Game Thread: Reds at Braves — 2008.05.02
The Reds begin May in Hot-lanta, facing the Braves on the last leg of a nine-game road trip. Two out of three would be very nice.
Tim Hudson is pitching for Atlanta, but never fear! Redleg Nation’s Player of the Month for April, Edinson Volquez, is pitching for the good guys. Let’s hope he continues his good work.
Discuss it here….
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Patterson leading off.
Hatteberg in for Votto
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:42 pm
and patterson goes down swining at balls 2 and 3 to lead it off.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I hate the Farmer’s Only commercials. Ugh.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Weathers pitched the first for the Dragons, Klinker’s thrown 3 innings of 2 hits thus far.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:01 pm
wow, reallly making hudson work for these outs aren’t they.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Ugh, I live in the South and they have blacked out the Reds broadcast so I have to listen to the Braves broadcasters … talk about geezers … these guys sound like they are doing ther play by play from an old folks home
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Volquez is busting Franceour inside…then the change outside.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Volquez was a little shaky in the first, but he was locked in there in the 2nd inning. Looked very good.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Superstar Paul Bako up to the plate now.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
The next time I hear George Grande say Walt “Jockerty”, I’m going to kill someone.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
the reds offense makes bad pitchers look great and good pitchers look like cy young.
it’s sad that i just thought “glad volquez got a hit there so patterson won’t lead off the next inning.” he’s the leadoff hitter!
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Volquez is dialed in.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
as much as i can complain about the reds on offense, that was just plain hot right there. volquez strikes out the side in order, using all of his pitches, some swinging, some looking. just nasty stuff.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Only problem is he’s thrown 51 pitches in 3 innings.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:32 pm
give griffey credit for a great AB there. see if we can get something going with it.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:32 pm
The first inning was the culprit. Think it was 13 pitches in the 2nd and 16 in the 3rd.
But you’re right. Volquez needs to learn some pitch efficiency. I think he will eventually (young players always bring hope).
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
high pitch counts will happen when you have a first inning like he did. Doesn’t mean that rate is going to continue, his last two innings have been good. He could easily go 7 if he keeps up like he has.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
love to see dunn go yard right here. seems like he’s due.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Dunn needs a vacation … just awful
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
But it’s going to limit him tonight, they’ll be lucky to get to the 7th with him tonight.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Cory Patterson HAS TO GO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
That hurts…Patterson drops a very catchable ball.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Patterson sucks. I’m so sick of him.
Free Jay Bruce.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Update, Matt Klinker has thrown 5 innings, 4 hits, 1 run (earned), 5 Ks..
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I agree it’s going to limit him to 7 innings tonight, but that’s still a very good start. It’s fine to notice things like pitch count, i just think it’s going a little too far too criticize a pitchers efficiency for not throwing a complete game.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
First homer he’s given up…oh well.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Hey Dunn, use Langerhans as your example … THAT is how to swing a bat, not that weak stuff you been bringing to the plate!
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I didn’t mean to insinuate it wasn’t a great start, it can be, even if he only goes 6….
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 pm
well that’s going to limit him.
clearly frustrated with the mistake, it’s got to be so infuriating to be a reds pitcher right now. If you don’t throw a complete game shutout, you’re probably going to get the loss.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
This offense is disgusting .. please lets just move on with the youth movement …
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
seriously, tim hudson’s not THAT good. Who stole this team’s bats? This is getting frustrating.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
They are talking about Dunn & Griffey being on the trade block by the Atlanta broadcasters … anyone else heard this potential good news?
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
I’m glad Jay Bruce is in AAA. There’s no way he could help this awesome Reds offense.
I’m so sick of watching this anemic Reds “hitting.” It is ridiculous.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
can’t even get one guy on so the pitcher doesn’t lead off next inning. so in the 6th we’ll have volquez, patterson, keppinger (who continues his freefall).
my guess is that means we’ll see a pinch hitter for volquez.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I went and checked MLB Trade Rumors … they say teams are scouting both Dunn & Griffey … here is a link to the story:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/05/teams-scouting.html
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
and what would you expect to get for griffey or dunn? they’re both getting out slugged by several pitchers.
i half-expected them to deal one of them at the deadline, but only if they were swinging the bats. I’d bet the draft picks we’d get will be more valuable than the bag of balls any other team would give us.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
check that, volquez only at 79 pitches and cruising. can’t see taking him out now. if it happens, it should be a real slap in the face to this offense.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Griffey is a 10/5 guy that can only be traded with his permission and Dunn has a no trade until the end of June…
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Not much I am sure. But in a package deal with Jr & prospects could land us someone like Clement … a hot catching prospect for Seattle who is blocked by Jojima.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Whoa - Volquez got a hit earlier. Guess he beats Cueto to the punch there too.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 pm
No trade clauses doesnt mean they cant be traded. It means the player can control who he is willing to waive the no trade clause for.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:06 pm
What a horrific effort against Tim Hudson. The guy got pasted in the minors in his last rehab start, didn’t he?
