Loading ...It’s the “Sweep the Astros” edition of the game thread!
A win will complete a 6-3 homestand. Considering how terrible the good guys were playing when they returned to the Queen City the last time, it’d be nice to head out on another road trip six games over .500.
Can the Reds win tonight? As one commenter said:
When Felipe Paulino and Bronson Arroyo lock horns, you just gotta throw out the records…
Heh. Indeed.
Lineup below; enjoy the game!
Willy Taveras CF
Jerry Hairston Jr. 2B
Joey Votto 1B
Laynce Nix LF
Jay Bruce RF
Alex Gonzalez SS
Adam Rosales 3B
Ryan Hanigan C
Bronson Arroyo P
enjoy the game!
That I will, Chad. That I will. Go Battling Redlegs! Lets get the first sweep vs. the Astros in Cincinnati since 2000! Yeah, thats right, since the Gookie Dawkins and D.T Cromer era.
I forgot about Gookie!
Excellent DT Cromer reference.
Hi guys ??
Is it rainin again ??
Go Redlegs !!
I’m in Kentucky and it’s been raining off and on all day, I figure it might be the same in Cincy, nothing mentioned Reds Live so far though.
Austin Kearns is being dangled by the Nationals
Thanks bmattuk.
I dont get the pregame show on mlb.tv here in europe
Jim Day just got all excited about how it’s not raining, so I guess that answers the question haha
Austin Kearns-No thanks.
It was such a travesty to trade him in 2006.
Text poll – Reds best defensive player thus far this season
Hairston is a choice? Are you kidding me?
I usually try to not comment on commentators, but Brantley is showing that he just talks and talks and doesn’t think a whole lot tonight.
Hairston is an Outstanding fielder!!
I just hope Kearns doesn’t go to St. Louis. Hal McRae will fix whatever is wrong with the guy and he’ll have a .900 OPS before you know it. Felipe Lopez still hasn’t forgot what McRaw taught him.
WHY BRONSON?
the poll on the TV broadcast is “Who is the Reds defensive MVP”
their choices were Phillips, Bruce, Hairston Jr, and Hernandez
Hernandez??? He’s been below average defensively…so that is a really odd choice of a player to include. Nix or Taveras should have been included instead.
Looking at mostly UZR the best defensive players on the Reds so far this season have been (in this order)
Phillips, Hairston (gets extra points for playing 6 positions), Bruce, Nix and Taveras
the below average defenders have been (worst first)
EE, Votto, Hernandez, and Gonzo
Phillips has been the best defensive 2B in baseball so far this season
Bruce has been the 4th best defensive RF
The Bronson Arroyo deal is the best deal the organization has ever made? It was a good deal but the greatest?
I can give Hernandez credit for the play at 1B though.
Nice break for the Reds, Taveras was inside the line.
I think Taveras was just inside the line. Berkman might have been right.
I think one of the best deals the Reds have made in recent history is the Harang deal
The Reds got a big time underachieving prospect in Guillen who had a career year with his 2007 half season with the Reds at a peak age of 27. The Reds deal him for our most valuable starting pitcher since Jose Rijo
I certainly would rank it ahead of the Arroyo deal. Don’t get me wrong. The Arroyo deal was a good one because the Red Sox got Wily Mo Pena in return but it wasn’t a great deal much less the greatest.
Sorry I’m late to the party… but is anyone else tired of Jeff Keppinger? I know I am.
Bruuuuuuce!!!!!
Anybody else think Willy was dogging it a little going from 1st to 2nd on that overthrow? That that he should’ve scored, but he could’ve made it interesting.
Bruce!
he didn’t even look like he swung hard…..straight away CF!
No. 13
It’s about time one got out for Bruce…It seems like he has had quite of few warning track flyouts
I didn’t know that the reason that Jay Bruce is hitting for a low average this year, is his experiences with Dunn and Griffey last year. I thought it was because he was young and still learning to hit major league pitching. Stupid me.
It seems like it’s either a home run or an out with Bruce so far. You gotta think his average will come around.
want to see a sad list? Here are the most valuable Reds starting pitchers since the BRM
that is 29 years and these have been the best Reds starters??
