Game thoughts: Reds lose to the Dodgers 3-0

by JD Arney on Aug 4, 2006 7:01 AM EDT in News

I feel fortunate in that I missed most of yesterday's game. I worked for something like 20 hours until noon yesterday, and then slept until the 8th inning or so (waking up briefly to start a game thread, but since one had already been started I just promoted it from the diaries - feel free to do that if I'm not around at start time!). And really I'm glad I missed the game, because I felt frustrated enough reading through the game thread.

Quick thoughts:

The offense is just sickening, but at least Narron showed that he understands that Aurilia can play positions other than third last night. On other boards and sites I've seen people argue that moving Brandon Phillips is silly talk, because why mess with what's working? Well, it's not. Phillips at second with Clayton and Aurilia in the left side of the infield isn't working at all. Jerry Narron has proved pretty conclusively that he's not a terribly creative guy, so I don't have much hope that this'll change, but it really needs to.
Good for Eric Milton. Seven strong innings, no walks, just one home run allowed ... great outing from him. He did more than enough for the Reds to win.
Greg Maddux is an incredibly average pitcher now, and it's really quite pathetic that the Reds only managed a couple of hits off the guy. But then again it doesn't really help to have hitters in the 7 and 8 holes with OBPs of .281 and .315 respectively. That's three nearly automatic outs every time through the lineup (when you add the pitcher), all bunched together. Include Junior's OBP of .291 and you've got a bad situation on your hands. We're going to see the Reds score three runs or less quite a few times going forward, and we're now watching a team that is going to be terrible at playing from behind.
Now the Braves come to town, and I'm sure we all remember how the series with them went right before the All-Star break. It's really tough not to be pessimistic at this point.

I really wanted to let the little guy out too.

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Comments

This is bad.

I can see this now as being the point where they lose steam and fall. I really hoppe not since it's been a great year. I wish Krivsky would've picked up a hitter before the deadline besides Clayton. Maybe we should start rooting for St. Louis since the Reds only win when the Cardinals are winning...

O & A PARTY ROCK!!!

by Fadetoblack2880 on Aug 4, 2006 7:35 AM EDT reply actions

One other thing...

ignore the typos up there. It's early.

O & A PARTY ROCK!!!

by Fadetoblack2880 on Aug 4, 2006 7:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually

We got 0, a big fat zero, hits against Mad Dog. We coulda been no hit had it not been for the rain.

by buckeye22fox on Aug 4, 2006 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

Yep

You're right, my mistake. Comes from only seeing the last couple of innings on my end.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. --Oscar Wilde

by JD Arney on Aug 4, 2006 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Just want to reiterate something...

If we traded away Lopez, Kearns, Ward, etc. for this season, to win in 2006, then we sure as hell better win in 2006. The team we have now cannot score runs, or at least, runs in bunches. Anything seemed possible before, even if we were down six runs with a couple of innings to go; now, we're the Astros - down two or three and dead.
I hate this, you all hate this. I'm calling for a players-only closed-door meeting, but me asking for one doesn't mean it'll happen. To have that happen would require someone to stand up and assume a vocal leadership role, something that this team has been sorely lacking since Barry left town.
Something has got to happen today. Right now ...or else I'm going to have to start looking forward to Buckeye football while the Reds limp towards the end of the season.

by Ash on Aug 4, 2006 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

Go Bucks!

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

by Paul Householder on Aug 4, 2006 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Now we're talking.

As I'm typing this there are 29 days 4 hours 59 minutes and 14 seconds until 3:30 Septmeber 2nd EST Buckeyes-NIU.

by DisplacedFan on Aug 4, 2006 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

OSU/Texas!

1 vs. 2 baby! How the heck is Texas #2, by the way...

by greg456 on Aug 4, 2006 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

same way OSU

is #1. Over rated

"Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You'll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes." - Crash Davis

by Caleb on Aug 4, 2006 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't like this either

But the Reds had offensive funks earlier in the season also, e.g., in May, if I'm remembering correctly, when it was cold and rainy and Kearns and Lopez were still here.

by pw on Aug 4, 2006 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Compared to 2002

The Reds now have a worse record than the 2002 team had after 108 games.

Year W L RS RA ExW ExL
2006 55 53 528 552 52 56
2002 56 52 484 485 54 54

That 2002 team was 4.0 games back of the Cardinals on August 2nd (after their 108th game), but they were third in the Wild Card race, trailing the Dodgers by 3.5 games and the Giants by 2.5. They went on to finish the season by going 22-36, ending the season 19 games out of first place and 17 out of the Wild Card.

