Game Thoughts: Reds beat the Rockies 7-1

by JD Arney on May 5, 2006 3:01 AM EDT in News

You can count on this Reds offense. They might disappear for a day or two, but they'll always come back.

It's getting to the point where you can count on this Reds pitching as well. There's not a part of this club that overly worries me right now. The difference between my view of this team right now and my view of it six months ago is just incredible. I never would have thought the Reds could have come this far so quickly.

Aaron Harang is an ace. He leads the NL in strikeouts after tonight, did you realize that? I didn't. The last Reds pitcher to lead the NL in strikeouts at any point in the season just about has to be Jose Rijo. It's been awhile.

How about Scott Hatteberg? I know he's not going to hit .300 all year, but his OBP has been pretty nice. It's been pretty well north of .400 all year. I liked the decision to pick him up, and he's made me look good, so far at least.

I'm hopeful that we're entering a Jason LaRue hot streak, because those are always fun. He damn near carries the team for a week or two a year, while being pretty quiet for the other five and a half months. Not a bad player to have, but he's definitely streaky.

Rick White's ERA is all the way down to 4.05. This bullpen might not be as bad as I had feared. I don't want to speak too soon, but it's been lights out lately, and it deserves every bit as much credit as the starting rotation. Maybe this is what a bullpen looks like when it doesn't have to pitch innings 6-9 night after night.

I love the way Chris Denorfia plays baseball. If he ever gets an every day opportunity in Cincinnati, I expect him to become a fan favorite. The socks are great.

I really love this team. Onward to Arizona.

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Pitch counts

Hi, i've been lurking here awhile and enjoy the commentary. Like the rest of you, i'm thrilled at the Reds early success.

Am I the only one who worries that Harang, Arroyo and to a leeser extent Elizardo are being allowed to throw too many pitches this early in the year? We talk about how long it's been since the Reds had strong pitching, but if you look at the careers of people like Rijo, Soto, you see ridiculously high innings pitched for a few years then their arms fall off.

I'm not one who thinks they should be strictly limiting pitch counts, but letting Harang throw 121 when we were up by 7 runs seems unnecessarily risky.

by zeroboys on May 5, 2006 10:14 AM EDT reply actions

Doesn't bother me

The flip side of the coin is that the Reds have relied on the bullen far too much in the last six years that they are jello by August of each season. The important thing is whether the starters are laboring at all. I think Narron has been good about taking them out when they start showing any signs of laboring. As long as they are going free and easy without putting runners on base or throwing too many pitches in one inning, then they can go 120-130 without showing the mileage later. Like highway miles (although now reports are saying stop-n-go traffic doesn't put as much wear and tear on your car as they once thought . . .).

by Brian B on May 5, 2006 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Pitch counts

I'm not worried. Mechanics are much more important than pitch counts and Harang and Arroyo have natural releases. Plus, we'll only have Arroyo for 3 years, no doubt he'll bolt back to the East Coast after that.

Melonhead

by Melonhead on May 5, 2006 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

Save The Bullpen

I think the reason the bullpen has been so good as of late is that we haven't needed them. It's really to the point that we might be able to afford to drop someone from it. When your starters are going 7+ innings, the bullpen will not be over worked, you can get your three or four good pitchers in there and not let those who are a little shakey get to the mound.

I total agree with Arroyo and Harang having fluid pitching motions. I was watching Arroyo warm up the other night and his arm motion is so smooth. I am pretty excited about this staff and my wife is coming back around, picking Arroyo has her potential new favorite in the absense of Casey... (women...) :)

by snohio on May 5, 2006 1:37 PM EDT reply actions

Just noticed something

Tonight's game marks the 4th straight series, and 5th of the year, that the Reds have played a division leader.

4/11 - Cubs were 4-1 and percentage points ahead in the Central. Reds took 2 of 3 at Wrigley.

4/28 - Astros were 15-6, 0.5 games up on the Reds. Reds took 2 of 3 at GABP

5/1 - Cardinals were 17-8 and tied with the Reds for first. Reds swept the two game series at GABP.

5/3 - Rockies were 15-12 with a 1-game lead in the West. Reds split the two game series at Coors.

5/5 - Diamondbacks are 16-13 and tied for first in the West. They are on a 5-game win streak and their best pitcher is on the mound tonight. Look for a good game tonight if The Lizard brings his game with him.

by Slyde on May 5, 2006 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

Thus far...

I agree with you on Hatteberg. He was pretty underrated when he got picked up, and a lot of us (myself included) were not enthusiastic about it, since we couldn't see the Wily Mo for Arroyo trade coming, but he was a Billy Beane type player (decent OBP) with gap-type power with the A's.

He has actually done a decent impersonation of Sean Casey (last year's version)thus far, however, at about $7 million less in salary.

This is definitely in the category of "moves that Krivsky has made that have panned out thus far."

Don't mind me...just pitching to contact, that's all...

by Paul Householder on May 5, 2006 2:34 PM EDT reply actions

Hatteberg

I liked the pickup of Hatteberg, too, from the start but let's remember that it was Dan O who got the Pirates to take Casey and give us, in effect, 7 million. Without that deal we don't have Hatteberg and I doubt we have Arroyo, as it became easier not to get ripped off in a Wily Mo trade after Casey was gone and other GM's realized we no longer had to trade one of the 5 competing for four spots. Dan O's trading Casey moved us from being in a weak position to a strong one in trading Wily Mo.

by HokieRed on May 5, 2006 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

DanO

You're getting dangerously close to giving DanO credit for something. Remember, he got the Pirates to give us a lot of cash and Dave Williams. We'll be paying for that in other ways as long as Dave is still tossing floaters at GABP for the Reds.

by Brian B on May 5, 2006 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions