that could make a difference and fire up the whole team. It woulda been a heckuva statement. So why didn’t he do it? If he is gassed running the basepaths why do we pay him a monster salary? In other words it sounds like he is clogging up the basepaths! I just want to see some fire from these guys when the whole season is already on the line and we are playing the division leaders. Like you said until EE made amends this team looked lifeless.
I know Corey Patterson is in a big time slump, but he was able to draw a couple walks today, giving him a healthy .400 OBP. I’d take that everyday from my leadoff hitter. I’m in no way a Corey Patterson fan, but with all the criticism he gets for not getting on base he deserves credit for contributing offensively today.
I can’t muster up the strength to praise a guy with a .258 OBP. FWIW, this is better than his full-season OBP for all of 2005.
Corey is not bad as a 4th outfielder and here are my reasons: (1) fast, can pinch-run; (2) best outfielder Reds have (pinch defense); and (3) he has some pop, when he connects, which may come in handy once or twice a year in late innings.
He is not an everyday player, and heaven forbid, not a lead-off hitter.
Lineup, with best opportunity to win, is as follows:
1. J. Bruce (really batting lead-off by default because no one else fits the mold, a la J. Hamilton last year);
2. Kepp.
3. Dunn
4. Griff
5. BP
6. J. Votto
7. Edwin
8. Catcher
I think we should take a tip from the Cards and Brewers and bat Corey 9th. Why not? He has some pop and won us some games. Bruce is striking out ALOT in AAA and I don’t see him as a solution at lead off.
So here is my outlandish lineup:
1) Keppinger
Pitcher
2) Dunn
3) Phillips
4) Griffey
5) EE
6) Votto
7) Catcher
9) Patterson
I’m not arguing with you that he’s probably ill suited to bat leadoff on a regular basis. I just think your criticism is a little unfair in the context of yesterday’s game.
When he came to bat in the beginning 8th inning, he had already gotten on base 2 out of 3 times. If you believe that the leadoff hitter’s most important job is to get on base, he was having a pretty good day up until that point.
1. Hopper-CF (until Jay Bruce arrives)
2. Keepinger-SS
3. Phillips-2b
4. Griffey-RF
5. Dunn-LF
6. Votto-1B
7. Edwin-3B
8. Catcher
“a lousy day at the ballpark is better than a good day a lot of places”
amen!