Loading ...Here’s the game preview. Here’s the lineup:
Drew Stubbs CF
Paul Janish SS
Joey Votto 1B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Scott Rolen 3B
Wladimir Balentien LF
Jonny Gomes RF
Corky Miller C
Homer Bailey P
Can the Reds continue their winning ways? Discuss it here.
Not sure if anyone saw this yet
From ESPN’s rumor mill today
Dusty Baker’s job as Reds manager appears to be safe, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
The Dispatch says the Reds’ ownership group is not inclined to eat Baker’s contract that will pay him $4 million next season. In addition, Baker seems to have the support of principal owner Bob Castellini.
Baseball Prospectus
Eating Baker’s contract may be best
“The Reds have an enviable nucleus of young talent, but Dusty Baker’s work this year suggests he’s hardly the man for the helm. His handling of the team’s precious young pitchers raises some eyebrows; from losing Edinson Volquez to Tommy John surgery to pushing Johnny Cueto past 100 pitches four times amid a six-start, 10.64 ERA span and ultimately to the DL. The fates of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood continue to linger. Furthermore, the Reds are scoring less than four runs per game despite playing in a hitters’ park, largely because Baker batted Willy Taveras in the first or second lineup spot 93 times in the team’s first 118 games. That’s despite Taveras producing the lowest EqA among any hitter with at least 300 plate appearances.” – Jay Jaffe
EAT IT!
Few can make a sliding catch look less graceful than our man Gomes. Good catch, dude!
This team will not win for a full season till Baker is gone. His contract must be eaten, or else we’re looking at an all too familiar sight next season.
We could all send ‘em some ketchup.
Gomes!! You magnificent…
Ah, well. Gomes giveth, and Gomes taketh away.
homer bailey dealing, offense clicking… who are these reds?
I’m not afraid to say it…I LOVE Joey Votto! Lol
Interesting non-catch by Hudson.
Was just about to post that I was surprised Stubbs hadn’t attempted a steal yet, then he stole 2nd. Nice double for Votto. Interested in seeing if Homer can keep it up.
Live this line from “The Machine” book:
“The rest of you,” said Sparky, “are turds.”
The handy thing is, if Sparky was managing this team, he could skip the whole first part of that speech.
Wow, Homer Bailey looking pretty sharp!
How about a Gomes/Dorn platoon in LF? Dorn is batting .300 Vs RH with a .362 OBP and 10 HR’s, .840 OPS
this is Homer’s trouble inning. can he make it through the 6th??
yes!
Who is this Homer Bailey? I like this guy
Please use a PH for Homer
Jello I think this is a more difficult decision as to pull Homer or not
88 pitches, he’s pitched great (even if the last inning was a little rough) and LA has the bottom of the order coming up.
I think I’d let him go back out but have relievers 100% warmed up and ready to go
the minute he allows a base runner he’s out
Wow, Juan Fransisco is hitting good, Valakia is hitting much better of late, Heisey is doing okay but Frasier is struggling at AAA.
Maybe the future is bright :p
As a chubby, poorly dressed and unshaven slob, Gomes makes me proud to be me. He is now officially my muse.
OK, maybe “chubby” is an understatement for me. Get off my back.
RC I’m not sure Gomes is that chubby either. He looks in pretty good shape…..
Gomes has really turned into one of my favorite Reds and I really did not like the signing of either Nix or Gomes.
Gomes == battle
Why does he keep his top button(s) undone?
That’s OK, I’m chubby enough for both of us.
I’m cool with Homer pitching the 7th, but I don’t think he should go back out in the 8th – I don’t want to see him pitching to Ethier and Manny again…
I was talking up Milton Bradley earlier today (love his OBP’s) but if the budget is really tight, I’d be perfectly happy seeing Gomes get 400-500 AB’s next year in LF. I do really like him.
Among 24 Reds w/ more than 30 PA’s this year, exactly 2 have an OPS+ over 100 (better than average) — Votto (144) and Gomes (135). 2 out of 24!!!
(OK, there are 3 sitting at exactly 100 right now — Rolen, Nix, and Owings.)
Anyone got the score?
4-0 reds – bot 8th
Does Dusty ever learn? remember how quick Bailey lost it last time?
Hmmm…he does still have movement
Dusty taking Bailey back to school?
Here we go…Dusty trusting him. Middle of the best hitting line up in baseball and the best hitter with risp for the Dodgers..
Would he do this with the pennant on the line?
Sparky woulda took him out.
lucky
Are we witnessing the contributing factor to DL stints for Volquez, Cueto, Wood and Prior?
