CSNbbs

Reds lineup
Posted by tgroeschen June 16th, 2010, 3:01 pm

Tonight – 7:10 pm at GABP vs. Dodgers:

Cabrera 6

Phillips 4

Votto 3

Rolen 5

Gomes 7

Bruce 9

Stubbs 8

Hernandez 2

Leake 1

vs. Dodgers LH Kershaw (6-3, 3.13)

DODGERS lineup

Furcal 6

Martin 2

Ethier 9

Ramirez 7

Loney 3

Kemp 8

Blake 5

DeWitt 4

Kershaw 1 (vs. RH Leake, 5-0, 2.68)

* The Reds have a two-game losing streak, and have not lost three straight since dropping five straight from April 14-18.

* The Reds enter today tied with St. Louis atop the NL Central, both 36-29. Third-place Chicago Cubs are 7.5 games back.

* Mike Leake comes off the shortest start of his career – 4.1 innings, 11 hits, 5 runs vs. the Giants last Thursday.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...lineup-38/

Farm report/More draftees sign
Posted by tgroeschen June 16th, 2010, 2:55 pm

From Better Off Red’s Jamie Ramsey, aka Da Man:

LOUISVILLE 1, PAWTUCKET (RED SOX) 2: LHP Travis Wood (4-5) started for Louisville and suffered the hard-luck loss, allowing 2 runs (1er) on 4 hits in 7.0 innings (1bb, 10k)…LHP Bill Bray made his first appearance for Louisville since being promoted from Lynchburg on Sunday (1ip, 1h, 1k)…the Bats were blanked on 4 hits.

CAROLINA MUDCATS: The Mudcats were off yesterday celebrating what would’ve been Waylon Jennings’ 73rd birthday.

KINSTON (INDIANS) 2, LYNCHBURG 1: RHP Brad Boxberger started for Lynchburg and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 4.2 innings (2bb, 6k, 1hr)…RHP Nick Christiani (2.1ip) and RHP Justin Freeman (2ip) combined for 4.1 scoreless innings of relief…the Hillcats could muster just 1 run on 5 hits (0-for-7 w/RISP)…C Kevin Coddington paced the offense with 2 hits.

DAYTON 9, FT. WAYNE (PADRES) 8: RHP Ricky Bowen (1-0) started for Dayton and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits in 5.0 innings (4bb, 3k)…RHP Chase Ware notched his 6th save (1.2ip, 3h, 1r, 1bb, 3k)…the Dragons scored 9 runs on 11 hits…3b Frank Pfister went 4-for-4 with 3 RBI and a run scored…SS Shane Carlson had 2 hits, an RBI and 2 runs scored.

MINOR LEAGUE NEWS

SUTTON SWINGIN’ IT
IF/OF Drew Sutton (Louisville) last night at Pawtucket went 1-for-3 to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 33 straight games…during the streak, which began on 5/7, Sutton’s batting .351 (39-for-111) with a .452 on-base percentage…it’s the longest on-base streak of the season in the International League.

2010 SIGNEES
The following players who were recently drafted by the Reds have signed: CF Ryan LaMarre (2nd round), SS Devin Lohman (3rd round), SS Brodie Greene (4th round), RHP Jose Amezcua (7th round), 2b David Vidal (8th round), LHP Tanner Robles (9th round), RHP Daniel Wolford (14th round), OF Steven Hunt (15th round), OF Robert Maddox (18th round), C Christopher Berset (20th round), RHP Joshua Smith (21st round), OF Kurtis Miller (22nd round), RHP Patrick Doyle (24th round), 3b Adam Muenster (29th round), 1b Dominic D’Anna (31st round), LHP Matthew Leonard (38th round), 1b Jonathan Kaskow (41st round), C William Harford (45th round), RHP El’Hajj Muhammad (49th round).

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...es-sign-2/

Weather coverage …
Posted by nhurm June 16th, 2010, 12:34 pm

Nick, the frustrated sports fan here.

I was listening to the Reds last night on my way home from work, already annoyed WLW cut into the first inning of the game to bring more end-of-the-world coverage of a storm front that was coming through.

Scott Rolen was up, Joey Votto was on first base: ” … and now the 2-2 pitch.”

At that exact moment, WLW cuts in with another weather update. COME ON!

WLW eventually goes back to the game and the inning was over. I’m sure Scott Rolen struck out because he got distracted by that annoying weather break-in jingle from the batter’s box.

I got back to my house and flipped on Channel 9 to watch the Celtics-Lakers. Instead, the station pre-empted the game to bring you more sky-is-falling weather coverage. John Kiesewetter brought up a good point on his blog: “Imagine if a station ignore the first few minutes of Game 6 of the World Series?”

I understand weather is dangerous. That doesn’t make it any less annoying though when stations cut into a game.

Anyone else feel weather coverage is out of control – whether it’s ours, TV or radio?

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...-coverage/

Hanigan update
Posted by jfay June 15th, 2010, 6:32 pm

Catcher Ryan Hanigan’s broken left thumb is fine when he hits.

