FINAL Cincinnati 10 Milwaukee 2 WP: Wood (1-1) LP: Narveson (8-7) BOX SCORE

POSITIVES –Brandon Phillips went 2-4 from the leadoff spot and hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach. Phillips is heating up again. National League: you have been warned.

–Joey Votto had [...]]]>

Let’s recap today’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Cincinnati 10
Milwaukee 2
WP: Wood (1-1)
LP: Narveson (8-7)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Brandon Phillips went 2-4 from the leadoff spot and hit a grand slam to put the game out of reach. Phillips is heating up again. National League: you have been warned.

–Joey Votto had three more hits, including his 26th homer. His numbers are other-wordly for a 26-year old: .322/.423/.599.

–Miguel Cairo was 2-4 with 2 RBI and a walk. The beat goes on for this guy. (His defense was bad again, but I have no complaints, since he continues to hit well.) Cairo also scored on a beautiful suicide squeeze performed by Ryan Hanigan.

–Travis Wood picked up his first major league win, going 5 innings, throwing 82 pitches, and giving up two runs on five hits. Wood was very sharp except for a short sequence in the fourth inning.

–Jay Bruce had two hits and a beautiful catch that saved a run when the Reds were already down 2-0. Hopefully, he’ll start to emerge from this slump.

–The bullpen was great yesterday. Today, it was an almost entirely different cast of characters — CoCo, Nick Masset, Arthur Rhodes, and Jordan Smith — but they were equally good. The pen has been great lately.

NEGATIVES
–None.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–22 runs and 32 hits in less than 24 hours? More, please.

–Reds finished the road trip 4-2, they won another series, and Cincinnati is back to 11 games over .500. They’ll stay in first place, and with St. Louis scoring 6 in the first tonight, it appears that it will remain a tie.

–I just don’t see any way the Reds can justify sending Travis Wood back to the minors when everyone gets healthy. If ever there were a good example of someone getting an opportunity and seizing it, it’s Wood in 2010.

–Funny moment in the third. Wood had just struck out his fourth batter in a row, and he and Hanigan started walking to the dugout. One problem: there were only two outs in the inning. Oops.

–Dusty Baker used Mike Leake to pinch hit in the eighth. Okay, Leake is a good hitter. Problem was, Paul Janish was still available.

We have joked about how much Dusty hates Janish, but this was a huge slap in the face to a major league baseball player. Here’s Dusty’s explanation; make of it what you will:

“We were kind of short of people today,” Baker explained. “We tried to stay away from Scotty after his big day yesterday. He was sore. We didn’t want to use Ramon because he caught about 150 pitches yesterday. He was a little sore. I had to save Janish because Cabrera injured his shoulder a little bit on that slide into third. I took a chance of bringing Nix in early. I couldn’t afford to use anybody else and I didn’t think they’d walk him.”

–Funny that Travis Wood earned a win after going only five innings, when he couldn’t get a win earlier in the season despite taking a perfect game into the ninth.

–That’s a good game to take into an off-day. Let’s enjoy it.

Joey Votto

FINAL Cincinnati 12 Milwaukee 4 WP: Ondrusek (2-0) LP: Gallardo (9-5) BOX SCORE

POSITIVES –Twelve runs on nineteen hits. More of that, please.

–Logan Ondrusek was the star, as far as I’m concerned. This was a shaky game because of Edinson Volquez’s wildness, despite the Reds lead, until [...]]]>

Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Cincinnati 12
Milwaukee 4
WP: Ondrusek (2-0)
LP: Gallardo (9-5)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Twelve runs on nineteen hits. More of that, please.

–Logan Ondrusek was the star, as far as I’m concerned. This was a shaky game because of Edinson Volquez’s wildness, despite the Reds lead, until Ondrusek came in and shut down the Brewers over two and a third innings. No runs, no hits, one walk, three strikeouts. Great outing.

–Three Reds had four hits tonight — when’s the last time that happened? Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, and Scott Rolen did the trick tonight. BP had two doubles and two RBI, Joey Votto scored three runs, and Scott Rolen drove in three.

