Reds Notes: Dunn jokes about hitting a sac. fly

[CincyRedsFan30]

Busy Graves takes a needed rest

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | The time that Cincinnati Reds closer Danny Graves works is something like The Gravesyard Shift.

Scary, very scary. Fans are howling for his head, for his scalp, for his trade, for his resignation.

His sin? He makes it exciting. Check the numbers. In seven appearances, he has five saves in five chances. And he has a win.

So what if his fingernail-scraping escapes have put more gray hair on manager Dave Miley's head than old age ever could.

"I help concession sales, keep people in the park," Graves said.

And he keeps them reaching for the Advil bottle.

Graves saved three straight games, but all three times, he was hanging from the window ledge with one hand while holding a bag of cement in the other. Graves was given Monday night off.

He made all three appearances under the influence of the flu that is ravaging the players, media and front office.

"I'm going to sit, watch and enjoy the game like a fan, only I won't yell nasty names at the players or throw things at them. I'm available to pinch hit," said Graves, owner of two career home runs.

On Tuesday, Graves served as advisor to Ryan Wagner, the night's designated closer. On Monday, Wagner was not available because of previous work. Said Graves, "He didn't understand, wondered why. I told him it is early, and you don't want to waste all your bullets in April. It's way too early to go out there day after day after day and risk injury."

When advised he was the closer Tuesday, Wagner said, "Awesome." With Graves in the last year of a contract that pays him $6.2 million this season, Wagner most likely is the closer-in-training.

Wagner, 22, is learning daily and laughed when he was asked about wondering why he wasn't used Monday.

"Danny explained it to me," he said. "I just want to go out there and throw and throw and throw. Graves and David Weathers keep talking to me about the importance of throwing strikes."

Wagner has been the bullpen's No. 1 operative — 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in seven games — scoreless in six of his seven appearances.

"I've learned you can't take a single major-league hitter for granted," he said. "You can't throw one pitch down the middle. It has been my plan to focus on every pitch, every time."

Kearns to return

Outfielder Austin Kearns was on the bench again Tuesday as Wily Mo Pena made his fourth straight start. When Pittsburgh lefty Oliver Perez pitches tonight, Kearns will be back in the lineup, but Pena won't be out.

Most likely, Kearns will be in right field, Pena in center field and Ken Griffey Jr. gets a day off.

"Guess I better get some hits," said Kearns, hitting .206 with a homer and five RBIs to Pena's .346 with three homers and seven RBIs. "It's pretty much, 'What have you done for me lately.' "

Lottery picks

Several Reds had a rooting interest in Tuesday's $168 million Mega Millions lottery. They put a pool together, and Adam Dunn patted a locked shelf in his locker and said, "A thousand tickets."

And if he won?

"If it's the 14th inning, tie game, bases loaded, no outs and I'm ready to hit but get a phone call telling me, 'You won,' I say, 'See ya, I'm finished.' But I might go up there to get my sacrifice fly."

Austin Kearns said Dunn had a better chance at the lottery than the sac fly. Dunn hasn't had a chance yet this year, and his last one was in July 2003.

"If you hit a sacrifice fly, that bat should go to the Reds Hall of Fame," said Kearns.

[redsrbetter]

Great article.

Lots of knowledge in this one. Like Wags will be the closer in the future and Graveshift knows it. Pena and Kearns will start tonight, and Kearns will have to be very focused on getting some hits, and he knows it. And Dunn will never hit the Lottery, but will soon get a sac fly. And everyone here knows it.

[missionhockey21]

I really hope Kearns can start hitting. He just needs to get a little more patient at the plate, wait til he can get a pitch he can handle. His last few games he seemed to be pressing a lot.

[NFLman2033]

as much as i am the WMP over Kearns guy around here.. Kearns is really getting the shaft right now, he finally comes back after 3 games off, only to face Oliver Perez.. so it will make it hard on him... Right now Kearns stock is at an alltime low(while healthy) and Pena is an alltime high(all time to this point) so really the most logical move(even though it won't happen) would be to trade Pena off... so I would like to see Kearns start hitting and push his stock up, that way he could be moved to keep Pena(even though i still dont' see a move coming)