CSNbbs

Lineups/ Barker down / Nix, Bruce updates
Posted by TomGroeschen at 8/29/2009 12:44 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

Stubbs 8
Janish 6
Votto 3
Phillips 4
Rolen 5
Balentien 7
Gomes 9
Tatum 2
Maloney 1
vs. RH Charlie Haeger (1-1, 1.93), a knuckleballer.

Reds on season-high five-game winning streak, their longest since 6-game winning streak from May 12-18 of 2008.
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1B Kevin Barker has been optioned to Louisville as LHP Matt Maloney comes up to start today's game, manager Dusty Baker told us at his pre-game media session.
"It's always a tough decision, but there are a couple of guys with a little more versatility," Baker said.
Baker said Barker will return once Louisville finishes its Triple-A playoffs.
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OF Laynce Nix hopes to return in a day or two from a stiff neck. Nix had an MRI on Friday and said he has a bulging disk, and is doing treatments. He said the problem stems from an outfield collision he had with then-Milwaukee teammate Geoff Jenkins a few years ago; after occasional problems since, he finally had it checked out.
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OF Jay Bruce (disabled/broken wrist) said he has begun swinging a bat but is not yet cleared to hit.
Bruce also will take the lineup card out again today, as he has done during the Reds' current winning streak.
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Francisco Cordero probably not available today after pitching 4 straight days, Baker says; Rhodes/Masset/Burton could close if needed.
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Dodgers lineup
Furcal 6
Pierre 8
MRamirez 7
Kemp 9
Loney 3
Loretta 5
Hudson 4
Ausmus 2
Haeger 1

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com

Location, location, location
Posted by JohnFay at 8/28/2009 11:16 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

The key to Homer Bailey's best outing as a big leaguer? He was able to locate his fastball.

He threw nearly all fastballs. He mixed in an occasional cutter but he barely used his curveball.

"He's pretty basic," Corky Miller said. "He throws hard and it's not straight."

Bailey asked to stay in the eighth to face Manny Ramirez. Dusty Baker came out to mound to check on him.

“He came out there and I said: I started it. Let me finish it,” Bailey said. “I can’t say enough about him letting me finish it. It’s part of the growing process. Manny’s a great hitter, but if he hits a home run there, I’m still in line for a win. So I went after him. No matter what, I wasn’t going to walk him.”

Bailey got Ramirez on a fly to shallow right. He then struck out Casey Blake to end the eighth with a 98 mph fastball for a called third strike.

It was his 115th pitch of the night.

You can talk all you want about left field, shortstop, leadoff. But for the Reds to have a chance next year, Bailey is going to have to be good. He has been in his last two starts -- both wins -- he's allowed one run over his last 15 innings. Those starts came after Baker let Bailey give up the lead against the Giants in the sixth inning. Baker said something like if you rescue all the time, they learn to get out of it.

Bailey seems to have learned something.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com

No save for Cordero
Posted by JohnFay at 8/28/2009 11:10 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

Francisco Cordero was not awarded a save. The rule says if you pitch less than one full inning, the tying run must be on deck when you ended.

I didn't know about the rule. Neither did anyone else in the press box. Dusty Baker thought it was a save situation as well. It was the fifth straight game Cordero pitched in. He had not done that since July of last year.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com

I've grown to learn to never call anything a turning point when it happens, but hopefully last night was another solid step in Bailey's development. His overall numbers in the majors aren't great but I still stand behind our holding onto him through his struggles.