08/09/2017 —

Reds vs. Padres — August 9, 2017

The Reds (46-67) and Padres (50-62) continue their four game series tonight at beautiful Great American Ball Park.

First pitch is at 7:10 EDT.

Starting Pitchers

Pitcher IP ERA xFIP K% BB%
Asher Wojciechowski 39.0 4.15 4.57 25.3% 5.7%
Travis Wood 52.2 6.49 5.34 17.1% 9.6%

Since getting recalled to the Reds on July 4, Wojciechowski has pitched quite well. In 12.2 innings out of the bullpen, he had given up just four hits and one run, which came on a home run by Nationals center fielder Brian Goodwin. When Wojciechowski returned to the rotation last Friday, he continued his success with five innings of three hit, one-run baseball against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wojo’s success partly comes from his strikeout to walk ratio. In 39.0 innings, he has struck out 40 and walked only nine. He is more of a fly ball pitcher, as his FB% is 55.4, but it hasn’t gotten him in too much trouble since he returned.

The Reds will see a familiar face tonight in former Red Travis Wood. The Reds drafted Wood in the second round of the 2005 draft, and he pitched for them in 2010 and 2011 before being traded to the Chicago Cubs. After signing with the Kansas City Royals as a free agent in the off-season, Wood started the 2017 season pitching out of the bullpen, but the Royals put him back into the starting rotation on July 2. He had made three starts when the Padres acquired him in late July. Tonight will be Wood’s third start with San Diego.

Since returning to the starting role, Wood has been getting shellacked. He’s given up no less than two runs in each of his five appearances, including three home runs and five walks. The Royals moved him to the rotation out of necessity due to injuries, but he was moved after he had started to turn things around from his dreadful April and May. In the month of June, he allowed just two runs in 11 innings. Last season, he pitched out of the bullpen with the Cubs, recording a 2.95 ERA in 77 appearances. It would seem like the bullpen is the better fit for him.

-Joey Votto is the only Red who has had any kind of success off Wood.

travis wood stats

Bullpens

Halfway through this four-game series, both bullpens seem to be in good shape. Neither manager has used any of his relievers on back-to-back days. If anyone is not able to go for the Reds, it would likely be Austin Brice, as he pitched two innings Tuesday night.

Lineups

Padres                                                               Reds

1. Manuel Margot (CF)
2. Cory Spangenberg(3B)
3. Jose Pirela (LF)
4. Yangervis Solarte (2B)
5. Wil Myers (1B)
6. Hunter Renfroe (RF)
7. Austin Hedges (C)
8. Dusty Coleman (SS)
9. Travis Wood (P)		 1. Billy Hamilton (CF)
2. Patrick Kivlehan (RF)
3. Joey Votto (1B)
4. Adam Duvall (LF)
5. Eugenio Suarez (3B)
6. Jose Peraza (SS)
7. Stuart Turner (C)
8. Arismendy Alcantara(2B)
9. Asher Wojciechowski (P)

-It threw me off a little bit to see Kivlehan, Turner and Alcantara all in the lineup tonight. Just watch: this will be the lineup that gets a win. That’s how it usually works.

News, Notes, and Some Reading

-After going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his first three at-bats last night in Billings, Hunter Greene delivered a two-run triple for his first professional hit.

-And speaking of prospects, Nick Senzel just keeps on hitting.

-These are fun uniforms.

-Fangraphs goes more in depth on Joey Votto’s comments to Zach Buchanan of The Cincinnati Enquirer about the strike zone changing for lefty hitters.

-And a good read from Steve Mancuso on the decision the Reds face with Bryan Price and the managerial position.

Final Thoughts

The Reds may be mired in last place for the third straight year, but at least we still get to watch some fun defense from certain players almost every night.

And of course, Adam Duvall had to get in on the fun last night with this dandy catch.

It’s not just that the Reds make fantastic highlight reel plays. The team is first in the National League in defensive efficency at 26.8. They are also first in all of baseball in defensive runs saved with 40 and have a 18.8 UZR, good for second in the NL. For those who like the standard fielding statistics, the Reds are third in the NL with a .987 fielding percentage and have committed only 54 errors as a team (most teams have committed over 60).

