I was mowing the lawn tonight, listening to McCoy and Marty discuss how Jay Bruce is stuck behind Corey Patterson, which got me thinking:  What current Reds will fans of Dusty’s future team be complaining about in a few years?

Another one-handed, BlackBerry-posted game thread. Enjoy!

–Matt Belisle’s spot in the rotation is going to be skipped. The Reds will go with the originally-planned starters for the Cleveland series: Johnny Cueto, Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez.

–Andrew at Redlegs Rundown has a nice profile of newest Red Paul Janish.

–Dusty Baker is complaining about interleague play, and he makes a great point about why it’s a bad idea and unfair to some teams.

–CSG loves rainouts.

–I saw this on SportsCenter, and it’s pretty funny. That Junior is a wacky prankster.

Louisville - Scranton W/B

This game was postponed due to weather.

Chattanooga 6 - Mississippi 4

B.J. Szymanski’s first inning grand slam put the Lookouts up 5-0 in the first and they would hold on for the 2-run victory.  That was Szymanski’s only hit of the game.  Tonys Gutierrez and Eric Eymann each had 2 hits apiece.  Eymann had a double while Gutierrez scored a run.

Sam Lecure improved his record to 3-2 on the season by going 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks.  Sam struck out 6.  Josh Roenicke picked up his 9th save by recording the final 2 outs of the game.

Clearwater 2 - Sarasota 1

Todd Frazier contributed most of the offense in this one.  Frazier had 2 of the 5 Reds’ hits, one of which was a solo homerun in the 7th inning.  The homerun was Frazier’s 2nd of the season.

Starter Travis Wood picked up a no-decision in the game, giving up 1 run on just 2 hits and 3 walks in 7 innings pitched.  He struck out 3 and lowered his ERA to 2.38 on the season.  Lee Tabor received the loss by allowing a run on 2 hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of relief.

Lansing 4 - Dayton 2

Kevyn Feiner went 2-4 for the Dragons with a solo homerun, his first of the season.  Since there wasn’t much else offensively for the Dragons in the game, here is an update on last years #1 draft pick Devin Mesoraco.  Devin went 0-4 last night in the DH slot and is batting .176/.222/.176 in 17 ABs thus far.

Luis Montano got the loss last night, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings of work.  He struck out 6.

July 27, 1947: Ted Kluszewski, playing the the Reds’ Souther Association team (AA) in Memphis, totals 19 bases in a double header against New Orleans. Kluszewski hit for the cycle in game one, with a home run, 2 triples, a double, and a single. In the second game, he hit a triple, double, and single.

All “Reds trivia” posts come from Greg Rhodes and John Snyder’s fabulous book, “Redleg Journal” (see link for purchasing) and are used with Greg’s permission.

Thanks again to Greg Rhodes for permission to use his material.

Please, nooooooooooooo!

Heh.

Just noticed this:

Mr. Mike Lincoln, in May:

5G, 5 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 10 ER (18.00 ERA)

Opponents’ batting: .333 .440 .762 1.202

Tonight’s game has been postponed due to inclement weather.

Some things to discuss: Should Jay Bruce be up? Can the Cleveland Cavaliers take down the Celtics or are my Los Angeles Lakers going all the way? Any big movies this weekend? Chronicles of Narnia? Iron Man? Discuss whatever you choose here…

Louisville 11 - Scranton W/B 6

Jay Bruce was a single away from hitting for the cycle last night.  Jay went 3-3 with a double, triple, homerun, and 2 walks to help lead the Bats to victory.  Bruce also scored twice and drove in 3 rbis.  Jay is now batting .366/.398/.662 on the season.  He’s batting .611 in his last 10 games with 3 homeruns, 12 rbis, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts.  What exactly are we waiting on?  Andy Green, Andy Phillips, Jolbert Cabrera, Chris Dickerson, and Drew Anderson each had 2 hits on a night in which the Bats had 15 total.  Phillips had 2 doubles and 2 rbis while Anderson had 2 rbis as well.

Justin Lehr improved to 4-2 on the season by allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2.  Lehr now has a 2.41 ERA on the season.

Chattanooga 6 - Carolina 2

The Lookouts and Mudcats scored all 8 of their combined runs in the first two innings and left it up to the pitchers from there.  Tonys Gutierrez and Eric Eymann each went 1-3 with 2 runs batted in to lift the Lookouts to the win.  Chris Valaika and Shaun Cumberland went 2-4 in the game and combined for 3 runs scored.

Ben Jukich picked up the win and is now 3-2 on the season.  Ben pitched a complete game, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 6.  He now has a 2.34 ERA on the year.

Fort Myers 5 - Sarasota 3

Chris Heisey led the Reds in hits in this one, going 3-4 with 2 singles and a double.  The 3-hit night raised Heisey’s average to .292.  Jose Castro went 2-4 with a double and rbi and Drew Stubbs also went 2-4 with a single, homerun, and an rbi.

Daniel Guerrero got to the start and a no-decision by going 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks, and 5 strikeouts.  Logan Ondrusek got the loss by allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in 2 innings of relief.

Lansing 8 - Dayton 0

The Dragons had just 4 hits in this one and no one had a night worth mentioning on the offensive side.

Matt Klinker started for the Dragons.  He picked up the loss by allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 4 innings of work.  He struck out 5 and dropped to 2-2 on the season.

April 18, 1959: In his major league debut, Reds pitcher Mike Cuellar gives up a grand slam homer to Gene Freese in a 14-9 loss to the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium.