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Trading Dunn would be idiotic….they should be extending Dunn, not trading him.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
The media is always saying that Dunn and Griffey are on the trading block.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
When Dunn learns which end of the bat to hold again, I will agree with you
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
how jeff keppinger watches those three pitches, i just don’t know. volquez gets burned on a “hanging” change up, keppinger watches two “hanging” change ups go buy for strikes 2 and 3.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Since when did the Reds become the Dodgers of recent years? Good pitching, anemic hitting…
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Good lord, the guy’s had a bad month (in which his OPS is still .783). He’s the first guy in the history of the franchise to hit 40 four years in a row and he’s a bum after one month?
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Can someone resurrect Big Klu and bring him in as the hitting instructor?
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Is the ATL scoreboard screwy? Marty’s been flubbing the number of outs in the inning, two innings in a row. Maybe Brantley’s just afraid to correct him these days.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
His OPS is totally OBA driven … not because he is hitting. Home runs, and OBA is all you get with Dunn. Almost no clutch hitting, below average defense, averages 180 strikeouts per year. At 13 Million a year, he should be putting numbers somewhere near Pujols. If he were a superb defender, I could live with his offense … but he just dont rate that much money for the production you get. And trust me, he isnt going to take a paycut to return next year.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Thompson has pitched three innings so far tonight giving up two hits, one run, and striking out two.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:23 pm
in general i’m with you Bill, but I think it’s easy to earn bum status pretty quick when you make 13 mil. If keppinger gets off to a slow start, it’s a different thing, teams have to hold different players to different standards. If you pay Dunn 13 mil for a .900 OPS, then what he’s doing is pretty bad.
Anyway, he’ll come around.
Is it possible to get phillips out of the 4 spot, this is just lame.
Assuming he’s done, another near gem for volquez. I love watching him pitch.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 pm
That is a big problem for this team Al … we dont have a #4 hitter. Phillips is way too aggreassive and tries to do way too much when he is in the 4 hole. he is better suited to the 6 hole.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Listening to the Braves radio via MLB.com. I don’t want to hear Marty whining about the Reds’ lack of hitting.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Opportunity knocks.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I wish the Reds had someone batting .417
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Great, Patterson is leading off the ninth. Good job, Dusty.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
he may not be a “leadoff” hitter, but i wish jay bruce was up now.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Dusty, buddy or no buddy, how can you keep playing Patterson. He stinks.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Maybe the entire Reds offense should get the flu that Hudson had.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Hit pretty good to right? What are you drinking, GG?
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
credit where credit’s due, hudson looked great tonight. it’s just hard to believe that he was really that good when this is pretty much what the reds do every night.
rough loss for volquez, he literally made one mistake.
Hey, how’d you like to come pitch for the reds Mr. Freeagent? We have a teeny-tiny little park where any marginal fly ball will probably be 8 rows deep, AND as a bonus, if you give up any runs you lose. Pretty sweet deal, no?
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:59 pm
I’ve been giving Dusty the benefit of the doubt so far, but he really needs to start playing Freel as the regular in center and play Votto every day.
Patterson looks the same he did in Chicago, a guy with plenty of tools but just does not have what it takes to finish the deal at the plate. I can see why a team might want to give Patterson a shot, as the guy obviously has talent (and hard to believe is not yet 30), but there are just some holes in his hitting that are never going to get fixed. At best, he is a guy worth keeping around on the bench, as he can field and run.
Patterson guy is not a major league starting centerfielder/lead off hitter, that is for sure.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:47 am
its nights like tonight, and frankly years like this, that make me question why i put myself through the torture that is being a reds fan….
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:51 am
Jocketty better start making some kind of moves to jump start this pathetic offense.
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:06 am
Tim Hudson was not pasted in any rehab start, you’re probably thinking of Mark Mulder. Different guys, different teams. — Hudson is actually still good.
Also, you’re dreaming if you think the Reds can get Jeff Clement for Griffey.
Finally, $13 million may be a lot for the Reds, but in the market where Aaron Rowand got $12MM, I think you should be happy with a .900 OPS for that money.
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:28 am
Man, this team is hard to watch. I really expected more this year, not more of the same.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
Same old, same old. Now we have decent pitching and no hitting. Until this team is broken up with a big trade or two and Bruce and Bailey are brought up, nothing is going to change. Easy to see +10 games out by end of May; season over.