Everyone knows the pitching has been horrible this season, even with the excellent defense. I don’t want to imagine what it would be like if the Reds didn’t have the defense they have behind their pitchers.

Ashley Davis

Join the conversation! 52 Comments

  1. Tom Mitsoff

    Righthander Farrell has two option years left. Add him to the list of starting pitching contenders moving forward. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=farrel000luk

    • Matthew Habel

      you mean the revolving door to Louisville

    • Jim Walker

      Guess this settles it once and for all that Cingrani was basically discarded. Reds will eat Van Slyke’s salary which makes the value of Cingrani the difference in salaries (~$170K after prorating for remaining term) plus Hendrik Clementina the 20 year old rookie league guy.

  2. Tom Mitsoff

    Interesting note from Reds.com:

    ā€¢ Wojciechowski allowed only a .098 expected batting average in his last outing, according to Statcast, based on the quality of contact made against him. That’s the lowest single-game mark for a Reds starter this season.

    http://m.reds.mlb.com/news/article/247199278/padres-wood-takes-on-former-team-in-cincy/?topicId=26688732

    • Scooter Rolen

      Asher seems like a dark-horse kind of pitcher to me. He definitely has some starts/appearances where it looks like he may at least have a future in our bullpen.
      Of course, he has also had games where he looks as if he should be DFA’d immediately.

      One thing I can say for certain, he is better than some pitchers we’ve trotted out the last 2 years. I think he should replace Adleman when Feldman/Stephenson returns.

      • Tom Mitsoff

        He’s been great since early July. I agree with you, he might be one of those former top prospects who “figures it out” later in life. If the 2018 season started tomorrow, he’d definitely be on my staff.

        • Jack

          I totally agree with you Tom. I’m hoping he does well tonight ,,because out of the guys competing against him , he has good stuff. He likes to compete as well . The younger guys honestly look scared out there.

        • Vicferrari

          Had no idea he been up for that long, I have him giving up 2 runs in his last 22.2 innings…but Adleman had a string of nice starts, would be good if he can go 7 or so

  3. GreatRedLegsFan

    Looks like Senzel is set to finish the season in AAA. Should be arriving the majors Sep-18, if no earlier.

    • Tom Mitsoff

      He hasn’t been promoted to Louisville that I have seen. They probably want him to continue to knock the cover off the ball in AA, then come in next spring very confident before starting the year at Louisville. Looks like he’ll be up sometime in 2018.

      • Jim Walker

        Agree Tom. Also Pensacola is already in the AA playoffs based on their first half performance and has a chance to double it up. I’ve got to believe they’d rather see Senzel end the season in a playoff atmosphere than spend a month in losing atmosphere that has prevailed in AAA Louisville all season.

    • Vicferrari

      why Sept 18?, Any time on big league roster would be wasted this year, if he truly is ready then they bring him uo in mid April next season, I suspect he has some set back before then, hopefully not drastic. Doubt they remove anybody from the 40 at this point

  4. Scooter Rolen

    Those uniforms are a nice change to the normal routine. I definitely love the vest/sleeveless look they have, kind of similar to the uniforms from the 50’s. I think, if I remember right, that the script on these uniforms is also from that era (maybe 40’s).

  5. Jack

    Boy they didn’t do Wojo any favors with this lineup. I can see playing 1 sub but 3? Winker shouldn’t be sitting at all. He is up to show what he can do. Sitting on the bench is a joke. Alcantara is one as well. They had the whole season to play Turner. Now they decide to give him a spot start. I don’t know. Price don’t help his cause any does he?

    • james garrett

      Starting at Peraza and ending with Billy we have 5 guys out of eight with no power at all.Price could not have made out a worse lineup in support of Wojo.Winker should play regardless and where is Mesaraco.Wood ought to be doing back flips.Here it is boys see if you can hit it.In reality I will tune in just to watch Wojo because he may be a sleeper going forward.Seems like he gets it about throwing strikes at the bottom of the zone.Go Reds.

    • james garrett

      Get use to him Jack because he will be back next year.

    • jazzmanbbfan

      Just to be slightly contrarian, Gennett can’t hit lefties so he’s sitting. Cozart still isn’t healthy and needs days off so he’s not in the lineup. Barnhart doesn’t hit lefties well either and I’m guessing Mesoraco’s knee isn’t feeling well enough to catch so we have Turner. Too bad for Wojo but it probably was going to happen to someone. It’s not like the Reds are fighting for something. They’ve already just about clinched last place.

