Posts Tagged ‘Cincinnati Reds’
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Just when I think I’m out…June 19th, 2008
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The Cleveland Indians pull me back in.
Of course, then I head screaming for the hills after witnessing this game.
And then: somehow, some way, they pluck me from the mountain top and I’m right back where I started.
I’m not trying to be cliche, but where do I begin? Is it with the Tribe winning 5 of their last 7 (by an average of 2.5 runs per game, which is pretty amazing because that’s about the average offensive output per week of this team over the first few months of the season)? Or, is it with the losses of Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Fausto Carmona, Jake Westbrook, and Josh Barfield (i.e. a combined 30% of the team’s payroll) to injury? Read more
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Weekend Recap: not good.May 19th, 2008
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It wasn’t a good weekend to be a Cleveland fan.
The matchup Friday night was a first-place Indians team on an 8-2 tear, facing a last-place Cincinnati team that was just starting to show some signs of life after winning three straight and six of nine. The most telling part of that night: down one run in the top of the ninth, Cincinnati closer Francisco Cordero not only struck out the side, but got both Casey Blake and Jamie Carroll to strike out looking.
Now I know the offense is bad, but down one run - I repeat, one run - they were too afraid to swing? Were they scared they might actually put the ball in play? I’m pretty sure, and someone should probably look this up, but if you don’t swing, your chance of getting a hit is 0, right? Besides, isn’t there some sort of rule that you should never get called out on a third strike in the ninth inning? Then again, at least the Cavs won that night, so it wasn’t all bad.
Saturday was all bad. After Fausto Carmona pitched another brilliant outing for the Indians, this time allowing one run on four hits with no walks, Masa Kobayashi came in and allowed a three-run walkoff homer to Adam Dunn. And, to top it off, Dunn tried to sac bunt earlier in the at bat.
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Julio Lugo: Another Sunk Cost At Short?May 14th, 2008
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Ever since the eleventh-hour deadline deal that shipped Nomar Garciaparra off to the Cubbies as part of a three-way trade machination and, along with it, sent a Red Sox fandom into knee-jerk hysteria—then eventual baseball ecstasy three months later—general manager Theo Epstein has aggressively engaged in a seasonal pursuit for Boston’s next long-term shortstop.
But for the past four winters—each filled and followed by one fruitless search after another—Epstein’s hunt has seemingly mirrored the life and times of Elmer Fudd. Far too elusive to nab, that wascawly shortstop has evaded the grasp of the Sox GM at every turn—only self-inflicted gunshot wounds in the form of failed signings left in all the aftermath.
So, to say the shortstop position under the Epstein-era has seen more ups, downs and (public relations) spin than a merry-go-round wouldn’t be much of an understatement. In fact, by now, some Red Sox supporters might prefer a daintily handcrafted carousel horse to the club’s incumbent shortstop, one Julio Lugo.
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Your perception and your baseball teamMay 14th, 2008
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My girlfriend Kate is from Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula is close to, well, nothing, but it’s geographical location is in the extreme northeast corner of the Buckeye state and is closer to the Pennsylvania state line than any major city in Ohio. I spent last weekend on the lake celebrating her college graduation with her family and friends; on my drive home Monday morning I considered how this fact tied into my own outlook on life and the manner in which I experience the game of baseball, and the my beloved Redlegs.
Lemme explain…
It is my estimation the majority of Ashtabulans tend to gravitate towards Cleveland sports teams in terms of the professional teams they cheer for. (Pittsburgh is just down the road a bit, so I’d imagine there’s probably some Steelers/Pirates sprinkled in as well.) My reason for believing this is two-fold: 1) Kate’s father is a big Indians fan and 2) there are numerous Tribe billboards spotting Interstate-90, which runs east and west through Ashtabula.
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Streaking player probably won’t play; winner of none, loser of three will!May 12th, 2008
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Raise your hand and speak up if you have no clue in the world what is happening with DC’s baseball team.
But, please: not everyone at once.
The Washington Nationals is the same team that earlier this season owned MLB’s worst record and had lost 15 of 17 games then turned it around to play .750 ball by winning nine of 12 games to climb to within striking distance of the team ahead of them in the NL East, the Atlanta Braves.
That surge also prompted the Nats to rise above five other MLB teams, pull into a tie with a sixth and – more importantly – demonstrate the team can play ball, win games and continue soaring upward.
Or so we thought.
Through Monday morning, as they approach this season’s quarter mark, the Nats are tied with the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies for third-worst in MLB, ahead of the penultimate Seattle Mariners and the last-place San Diego Padres.
What more to expect from a team that markets itself on its own Web site with the following sub-headline to its top story: ‘Aaron Boone has been on a tear for the Nationals, but will likely not start as Odalis Perez throws against the Mets at 7:10 p.m. ET tonight.’
The Nationals are reduced to pitching the exploits of a back-up third baseman.
One who might not even find his way into the game.
Naming him alongside the name of the pitcher whose record is 0-3.
Is the message from the Nats: Viewers should watch the game not to watch the streaking infielder but to watch the pitcher who has won no games but lost three in the eight he has started?
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What have you Dunn for me lately? (Pt. 2)May 7th, 2008
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I’m sorry, Reds fans but you’ll have to excuse my week’s hiatus from the column. It’s not that I didn’t want to post, it’s just that I couldn’t find anything positive to say about a team that routinely goes a week between victories.
In any event, I’ve decided to run a follow-up post to my column last week about Adam Dunn.
With the team seven games under .500 and eight games out of first place, the blame game is in full swing throughout the Queen City and Adam Dunn appears to be Public Enemy Number One.
Everyone from Average Joe to broadcaster Jeff Brantley has called out Dunn at some point in the last two weeks, questioning everything from his desire to his defense and back again.
It is my opinion these claims are a bit misguided.
Ball players don’t reach the Major Leagues without an untameable desire to succeed and get the absolute most out of their abilities. Thus, I believe Adam Dunn is playing as well as he possibly can; furthermore, I believe that he wants to win as badly as anyone else on the team.
I just think the dude is on the wrong team.
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The same ‘ol RedlegsApril 25th, 2008
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Ugh, I now know what my girlfriend felt like the first time we engaged in sexual intercourse.
Terribly disapointed.
A 72-90 record last season rendered me completely and utterly frustrated. After a quazi-pennant run in ‘06, the expectations for my beloved Redlegs entering last season were absolutely dizzying. So, when last season mercifully ended I began to set my sights on this year’s ballclub and our prospects of winning a pennant. Key acquisitions like Francisco Cordero and Edinson Volquez coupled with the drastic improvement of guys like Johnny Cueto and Joey Votto left me chalking last season up to a fluke, and printing my World Series tickets.
But, here we go again…
An underachieving offense, an inconsistent starting rotation and a defense that has a knack for making a back-breaking, soul-crushing error at the worst possible time has left me more frustrated than ever. Watching this team play a nine inning baseball game is like jamming your finger into a car door…twice. That’s all you need to know.