RSAA RSAA GS
1 Jose Rijo 177 215
2 Mario Soto 69 213
3 Aaron Harang 49 177
4 Pete Harnisch 42 94
5 Bronson Arroyo 37 112
6 Elmer Dessens 36 80
7 Edinson Volquez 29 40
8 Steve Parris 25 70
T9 Ron Robinson 16 71
T9 Joe Price 16 75
the reason I am posting this is because I was thinking about the trades for the current pitchers
Harang for Guillen
Arroyo for WMP
Volquez for Hamilton
Owings for Dunn
Cueto signed as an amateur free agent
So, Brantley is blaming Dunn and Griffey for Bruce having a low batting average? Does he just talk to be talking? He rarely makes much sense.
Cowboy is always the smartest person in the room.
A lot of people have blamed Griffey and Dunn for others’ poor performance. Not saying it’s right or wrong, but this idea isn’t unique to Brantley.
The Harang trade was a great one. Arroyo is an ok starter, gives the team a lot of innings. Volquez and Owings – too early to tell on those trades.
What did Kepp do, EKy?
if that was the case wouldn’t Bruce be walking a lot? Would his OBP be higher as well as his SO rate?
Bruce does not hit like either Dunn or Jr. He’s only drawn 16 BB this year and his OBP is .306
A lot of people have blamed Griffey and Dunn for others’ poor performance. Not saying it’s right or wrong, but this idea isn’t unique to Brantley.
I’ll say it: It’s wrong.
I’d still take Keppinger over Gonzo as the starting shortstop.
Why doesn’t Bruce’s defense suck?
Remember, this is the same dingleberry who last night claimed that Bruce regularly stole 30 bases a year in the minors.
Nothing today, so far. It just seems like during this series, he’s been on base every time you look up. No harm towards Kepp intended.
Atta boy Bronson!
Bronson! I thought he was going to head to third for a triple there!
Brantley thinks Hanigan is some sort of prospect. He’s doing okay so far, but it’s 55 ABs. And he’s nearly 29 years old.
What was the Mark Berry impression by Brantley?
Yeah, Hanigan is going to be a decent backup catcher for 3-4 years, a guy that won’t kill you if he starts a couple or three times a week.
There is value in that type of player, but Hanigan has never been a prospect.
Bronson just wanted to get his jersey dirty.
Kepp at SS i’m not sure how long his D would hold up.
Random DT Cromer trivia: in 2000, Cromer wore three different uniform numbers for the Reds.
Votto.. that bum.
“We ride our horses on dirt.”
–Jeff Brantley, 5/27/09
Brantley’s drunk tonight, after the horse comments I’m sure of it.
Brantley is a moron. Now we are talking about horses racing cars on asphalt.
Ah, Dr. Brantley with the diagnosis.
When does he go back to radio?
I’m going to start collecting these crazy Brantley comments. Post ‘em whenever you hear them.
Anyone have a pitch count for Bronson handy?
This is the only thing I can think of when Brantley freaked out about Bronson stopping at second.
http://ualuealuealeualemirror.ytmnd.com/
66 pitches for Arroyo
MLB.TV has him at 66
I love it when Lance Berkman grounds into a double play.
A Cowboy Drinking Game would never work. He uses constantly original idiotic remarks.
Wow, 66 pitches through 6 innings. Very nice.
What the heck WAS that, taoistlumberjack?
(Great username, as well)
That was a nice inside out swing by Joey Votto taking the ball the other way.
The Cowboy drinking game:
Start drinking two hours before the ballgame so you can endure Cowboy’s announcing.
Joey Votto rocks.
I agree that Votto belongs in the All-Star game, but I’m already exhausted with the campaign from Thom. Dude’s not going to get voted in, even if he hits 20 HR between now and the cutoff.
How can someone even complain about Bruce at this point?
He’s one of the youngest position players in baseball and his OPS+ is around 100 and he’s playing very good defense.
Sure he’s not producing like Adam Jones, Longoria, Upton or Zimmerman but at age 23 he’s in the next group of young players.
Only 1 player younger is producing at a higher rate. Justin Upton
and because his batting average is low?
leave the kid alone
I’m glad I don’t listen to those fools
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!
