Loading ...
Day-night doubleheader today against the Cubs, and it’s another good chance to (a) embarrass the stupid Cubs and (b) increase their lead in the NL Central.
Huge day for the Reds – the division lead could be anywhere from 4.5 to 7.5 games by the end of the doubleheader. Pittsburgh plays against the WLB in St. Louis at 4:05 p.m.
Johnny Cueto will pitch the opener (1:10), and Todd Redmond will handle the duties in the nightcap (7:10). It’s Redmond’s first start, and the first start for any Reds pitcher other than the five who started the season in the rotation.
Here’s the lineup for the first game. Lots of substitutions. Heisey for Stubbs in CF. Frazier for Rolen at 3B. Cairo for Votto at 1B, and XP for Ludwick in LF.
Discuss the game here. Go Redlegs.
Game 2 will probably see Valdez.
Mark Sheldon reporting that Baker says Bruce, Phillips and Super Todd are playing both games. So I’d expect Valdez in for Cozart in the second game, hopefully not batting at the top of the lineup. Interesting that Baker would play the “B” lineup with Cueto pitching and the “A” lineup with Redmond.
Rolen put a show on in the third. He was fouling off balls down the right and left field lines. At the end, it seemed he just said to heck with it, and “settled” for a single.
What do you guys expect out of Redmond tonight? I doubt the Cubs have been able to spend much time preparing. I’m thinking something like (6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). Pretty good K rate in the minors (125 K in 134 IP).
Cueto smply has to shake his head in wonderment every time Mr. Baker posts the lineup for his starts. I like Heisey starting ion CF against the RHP.
Cozart SS
Heisey CF
Phillips 2B
Bruce RF
Frazier 3B
Paul LF
Cairo 1B
Hanigan C
Cueto P
It’s a double header, so everyone is going to play. Dusty puts his B lineup with Cueto b/c we should only need a run or two to win the game. Play your A lineup with Redmond on the mound b/c in all likelyhood, we’re going to need them. No questioning Dusty on this decision. It’s pretty obvious when you think about it.
@neestj01:
Oh I wasn’t questioning the lineup for this game. I actually like the lineup with both Heisey and XP playing against the tough RHP. The point was that Cueto gets the B lineup every start.
Rolen gets off for the first game because he doesn’t play the day game after a night game. Xavier Paul hasn’t shown himself to be an easy out, and he’s probably better defensively than Ryan Ludwick (at least without weird Wrigley Field winds blowing around). Dusty’s lineups of backup players always get questioned but usually the same fans are happy with the results.
Dusty’s lineups get questioned, period, backup or not, and very justifiably so.
@BRM5: That sounds about right to me. Maybe 4 ER.
Check out all the great links from this Cubbie website. Writing is good, too.
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2012/8/18/3250372/chicago-cubs-cincinnati-reds-preview-saturday#storyjump
http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=8276014
Nice article explaining the importance of catching the nationals for the 1 seed.
The last time we faced Samardzija, it wasn’t pretty. On May 2, 7.2 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7 K.
Need to do a lot better than that today.
@BRM5:
I see four good innings to start, and if Redmond and Mesoraco click, we could get into the 6th, maybe 7th.
Stuck in Indiana watching the Cubs feed and on the pregame show, they were talking about how important Bruce is to the Reds because he is so good at putting the ball in play with RISP. I waited for them to laugh after the comment, but apparently they were serious. Must be nice to just write whatever you want for a living!
Let’s play two!!
@hoodlum:
At the Banks!
I don’t think anyone needs to defend Dusty today.. we all know doubleheaders are gonna cause lineup havoc. At least this team is used to it by now when Cueto starts. I expect Redmond to give us 6 IP 4 ER, anything better than that is just icing on the cake.
crap…
Well, that’s not how we wanna start the day.
The one guy in the stupid Cubs lineup that you absolutely can’t let beat you…and he does.
I still don’t get why Cairo is still on the team. I just don’t get it.
Not watching, but radio guys thought maybe he was struck out on the 2-2 pitch before the home run. Oh well.
I forgot Heisey was still on the team.
I forgot a bunch of these guys were still on the team, Baker hasn’t played them for so long.
ouch
@vared: It was low and outside. Not really close
Now let’s see him hang one to Bruce.