–Outstanding work by the other Reds relievers: Bill Bray, Jordan Smith, and Carlos Fisher. Those guys combined with Ondrusek to shut out the Brewers on three hits.

–Ramon Hernandez had two doubles and three RBI; Orlando Cabrera had three hits.

NEGATIVES
–I love all the runs, but that was a brutal game to watch in some ways. It lasted about six hours, and the pitchers threw over 700 pitches. Or so it seemed.

–Edinson Volquez was not sharp…again. Three and a third innings, four runs on six hits, three strikeouts and four walks. The road back from surgery is going to be rocky sometimes; today wasn’t a day that Volquez will remember fondly.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? Reds are back in a tie for first place in the NL Central.

–Ondrusek hasn’t given up a run in 17 2/3 innings. Wow.

–Amazingly, the Reds scored all those runs without hitting a homer. Also amazing that they beat up on Yovani Gallardo, who is a pretty good pitcher.

Scott Rolen

Joey Votto

I like the fact that Scott Rolen kept from getting hurt or [...]]]>

I have high hopes for tonight’s pitching matchup: Edinson Volquez vs. Yovani Gallardo. With the way the Reds offense has been trending, we’re going to need a good outing from Edinson. (Hopefully, this game thread will get posted on time tonight.)

I like the fact that Scott Rolen kept from getting hurt or sick in the last 24 hours; it’s good to see him back in the lineup (which is below the fold). Here’s your game preview. Go Redlegs.

Phillips 4
Cabrera 6
Votto 3
Rolen 5
Gomes 7
Bruce 9
Stubbs 8
Hernandez 2
Volquez 1

To pull off a trade, the Reds are probably going to have to give up of their top prospects. You’ve got to think the young players on the big league roster — Jay Bruce, Mike Leake, Travis Wood, Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey — are untouchable.

Here’s a half [...]]]>

According to John Fay:

To pull off a trade, the Reds are probably going to have to give up of their top prospects. You’ve got to think the young players on the big league roster — Jay Bruce, Mike Leake, Travis Wood, Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey — are untouchable.

Here’s a half dozen names at the next level who could be attractive chips in a deal:

–INF/OF Todd Frazier: He’s come on at Louisville after a horrible start. He didn’t break .200 until June. His best positions are probably third and first. Those are obviously blocked for the next two years. He’s playing mostly left right now.

–1B Yonder Alonso: He is up to .268/.317/.408 after a poor start at Louisville. He didn’t show enough speed to play left. First base/DH are his only spots. The Reds don’t use a DH and Joey Votto’s not going anywhere.

–3B Juan Francisco: Great power. 15 home runs in 244 at-bats. Strikes out a lot and rarely walks. He’s also a third baseman and that is Scott Rolen’s spot.

–C Devin Mesoraco: The Reds probably have him on the untouchable list after the year he’s had so far. A catcher with power is rare commodity these days.

–LHP Matt Maloney: Given the depth of the young pitching, it’s going to be hard for him to break into the rotation. Some teams would probably be willing to take a chance with him as fifth starter.

–RHP Sam LeCure: Similar to Maloney. He’s behind Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Travis Wood, Mike Leake and Homer Bailey on the starter depth chart.

Anyone on this list untouchable to you? How many of them would you be willing to give up for the right guy? What is the right guy? OF bat? SS that can leadoff? Bullpen help? Does the “right guy” exist?

Click each thumbnail for larger image [...]]]>

Chris already mentioned Homer Bailey’s rehab start for Class A Dayton yesterday. Our good buddy Steve, Loyal Citizen and prolific commenter, went to the game and snapped some pics for us. Thanks, Steve!

Click each thumbnail for larger image

FINAL Cincinnati 2 Houston 3 WP: Villanueva (1-0) LP: Arroyo (10-6) S: Axford (15) BOX SCORE

POSITIVES –Out of Cincinnati’s pathetic total of six hits, Jonny Gomes had three in four ABs.

–Bronson Arroyo pitched very well, going 8 innings, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck [...]]]>

Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Cincinnati 2
Houston 3
WP: Villanueva (1-0)
LP: Arroyo (10-6)
S: Axford (15)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Out of Cincinnati’s pathetic total of six hits, Jonny Gomes had three in four ABs.