      • Vicferrari

        was going to say the same thing, maybe could argue not to sit Cozart with Turner and Kivelhan starting, but hey why not? BTW- Peraza has out played Scooter sine the ASB and deserves the starts at 2B right?

  6. VaRedsFan

    Good to hear Joe Morgan in the booth. Is this whole game or just a few innings?

  7. Sliotar

    Turn on the game late and this is the first thing I hear from Thom…

    “and I believe 3/4ths of the Reds starting lineup tonight is single.”

    1st inning. 2 on for Padres. And the odd observations/kind of creepy topics have already started.

    I watch/listen to a lot of baseball (maybe too much). None of the other 29 teams have a guy who brings up what Thom does on his local broadcasts. Never Fox National. Just FSN Ohio.

    Odd.

  8. Sliotar

    Nice piece of hitting by Peraza.

    Could have never imagined that at-bat back in April the way he was hacking then.

  9. VaRedsFan

    Another fine AB by Peraza! Glad Joey was on 3rd so he could score on that single šŸ˜‰

  10. VaRedsFan

    Who needs play by play….just let Morgan and Brantly talk all game

  11. VaRedsFan

    Sparse crowd tonight….Wojo is looking great so far. Suarez with a 2 run pop.
    Billy needs a day off….I think he is up to 23-24 straight starts. Who could play center? PatKiv?? He got a spot start tonight.

  12. Cartel

    Who is this shortstop and what have they done with Jose Pereza?

  13. VaRedsFan

    Turner goes upper tank…2 run shot. 1st career HR

  14. renbutler

    Turner felt Wojciechowski nipping at his heels with his .100 average. That’s all he needed to light the fire.

    Now Alcantara is looking up at Turner’s .178. He’s next.

  15. seat101

    I’ve been watching this game off and on.

    Every time I turn it on someone is hitting a two run homerun

  16. VaRedsFan

    Wojo did good, but lost his mojo in the 6th

  17. Indy Red Man

    You know its been a long year when 5.2 ip w/3 er feels like a masterpiece! Wojo looked great though! He should prob be right in the mix for the rotation next year!

    • msanmoore

      I was rooting for him to get just one more out for that elusive “quality start”. At least he’s in line for the win.

  18. Indy Red Man

    Turner looks like Rolen to me….similar body type and swing. I doubt he’ll ever be half the hitter Rolen was but his swing is pretty short!

  19. VaRedsFan

    Hamilruns never get old

  20. Brian Dunn (@surrfinTexas)

    Why’s JV walking up to Hotel California? Trust me late 70’s soCal is overrated.

    • Indy Red Man

      I don’t know? The Eagles were good but I’m really into old VH w/David Lee Roth. Joey seems like he’d be more of a Pink Floyd guy though

      • jazzmanbbfan

        Use to walk up to old Rolling Stones “Paint it Black” I think or something from that era. And as a huge Eagles fan when I was young, “Hotel California” is just fine with me. šŸŽøšŸŽ¼

  21. VaRedsFan

    MORE Peraza!!! rbi single

  22. VaRedsFan

    Jay Bruce traded to Cleveland

    • Indy Red Man

      I predicted Boston. I hope he does well! I think they’re the only team that can beat Houston.

  23. Indy Red Man

    Can’t give up on Peraza….too young and he has talent. At the same time….where is he supposed to play? Are you going to give him SS if they don’t resign Cozart? That means Scooter hits the bench and he’s 100x better vs righties then Peraza. I think you either resign Cozart or move Suarez to SS.

    • VaRedsFan

      If Peraza continues to improve over the last 3rd of the season then they might let Cozart walk. It might, however, be fools gold

    • Darrin

      I feel Peraza needs to play 2nd every game and that Scooter would make a great bench piece, against righties anyway. Scooters a known commodity who played waaaaay over his head in the first half.

      • james garrett

        Wojo was good tonight and may have ran out of gas in the 6th.No walks and 6 strikeouts.Would be interesting to know why Peraza is now drawing walks.I mean it just can’t be a little bench time that made it happen.

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2017 Reds, Game Thread

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