Getting castrated once again by Cy Morton.

They just flail against this guy.

Arroyo has made pirates look like the 70s pirates this year.

I went down to the game.

Bought lower level tickets between home and first base, row X. Three tickets for me and my 2 teenage daughters. $135.00. Ouch.

Funny part was I gave Hannah $40 for she and Sarah to go get all three of us food. They came back and Hannah only got one coney because it wasn't enough money (she sacrificed to get me and Sarah our food and drinks). I couldn't believe it. She told me coneys were $5.75 each. Ouch.

Gave her some more money and she went and fed herself.

5-0 loss. $200 down the drain. Fun night (sarcasm). Yikes.

Maybe the Reds should trade for Morton. LOL.

(05-19-2011 07:03 AM)Vottomatic Wrote:  I went down to the game.

Bought lower level tickets between home and first base, row X. Three tickets for me and my 2 teenage daughters. $135.00. Ouch.

Funny part was I gave Hannah $40 for she and Sarah to go get all three of us food. They came back and Hannah only got one coney because it wasn't enough money (she sacrificed to get me and Sarah our food and drinks). I couldn't believe it. She told me coneys were $5.75 each. Ouch.

Gave her some more money and she went and fed herself.

5-0 loss. $200 down the drain. Fun night (sarcasm). Yikes.

Maybe the Reds should trade for Morton. LOL.

Have you tried the upper deck seating behind the plate? I believe it's something like Section 521 to 524 or so. They're, personally, my favorite seats in the house by far. Obviously you're not as close to the players, but there are no blind spots, it's a straightaway view, and the view of the river and hills is amazing. I've never been a fan of those lower-deck baseline seats on either side in any stadium. Weird angles, more people, blind spots, for way more money.

(05-19-2011 08:30 AM)CD11 Wrote:  

(05-19-2011 07:03 AM)Vottomatic Wrote:  I went down to the game.

Bought lower level tickets between home and first base, row X. Three tickets for me and my 2 teenage daughters. $135.00. Ouch.

Funny part was I gave Hannah $40 for she and Sarah to go get all three of us food. They came back and Hannah only got one coney because it wasn't enough money (she sacrificed to get me and Sarah our food and drinks). I couldn't believe it. She told me coneys were $5.75 each. Ouch.

Gave her some more money and she went and fed herself.

5-0 loss. $200 down the drain. Fun night (sarcasm). Yikes.

Maybe the Reds should trade for Morton. LOL.

Have you tried the upper deck seating behind the plate? I believe it's something like Section 521 to 524 or so. They're, personally, my favorite seats in the house by far. Obviously you're not as close to the players, but there are no blind spots, it's a straightaway view, and the view of the river and hills is amazing. I've never been a fan of those lower-deck baseline seats on either side in any stadium. Weird angles, more people, blind spots, for way more money.

I don't mind spending the money if it had been a good game. It just sucked that the Reds were shut out and could do pretty much nothing.

I like the lower level seats. I really like the Diamond Seats and the buffet behind home plate.

It was only a waste of money because of the Reds being shut out.

Cy Morton stifles Reds again
10:28 pm, May 18, 2011 by jfay

Coming into this year, Charlie Morton was 1-4 with a 6.34 ERA against the Reds. He’s 2-0 this year and has allowed one run over two complete-game victories.

“He’s a different pitcher this year,” Dusty Baker said.

Morton agreed.

“It’s a new delivery,” Morton said. “It’s like basically I’m a new pitcher. It’s just different. I think that’s what’s going to allow me to get better, to know what I’m doing. . . I’ve added a harder cutter, and obviously the sink I get from the new arm angle is just different.”

Morton gave up 15 home runs in 79 innings last year. This year, he’s given up two in the 55.

“Last year, he was more of a power pitcher,” Baker said. “He was throwing four-seamers. Most of his stuff was hard. I heard last year they didn’t really allow him to throw the two-seamer. They have a different pitching coach. Now, he’s throwing that two-seamer, which is a sinker.”

Morton recorded 15 ground-ball outs.

“Last year, I was going for the strikeout and trying to avoid contact,” he said. “Right now, I’m throwing I don’t know what percentage fastballs, but it’s a lot. I’m not trying to strike people out. I’m throwing a majority of fastballs and I’m not really scared of contact anymore. I think if I keep it down and execute my pitch, they’ll hit it in the ground.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...eds-again/

Votto ‘hobbling’
10:48 pm, May 18, 2011 by jfay

The Reds’ one chance to score Wednesday night came in the first inning when Brandon Phillips doubled into the right field corner with Joey Votto at first. Votto was running noticeably slower than usual, rounding second.

“He’s hobbling a little bit,” Baker said.

Baker didn’t go into specifics. The Reds are often reluctant to discuss injuries.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...-hobbling/

Pirates beat Reds, break losing streak
Thursday, May 19, 2011
By Colin Dunlap, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton throws during Wednesday's game against the Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

CINCINNATI -- For a change, so much swung with one swing of Pedro Alvarez's bat.

And, again, so much swung with those 106 swings of Charlie Morton's right arm.

Where it all goes from here, who knows?

But for one night, when Alvarez drilled a pitch into the seats and Morton had another in what is turning into routinely masterful pitching performances, it all came together for a 5-0 victory against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park that snapped the Pirates' six-game losing skid.

Quote:Today

Game: Pirates vs. Reds, 12:35 p.m., Great American Ball Park.

TV, radio: Root Sports, WPGB-FM (104.7).

Pitching: RHP James McDonald (2-3, 6.20 ERA) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (2-0, 0.00 ERA).

Key matchup: McDonald vs. the bottom of the order. In his previous start in Milwaukee, the No. 8 hitter, catcher Jonathan Lucroy, hit a home run off McDonald while No. 9 batter Yovani Gallardo, the pitcher, had two hits, an RBI and scored twice.

Of note: In his two starts, no batter in the second or fifth spot has had a hit off Cueto, greatly advancing his chances at winning -- and keeping his ERA down.

To be sure, there was a dazzling, five-hit, complete game from Morton (5-1), who continues to reinvent himself.

It was his second complete game this season, the other also here in a 6-1 win April 15.

"We were going after the guys similarly as we were doing before," said Morton. "I think I did a good job of keeping the ball down."

A good job of keeping it down?

Talk about your understatements.

He continued to embrace this whole "Ground Chuck" label as he rolled 14 groundball outs to go along with five strikeouts.

"He's pitched well here, he's very, very comfortable on the mound and pitching to a tough lineup," manager Clint Hurdle said of Morton, who, in about three months, has gone from a man fighting for a spot in the rotation to pretty much the staff's ace.

"It's been outstanding, his two starts here. ... He was in command, the couple times they had men on, he was able to answer. It was good stuff."

It was much better than "good stuff."

The complete game lowered Morton's ERA to 2.62 and tied his career high for victories in a season in just eight starts.

Consider this: In 50 starts before this season, he had 11 wins.

"As a starter, that's what you want to do," Morton said of working a complete game. "That's the most rewarding thing in my eyes that a starter can do. Go out there and throw a complete game, so I feel like I did my job."

The most rewarding thing a power hitter can do is hammer a ball into the seats.

That's where Alvarez comes in.

What was not expected as these Pirates pulled into Cincinnati was what happened in the fourth inning, when Alvarez drove a Bronson Arroyo pitch over the right-field wall (414 feet from home plate) for a three-run homer. It was Alvarez's first RBI in 16 games and his third extra-base hit since April 23.

It was a much-needed boost for Alvarez, whose batting average dipped below .200 this past weekend in Milwaukee. Most of all, it was only the second homer this season for Alvarez, viewed as the Pirate organization's top power bat. The other came in Miami nearly a month ago.