Wow, just came back to see Dusty sent Bailey back out for the 8th. I’d be okay with it if he wasn’t at 97 pitches already.
Wow! This is the Homer Bailey I like! I was wrong…Dusty was right!
Boy… great job by Homer… but 115 pitches? I don’t like it.
Nice way to end it. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if Dusty sent him out there for the 9th. Excellent outing by Homer though. Exactly what everyone wants to see down the stretch.
You know, when Dusty came here, I totally dismissed the whole “ruined Prior and Wood” thing.
As this season goes on, I dismiss it less and less.
just got in from rainy high school football game, i am stunned to see/read Homer pitching in 8th AND shutting out the stinking dodgers.
Homer pulled. Best outing of his career thus far.
Is 115 too much? CC Sabathia threw 113 tonight although most pitchers stopped short of 100
Nolan Ryan says, “No, it’s not.”
I think the Homer Bailey experiment should be over. It’s obvious he can’t pitch at this level.
It was way too many pitches.
Homer, man up…you have two arms…we can always develop the other one.
Time to sell high!!
The streak continues.
To let you know…
Bill James has a tired closer list…
CoCo is at the top with a score of 57, one of the highest ratings I’ve seen all year.
It’s 10 points higher than Orioles Jim Johnson and Indian’s Kerry wood.
I really don’t know what it means…just thought I’d share
Baseball Prospectus has an interesting set of articles on pitch counts and days off between starts. Basically, they recommend 4-man rotations instead of 5. After 100 pitches the arm begins to suffer damage. That damage becomes increasingly worse with each pitch after 100. The link is http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2633. Specifically mentioned that young pitchers should stay under 100 and after age 25 can go over 100. Gary Nolan, Don Gullett and Kerry Wood were examples of young pitchers hurt by high pitch counts early in their careers.
RC
Darn…I meant to use that line…
Homer has decided to kick it in gear at a very good time.
There goes the shutout. Why did Dusty take Homer out? He was on fire!
CoCo 4 days in a row?
Homer’s best 3 starts this year have been against the Dodgers, Phillies, and Cardinals
i cant believe that Dusty is bringing in CoCo.
AGon would’ve made that play look easy
Another case of creative and open-minded managing by Dusty.
Save situation… must use closer… must use closer… must use closer…
Hairston would have… aw who am I kidding. EE would have cut in front and made the play.
Why does Bailey need lessons but Masset doesn’t?
Important Bill james quote in response to a reader’s question…the Steve asking is not me…not many middle infielders have age
Hey Bill. Derek Jeters` URZ numbers appear to have gotten much better this year. How unususal is this among 35 year old middle infielders?
Asked by: Steve
Answered: August 28, 2009
Nobody knows, or will ever know. There aren’t enough 35 year old middle infielders around to study it.
Maybe we should all go read that “tired closer” thing right about now…
We are not getting to the easier part of the lineup here folks.
Because it was a save situation, greg…duh…
Thom says that Cordero, who usually tops out at 96 or 97, is topping out at 92 tonight.
We owe him $12 million the next TWO years.
What the hell is the point in using him 4 straight days in a lost season? Particularly in this, what should’ve been the easiest and most pointless of all save situations — 3 runs up, no one on base?
Gosh darn guarantee you…no one is warming up
This team is ridiculous…do they want to win? As much as I complain about Dusty you can’t blame this on him :poke:
Pedro Borbon would be useful right now…could get ready in a hurry
If Ethier reaches, does Baker intentionally walk Manny or does he pitch to him?
Dusty Baker is terrible at his job. Throw Bailey 115 pitches, bring in a closer for the 4th straight day (who has proven he is bad when he pitches 3 days in a row), all in a day’s work.
OH, I can blame Dusty for not sticking with masset, for using a tired pitcher (see 48 above), and for not having anybody ready…and for not “respecting” the closer more than the win here…
A new way to lose!! :poke: :p
Okay…here’s the real point…wouldn’t that have been ball four anyway?
I need a drink.
point being…Cordero’s tired
bullpen blowing another Homer game
Holy crap.
Alright, let’s self-destruct again! I love this team.
I’m drinking Ski…the world’s best soft drink
Appears the answer to #67 is no
Speaking of being chubby…Ramirez’ hair weighs more that Gomes I think…of course his empty head makes Ramirez weigh less.
I can’t believe Dusty ran Coco back out there tonight.
Cordero up to 28 pitches now — very high-stress, high-leverage pitches at this point.
This is so freakin penny-wise, pound-foolish, or whatever the hell that saying is.
Man…who needs David Weathers when you have this clan!
Class dismissed
Did you hear the guy in the crowd calling Manny “Whoopi Goldberg” earlier?
