Game 74: Reds vs Dodgers

they are weird, but i think i like them

6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K. We all know it’s coming.

But some of us need to follow the game and post comments about it on the internet while we’re at work.

/bkpronto’d

They are shaking me to my very core.

or are we just starting every game that way now by default

but that’s still zero times as many as the reds have

Did Dunn just make a good defensive play?

with the DP?

Are they legitimate hits, or is Norris Hopper just bringing nothing in terms of defense? (I’ve never liked his defense)

come backers next

alright!

Once again, I start the motion. Does that baby go back under the basket?

if it weren’t for grippos and larosa’s cincinnati would really suck.

i’ve never been to izzy’s but i’m pretty excited about going!

Quit making work look preferable!

And that Lincoln will absolutely fucking implode.

Norris hit one into the outfield!

just in time to see two on base. But down 6-0? Ugh.

Oh, for them.

After giving up a leadoff double, Affeldt strikes out the side. Somewhere, shortstop is giving St. Theresa a run for her money in terms of ecstasy.

we scored a run!

And nobody here to care. Also: my money’s on run-scoring GIDP. Let’s check GD…

Burn!

Grand slam time!

Bunting with the bases loaded? Down by 5?

Keep hitting ‘em at Loney!

looks pretty damn scary in his GD picture.

now it’s time for BP!

Pretty nice bunt.

I don’t think you have any passion, you lazy jerk!

Come on EdE! A walk would be nice, you know.

who’s pitching? We need to put up a zero here.

Oh my gawd. Boooooooooooooooooooooo.

...bollocks.

He made it through the inning without a baserunner!

Let’s get some runs, eh?

Riccardi is going down

so we can avoid seeing Weathers in the ninth.

Greeeeeeat.

FTH is going on? This seems like a Burton situation to me. Cordero “getting work” means he’ll go the next 3 days, and blow a save in the process.

to sit in the bully and not have a chance to close out a game.

We can’t stands no more!

Sounds like a lot better game than this garbage.

game will be over

I hate when I’m right.

A FUCKING HIT. RALLY CAPS ON. CP GOT A HIT, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

WE NEED MANY RUNS, NOT JUST ONE.

THREE STRIKEOUTS FOR…WAIT FOR IT…

KAY BRUCE.

HOLY CRAP.

Jay Bruce got ejected!

have advanced to second base on Brendan’s mom’s defensive indifference.

THEY’RE GOING TO PITCH OUTSIDE TO BP.

be a GIBP?

this was a fun home stand

Great homestand, guys. 5 straight losses.

We had an offensive onslaught today. Sorry I missed it.

Like in college sports where some years you don’t play a certain team in your league? And then, can we skip the Dodgers next year? What the hell… they aren’t even that good.

Maybe we’re doing the world a service here, and forever puncturing the myth that Dusty Baker is a good manager. I’ll grant you that losing today was not his fault (he really didn’t make a bad move all game, including the lineup construction). But he’s not a good manager. He shouldn’t manage a major league team. His reputation is that of coming in and turning around struggling franchises, but maybe we’re the team to finally show that he was just lucky.

One crappy, wasted season to save a thousand. That’s what we believe.

Yup, I’m starting to get excited about Wanted.

And we’re still in mid-June. Nobody in the NL has lost 20 since Phil Niekro in ‘79.

From Fay:

Jay Bruce thought he raised his hand in plenty of time to call timeout in the ninth. Umpire Bob Davidson didn’t, so he didn’t grant it. Dodger closer Takashi Saito threw strike 3.

Bruce argued and was ejected.

"I thought I called time early enough," Bruce said. "He didn’t think I did. Obviously, we disagreed."

Strongly disagreed.

"I said some things I shouldn’t have," Bruce said.

Davidson tossed him quickly.

"I think there’s a little shorter leash with some of the young guys," Bruce said. "I disagreed with what he said. . . I’m not the type of player who is going to argue calls, especially in that situation. We’re trying to win the game. That’s big. (But) I’m not going to just walk back to the dugout when I feel like he took the bat out of my hands."

Er…sorry, kid, but just because you ask for a timeout doesn’t mean you get it.

And I have to say, that lineup is not what I expected from Dusty. Could he finally be getting a clue?

We haven’t had this happen yet this year

Top of the 8th, Reds Batting, Ahead 5-0, Jon Rauch facing 8-9-1
Jon Rauch replaces Ryan Zimmerman pitching and batting 5th; Brendan Harris replaces Mike Stanton playing 3B batting 9th

D Ross Strikeout Swinging
B Arroyo Strikeout Looking
R Freel Walk
F Lopez Strikeout Swinging, Wild Pitch; Freel to 2B; Lopez to 1B
A Dunn Strikeout Swinging

Dusty on Patterson:

Corey Patterson started in center.

Bruce has started 14 games in center, five games in right and one in left.

“Ultimately, he’s a right fielder,” Baker said. “He can play both. There’s not much difference now. He gets good jumps on balls.”

Bruce’s speed is above average.

“But you want a burner out there,” Baker said. “Patterson is more of a center fielder type. You want to keep Jay’s bat and his legs fresher longer. There’s a lot of running out in center.”

Dusty on hitting:

“No. 1, we’ve got to have better pitch selection,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “No. 2, we’re striking out too much. When you don’t put the ball in play, you’ve got no chance to get a hit.”

Dusty on everything:

“We’ve got to pitch, we’ve got to play better defense. Every time we do something, whether it’s an error or not, it’s cost us. Lately we haven’t been playing good defense, we haven’t been picking up players in scoring position, we’ve been pitching fair sometimes, good other times and not so good other times. We’ve just got to get our total game together, focus and concentrate better. A lot better.”

On the bright side, Trent thinks it’s going to be Thompson on Saturday.