Reds hold ground with havoc, walk-off with a grand win, 10-6

by Slyde on Mar 5, 2009 4:17 PM EST in Spring Training

The Reds used havoc to their advantage today, and it paid off in the end.

First Brandon Phillips doubled in the 2nd and was advanced on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly. Small ball getting it done.
Then, in the 7th inning, Jonny Gomes was hit by pitch and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw. He scored on a sacrifice fly. Manufacturing runs is where it's at! Side note: Jonny Gomes is doing everything he can to make this team. I'd say the Dickerson-Gomes platoon is looking pretty solid so far. The only thing in question is whether Jerry Hairston will bump one of them if Alex Gonzalez is healthy enough to play SS.
In the 10th, Chris Valaika doubled, Drew Stubbs walked, and Danny Richar sacrificed them up a base. After an intentional walk to Kevin Barker, Todd Frazier singled everybody up a base to tie the game at 6. Scrap-o-rific!
They also scored on a two-run double by Laynce Nix and a SOLO home run by Kevin Barker, but those runs hardly even count since they didn't really work for them.
Oh yeah, and Darnell McDonald hit the Reds 4th grand slam of the Spring, a walk-off job to give the Reds a 10-6 victory.
The bullpen managed to lose multi-run leads for the Reds two different times, and Ben Jukich didn't do much for his chances of making the squad. He surrendered 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk over 2 innings pitched.
Sam Lecure, Aaron Fultz, and Josh Roenicke also surrendered a run, nearly canceling out the positive value of today's havoc. Roenicke dodged his second loss of the season, and actually ended up with a win. He needs to start pitching a little better or we're going to be forced to make up numbers to justify a roster spot for him.
And Nick Masset pitched okay, I guess. Stupid jerk.
David Weathers had a 1-2-3 inning. Clearly it was an impostor.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game goes to Darnell McDonald. Oh sure he struck out his first two times up to bat, but the dude hit a walk-off grand slam. He's like Adam Dunn or something.

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McDonald becomes the first JNHMSotG to not win anything

"Sometimes I listen for Griffey’s infectious laugh or Dunn’s humor and wit. But they’re gone." - Dusty

by BK on Mar 5, 2009 4:34 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Slyde is colorblind

so racist on you BK, racist on you.

"balls"-Slyde

by The Crushinator on Mar 5, 2009 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

uh

He gets to be like Adam Dunn. Isn’t that enough?

"How big IS your magic wand?"

by Slyde on Mar 5, 2009 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

not for Adam Dunn

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Mar 5, 2009 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

with a fly name like Darnell hasn't he already won enough?

Made from 100% recycled awesome,

by chandrathan on Mar 5, 2009 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

How can he be like Adam Dunn without clogging the bases?

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 5, 2009 4:40 PM EST reply actions

Yay, Darnell

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 5, 2009 4:44 PM EST reply actions

Stupid Jerk is Right!

I wouldn’t mind watching games like this one all season long: scrap, scrap, SLAM!

Soy el niño destructor. I eat kids for breakfast. Roar. - Juan Francisco 'spoken with an Italian accent'

by jacob brumfield on Mar 5, 2009 6:00 PM EST reply actions

so this is havoc?

Reds ST Grand Slams: 4
Reds ST Net Stolen Bases: 0 (6 – 6)

Advantage: long ball

by bbjones on Mar 5, 2009 6:42 PM EST reply actions

Masset

Do you really think we have anything to worry about with Masset? I think they just tossed his name out there as a courtesy. With the candidates that are available, I cannot imagine even the dumbest of organizations (narrowed down to the Reds and Pirates) would choose Masset over Owings, Bailey, Thompson or Ramirez. So, I’m hoping he’s solid all spring, gets praise, and then gets to pitch an inning or two every 3 or 4 days once the season starts.

by Brian B on Mar 5, 2009 8:32 PM EST reply actions

Agreed for the most part.

But aside from the “courtesy.” let’s look at why we might be looking at lot of Masset this month:

Masset is at least 51% of what the Reds got for Ken Griffey Jr.

Cueto and Volquez have shipped out of camp so the Reds need starters in Sarasota.

Someone might have half expected Bailey to keep throwing up all over himself so Owings was going to need some kind of competition.

Masset’s out of options so (as we’ve discussed) he’s either going to be the Reds’ long reliever in March or he’s going to be traded away to the Padres or some such desperate situation. Either way he’s going to need to be “stretched out” with innings beyond what Weathers and Lincoln and Cordero will be given.

…Didja know that a kid drafted in the thirteenth round out of Miami (OH) is competing to be the Padres’ fifth starter?

"If you have a van or a car and it gets dark you turn on your lights that are called headlights but that's a funny name because vans and cars don't have heads. And real heads don't have lights."

by Fat Vegas Alan on Mar 5, 2009 10:22 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Nicely, nicely!

rec’d

I laid my bed and I'm going to have to sit on it. - A-Roid the Liar

by PeteyHendrix on Mar 7, 2009 1:02 AM EST up reply actions

Baseball Intellect

That site with all the arcane but expert-sounding baseball mechanics stuff has posted Cincinnati Reds Top-15 Prospects of 2009, No’s 6 – 15.

(Part 1 is here.)

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 5, 2009 9:05 PM EST reply actions

its pretty silly worrying about Masset having a strong spring

If the Reds give him the 5th spot out of Spring- if he then proves to be ineffective he would probably get a maximum 4 starts. Its doubtful that an April of Masset in the rotation is going to ruin the Reds.
On the other hand if he does prove to be a viable option in the rotation- the Reds have just dramatically increased their depth at the one position where teams will always overpay for talent.
But in reality its will probably be Owings/Bailey in the rotation and Masset is battling for the last bullpen position.
But to keep it simple- Reds pitchers demonstrating some ability to throw strikes and miss bats is always a good thing(apologies to Martha Stewart).

by davidmac84 on Mar 5, 2009 9:50 PM EST reply actions