Cuellar pitched two games with the Reds before he was sent to the minors. He returned to the majors in ‘64 with the Cardinals, and became a star in ‘69 with the Orioles at the age of 32. From ‘69 to ‘74, Cuellar had a record of 125-64.

All “Reds trivia” posts come from Greg Rhodes and John Snyder’s fabulous book, “Redleg Journal” (see link for purchasing) and are used with Greg’s permission.

Thanks again to Greg Rhodes for permission to use his material.

Comment: In the 1970 World Series against the Reds, Cueller went 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in two games. He started and pitched a completed game in the clinching game 5 victory for the Orioles.

The newest Red Paul Janish enters the game as a defensive replacement late in a 6-0 game, then gets his first major league hit to win the game in extra innings. Great debut, and a good win to take the first three games of this series with the Marlins.

No carpal tunnel or T-ball double headers here! Just good ol’ Reds baseball talk!  The Reds will send Bronson Arroyo to the mound, fresh off his best start of the season against the Mets.  A win tonight would guarantee the Reds a winning series and set up a possible 4-game sweep of the Fish tomorrow night.

Let’s hope the Reds can rally despite the news that Keppinger went to the DL.  Discuss the game here…

Boy, this is just brutal news, coming just as the Reds were showing real signs of playing some good baseball:

The bad news is they lost shortstop Jeff Keppinger to a fractured left kneecap.

Keppinger, who entered the game hitting a team-high .320, was hurt in the second inning after fouling a ball off his leg. An X-ray revealed a fractured left patella.

He is now on the 15-day disabled list. The Reds recalled from Class AAA Louisville infielder Paul Janish.

Reds manager Dusty Baker said the initial scan could have produced worse news, but it was still a “big blow.”

“It’s a really big loss, but you’ve got two choices: You can either feel sorry for yourself or you can figure out a way to get the job done,” Baker said.

Janish can certainly handle shortstop from a defensive perspective, but I just can’t see any way he’ll be able to handle the bat well enough to contribute much at the plate.

I’m not sure it matters. I expect Jerry Hairston to be the everday shortstop, and that could likely be a disaster. Especially since he’ll join fellow “Dusty Guy” Corey Patterson in eating up outs. Of course, while Hairston likely won’t eat up as many outs as Patterson, he will kill the Reds at shortstop defensively (at least Patterson plays a pretty good centerfield).

I’ve been trying to stay optimistic this season, and I’ve succeeded thus far. Gotta admit, though: I’m pretty discouraged today.

UPDATE: For those of you saying that it’s just fifteen days, chill out, I present this: Keppinger will be out 4-6 weeks, minimum.

And Jerry Hairston is starting at SS tonight. Hitting second, behind our awesome leadoff hitter Corey Patterson.

Louisville 5 - Scranton W/B 3

Adam Pettyjohn remained perfect on the year, improving to 4-0 with the win.  Adam allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2 over 6 innings pitched.  Gary Majewski pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit and striking out 2.  Majewski has now allowed just 1 earned run in his last 10 relief appearances.

Kevin Barker and Jay Bruce had 2 hits apiece for the Bats last night.  Jay had a double and an rbi, and Kevin doubled as well and scored twice.  Paul Janish went 1-2 with 2 rbis before being lifted for a pinch-hitter when Keppinger fractured his kneecap.

Chattanooga 6 - Carolina 4

Michael Griffin went 3-3 with a double and 2 runs scored to help lead the Lookouts to a 2-run victory.  Sean Henry added 2 hits in 4 at-bats with a double and 2 runs batted in, giving him 22 rbis on the season. 

James Avery picked up his first win of the season by allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks in 5 innings pitched.  He struck out 4 and is now 1-2 on the season.  Josh Roenicke picked up his 8th save of the season by pitching a scoreless 9th.

Fort Myers 10 - Sarasota 6

Juan Francisco had a huge night in the Reds loss. Juan went 3-5 with 2 homeruns, 4 rbis, and 2 runs scored.  The 2 long balls gives Juan 7 on the season and he now has 30 runs batted in.  Todd Frazier, Daniel Dorn, and Chris Denove each had 2 hits in the game. 

Rafael Gonzalez was roughed up and picked up the loss.  Gonzalez surrendered 7 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings of work.

Dayton 3 - Lansing 2

Enerio Del Rosario lowered his ERA to 1.13 on the season by going 6 innings, allowing 1 unearned run on 4 hits while striking out 5. Terrell Young picked up his first save of the season by pitching 2 scoreless innings of relief, striking out 1.

Brandon Waring went 2-4 in the game for the Dragons with 2 doubles.  Jason Bour also went 2-4 with 2 doubles.  Bour also drove in a run and scored once.  Angel Cabrera added 2 singles in 4 at-bats in the Dragons win.

April 10, 1970: Don Gullett makes his major league debut with  1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, although the Reds lose 4-3, ot the Giants in San Francisco.

A standout in football, basketball, and baseball at McKell High School in Kentucky. Gullett was 19 when he made his first appearance. His only previous pro experience  was 11 games for Sioux Falls in the Northern League. Gullett is the last teenager to play for the Reds. The youngest player since 1970 is Rosario Rodriguez, who was 55 days past his 20th birthday when he pitched for the Reds in 1989.

All “Reds trivia” posts come from Greg Rhodes and John Snyder’s fabulous book, “Redleg Journal” (see link for purchasing) and are used with Greg’s permission.

Thanks again to Greg Rhodes for permission to use his material.