"Straight changeup," Alvarez said of Arroyo's mistake. "I'm just really not trying to do too much. Good things happen when you keep it simple."

An Andrew McCutchen two-run homer in the seventh provided some cushion, but it was the Alvarez blast that did so much and has, at least, the chance to do so much.

"I'm not concerned about hitting the ball out of the ballpark, that comes within itself," Alvarez said.

"I'm just trying to put some good swings on it, and the rest will take care of itself."

Perhaps the person Alvarez can emulate most as he struggles is Morton.

For it was Morton, nearly a year ago in this ballpark, who left the mound after getting through just two innings; he gave up five earned runs and two home runs.

His confidence level could not have been lower, and his record was 1-9.

He was demoted the following day, spending two months getting his affairs -- both with his arm and his head -- in order.

As a result, there is no one who understands better what Alvarez is going through than Morton.

"Through his struggles, he's not really letting on that anything bad is happening," Morton said of Alvarez.

"I think that's huge for recovering from a slump or what have you. What I did last year, it just piled on and piled on. I don't see him doing that.

"It's really good to see him [hit the home run] because he's a key piece in our lineup."

Colin Dunlap: cdunlap@post-gazette.com

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11139/1147690-63.stm

Terrible way to end the home stand. A split against the lowly Pirates would have put them 8 games over .500 heading into their toughest road trip of the season. At least they get Blanton in the Philly series.

1-5 so far against the Pirates???

The same team that could barely score a run in the midst of a 6 game losing streak put up 10 runs in two games and made it look rather easy. That's now 34 runs scored by the Pirates in 6 games Vs the Reds.

Reds are really making those Pirates pitchers look good.

At least its the last time they come to GABP for the season.

Without looking, did Dusty use one of the goofy B Squad rosters he likes to use on day games that are also get away days?

(05-19-2011 03:24 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  At least its the last time they come to GABP for the season.

Without looking, did Dusty use one of the goofy B Squad rosters he likes to use on day games that are also get away days?

Stubbs and Rolen both had the day off.

Right now one of the issues is continuing to bat automatic outs in front of Votto. I saw this on Lance's blog:

Quote:No punch
Reds SS
Edgar Renteria 2 for last 29
Paul Janish 1 for last 20
Combined: 3 for last 49

From emailer Jeff: Renteria has 13 starts batting 2nd...7 for 50....batting .140 with .160 slugging.

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/pages/lancesBlog...z1MpbuS8hC

Stubbs and Rolen sit. The 2 guys hitting the ball. Nice.

I'd love to see the Reds record on get away days heading into roadtrips. Seems we empty the bench and take an L all too frequently.

Always happy with a 5-2 homestand though.

Always happy with a 5-2 homestand though.

Gomes

June 12 of last year he hit 2 HR and had 6 RBI vs Royals.
At that point he was hitting .307-9-47...tied for NL lead in RBI.

Since that game....
130 games: 453 AB
.227 BA
16 HR
58 RBI
115 K
45 BB

This year:
.182 Overall
.141 Home
.150 May
.167 vs RHP (96 at-bats)
.286 vs LHP (21 at-bats)

Yikes

Driving in runs in always a product of opportunities...gotta have guys on base to drive them in. I looked up numbers on Jonny Gomes and Chris Heisey.

Jonny Gomes: 19 RBI in 147 plate appearances
Chris Heisey: 16 RBI in 68 plate appearances
Plate appearances with runners on base: Gomes 73, Heisey 29
# runners on base when batting: Gomes 108, Heisey 44
# runners in scoring position when batting: Gomes 62, Heisey 24
# runners on third base/driven in: Gomes 7 of 24, Heisey 7 of 7
(Baseball-Prospectus)

http://www.espn1530.com/pages/lancesBlog.html

Heisey starts

Since so many clamored for it, thought I’d headline it.