Not sure why, but it seems like B.P. takes one or two AB”s off this last week or so.
Bad Ab by Bruce. He is notorious for bad ABs.
How?
Just watch, Thats what these national guys forget, They love Bruce’s # but don’t relieze they come in less than half the games…The day to day fans are left having to watch and wait for another “Hot” streak..
Swung at 2 pitches out of the strike zone and missed.
Why isn’t the Cubs catcher hitting 8th?
Just another easy base hit for The Todd.
Todd “Super” Frazier does not want to ever ride pine again!
X-man!!
Todd inspires X-man to go long. Tie ballgame.
Now come on Cairo, flail at one and get lucky!
Hey, I did call that one.. just wrong AB.
No way they can send Paul out when Votto returns. Who’s it gonna be? I bet someone goes to the dl.
Stiff shot!
Wouldn’t mind Paul getting more starts when Stubbs is slumping. Can he play CF well enough?
@vared:
Or maybe Votto’s not back until Sept. then it’s not an issue.
@CharlotteNCRedsFan: I wouldn’t either. He seems to give quality ABs and can’t be that much of a downgrade in CF.
Xavier’s HR was the first by a left-handed hitter other than bruce or Votto.
@RedForever: Who else has been on the team who is lefty? Votto, Bruce, Paul, Harris. Did I forget anyone?
Costanzo.
@RedForever: @RedForever:
He saw a fair number of pitches with a hot pitcher and incosistant ump. I guess it’s all in how much slack you want to give him. Let’s see if he learned anything in his next ABs, eh?
Perfect timing, just as I tune in Musketeer Paul hits a 2 run dinger, “Mercy” Now that’s the way to start listening to your hometown hero’s. C’mon Reds double our pleasure & double our fun and take 2 from the stupid Cubs. Go Reds!
Super Todd, he does it all.
Todd the Bodd.
Cozart has been pretty hot lately too.
One thing that definitely worries me about Zach though is that he is a dead pull hitter. I don’t think that will do well in the playoffs.
Super Todd started as a SS when he was signed. He gives the impression of a gangly, off-kilter fielder, very similar to his batting technique, but he make all the routine plays and also makes the spectacular defensive plays at whatever position he plays. He fits in very nicely in this infield. His throws from 3B to 1B are sometimes a little erratic, but that what’s why the Reds have Votto at 1B.
Willie Harris, the LH reason why Frazier started the year in AAA. I’m starting to let that go….
Never carry a left handed bat, much less play a left handed bat, for the sole sake that they are a left handed bat.
He made the team and was packed for the trip north, but last minute they picked up Simon and left him in louisville…
@Redgoggles:
Super Todd. I’m running out of things to even say about him.
This kid can just play! If he doesn’t win ROY it is highway robbery.
I don’t see how Todd will be benched for more than 1 day a week when Votto returns. I think he is the second best all around hitter (power + average) on the team. There I said it!
I don’t know how Todd Frazier isn’t ROY at this point…
He’s just putting his stamp on the ROY trophy every single AB! National guys have got to start including and even making him the front runner.
He’s got to play when Votto returns. If he can’t play center Bruce can.
Hah! The flailing connects!
Cairo?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cairo goes deep? I’m speechless.
I’m sure everybody here knew Paul and Cairo would both go deep…
I’m not at all shocked about Paul. He’s been raking all year in AAA and has been connecting well since the call up. Cairo…that’s just baseball I guess…
I was all ready to type “Cairo is horrible” at the end of that at bat. 1st of the year!
Howabout that Cairo. Dudty’s lineups are magic!
Dudty = Dusty, although Dudty may be appropriate.
Which is more unlikely: A – Rolen, Phillips and Cozart erroring the same game (Thursday?) or B – Paul and Cairo homering the same game (today)?
B but I bet we don’t see A again either.
I don’t know. Both are extremely rare.
Considering that Paul and Cairo rarely start together, and they’re each on a 1 HR pace this season, I’d say that B is much more unlikely.
Johnny looks completely disinterested in hitting.
Just keep pitching.
I would love to know the Vegas odds of Cairo + Cueto going deep in the same game.
Old Pop Cairo still has a little pop in his bat.
Zack Cozart makes all the plays at short.
