Loading ...
Time for a recap of tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 3
Washington 2
WP: Cueto (6-3)
LP: Detwiler (0-3)
S: Cordero (15)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Smilin’ side of the scoreboard. Yeah, it’s the Natinals, but still….
–Really impressed by the way Johnny Cueto hung in there today. He walked four, so his control wasn’t great today, but he still went seven innings, giving up just four hits and one run (yeah, it’s the Natinals, but still…). Another solid outing by the young guy.
–Jonny Gomes and Alex Gonzalez had two hits each, and Brandon Phillips had an important double to knock in two runs.
NEGATIVES
–TOS*
ETC.
–I know it got a little more exciting later, but for most of the evening, this was an unbelievably boring baseball game. With a couple of exceptions, it was two lineups filled with nobodies.
–Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, Cueto is just fun to watch, isn’t he? He was the only redeeming thing about tonight’s contest.
–More Natinals “action” tomorrow. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.
*This Offense Stinks.
What do you guys think about this: Trying to get Mark Teahan from KC? He can play first and third while Edwin and Votto are on the DL. If they both come back (which is a big if) then run him out there in left and as a ph.
I think it could just take Sean Henry, Jordan Smith and/or James Avery and be worthwhile to get Teahan. Heck, it would be worth it to ship Nix or Dickerson to get a solid starter who can play both corner infield spots.
He is a much better option than Rosales and Hairston, plus he can help Hernandez stay rested.
Just got back from the game and I must say it was rather boring. However I want to point out a positive that you missed. The defense played pretty well… Cueto was a little inconsistent and obviously didn’t have his best stuff but 2 double plays (one of them looked real nice in person) two very good plays by Ramon Hernandez at 1b and a good catch by Willy in the outfield definitely helped Cueto keep things under control
it was a good win and I’m looking forward to going back to see them on Thursday
I was there tonight as well. Willie Taveras is worse in person at the plate than he is on TV. Reds fans were all over him. I sat six rows behind the dugout and every inning Cueto would come off the mound and look up at all the Reds fan and make some gesture. It was pretty funny. Gonzo made a nice play in the first to keep Cueto out of trouble. Home plate umpire was awful for both sides.
I was right behind the Nationals dugout and kept trying to hear what Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn kept joking about when they would pass each other… heard nothing though lol
Also agree with you on Willy… wow that at bat in between the walk to Cueto and the walk to Hairston setting up Phillip’s double was just terrible….
I like Teahan a lot, but I think it would take more to get him. I was a proponent of that during the off season. I think it is definately worth investigating. With Votto out that Nick Johnson idea looks a little more appealing now, huh?
A few comments after video review. That first inning 6-4-3 looked beautiful, Gonzo flipping with his glove without even looking at 2nd base. Phillips and he have got their timing down.
Taveras’ diving catch was legit. It looked like he jammed his wrist a bit.
What a nite he had on offense, including a demonstration of how NOT to steal a base in the 9th.
I’m afraid he’ll be in there every nite though, until who knows when.
Dukes did not get a good swing on the slider he hit for a home run, it just kept carrying. Weathers against him with the game on the line was scary.
I’d like to see WJ explore a deal for Nick Johnson, unless he knows Votto will return soon.
BORING!
and I’ll disagree with that….the important part is nobodies (I turned it off after 2, I can watch little league any day of the week)
why would someone watch a game between two teams like this?
Answer: CUETO!
all the BS about Phillips and Votto making the all-star team and the Reds are over looking their best player this year. CUETO! the Nats stink but their offense is good which makes Cueto’s start even better.
and Pinson I agree withe the idea of Johnson and if Votto returns is irrelevant. Play Votto in LF
CUETO FOR CY YOUNG!
I’m so over Taveras. Give me Dickerson.
Just FYI, according to this morning’s Enquirer, Votto worked out yesterday in Cincinnati and EE has had a setback (shown by the MRI), he’s not going on rehab anytime real soon.
You really do have to tip it to Dusty for keeping these cast of “nobodies” only 2.5 games out of first place.