Reds lineup vs Pirates

Heisey 8
Renteria 6
Votto 3
Phillips 4
Bruce 9
Cairo 5
Lewis 7
Hernandez 2
Cueto 1

A lot of people (and you know who you are) are harping about the lack of playing time for Chris Heisey. Today’s lineup probably doesn’t totally satisfy you because Heisey isn’t in left field. But the manager wanted to give Drew Stubbs a break.

“I’m going to need Drew all the way through Milwaukee (end of May, early June),” manager Dusty Baker said. Unless something happens, he’s not going to get a day off. We’re in a stretch of 20-straight games and 33 in 34 days, and this is May. He’s a racehorse. You can’t run those horses in the ground. I have to preserve him and his legs.”

As for the Heisey question that’s been asked and answered time and again, by all parties involved, here are some long-form quotes from Baker about how he uses Heisey and what his big picture thoughts about him:

“Everybody was screaming for Nix to play before. They were screaming for Dickerson to play and then they screamed for Gomes, how come Gomes isn’t playing every day? Then they were screaming about sending Stubbs out of here and they were screaming about sending Bruce out of here.”

“Every good basketball team has a sixth man. John Havlicek was a sixth man before he was a regular. He still has some things to learn – to me – hitting wise before he’s an everyday play, but he will be. He knows it. I told him. Sometimes you have to be that sixth man before you can be a fifth man.”

“Coming off the bench is hard to do and so very important. Who would you rather have come off the bench every day and be the secret weapon, Heisey or Gomes at this point? I’m trying to be patient waiting on Jonny. I know how he can carry the club. He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself being his option year. If he’s not playing some, he’s not going to get it at all. He’s the only guy I’ve got here that knows how to DH when we get to the American League, which is not easy to do.”

“Show me a lineup around that doesn’t have somebody in there that’s not productive in the lineup. There ain’t one around. We can look for what we ain’t doing. In the meantime, how many have we won now? That ain’t too bad. We’re trying to get better. We will. We’re not clicking on all cylinders yet. We’re getting there.”

“If you’ve noticed, Heisey stands by me every day during the National Anthem. If things weren’t cool, would he stand by me every day?”

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/2011/05/19/heisey-start/

Bruce homers twice, but Reds lose
1:25 pm, May 19, 2011 by tgroeschen

Jay Bruce hit two solo homers but the Reds lost 5-3 to Pittsburgh today. The Pirates thus swept the tw0-game series and are 5-1 against the Reds this year.

Attendance was 26,018 at Great American Ball Park, and we even saw some sun.

Bruce put the Reds ahead 1-0 by homering to center field off of righty James McDonald (3-3), in the second inning. Bruce was back in the lineup, after being scratched Wednesday because of illness.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto (2-1) allowed an RBI single to Xavier Paul in the fifth, the first earned run Cueto allowed after 18.1 innings pitched this season. Pittsburgh made it 3-1 the same inning on a two-run double by Neil Walker.

This was Cueto’s third start since returning from the DL. Cueto was lifted after 5 IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 5K; 94 pitches, 58 strikes.

Ryan Doumit sent Pittsburgh ahead 4-1 with a solo homer in the sixth inning, off of Jordan Smith. Andrew McCutchen’s RBI double made it 5-1 in the eighth, an unearned run off of Nick Masset.

Joey Votto’s RBI single cut the Reds’ deficit to 5-2 in the home eighth.

Bruce’s second homer of the game, this one an opposite-field shot to left, brought the Reds within 5-3 to lead off the ninth inning. Joel Hanrahan served that one up for Pittsburgh, but retired the next three Reds to end it.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...s-reds-up/

(05-19-2011 06:12 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Stubbs and Rolen sit. The 2 guys hitting the ball. Nice.

I'd love to see the Reds record on get away days heading into roadtrips. Seems we empty the bench and take an L all too frequently.

Totally agree. Sit one starter, not two or three like he usually does. Drives me nuts.