Like Marty said “smooth as silk”
Do you think a win today makes Cueto the frontrunner for the Cy Young? He would be the first to 16 wins in the NL. National coverage loves talking about “First to X wins”
Good point. Especially if he limits the stupid Cubs to 2 runs, which would keep his ERA below 2.5. Gio pitches tomorrow.
He pulled his foot. Should have been safe.
Todd Frazier officially has a higher BA than Brandon Phillips. Amazing.
They going to rest BP next game? His at bats lately have been pretty unspectacular.
Brantley was saying last night that BP was looking run down. I don’t think there’s any way he plays the night game, but he really needs a full day or two off. Unfortunately that means Wilson Valdez getting 4 AB’s…
Nice job by the field mic’s. Brandon cursed all the way down the line! LOL
After topping the ball to the shortstop, Brandon said a few words that were audible on the TV broadcast that would violate Commenting Guideline #1 at Redleg Nation.
Cueto at 61 pitches through 5. Decent shot at a CG.
I love the complete Game! Let em earn there Paycheck! Besides, wouldn’t want to interrupt Broxton’s gametime buffet.
Is it just me or is JC the only guy on our team who is really trustworthy throwing a high fast ball? I have noticed that when Hani or Mez call them for some of our other guys (talking mostly about starters here) they tend to leave them at the top of the zone and get hammered. JC just looks good throwing it up there though.
Ever heard of Aroldis Chapman?
Very few can live up in the top of the Strikezone, Ideally you want a fastball that starts in the top of the zone and explodes (rises) up and out of the zone, when it gets to the plate.
Redmond has been solid in the minors. There’s no reason he can’t throw a quality start.
I’m a big fan of Todd coming up to bat to Sinatra. Just seems fitting.
Yeah, I meant our starters. Most of our other bullpen guys don’t even try to throw up in the zone. Jose tries to keep everything down, Marshal is down or off the plate inside/outside most pitches, etc. Chapman does throw a good high heater though, no mistake about that.
Not to mention the Stupid Cubs will be tired by the nightcap
Frazier just wanted to show he has compassion for the downtrodden stupid Cubs. He coulda hit a bases empty grand slam if he so chose.
I thought he was already showing compassion by not doing any celebratory bat throwing yet.
I like the way Cueto made the pitcher work more then he had liked to get that out.
I friggen love double headers! Gonna go to the beach for a swim with the dog, then come home and start the Grille and settle in for some more REDS baseball…..Ahhhhh…
It is so much fun watching Cueto turn into one of the best pitchers in the league.
91 pitches after 7, easily get 8 innings out of Cueto. That has to be a huge relief for Redmond knowing his debut will contain a good amount of bullpen for him to close it out.
@hydeman: Beach?
I live a block from the Ocean in St. Augustine Fl.
Poor guy. Sometimes you just have to play with the cards your dealt, hang in there buddy.
Ryan Freel is down here as well. He just got hired by a small Catholic school to manage the baseball program.
Cowboy is sayin were gonna see the Cuban Missle in the 9th. Whats one more inning for JC? I guess a save is better than a complete game…
28,754 showed up for today’s titanic struggle, 28,754.
So yeah, 1 mistake pitch in 8 innings is a pretty good outing.
Bruuuuuuuuuuuce!
@hydeman: I liked Freel, good hard nose player.
He does it all ladies and gentlemen.
When Confucius needs advice, who does he call? Yep Todd Frazier.
I never get tired of watching guys get crushed by that slider.
Holy cow, 3 breaking balls in a row.
Well, not sure why but his velocity was down till that last batter. Either way, game one is ours.
I guess Chapman is human. Super-human, but still human.
Whew! be still my heart, that got a little too interesting for my taste. 1 down 1 to go to take both games of the double header with the stupid Cubs. See y’all in a few. Adios Amigos. Nap time for this old jar head.
I’ll be honest. I’m rooting for the Pirates. No question.
Game 2 #Reds lineup Stubbs 8, Valdez 6, Phillips 4, Ludwick 7, Frazier 3, Bruce 9, Rolen 5, Mesoraco 2, Redmond 1
If Frazier and Bruce can play both games, why can’t Cozart? What on earth does Valdez have to do to get released at this point?
@eric nyc: I would recommend BP gets the 2nd game off. Cozart is a young man and should be just fine to play two.