–Bronson Arroyo pitched very well, going 8 innings, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out 6 and walked one. He made two bad pitches. Unfortunately, those two bad pitches traveled about 1000 combined feet before landing.

–Ryan Hanigan had a clutch hit that scored two runs. He’s an RBI machine.

NEGATIVES
–Laynce Nix doubled in the ninth, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. He promptly made a terrible baserunning blunder. Ugh.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–This was a game the Reds should have won. Very disappointing.

–Jim Edmonds hit what turned out to be the game-winning homer. I really despise Jim Edmonds.

–Scott Rolen returned to the lineup after missing nine games.

–Nice matchup tomorrow: Edinson Volquez vs. Yovani Gallardo.

Wayne Campbell: So, do you come to Milwaukee often?

Alice Cooper: Well, I’m a regular visitor here, but Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French [...]]]>

I don’t know why, but every time the Reds go to Milwaukee, I’m tempted to post this. I’m going to give into that temptation today:

Wayne Campbell: So, do you come to Milwaukee often?

Alice Cooper: Well, I’m a regular visitor here, but Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French missionaries and explorers began visiting here in the late 16th century.

Pete: Hey, isn’t “Milwaukee” an Indian name?

Alice Cooper: Yes, Pete, it is. In fact , it’s pronounced “mill-e-wah-que” which is Algonquin for “the good land.”

Wayne Campbell: I was not aware of that.

Anyway, the Reds and Brewers are going to get it on tonight at Miller Park. Bronson Arroyo is scheduled to pitch for the good guys; Randy Wolf will take the mound for Milwaukee. Scott Rolen is back in the lineup, for those of you who were wondering (also, the worst OBP in the lineup is batting first again).

If you aren’t going to the game, you may want to stop by my house for my son’s birthday party. He turned six today, and we’re celebrating with a Toy Story party. Good times.

Here’s your game preview. Go Redlegs.

Cabrera 6
Phillips 4
Votto 3
Rolen 5
Gomes 7
Bruce 9
Stubbs 8
Hanigan 2
Arroyo RHP

… I’m on the phone to Jerry DiPoto right now. DiPoto, you may have noticed, is the Diamondbacks’ interim GM. Over the weekend, he traded Dan Haren, a most excellent pitcher (having a superficially bad year, but pitching well), signed to a reasonable contract for [...]]]>

(Bumped…because I want Walt Jocketty to see this.)

… I’m on the phone to Jerry DiPoto right now. DiPoto, you may have noticed, is the Diamondbacks’ interim GM. Over the weekend, he traded Dan Haren, a most excellent pitcher (having a superficially bad year, but pitching well), signed to a reasonable contract for the next two seasons, in return for the mediocre Joe Saunders and the proverbial handful of magic beans.

Walt obviously could’ve put together a package similar to what the D-Backs got.  We don’t have anyone exactly like Saunders, but talent-wise the prospect package would look something vaguely like:  Matt Maloney,  Carlos Fisher, Brad Boxberger, and an additional young arm.  (That package is a little light, but Saunders also makes $4M).

DiPoto may not be entirely to blame (the D-Backs owner is nuts), but in his press conference, he cited not only Saunders’ W-L record, but his “postseason experience” (15 IP, 5.40 ERA – but the D-Backs aren’t going to play in a post-season game anyway). Most incredibly, DiPoto touted the minor league W-L of one of the prospects. Yeah, that’s relevant.

So, why should Jocketty be on the phone with Jerry DiPoto?   Because if the D-Backs are trading Dan Haren for nothing, it means they’re probably also willing to trade shortstop Stephen Drew, a 27-year-old under team control for a couple more years. Drew’s not an exceptional upgrade over Orlando Cabrera right now, but the team doesn’t have a SS under contract for next year (it does have one bat boy who can play there, but that’s a different story).

–Is Dusty Baker becoming Yogi Berra?

–RHM takes a look at the potential marriage of Roy Oswalt and St. Louis.

