Random Reds Rumblings

[Doppelgänger]

I feel ya mission, I've been glued to my MIS book the past few days and will be stuck on calc and econ all next week. I'm leaning toward the basic reds hat for all those concerned as I don't have one and I already have a black Miami hat. CRF, that would be awesome. Let me know what section you are in when you know for sure and I'll try to stop by maybe the 5th or 6th inning? I'd let you know where I'm sitting but I have no idea.

[redsrbetter]

I won't be able to watch the game live tonight fellas. I will be leaving straight from work (in Cheyenne) and going to Denver to see my baby.

Feel free to do a game thread though guys, I look forward to reading your thoughts....

Go Reds!

Also, this new S3F article should give you guys something to do before the game. I can't wait to read it. Check it out...

Link

[redsrbetter]

Alright guys, again I apologize for my lack of time the last few days. But things will pick up for me real soon. Its been pretty hectic to say the least here lately. Anyhow, Kaydence should able to go home much sooner than expected. She has been on the fast track and things are running real smoothly at the hospital.

FYI, she is 4 lbs. 8 ounces now (born at 1 lb. 15 ounces). She has been eating really well and now we are just making sure she can maintain her breathing and heart rate levels. She will have to go home on oxygen, but it won't be with her for long. Its just a precaution because Cheyenne is a higher elevation than Denver.

Anyhow, thank you all for your prayers and hopefully I will only be away for the next few days.

[redsrbetter]

Sorry for my lack of gamethreads guys. Right now would be a prime time for them too with all the chaos going on and lots to talk about during the game. But I have gone back to work and I work from 10 AM until 10 PM. And on government computers, I have no access to watch or listen to the game. I can't even get gameday to work on mlb.com.

So, I will only be available on my days off. But feel free to do game threads without me. We have to try and get back to where we were. We could be the only site that does Reds gamethreads for a while, so right now is essential if we could at all get them going again.

I am at work tonight as well, but I could join in a gamethread if anyone wants to do one.

[CincyRedsFan30]

On another note, was traveling around to Kroger and a few other places earlier yesterday (Saturday), and a bank was having a grand opening, complete with free hot dogs, cookies, chips, drinks, etc. Former Red and 1990 World Series winner Ron Oester was there. He signed and autograph for me and a couple others I know.

He also agreed that Jocketty is good and called Dusty a "great manager," who will help get the team back very soon.

Just FYI.

[redsrbetter]

Patterson is leading off again tonight. Oh and Dunn's OBP is being wasted in the 7th spot in the order. Unless Bako hits a HR, or Dunn knocks one out himself, he will not score at all. What with the pitcher and Patterson batting 9 and 1. Garbage.

I refuse to watch this one. Win or lose, I don't care. Baker gave us a lower percentage of winning with this sad lineup. Harang is probably going to elect for Free Agency when his contract is expires if this keeps up. Expect an UNDER game for sure tonight. The line is at 9!!! Haha, Vegas chocked on this one.

[redsfan28]

No, Harang is going to request a trade before his deal runs out. At this rate, I might be inclined to give him one. He's going to end up with a 3-18 record, but with an ERA of 3.50.

Patterson has no business anywhere on this team, period! In fact, if you bat out of order, you should be banished from the league forever. That goes for David Ross too.

Why is Keppenger not hitting leadoff? All the guy does is get on base.

[CincyRedsFan30]

If Patterson finishes the season with an OPS closer to .750 (currently at .706) and plays the stellar defense he usually does in CF, I have no problem with him starting his share of games. And I think he will hit more than he has, and tonight might have been the beginning of that.

[missionhockey21]

Even if Patterson steps his game up a bit, he is still a negative contributor from the leadoff spot and someone who is hurting the bats behind him. I think the issues people have with him would be severely decreased if he was batting 8th and not leadoff, Dusty is unlikely to change his approach as long as he works Patterson into the lineup. I wouldn't be surprised if Dusty told him about the Bruce possibility and that lit a fire, however with Keppinger's superior contact and the fact that he grounds into his fair share of double plays... hopefully Dusty will see the light.

As long as he bats low in the order, I am fine with him sharing time with Freel (who as we all know seems to play better in short stints anyway.)

[CincyRedsFan30]

Yeah, I'd prefer he'd bat lower in the lineup, but I'm really not going to complain if he gets that OPS near .750 and plays EXTREMELY underrated defense. The team's defense (particularly in the outfield) is so pathetic it's not even funny.

All the Dusty bashing really is amusing though, and I will be interested in seeing everyone's comments when he and Jocketty get some clutch performers on the team like Jocketty did in St. Louis and him in SF and CHI.

Maybe Bruce can provide enough now to replace Patterson, but we'll see what Jocketty thinks. So far he has not made Dusty take him out of the leadoff slot. And I trust in Jocketty, who brought in unhearlded players like Ludwick, Duncan, Molina, etc. And I will again refer to Wellemeyer, Pineiro, Looper, etc.

