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Since the division championship is assured, I shudder to think what lineup is going to be sent out to face the Dodgers tonight. Either way, I hope Joey Votto isn’t in the lineup. I’d rather see him rest for two weeks, maybe get a little healthier before the playoffs begin.
Tonight’s game is a nationally-televised ESPN affair. Discuss the game here. Go Redlegs.
Glad to read that Dusty is out of the hospital. It will be good to see him back in the dugout on Tuesday.
I second that, shame he missed last night.
Definitely. Looks like a couple of Dusty’s own axioms got applied to his situation. 1)when a guys says he is ready make him wait another day to be sure and 2)if that puts him back on the day before an off day hold him back yet another day so the off day also is added in.
Why would you want Votto on the bench? He has to get strength back in his knee. Do you think that happens by sitting around and not doing anything?
@rfay00: Yes, that’s precisely what I think. Votto was quoted as saying it wasn’t going to get better until the off-season, when he can rest it.
@Chad Dotson: Well I respectfully disagree with your thinking. I want him to be in a groove when he gets to the playoffs.
Your position is not an unreasonable one. I don’t know what the answer is. I just prefer a healthy Votto.
I have to go with the side of always prefering a healthy Votto over any player (including Votto) pushing a sore knee just to win a WS. I’ve just always been careful with knee injuries. I was a wimp with my own knee injury. I didn’t get better until the therapy nurse pushed me with a “wimp” insult. So, I can understand pushing it. I still would tend to the careful side. Sorry. I just don’t think knees are anything to full with.
@rfay00: The last few games Votto has looked better. He’s not gimping around as much. If you fatigue the knee it’s easier to re-inure it.
Yesterday’s game the announcers even said Votto isn’t driving the ball as he hit an inside pitch to left field.
@steveschoen: I hope you were motivated by a good looking female therapy nurse.
Votto should get a day off here and there… but should play on most occasions.. He needs to find his power and get his swing completely back. Joey gets rusty with too much rest.. takes him a long time to find his swing.
I hope if Joey’s knee had ANY sore feelings.. he would be the FIRST to say anything.
I’m just shocked we are saying we “miss” Dusty. I don’t miss him and his bungling of the team. That we’re here despite him says loads about this team.
On the short list for “tasteless post of the year”. The man who has led the team all season to one of the best records in the entire league and you take the opportunity totake a shot at him while he is recovering from a heart problem? Way to be a computer keyboard warrior.
I hope Dusty is much beter and leads the team into the playoffs. I don’t agree with all of his decisions but I can’t argue with his results.
Get well soon Dusty.
@MilnersGhost:
Agreed. whether I like his lineups or not, he’s our skip. Get well soon, Dusty.
Out of common decency, can we at least wait until Dusty cuts his hospital wrist band off before we start criticizing him. Go Reds!
Good start for Homer, got Kemp to fish for that one.
Homer looking sharp early.
Glad Sunday Night Baseball came a day after the clinch.. otherwise.. our Sunday day game might have been pretty empty..
‘Feeble’ always comes to mind when Wilson’s at the plate.
Valdez batting .198 now. Sigh.
Its been said before but i swear ESPN puts mics inside the bases or something
If Votto doesn’t get his power numbers back up the next few days, maybe he should bat leadoff in the postseason. His OBP is .500 since his return. Jay Bruce could bat third. BP could bat second. Cozart could bat last or seventh.
While i understand the reasoning I’m not sure the playoffs are the time to tinker with lineups…
One solution to that would be to try batting Votto first and Bruce third now. It’s not like Brandon Phillips has been killing it leading off.
And risk clogging the bases?
Super Todd sure swings at some awful pitches. That one bounced at the plate.
Miguel Cairo, batting fifth.
@Steve Mancuso: Interesting idea, Steve.
Votto is taking it easy on running the bases, though – I guess the OBP is more important than the speed, but it’s still something that argues against leading him off…
@jas_428: Dusty would not agree with that idea though.
…or, what Cliff said…(he’s much more concise than I am!)
They need to STRONGLY consider tweaking the rotation to have Homer pitch at away games during the playoffs.