BRUUUUUUUCE!!!!! What a game!
Bruuuuuce!!!!! Bruuuuuuuce!!!!!
You know, I can understand if Brantley and Thom isnt everyones cup of molasses, but seriously the alternative of George Grande announcing a game has to be thrown into discussion. I find Cowboy and Thom to be a much more enjoyable telecast regardless of the score that particular night, but what does GG bring to everyones table other than cute stories and sayings that really really should be made into a drinking game? He is like nails on chalkboard to me and brings nothing to the FS telecast…at all. And to all who say “then why do you have his picture as your avatar, jason?” My answer to that is…I dont know.
Bruuuuuuuuce! “thats sweet, thats hot, thats niiiice.”
Like his mentor, Bruce only hits homers when the Reds are already winning.
Cool, a little kid ended up with Jay Bruce’s home run ball.
Bruce spent way too much time around Dunn and Griffey, look what keeps happening.
BRUCE I LOVE IT!!!
I agree, I’d love to see Votto voted in, but he’s up against Albert Pujols here. Who is Thom kidding?
I know there are a lot of quality 1B, but if Votto continues to be productive, there’s no way he’ll be left home.
then why do you have his picture as your avatar, jason?
I honestly prefer George to Brantley. Grande may not shut up, but he at least speaks proper English words, structured into reasonably coherent sentences.
That was kind of a Adam Dunn shot in that it went about a 1/2 mile into the air.
Frankly, I’m not sure Jay Bruce is ever going to get it. I’m giving up on him.
But if you look at (H-HR)/PA, then Bruce stinks.
Why does Thom encourage him?
Chris I agree. Votto isn’t even in the top 5 in the current NL 1B voting and then there is the issue of one of the best hitters in the game, Pujols. Votto will not get voted in.
plus the Reds have among the worst attendance in baseball. Hard to pack the ballot if people aren’t going to the games.
while Votto has been GREAT he hasn’t been Pujols. Pujols should start the all-star game
@Jason, I agree and typically Brantley doesn’t bother me at all but tonight has been just one annoying comment after another. Honestly I’m just glad the Reds are winning and really don’t care who the broadcast team is.
So do the fans have the final say on who gets in? I know managers and players have a vote too. How is that weighted?
Chris, you don’t like Cowboy’s “whoooooooooooeeeeeeeeeee!!!!” ?
And if you take (H-HR)/PA * (imaginary bases stolen in the minors), he’s even worse.
As bad as George is, I’ll take him any day over Brantley.
14 homers for Bruce, and only 28 RBI. With a low batting average.
What are they saying about him on WLW? I have an idea….
Man….I think Brantley really is drunk.
Fans vote starters. Players (+ coaches?) vote second string. Manager picks the rest. Fans vote the final spot from a choice of 5 or so.
If we don’t get Lincolned, the Reds will be 6 games over .500. That’s insane.
14 homers for Bruce, and only 28 RBI. With a low batting average.
What are they saying about him on WLW? I have an idea….
I’m no WLW caller, but I’d say, “He bats behind Phillips and Votto, who’ve knocked in 400 runs between them.”
I don’t think anyone is campaigning for Votto to start the game. Everyone should agree that Pujols should start. I would just like to see Votto get some respect. Berkman doesn’t deserve the votes he’s getting and Votto should be considered right with Howard and Fielder for the sub 1B.
And concerning no one coming to the games: that’s true, but I would venture to say that most people vote online these days and not at the park. The fact is your average baseball fan is retarded and just listens to the names they hear on sportscenter.
A win keeps us 1.5 out of first, and moves the Reds within .5 game of second.
The goal of baseball is to score runs right? So, isn’t a HR better than any other hit since it is guaranteed to score at least 1 run? I understand that HR hitters can go in slumps, but, I would rather have a team that has some power in the lineup in addition to a team that gets on base and runs the bases.
Arroyo 71 through 7 and still looking strong.
“If we don’t get Lincolned” hahaha
Dang I love Hanigan. So happy about our catchers.