It’s far from fine when he catches.

“I feel it on every pitch,” he said.

Hanigan is hoping three or four more days will aid the recovery.

“It gets better everyday,” he said.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...an-update/

More changes could be coming to rotation, bullpen
Posted by jfay June 15th, 2010, 5:42 pm

Dusty Baker hinted that the promotion of Jordan Smith might be the first of several moves with the pitching staff.

“We don’t know if this was temporary or permanent,” Baker said. “Some of it depends on him. Some of it depends on how we revamp our rotation some to strength our bullpen.

“We’re still at the drawing board.”

Sam LeCure and Homer Bailey (when he’s healthy) are candidates to be shifted to the bullpen. Louisville left-handers Matt Maloney and Travis Wood are, too.

Baker would not elaborate on what the Reds are considering.

“I can’t tell,” Baker said. “We’ll see. Some of it depends on how Smith fits in. Most of the starting pitchers are going six or six and a fraction. That seventh inning is very, very important. We’re looking for someone to close that gap.

“Logan Ondrusek has done a good job of closing that gap but he can’t do himself. We used him five out of six days. We certainly want to stay away from that if we can. We certainly want to stay away from taking our starters too deep into the game, like we with (Sam) LeCure the other day.”

Maloney and Wood had better numbers at Triple-A than Smith had a Double-A. But they are starters. Maloney has one relief appearance in the minors, Wood three.

“You hate to have anyone do anything for the first time in the big leagues,” Baker said. “A couple of guys have done it in the minor leagues. That’s help to get some basis for fact if this guy can do it.”

Again, it sounds like more changes could come.

“We still in the fact-finding mode,” Baker said. “You wish you have everything perfectly in order but it’s not.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...n-bullpen/

That was the worst damn strikeout call I've seen in my entire life.

(06-16-2010 07:57 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote: [ -> ]That was the worst damn strikeout call I've seen in my entire life.

indeed it was.

If anyone heard Marty's reaction, I'd love to know what it was. TIA.

Nine games into the season long ten game home stand they've allowed 53 runs and counting. The entire pitching staff is a train wreck right now.

(06-16-2010 08:20 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote: [ -> ]If anyone heard Marty's reaction, I'd love to know what it was. TIA.

He did not hold back. Ball was dam near in the dirt. Would have been bases loaded no outs.

Bullpen status quo, for now
Posted by tgroeschen June 16th, 2010, 5:15 pm

The Reds’ bullpen struggled again in Tuesday night’s 12-0 loss to the Dodgers, after manager Dusty Baker had hinted there might be more moves coming.

Wednesday, there was no personnel movement but some leftover fodder for critics. Logan Ondrusek (2/3 inning, one run), Micah Owings (1 1/3 innings, five runs) and Daniel Ray Herrera (1 2/3 innings, one run) were touched up Tuesday. But, Jordan Smith threw a scoreless inning in his major league debut.

Wednesday’s update?

“It’s the same,” Baker said. “The bullpen we thought we would open with included (Jared) Burton and (Mike) Lincoln. One thing happened after another.”

Burton and Lincoln have been injured and are working their ways back to the Reds, Burton from the minors and Lincoln from the major league disabled list.

Meantime, 40-year-old Arthur Rhodes (0.32 ERA) has been the team’s best reliever, while Herrera (4.26 ERA) and the hard-throwing Nick Masset (7.07 ERA) have struggled after solid years in 2009. Owings (5.27) is the long man, while Cordero has been inconsistent as the closer (3.77 ERA, 17 saves).

“I still believe (Nick) Masset has the stuff,” Baker said. “Sometimes things change, and confidence is a big factor always.”

Reds relievers have a 4.96 ERA, which ranks 13th in the National League. Last year the relievers were third in the NL with a 3.56 ERA.

Tuesday, Smith was called up from Double-A Carolina and Enerio Del Rosario was sent to Triple-A Louisville. The Reds also are considering converting Louisville left-handers Matt Maloney and Travis Wood to relief roles.

* Right-hander Edinson Volquez will make his second rehab start Thursday for Single-A Lynchurg (Va.).

* Not much is new with right-hander Homer Bailey, Baker said.

Bailey, disabled since May 24 with shoulder inflammation, is working to rebuild strength in his pitching shoulder. Last weekend, the Reds said Bailey would be shut down from throwing for about a week.

“He’s doing some exercises,” Baker said. “It’s going to be a little process.”

* Baker was asked about being superstitious. Following Tuesday’s 12-0 loss, Baker shaved his goatee. Baker also changed his wristbands for Wednesday’s game, switching from his usual red to black.

“I’ve got different colors,” he said. ”I remember one time I was with the Giants, we had a three-game series with the Cubs and Billy Williams noticed. He goes, ‘Man, you’re about to run out of colors, aren’t you?’ because we had lost four or five in a row. I wear the same ones if we win.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...o-for-now/

LA 6, Reds 2 (Rolen, Baker ejected)
Posted by tgroeschen June 16th, 2010, 7:36 pm

10:01 p.m. — Final: Dodgers 6, Reds 2. First loss of rookie Mike Leake’s career (5-1). First 3-game Reds losing streak since April.