@RedsFan4Life86: It’s not going to happen. They’ve set the rotation. It seems absurd to pitch a guy who has the 2nd worst ERA at home this year and the 2nd best road ERA at home, but hey, that’s Dusty for you.
That really wasn’t a bad pitch that got hit out. Was off the plate and up but sometimes GABP just give ‘em up.
I want to echo the “get well soon” wish for Dusty Baker. And agreed that taking a shot at him here now is really inappropriate.
On a related question. I’m not sure it’s a foregone conclusion that Baker will be back on Tuesday. Has that been discussed on TV (I may have missed it) or written up definitively? I saw Speier quoted as saying that maybe Baker would get back to the park on Tuesday.
I’m concerned that his situation is far more serious than we have been led to believe. If they were so concerned with him traveling back to Cincinnati as recently as yesterday, it’s hard to imagine his doctors are going to want him to manage a baseball game.
There’s more to learn here that hasn’t been reported yet.
Per the Enquirer, it doesn’t sound definite: “The Reds are off Monday, and Baker could return Tuesday when the club begins a three-game home series against Milwaukee.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120923/SPT04/309230068/Dusty-heads-back-Cincinnati?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cp
It would not surprise me to learn that Baker has to have surgery and he preferred to have it in Cincinnati rather than Chicago.
I’m not saying I know this or even suspect it. And I hope I’m wrong about it
@Steve Mancuso: I misread the orignial article. It’s not certain he’ll return Tuesday, but it’s been discussed as a possibility, both on ESPN.com and the TV broadcast. I also am a bit worried that it may be more serious than they are letting on, but I guess only time will tell.
The way Baker was treated in Chicago, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that it’s a serious condition. Also, there has been a pretty conspicuous lack of “he’s fine” or “he’s better” or “it’s nothing serious” or even “he’ll be back soon.”
Heck, go back to Speier’s comments a few days ago when he said over and over again that he was really worried about him. I think it’s serious and we might not see him until the playoffs if then.
Only speculation on my part, but having gone through By-Pass surgery and Stent insertion procedure I would imagine Dusty had a Cardio-Cath procedure at the least to check for blocked arteries. If he only needs a Stent inserted, its check in the hospital one day and check out the next. Modern Medicine, beyond amazing.
@Sergeant2: That’s kind of why it’s concerning that he was in the hospital for 4 nights. Hopefully, he’s OK & will be back with the club soon. I’m curious whether he’s even allowed to watch the games on TV?
Super Todd!!!!!
@Steve Mancuso: (My apologies if you are watching the game) According to ESPN, Dusty was at the ballpark for an hour before the game, in good spirits. He told one of the commentators that he’d “see him in the playoffs.”
I am watching, but I hadn’t heard that.
Good piece of hitting by Frazier. Tie game 1-1 bot 3rd.
@RedLegHerrm: The only run he’s given up so far is to the guy who has most HR vs Bailey.
Wilson sparking a rally.
@Greg Dafler: What’s that have to do with what I said? I was referring to the fact that he’s got a 5+ ERA at home and an ERA in the mid 2′s on the road.
Buster Olney just reported that Dusty’s back in Cincy. He said Dusty stopped by the ballpark earlier today and talked to the players. Olney said he talked to Dusty briefly. Dusty said he was feeling good and told Olney he would see him in the playoffs. I think Olney also said Dusty told him his Doctors told him not to be around this, meaning work I guess. Probably wants Dusty to take it easy and stay away from stress.
I am trying to ignore the voice of Terry Francona by asking how the Reds are going to line up the rotation. Conventional wisdom has Cueto, Latos, Arroyo/Bailey. Seeing as how strong Latos was in SF and how Bailey is better on the road, I would be inclined to make them the 1-2 and bring in Cueto for game 3 or 4, depending on the state of the series.
I agree, it makes total sense. and it probably won’t happen.
Thata Stubbs.. way to get yourself in a pickle
@RedLegHerrm: I think his home/road splits are a fluke this year.
So we ignore this years numbers are pray?
Does anyone else think Stubbs would have scored off that hit by Bailey?
If Stubbs keeps doing stuff like that, Mensa is going to revoke his membership.