The fact is your average baseball
fanannouncer is retarded and just listens to the names they hear on sportscenter.It’s stunning to me, that guys who are required to work a grand total of 500 hours a year can’t be bothered to learn the players in the league.
What, per14, you didn’t like Paul Bako?
Go Nuggets.
I liked BAKO for about 15 games.
“Scoop me a little ice cream, just serve it right up”
Jeff Brantley 5/27/09
Oh man Bako. He hit .220 or something but he shore could call a game!
Okay, seriously. Brantley IS DRUNK.
You beat me to it, Mad Hatter.
Hey BigRedMike don’t bother Brantley with math or logic.
and by the way….name a hitter in the history of baseball that didn’t go into a slump?
HR hitters don’t all slump more than other hitters. Players who draw a lot of walks also slump it’s just that their valleys tend to not be a deep
Brantley might be surprised that even Pete Rose slumped
as did Ruth, Williams and Bonds
Speaking of Bako, I saw were he signed a minor league deal with the Phillies… I also noticed that Josh Fogg was called up from AAA with the Rockies.. Just in case you wanted to know how last year’s turds are doing.
And Eric Milton got the win for the Dodgers last night.
Yeah… that’s how bad the Rockies are.
Ok, I can eat some crow after this Brantley’ism:
“He UDF’d. Scoop me a little ice cream, just serve it right up”
Thats just dumb, makes 0 sense.
75, wow.
Who the hell is Irene?
Whew, now that’s pitching!
Arroyo is impressive tonight, it’s like a junkballing Greg Maddux pitching.
No Jason. Don’t back down! You know for every dumb thing Brantley says, GG has something 10x worse.
Bronson’s pitch count really is amazing
you know the funny think about Bako hitting “.220″
he hit .217 with the Reds and that was higher than his previous two seasons!!
and here is a fun little thing about batting average.
a .280 or above batting average is considered good right? And if Bruce had a .280 or above Brantley would be wetting himself.
Here are some recent Reds who had over a .280 batting average
Norris Hopper, Jeff Keppinger, Thomas Howard, Dave Collins, and Chris Stynes
And here are some Reds with a .260 or below average
Adam Dunn, Greg Vaughn, Paul O’Neil, Nick Esasky and Gary Redus
Strawberry hit .259, Darrell Evans .258, Gene Tenace .242 and McCovey .255
BRUUUUUUUCE!
BRUUUUUUCE! Way to go kid!
What a game by Jay Bruce!!!!!
BRUUUUCE!!! That slg.% is going up, up, up.
A triple?
I don’t like admitting that Dusty might be right from time to time but sitting Bruce against Wandy to get “mental rest” seems to have really worked.
I know, I know. GG wouldve talked thru hit by talking of his next door neighbors Gertrude’s homemade fruit cake and how the sprinkles made him think of something from his past, etc. And then of course we would excpect CW to get him back on track, but he’d just say “Well, George what was her last name?” and then id slap my forehead and mute tv. No backing down here, EkyReds.
I think that McCovey # is wrong
3 different sources show 3 different batting averages. .270, .265, and .255
Arroyo can finish this one off; day off tomorrow. Bullpen will be very rested going into Milwaukee.
Mike– Chris Stynes was a god.
I love Rosales’ attitude but he’s really struggling. Wish Janish would get some more ABs.
Why didn’t Bruce slide?
What’s the Reds record without Brandon Phillips?
11 total bases for Bruce and the game isn’t over
the last Red to do that was Votto on May 7, 2008. He hit 3 HR and had 12 total bases
It’s only been done by a Reds hitter 11 times in the last 10 years
and 53 times since 1954
That’s what I was wondering, BigRed.
Why didn’t Bruce slide?
Because he was teammates with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr.
This conversation these guys are having – it bears no relation whatsoever to reality. It’s a g.d. fantasyland they’re living in. They just make crap up, and fans just believe it as true.
So I think Bronson will be leading the league in wins after tonight.
Bruce didn’t slide because Dunn told him not to.
“Hey BigRedMike don’t bother Brantley with math or logic.”
I know, I know.
I just do not always understand the bias against players with averages under .250 with high OBP’s that hit HR’s. It seems like they get more bad comments their way then guys like Taveras, who create very few runs, but, they are fast.