It's amazing how much this season feels like that season. Man, I don't want to live that again.

by Slyde on Aug 4, 2006 10:00 AM EDT reply actions

D'oh

The 2002 team actually finished the season by going 22-34. Don't worry, I just fired my proofreader.

by Slyde on Aug 4, 2006 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

that's what happens

when your employees are paid off with Similac.

"Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You'll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes." - Crash Davis

by Caleb on Aug 4, 2006 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

That really makes me sick

does that make Gary Majewski and Kyle Loshe the 2006 version of Brian Moeller and Shawn Estes?

I certainly hope not

by indy on Aug 4, 2006 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

true..........but

Let's not forget that the Reds were very streaky even before they traded Kearns and Lopez. They have been this way all year. I thought that the better balance in the lineup would help them be more consistent but, so far, that hasn't proved to be true. I like the idea of moving Phillips which allows for Encarnacion and Aurilia to be in the lineup, but Narron seems to like Clayton. honestly, I like Castro's defense better than Clayton's, so I wonder why he hasn't gotten more starts. I know Clayton adds more speed but Castro just seems to always make plays and he has hit better lately. The starters have allowed too many early leads and that, psychologically, is tougher to overcome than if the runs come in the middle innings. I would also like to see Denorfia get a bit more time. I think he is a sparkplug-type.

by nighthawk32 on Aug 4, 2006 10:17 AM EDT reply actions

Bats

So other than Griffey getting his bat going what hope do the Reds have for their offense this year? Right now a hot bat brought up from the minors would help them greatly, do we have such a hitter and if so any word on him being brought up?

by Pilsner73 on Aug 4, 2006 10:54 AM EDT reply actions

Not to beat a dead horse

but getting Clayton out of the lineup might help. He's not the only problem, but at least there is a solution to him being there.

by Slyde on Aug 4, 2006 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

8 SHO's

If I heard correctly, last evening was the 8th time the Reds offense was shut out. I think the Reds have played 108 games, so that's about a 7.7% shutout ratio.

That sounds really, really bad to me.

I wonder how many teams have made the postseason with such a ratio. I'll forward that to Baseball Prospectus next week for a possible answer.

by ohiobobcat on Aug 4, 2006 11:39 AM EDT reply actions

Last year...

The Astros led the world in getting SHO, atleast in the first half.

by mattg on Aug 4, 2006 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep

Houston was shutout 17 times last season.

by Slyde on Aug 4, 2006 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

too bad we don't have clemens/oswalt/pettitte

by greg456 on Aug 4, 2006 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

why?

shut out is shut out no matter who is pitching

"Your shower shoes have fungus on them. You'll never make it to the bigs with fungus on your shower shoes." - Crash Davis

by Caleb on Aug 4, 2006 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Jerry's sitting Dunn tonight.

Freel RF
Clayton SS
Griffey CF
Aurilia 1B
Encarnacion 3B
Phillips 2B
Denorfia LF
LaRue C
Harang P

Yeah, that'll work. Sit Dunn and Hatteberg and expect a win. Good idea, dumbass. When are you gonna sit Griffey or Aurilia?

by Geki on Aug 4, 2006 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

Of ALL the lineups,

that one makes me want to puke. That is vile. Harang better pitch a shut out.

Clayton batting 2nd? and LaRue and Denorfia in the lineup?

Hell Harang better hit one out AND pitch a shutout if he wants a W tonight.

Im sick now.. Off to upchuck my subway I had for lunch.

by MixFMKyle on Aug 4, 2006 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Even worse...

Dunn hits better off lefties than righties!

Dunn vs. LHP: .295/.425/.620, 11 HR in 129 AB
Dunn vs. RHP: .238/.366/.523, 21 HR in 256 AB

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

by Paul Householder on Aug 4, 2006 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

The Trade

I don't care what people say about how trading Kearns and Lopez has hurt us, or how bad Mejewski has been when he goes out there... the worst part of that deal was the acquistion of Clayton. We'd be much better off without him 'having to be in the lineup.'

What does Clayton possibly bring to the table that Manos de Oros didn't already? The fact that anyone would consider batting him second is unbelievable.

by indy on Aug 4, 2006 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions