Archive for 2006

By Thaq Diesel 

As I found myself cringing during the five-game losing streak, trying not to panic, I kept telling myself that all teams have losing streaks during a season.  I was making that face as the Pirates won the first three games of the series.  It’s the face people make when they have just witnessed a very nasty slam dunk or when someone has passed gas around them.  Bronson Arroyo was saying what we were all thinking when he questioned how the Reds could lose to a team like Pittsburgh.  Now, a sweep of the Tigers and all is good again.

•  Despite the losing streak, the Reds have the third best record in the National League behind the Cardinals and percentage points behind the Mets. 
• I sure hope today’s offensive outburst of 16 hits gets the Reds right again behind the plate.  Detroit will certainly be a good litmus test since their pitching and league-leading 3.13 ERA have definitely been part of their great start.

• I mentioned to my wife that the Reds had been losing to the Pirates and she asked the question she always asks when I bring up Pittsburgh:  “Is that guy with the huge ass still playing first base for them?”  The genesis of this was when we took a tour of East Coast baseball stadiums in the summer of 2001 and saw the Pirates in Pittsburgh and in Montreal, both times with seats on the first base line.  The wife, who looks at different things than I do at ballgames, apparently was checking out first baseman Kevin Young’s ass the whole time. 

The back end of this losing streak was like a 2005 flashback.  The pitching staff gave up runs, and even in today’s win, the Reds’ pitchers gave up eight.  Remember what a Typical Reds Win (TRW) is right?  Looks like the Reds we all know and love might be back.

That doesn’t mean we have a reason to be dicouraged.  Yes, the pitchers will give up some runs, but all we can hope is that hitters keep on hitting like they did today. 

Eric Milton is set to come back from his knee injury and he’ll be replacing Dave Williams, who was shelled today, in the rotation.  Milton wasn’t throwing that bad when he went on the DL, so maybe he’ll be the lift that we need.

Future Hall of Famer Adam Dunn has hit a little bit of a slump.  His batting average is now down to .220, and it’s been over a week since he’s hit a homerun.  Hopefully he’ll be able to snap out of it when we face the team with the best record in the major leagues this weekend, the Detroit Tigers.

THE DETROIT TIGERS!!!!!!!!?????????

Good lord, and the Cubs will beat the Tigers in the World Series and the world will end.  Either that or we’ll all start driving a horse and buggy to work because that hasn’t happened since 1908.

Speaking of the world ending, Jacci, lost her dolly and I’m one of the accused despite the fact that I live way up here in the Detroit area.  One nice thing about working for yourself is you can pick and choose the days you work, and for Sunday night and Monday morning I have the perfect alibi.  You all know how much I love sci fi and I was busy enjoying the latest Star Ward book.  I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my rainy days off.

May 18, 1976 at Dodger Stadium 

Dodgers 6, Reds 0  (20-13)

The Reds finally ran out of gas on the west coast and they managed only three hits against Dodger starter Rick Rhoden.  It also didn’t help that the pitching staff got knocked around.

Jack Billingham dropped to 4-3 and gave up four runs on five hits and four walks in three innings of work.  Pedro Borbon gave up a single run on five hits in two innings.

May 17, 1976 at Dodger Stadium 

Reds 5, Dodgers 3  (20-12)

Even a west coast road trip couldn’t slow down the Reds as they topped the Dodgers despite getting outhit almost two to one.  The Reds scored five runs on six hits, while the Dodgers only scored three runs on eleven hits.

Ken Griffey went two for four with three RBis and triple.  Dave Concepcion went two for four with a run and an RBI.

Pat Zachry imporved to 2-0 on the season.  He gave up three runs (one earned) on eight hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings.  Rawly Eastwick held the Dodgers scoreless in the final two frames and picked up his fourth save of the season.

May 16, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium 

Mets 7, Reds 1  (18-12)

Gary Nolan was knocked around by the Mets in the first game of a Sunday double header.  Nolan dropped to 3-2 and gave up five runs on nine hits in only four innings of work.  Pedro Borbon was also hit hard and gave up two runs while only getting a single out.

Pete Rose hit his third homerun of the season.  Tony Perez drove in two runs and stole a base and Bob Bailey doubled twice.

May 16, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium 

Reds 8, Mets 1  (19-12)

The Reds bounced back in the second game of their doubleheader with the Mets and put eight runs on the board.  Dave Concepcion went three for four with a double and four RBIs while Cesar Geronimo tripled and drove in three runs.

Don Gullett gave up a single on four hits and three walks in five innings of work.  He improved to 3-2 on the season.  Pat Darcy held the Mets to a single hit in the final four frames as he earned his second save of the season.

May 15, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium 

Reds 2, Mets 0  (18-11)

The Reds continued their hot streak as they topped the Mets behind rookie Santo Alcala’s four hit shutout.  Alcala improved to 2-0 and struck out nine in an impressive start.

The Reds scored both of their runs in the seasond inning.  Dave Concepcion went two for three with a triple and an RBI while Ken Griffey singled twice.

By Thaq Diesel 

So the Reds were swept, running into the buzzsaw that is the blazing hot Phillies.  What bothers me, however, is the way Cincinnati lost.

1. Defense.  The Reds committed an error each day.  Quinton McCracken’s drop of a routine fly ball Saturday night was the most aggravating; I hope he apologized to Dave Williams.  What’s worse is the passed balls in critical situations (Friday and  Saturday) that made comebacks almost impossible. (Despite losing by four runs Friday the Reds were actually threatening when trailing by six runs down in the 9th, but the passed ball kept the tying run from coming to the plate.  Arggggh!) 
2. The Reds wasted three outstanding pitching performances over the weekend (granted the Phillies had great pitching too, but you hate to waste quality starts like that.)  Poor Elizardo Ramirez – the guy can’t get a break.  Three earned runs over seven innings should get you a win.  I won’t even begin to describe how wasteful it is for the Reds to squander the great outings by Claussen and Dave Williams (and make Jon Lieber look like Greg Maddux at the same time.)  
3. Cincinnati has gone cold at the plate.  Their run production has fallen off woefully in the past 11 games, averaging 3.6 runs per game and only scoring one run or less 6 times out of those games.

The defense though is the most painful and tough thing to overcome.  It would appear that the achilles heel of the Reds is indeed their error-prone ways.  Can you teach defense?  Is this just a phase or will the Reds be doomed?

What scene does this describe?  “Jason LaRue stepped up to the plate, his pink bat gripped tightly with both hands.  He waved it in front of the catcher’s face, tapped the plate with it (!), then stared at the man on the mound, waiting to see who would make the next move.”  [Description of "Pink Bat for Breast Cancer Awareness Day," or opening scene to "Brokeback Ballpark"]

May 14, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium 

Reds 5, Mets 1  (17-11)

The Reds won for the fifth time in six games despite only getting four hits.  The Reds also benefited from the Mets hitting into four doubleplays.

Johnny Bench’s two run shot in the sixth inning was the difference maker.  He also drove in a third run with a sac. fly.  Tony Perez scored twice and Joe Morgan stole his thirteenth base of the season.

Jack Billingham was impressive as he improved to 4-2 on the season.  He gave up a single run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in nine innings of work.

May 12, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium 

Pirates 6, Reds 3  (16-11)

The Reds four game winning streak came to an end as Don Gullett was hit hard by the Pirates.  He gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings of work and he dropped to 2-2 on the season.

Dave Concepcion and Bill Plummer both hit solo homeruns.  Eight different Reds accounted for the eight different hits as Pirates starter Jim Rooker held the lineup in check.

By Thaq Diesel 

Welcome back Junior!  With one patented lazy swing depositing the ball in right center field, Griffey capped an amazing comeback win.  I said it once, I’ll say it again – this team finds a different hero every night.  What an exciting year it has been.  I still don’t believe it’s happening.  I also don’t have that indignant feeling fans get when their team was picked to be last and instead is doing well.  I agreed with the pundits before the year started – on paper, this team didn’t seem to have a shot.  Instead, it’s plucky and fiesty.  It reminds me a bit of the Cleveland Indians from last year. 

• The Reds seem to like to binge on certain stats.  Last week it was errors.  This week it has been stolen bases.  The Reds stole 11 bases against the Nationals, Felipe Lopez with five of those.  They stole zero bases on Tuesday, followed by six steals on Wednesday.  Five tonight.  I mean, that’s insane.  
• Another great start by Arroyo tonight.  No win, but we’ll take those kinds of starts every time. 
• Farewell to thee, Tony Womack.  We hardly knew ye.
• Another series win for the Reds who are in first place for 14 days straight.
• Cincinnati finishes out the month against Philly (decent team), Pittsburgh (last place in the Central, should win that series), Detroit (decent team), Milwaukee (sub .500, should win that series), Arizona (decent team), and the Cubs (bad team, getting worse, ready for the gas pipe).  I have to think they’ll be in first or just a couple games back by June. 
• I heard Colin Cowherd (he’s my favorite sports radio personality now – he’s always saying intelligent things) say on ESPN radio today that you need two good starters, a closer and clutch hitting to make it to the World Series.  Hmm, I wonder what team that describes thus far this season…

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