I am struggling watching Valdez, just not a good matchup here.
Valdez should be going to the plate in that situation with one thing foremost in his mind – to walk so that the bases would be loaded for Votto. Instead he swings at the first two pitches, neither of which were close to strikes.
Kershaw is really struggling.
To me its simple, slack off with playing time over next 7 games, then go into Cards series as it was playoffs to get players in the grove.
C’mon Joey, send him to the showers!!
Would love to see Aaron, just to see Aaron, who was an awesome guy…
God, when I attend the NLDS in a couple weeks, I pray that I am not sitting next to someone who is hooting and howling like a damn animal all night. Well, it won’t be all night because I will punch them in the mouth and send them back to their trailer.
Hope you’re not in Section 510 for the first home game!
I didn’t realize Jamey Wright was still in baseball.
Well, that was disappointing. I guess we’re gonna have to grind this one out. Same story, different day.
Are there ANY shots of the Reds in that damn Springsteen post-season ad?
I wonder if Votto will be on the post season rooster.
@LouBrown: Woooooooooo!!!!!!!
@SGT Ethan:
Your going to go to a playoff game and yell “WOOOO”? You’re not really that dumb are you? It’s a playoff game dude. It’s a different crowd. Actual baseball fans that really know, and are into, the game.
…I probably wouldn’t, but more because I’m a pretty subdued guy in general, not because I give a fig about who’s in the crowd…
Chris Spier, class act. I dunno how he’d construct a lineup, but everything he’s said the last few days has been pitch perfect.
He put Heisey at the top and moved Stubbs down. That’s proof right there that he has a lot on the ball.
On the other hand, he put Valdez second and Cairo ahead of anyone.
OK, back to the game. Homer looks really good.
BTW, I’ve been going to post season games since 1973. I kinda know what I’m talking about. Pay attention!
@Lou Brown : A little condescending.. don’t you think?
No, I love all Reds fans. Just messing around.
@LouBrown: I do all sorts of dumb stuff when I’m jacked up on Mountain Dew! Wooooo will be the least of it!
Diet Dew does it for me!
STUBBS!!!! Nice catch…
Someone is correct about the mikes on the bases. Funny.
Homers throwing his pitches right down Broadway. I hope someone is warming up in the Bullpen.
Strike out!!!! That’s huge…
If he bunts again, I go for the DP.
Oh, Christ.
Man, Cairo is a liability in the field.
Great D by Cairo there….:(
This makes no sense. Pull him.
Bringing Arredondo in to pitch to a RH batter is really stupid. The Reds coaches are really slow to learn that lesson.
This is the longest inning in history.
After listening to Keltch call Votto Cairo and Cairo Votto I’ve had enough of him and Doug Flynn. These two are terrible, I’d rather listen to the ESPN announcers. So good night WLW radio.
F.
Double F.
Look out for launch.
Ends up being another poor start for Homer at GABP. Although he looked sharp for most of the night, he finishes with a pedestrian 6.2 ip, 4ER line. Just doesn’t make any sense to pitch him at home come playoff time.
Or, if your #4 starter goes 6 innings of 1-run baseball in the playoffs, maybe you finish up Nasty Boys style with Marshall, Broxton, Chapman in the 7th/8th/9th innings.
That was super painful to watch
Lots of empty seats – anyone know how many showed up to watch this night’s….titanic struggle?
(Not that I’m complaining – I’m at home in my recliner, after all…)
Don’t know why Valdez is batting…not going to get him going any longer though he might have a hit against Jansen.
Valdez. Gross.
how un-votto-like
Heisey getting a few more walks lately – a definite improvement. And getting a few breaks from umps over this span.
Good night folks…the Reds are still Central champs!
Why is Arredondo a lock to make the playoff roster?
oops…
Has anyone noticed SF is creeping up close…that 2 seed and games 3-4-5 in cincy are no lock.
FAIR BALL, home run!!!!
Wow – Stubbs looked terrible there…
They call me “Mr. Phipps” said Phipps.
Guess Joey had no interest in putting the ball in play tonight.
Ya gotta love em, this team never gives up. They just keep on plugging away. They may have lost, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Go Reds!!