Dodgers made it 6-1 on Manny Ramirez HR off Jordan Smith, top of 9th inning. Pinch hitter Chris Heisey homered for the Reds off Kuo in the bottom of ninth, with one out, to make it 6-2.

Dodgers were up 5-0 in bottom sixth when Reds’ Scott Rolen was ejected, after being called out on strikes with full count, two on, none out. Rolen said something and got a quick hook. Dusty Baker came out to argue and also got tossed quickly.

Baker pulled off his hat during the argument with HP ump Hunter Wendelstedt. Rare to see either Rolen or Baker that hot. Replay showed pitch may have been a tad low, but I’d like to see it again.

It is Baker’s first ejection since 4/09 and Rolen’s first since 2006.

Reds did cut it to 5-1 shortly thereafter on a Jonny Gomes sac fly, the first run Cincinnati scored on LA after 14 straight scoreless innings the past 2 nights.

Big chance lost: Reds down 5-1, sacks loaded with 1 out in 8th. Stubbs lined into DP, spectacular snare of liner by SS Furcal, who then raced left and tagged out a diving Jonny Gomes as Gomes tried to get back to second.

Dodgers took 2-0 lead in fifth on two-run double by Loney. Then, 5-0 in the sixth, on a three-run HR by Ethier to right center (421 feet).

Leake threw 108 pitches through six innings, exited. Allowed 5 runs, all earned, and nine hits. (3bb, 4k). Ondrusek relieved in 7th, then Masset, then Smith.

It was Leake vs. Clayton Kershaw, two of the game’s top young arms. Both age 22, Kershaw has been up since 2008 (19-16 overall). Leake 5-0 this year in his rookie season. Kershaw (7-3) tonight went 7 1/3, 7 hits, 1 run (1bb, 7k).

Leake retired Ramirez twice with two out and men on. First inning, K (swinging) on 82-mph breaking ball with a man on. Third inning, sharply hit 5-3 grounder to Rolen with two on. Fifth inning: Manny walked to load bases, Loney followed with 2-run double.

Attendance tonight: 23,083.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...ds-0-la-0/

Rolen: A slight misunderstanding
Posted by tgroeschen June 16th, 2010, 11:16 pm

Scott Rolen and Dusty Baker were ejected with seconds of each other in a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night, before 23,083 at GABP.

Rookie RHP Mike Leake (5-1) lost for the first time in the majors. The Reds did something they haven’t done in nearly two months — they lost for a third straight game.

Rolen and manager Baker both were tossed in the Reds’ sixth inning, for arguing a called third strike on Rolen. It was only the third ejection of Rolen’s 14-year career, and Baker’s first heaving since April 2009.

The Cards also lost Wednesday so Cincinnati remains tied for first in the NL Central, but the Reds have a 3-game losing streak — their longest since a five-game losing streak April 14-18.

“Don’t panic,” Baker said. “You’re going to go through periods like this. There’s a long way to go, and you go hot and cold sometimes.”

– Regarding the ejection of Rolen, the Reds thought the pitch from lefty Clayton Kershaw (7-1) appeared low. The Reds trailed 5-0 but had two men on, and none out when Rolen was called out by umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.

“I thought it was a little low,” Rolen said. “He didn’t think it was low. We had a slight misunderstanding there.”

Rolen, known for his dry wit, joked that he and Wendelstedt actually were discussing the night before. The Reds lost 12-0 to the Dodgers Tuesday night in a rain-delayed game, which ended after midnight.

“He said, ‘Why don’t you go in and sit in the cold tub and get ready for (Thursday’s) day game?’” Rolen said. “I said, ‘That’d be great.’”

But seriously …

“I was upset,” Rolen said. “I thought that was a big at-bat, a game-changing at-bat, possibly. I reacted to that.”

Baker sprang from the dugout as Rolen was ejected, and Baker also was tossed within seconds. Baker tore off his hat and argued some more. Before leaving, Baker slammed his hat against the dugout railing.

“I saw it the same way Scott saw it,” Baker said. “That was a big call in the game. They’re human, too, but you don’t have to like it.”

The final game of the series is Thursday at 12:35 pm, Bronson Arroyo against Dodgers rookie John Ely (who is from Miami University, OH).

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/06...rstanding/

One of the worst called strikes I've ever seen. Terrible.

I was glad to see both Rolen and Dusty show some spark and get thrown out of the game.

I'm still stunned that the hitters got hit 4 times in one game against the Royals and no one retaliated. They need to get tougher.

Good bounce back win today. Arroyo did a good job of getting out of trouble. It is not often a starter walks 6 and only allows 1 run. It is also not often a starter hits a 3-run HR either.

It's amazing that they still have a .5 game lead following a 4-6 home stand.