Strike 3. I need another drink.
Awesome. Simply awesome.
These were high leverage pitches…but he also made it that way.
Mitch Williams anyone?
They might have an inexpensive closer next year if Cordero has to visit the surgeon.
dodger quote from James website: apparently Pedro Guerrero wasn’t the brighest cookie:
There’s a story I once heard about Guerrero and third base, I have no idea how true. After a disasterous day at third, Tommy Lasorda asks Guerrero, “You’re playing third … what are you thinking?” Guerrero responds, “Please, don’t hit the ball to me.” Lasorda: “Alright … what else are you thinking?” Guerrero: “Please don’t hit the ball to Steve Sax, either.”
Another IR & IRS for Cordero tonight.
NO, Greg.
We’ll have one of each…expensive one on 60 day DL and inexpensive one on the mound
No, Cordero entered with no one on base after home run
Wouldn’t it have made more sense to use Masset tonight for the 9th so coco could pitch tomorrow if needed?
So this is how your team can win 5 straight, and yet you don’t feel entirely good about it.
But still, there’s Gomes…
thank goodness for Janish, else that would been an infield hit for Hudson but otherwise got an out for CoCo. very lucky this night despite Baker.
Bailey looked great
AGon would’ve done it better…because he’s a veteran, older than 30, and gets paid more
I didn’t realize Dumb Dumb Dusty ran Coco out there for the 4th game in a row! I haven’t been following this team too close lately you know. :p
We’re really paying Dusty $4 million a year to borderline-abuse our pitchers? Some of our most valuable assets? Really?
Well, it’s making the most use of our assets…our 4 million manager gets to make decisions and our valuable assets get to pitch…
You mean we aren’t supposed to use them?
Gomes: we have young pitchers like LEHR
Steve – great Pedro quote. I think Manny and him have got to be some weird reincarnated twins.
Another quote was after Pedro committed an error in LF. something along the lines of “Its not my fault, it was already mistake by being hit out here”
Doh, right. Masset faced one more batter but he got him out.
I’ve actually defended Baker a lot in his brief time here with respect to the pitchers. Other than the SD extra inning game last year, I thought he had been doing OK. These past couple of months have been a bit much, though.
Pedro got caught up in a bad drug deal…was busted by the feds…I read some of the most ridiculously stupid things in my life about it…pretty much said he didn’t know he was dealing drugs when he was actually involved in the deal..or so he said…
WHole story in book “winners” by Dayn perry
original lineup
Drew Stubbs CF
Paul Janish SS
Joey Votto 1B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Scott Rolen 3B
Wladimir Balentien LF
Jonny Gomes RF
Corky Miller C
Homer Bailey P
What if we re-arranged:
Stubbs
Phillips
Votto
Rolen
Gomes
Balentien
Miller
Janish
Pitcher
Doesn’t that make more sense?
Did you hear the guy in the crowd calling Manny “Whoopi Goldberg” earlier?
That’s great! I love it and want to shake his hand!!
I am really disgusted with Dusty tonight. I only listened to the last 2 innings, but I disagreed with just about every decision he made in that time.
And abusing 2 of our more important pitchers for the next couple years — even running the risk of abuse — in a meaningless game at the end of a lost season is just so short-sighted.
This organization is really in trouble. I don’t see a .500 season happening until Dusty, Walt, and Castellini are ALL gone from the team. I really don’t. They have limited resources, and they’re just so dumb w/ the assets they do have.
I really wish I didn’t care about this damn team…
Proposed fan protest:
Send bottles of ketchup to GABP. To make it easier for the organization to eat Dusty’s contract.
Dusty and Taveras just need to go away. You could find people making the minimum who could do better.
(See earlier comment about spending limited resources stupidly.)
Since Castellini is a produce guy, should we send ranch dressing to use as dip?
Any condiments would be fine. If he likes it spicy, we could throw in some salsa. Whatever it takes.
Heck, I’d personally make him a lovely Bearnaise sauce if it would help.
LOL, supposedly this does not qualify as a save for Cordero, since he did not start the inning. Wonder if Dusty knew that or not and if not, would he have waited to use him. or should i say, “waste” CoCo in a non-save situation.
Scott Kazmir just traded to Angels
Cordero and Massett made that a lot closer than I felt comfortable with! I’m also really glad to see that Homer’s performance against the Pirates the other night was not a fluke. He beat a quality team tonight.
Also…a report that cubs Rich Harden was claimed by the Twins…which means the Reds passed on him
Why does he keep his top button(s) undone?
cleavage my friend, cleavage. I’s all about charming the other team.