Yeah, and if Grienke wasn’t such a freak, he might be leading MLB.
Jim, you beat me to it.
Meanwhile, they’re more or less ignoring the magic show that Bronson Arroyo is putting on.
It is ok, according to Brantley, the bad impact that Dunn had on Bruce will go away.
GREAT performance by Arroyo tonight.
If Arroyo is leading the league in wins at the All Star selection time does he get picked with his enormous ERA? I can’t remember when the win leader wasn’t selected.
“…..CaKKKKwalk.”
“Wins” are even more useless than Saves.
Yeah, wins are silly.
That was a strike!
Oh no, Lincoln warming up.
Sorry ass dive, right there.
The Old Lefthander used to say it is only about wins.
I hate idiot fans who grab at balls that are in play. They should be thrown out of the game even if they don’t touch the ball.
I love Nuxie, but he was wrong. Badly wrong.
But I bet Nuxhall would listen to you when you explain why wins are misleading. He’d probably see the wisdom. Brantley? No.
…and this one belongs to the Reds!
geeze Chris.. a lot of negativity tonight.
Bronson Arroyo and the CG, they’re together again!!!
Why didn’t Bruce slide?
Because he was teammates with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr.
Dunn and Griffey are scum of the earth BTW!!!!
Reds win!!!!!
Bravo Reds. Love sweeping the Astros.
SWEEP!!
Now I want to see some JTM commercials.
Holy cow!!! Reds win, Reds win!!!
6-3 Homestand! Sweep! Great performance by Broyo!
Reds win! Dunn sucks!
So the Reds have a winning record against every team in the division right now, correct? How nice is that??
92 pitch complete game. Great outing by Arroyo.
that’s an interesting question Mark in CC
Of course there is still time for the pack of NL pitchers with lots of wins to separate out. There are 15 pitchers with 5 or more wins. Arroyo will have 7 after today
of the 14 other pitchers, only 1 has pitched worse than Arroyo this year and even that one player arguably has pitched better than Arroyo
I guess if you are running a fantasy team other stats but wins are important, but I think wins are what counts in the real baseball. Winners find ways to win.
Mark, I agree with you. But for pitchers, the stat “wins” is simply not nearly the best way to measure a pitcher. Look at Bronson. He now has the most wins in the NL. But has he been the best pitcher in the NL? Not even close.
Someone’s not really going to argue that “wins” are a good way to judge pitchers? Really? Someone is going to argue that in 2009?
a 92 pitch complete game (not shortened by rain)??!?!?!?
now that is RARE
in the last 55 years a Reds pitcher has pitched a complete game with 95 or fewer pitches thrown only 22 times!!!!
the last was Harang in 2007. He threw 94 pitches to shut out Pitt
Here is the crazy thing. Tom Browning did it 4 times!!! 2 of those times he pitched less than 90 pitches!
Didn’t Joel Pineiro throw a ridiculously low pitch CG against the Cubs last week?
I don’t comment a whole lot because I usually simply enjoy the banter between you guys as well as the info provided by this site.
That said, I am simply irate by what I just saw by Jay Bruce. How in the world do you not slide on that play!??
I am absolutely flabbergasted by that. What? You’re a star, and all of a sudden at age 22 you can’t handle sliding? My lord, what a prima donna! You’d NEVER see that out of Rosales!
I suddenly gained a lot of respect for Dusty for jumping all over him in the dugout (which, of course, the TV cameras would never show us but that Thom and Cowboy DID bring up, whether it happened or not).
That’s the kind of play that will make the Reds-faithful turn on a player and is exactly why Pete Rose is such a hero in RedsLand. One would NEVER see a close play at the plate where Rose didn’t AT LEAST slide! Unreal! He COULD have been safe!
TERRIBLE. Yes, he’s still a kid, but honestly, isn’t that the WRONG excuse? If he was Griffey’s age, I could see avoiding a hard slide, but not even contact at the plate?!!
Normally, I would say no big deal, he’d do it next time, but I hope you guys can correct me if I’m wrong (and I hope you can), but can anybody recall a hard contact play between Bruce and ANY opposing player over the last year he’s played regularly? I can’t, but maybe that’s just incidental, or I’ve simply missed it. But I don’t think so.