[missionhockey21]

Yeah, I'd prefer he'd bat lower in the lineup, but I'm really not going to complain if he gets that OPS near .750 and plays EXTREMELY underrated defense. The team's defense (particularly in the outfield) is so pathetic it's not even funny.

All the Dusty bashing really is amusing though, and I will be interested in seeing everyone's comments when he and Jocketty get some clutch performers on the team like Jocketty did in St. Louis and him in SF and CHI.

Maybe Bruce can provide enough now to replace Patterson, but we'll see what Jocketty thinks. So far he has not made Dusty take him out of the leadoff slot. And I trust in Jocketty, who brought in unhearlded players like Ludwick, Duncan, Molina, etc. And I will again refer to Wellemyer, Piniero, Looper, etc.

Bashing? Nice try, it was a valid criticism. Which I think anyone is entitled to have without it being considered an attack when it's backed by both results you can observe and results that have been recoreded.

Patterson's defense is just as good batting 7th, 8th or even 9th (Jocketty and buddy LaRussa would maybe even had tried that if this was St. Louis.) I am not bashing Baker, I like Baker for the most part, but a .270 leadoff OBP is doing this team's offense about as much good as the outfield defense. I even said I am fine with him and Freel sharing time.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I wasn't referring specifically to you about the bashing. I was talking more in general. And alas, another Dusty attack followed in another thread after I had finished responding in this one. The complete over-analysis about him some (not saying you) produce is laughable at best and mind-numbingly ludicrous at worst.

[redsrbetter]

I have bashed Dusty just recently for the first time. I don't wan't him fired at all. We have gone through far too many managers. I just think this team has to refocus itself and it starts with the managers and veterans of the team. We have yet another new era in management here, yet nobody has been able to figure out how to win here.

Perhaps Patterson is just in a really bad lifelong slump that has lasted his entire career. As far as defense goes, couldn't Freel cover nearly as much ground as Patterson?

[CincyRedsFan30]

I really like what I've heard of Jim Kelch on the radio. Good radio voice, gets enthused and vice versa at the right times and calls a good game. I definitely approve.

By the way, I will likely be at Friday night's game, so everyone can expect a scouting report of Cueto afterward.

And another Bronson/Welsh JTM commercial. Even easier to laugh at when Bronson starts getting his act together, isn't it?

[CincyRedsFan30]

Well, I've been at the last couple games. A couple thoughts/observations/stories, etc:

Friday -

* Saw Bob Castellini in the elevator as we went to our seats. He was heading down in the elevator from the press box exit, and was going to make us go back down before going up. When someone complained, however, he decided to let the fans go up first and shook the hand of the guy who complained.

* Cueto looked good for the most part. Still seemed to get away from his fastball a bit too much, being it's his most refined pitch at this point, but was good overall. The HR are a bit of a concern, but he seemed to keep his poise well.

* Cordero was filthy. Pitches moving all over the place and just gave that "we have a real closer now" vibe out there.

Saturday -

* Team had some very poor AB against Carmona for much of the game. Swinging at pitches against someone who gives up walks that were on the ground, and pounding the ball into the ground over and over. I kept complaining outloud, but the players didn't seem to listen.

* Announced out loud that Weathers better be careful on the 3-1 pitch before the HR, and sure enough... I'm not sure he's toast entirely, but he seems to be elevating pitches more now than he had recently.

* Corey Patterson made some absolutely high-quality catches today. Great range, great routes, etc. etc. I mentioned outloud after that first catch that NO ONE else on the roster would have made that catch, and in many cases, wouldn't have come close.

* On the other hand, Hairston Jr. looked very slow at SS. Very slow. Good thing he's hitting.

* Votto seemed to lose concentration on defense Friday, but on Saturday, he looked back on track. Good to see it didn't appear to affect him beyond the game.

* Dunn's catch in the stands was very good. And he had the sense to return the throw to 1B. Crowd gave him a nice hand there.

* On the other hand, a few idiots complained about Dunn after that one strikeout late.

* Griffey looked absolutely lost in every facet today. His follow through led his entire body to be angled toward the Reds' dugout after many swings, and in most of the others, he simply seemed to be flailing at anything to get a hit. Very concerning.

* I was getting pretty PO'd about the offense against Carmona, but when right before the 9th started, I again announced that the ONE good piece of news was the hitters coming up in the inning I felt gave us our best chance. And after Votto's hit, I grew more confident. Held my breath when Edwin got hit, but when he got on, I felt confident in Dunn. I even pointed toward RF before the AB, and kinda mocked the "non-clutch/K's too much" crowd.

And then, sure enough. WOW, WHAT A FINISH!!! I started jumping up and down as soon as the ball left his bat. Lots of thrill in the crowd.

Let's keep it going.