George Grande isn’t very good at interviewing people, is he? Man, his questions for the new draft pick were painfully broad, and made for a very awkward three minutes of television. Chris Welch was like Diane Rehm in comparison.
It’s looking more and more like the Reds have to do something to upgrade this offense. I like the Teahen idea quite a lot, but it would likely take one of our not-quite-ready-for-prime-time 3B/OF types. Teahen’s basically Mark DeRosa, but seven years younger and still under team control for another year. Guys like that are quite valuable, and he’d be a great fit for the Reds before and after EdE and Votto returned.
I didn’t think the kid sounded real coherent either, but he could have had a long day, had a few cocktails in celebration, who knows…
I like the idea of Teehan alot better than Nick Johnson.
I’m willing to give Teveras a bit of a pass for now. He was going pretty good before his inury and just seems to be struggling getting back his rhythem.
Mike, The reds are not overlooking Cueto, they just don’t have any control over which pitchers are selected. That’s completely up to Philadelphia’s manager. I’m sure Cueto has a better than average chance to make it, along with CoCo. Possibly even Rhodes.
TOS
Since fans can’t select pitchers, pitchers aren’t talked about until we get much closer to the game.
I would put this team up against any other quality team in the major leagues.
They’d lose, of course, but I’d still put them up, just for fun.
I made it out last night also, starting out about 15 rows behind the dugout, then about 10 rows, then the 2nd row for the 9th. Yeah it wasn’t that exciting, but any chance to see the Redlegs pull one out is worth the trip. With Cueto and this crazy coot that I sat with for the last couple innings, i stayed more than entertained! Can’t wait to go back tonight…
Cueto has as good a chance of being voted in as Votto or BP.
I will take any win at this point, and the pitching at least is giving us a chance.
Tehan would be nice, but I am curious what they are going to do this year. They yacked one up to the Indians last night, but with the way the Central is I am not sure they are going to be in sell off the veterans mode quite as early this year.
Teahen seems to me to be little more than replacement value at 1B. I’d rather keep playing Hernandez there and have Hanigan catch.
Derosa for 3b, general utility guy is EE looks like he is going to be out for awhile? RHB, plays a bunch of positions and will not tie up any long term salary. Indians are looking for SP, but if the price were right (by which I mean no Homer/Maloney) then maybe???
This “stinking offense” has scored a grand total of 12 runs less than 2oo8 Reds in 1st 57 games. Losing Dunn has not been that big of a deal, especially when you consider the number of games missed by EE, Votto & Phillips and the saved runs with Dunn out of LF.
I don’t think anybody has been bragging about last year’s offense either, which finished the season below average and 12th in the NL.
Last year, the pitching was killing them, giving up 5 runs per game.
This year, the pitching is top 5 in R/G, so it is much more frustrating that the offensive issues were not addressed with this club in the offseason.
Last 11 games, 4-7 record
4 of the 7 losses, the Reds allowed 3 runs or less (in the first 9 innings)
2 of the losses were score of 5-2
1 loss was the 9-5 blowup by Harang
A better offensive team makes that 7-4 in the last 11 and currently standing in first place.
I think the Reds front office is going to have to assess pretty quick whether they are going to try and make a move to win now or just hold par. Encarnacion’s injury doesn’t sound good. Wrist injuries can be pretty hard on hitters. Derek Lee has never been the same since he popped his wrist. Considering that Votto is a complete x-factor, they need to make a move. I don’t think it needs to be a superstar or necessarily a rental, but they need a player who can either play 3rd or 1st. I don’t really know Teahan, but Mark DeRosa would be a good fit as long as we don’t have to pay out the yin yang to bring him over. Nick Johnson is really fragile and might end right up on the DL two weeks after he is signed.
I wonder if the Rockies might be willing to deal Garrett Atkins? He has been struggling this year, so I think it might possible that they might let him go cheap.
Taveras looked really bad at the plate, especially on that third K. I don’t think the guy looked right.