I wouldn’t want to prematurely call a player out as a prima donna in only a year, but that particular play was so AWFULLY BUSH LEAGUE it totally has me pissed off!
That said, I generally love Bruce’s game and have noted that he’s made several spectacular self-sacrificing diving plays in the field within the last full season.
Still….that was a totally pathetic display of what it takes to be a winning baseball team. I could give an absolute crap how many home runs you’ve hit or how many runs you’re up. Bulls–t. PLAY. BALL.
Arroyo hasn’t been dominant this year (other than tonight) but if you remove the two games where he gives up 9 ER apiece and his numbers start looking really good. But then again Bronson wouldn’t Bronson without the two or three blowup starts every year. Of his ten starts eight have been good and two are outstanding,
my thoughts exactly Jimmy James
here are some fun quickie numbers
68 starters in the NL have 7 or more starts
of the 68 46 have pitched better than Arroyo
Arroyo leads them all in wins
The play went largely unnoticed due to the outcome of the game, but I think you correctly bring attention to it. Good call, IMO.
Sorry for the rant, but as soon as I saw that, I literally ran up to my PC to lay my anger on you guys. HAHA! Sorry.
Maybe a bit overstated, but at the same time, this young team has so many positives going for it, I hate to see them fall victim to the exact same mentality that helped make them losers for the last 10 seasons – in a word, COMPLACENCY.
Basically, I never got the feeling that most of those teams have tried as hard – or more importantly – have had as much enthusiasm as much as these young guys.
And BTW, I think that’s one of the biggest reasons that small-market teams have been able to compete throughout this big $ era: The simple facts that the young players are healthy and hungry for success, especially because that success will bring them big paychecks. Sure, they want to win, but it’s the $ that makes them play so hard, and once they get it……well, look at the Yankees the last 10 years.
Actually, if you’re running a fantasy team, Wins are as or more important for the starter. In baseball, a team win is most important. In fantasy baseball, you typically only have starters and closers on your roster, so you want to see the your starter get the win.
Harang fantasy owners were happy to see him pitch a third of an inning after a two hour rain delay.
Obviously, run support has a big impact on starter’s Wins. I haven’t checked it in a week or two, but last time I checked, Arroyo led the team in run support and Harang had the least support.
I enjoyed the rant, plowboy. Keep em comin.
Really? Back when the losing streak started, they had a pretty young team. Dunn and Kearns started playing fulltime in 2002 and were 22. Casey, Young, Boone, Larue were all in their 20’s. Jose Guillen was added in his prime. Felipe Lopez started here in his lower-20’s.
The problem was POOR PITCHING. What stat did I have earlier today? They allowed, on average 865 runs a year? 5.2 runs per game? It’s like the Reds had to hit off major league pitchers and their opponents got to play slow-pitch softball.
Yes, nice rant, plowboy. Agreed. I think we all will be watching closely the next time he rounds third and heads for home/
Good point, GredD, you’re probably right. I suppose in the long and short of things it really DOES boil down to talent (ie. pitching).
In fact, I was getting ready to make the point about how it’s really all nonsense without pitching and defense. For example, I always thought Adam Dunn was a hell of a gamer, regardless of his sorry defense. I know how at least half you guys are NOT fans of his, but I will ALWAYS be (for the very same reason I’m upset with Jay Bruce tonight) be grateful in Reds-Lore for his linebacker-mentality at home-plate plays.
And any of you who are REAL Reds fans know what I’m talking about. Ray Lewis ain’t got nothin’ on Dunn.
Thanks J and EKY for appreciating my rants. It’s just that I love this team so much – the Reds, I mean.
I guess that really the point is this: We have a heck of an interesting darn young team! Yes, the season is young, yes there’s little offense to speak of, yes there’s only one truly reliable pitcher with Harang, BUT!!!!!!!
For the love of Pete (Rose), these guys are the best bunch of legitimate bunch of young studs we’ve had in 10 years! Fellas, with this pitching (injuries aside, of course) this team has a chance at the division!
Call on the witch-hunters.