–On Mark Sheldon’s blog, he has this post, with quotes, on whether Mike Leake’s pitch count should be adjusted…downward.

–It’s the Red Reporter Farmer’s Market!

–If [...]]]>

A quick sprint around the Reds blogosphere:

–Is Dusty Baker becoming Yogi Berra?

–RHM takes a look at the potential marriage of Roy Oswalt and St. Louis.

–On Mark Sheldon’s blog, he has this post, with quotes, on whether Mike Leake’s pitch count should be adjusted…downward.

–It’s the Red Reporter Farmer’s Market!

–If you aren’t following everything Doug is doing over at Reds Minor Leagues, you are missing out.

–Now this is a trade proposal I can support.

–I’m not sure what to think about this weekend review.

–!SREWERB EHT TAEB, indeed.

FINAL Cincinnati 0 Houston 4 WP: Rodriguez (8-11) LP: Leake (7-2) BOX SCORE

POSITIVES –Joey Votto had two of the Reds three hits, one of which was a double.

NEGATIVES –The bullpen let down Mike Leake, as usual. Leake was cruising until the seventh, but in a flash, [...]]]>

Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Cincinnati 0
Houston 4
WP: Rodriguez (8-11)
LP: Leake (7-2)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Joey Votto had two of the Reds three hits, one of which was a double.

NEGATIVES
–The bullpen let down Mike Leake, as usual. Leake was cruising until the seventh, but in a flash, a winnable game got out of hand. The damage could’ve been contained, but Arthur Rhodes couldn’t stem the bleeding. Hard to get too mad at either Leake or Rhodes, considering how good they’ve been this year.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–The Reds have now been shut out six times on Sunday. Today’s lineup wasn’t awful, but you’d think Dusty would reconsider his ordinary Sunday JV lineup when presented with this evidence.

–I always look forward to the Sunday afternoon contest, only to be disappointed nearly every single week.

–Off to Milwaukee. If the Reds can take two of three as they just did in Houston, it will be a successful road trip. Plus, I have it on good authority that there will be at least one Redleg Nation t-shirt present at Miller Park this week.

–Ugly game:

Cincinnati is now 6-3 [...]]]>

The first-place Reds look to sweep Houston and go to 3-0 on the current road trip today. Rookie Mike Leake will go to the mound to face Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez. A win today would be great, insofar as it would ensure at least a .500 record on this trip.

Cincinnati is now 6-3 since the All-Star break. They have lost exactly one series since that disastrous Seattle series in the middle of June. Why have so many people been freaking out?

Go Redlegs.

FINAL Cincinnati 7 Houston 0 WP: Cueto (10-2) LP: Oswalt (6-12) BOX SCORE

POSITIVES –Johnny Cueto was masterful, going 8 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and striking out six, while walking just one. Wow.

–The worst cleanup hitter in the majors today made me look like [...]]]>

Let’s recap tonight’s titanic struggle….

FINAL
Cincinnati 7
Houston 0
WP: Cueto (10-2)
LP: Oswalt (6-12)
BOX SCORE

POSITIVES
–Johnny Cueto was masterful, going 8 innings, allowing no runs on four hits and striking out six, while walking just one. Wow.

–The worst cleanup hitter in the majors today made me look like a fool for questioning his spot in the batting order. Laynce Nix went 3-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and a walk. Outstanding.

–Ramon Hernandez and Joey Votto had a couple of hits, including homers. Brandon Phillips also had two hits; maybe he’s breaking out of his slump.

–Chris Heisey hit yet another pinch-hit homer. It’s his sixth homer of the year.

–Orlando Cabrera’s OBP is over .300 for the first time in months!!!!!!!

NEGATIVES
–Dusty Baker allowed Cueto to throw 122 pitches.

NOT-SO-RANDOM THOUGHTS
–Tonight’s win, combined with the St. Louis loss, means the Cincinnati Reds are back in first place.

–Cueto is now 10-2 with a 3.18 ERA. Is that good?

–Heisey leads the league in pinch-hit homers, with four. That’s one shy of the Cincinnati club record.

–I love beating up on Reds-killer Roy Oswalt. Just helps me sleep a little better.