A Looper? "A Looper. You know, a Looper, a caddy, a jock."

by Brendanukkah on May 29, 2009 11:16 PM EDT in Game Threads

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Braden Looper. Offense was at a minimum tonight in this unlikely pitcher's duel. Looper went 7 innings, giving up 2 runs, 2 BB and striking out 4 for the win.

Key Plays

The Brewers have some big hitters in the middle of their lineup - long. Johnny Cueto walked one of them and then the other one hit a home run. Brewers, 2-0.
Cueto's wildness continued in the second when he walked the bases full. He was able to induce a grounder from JJ Hardy to end the threat.
The Reds don't have big hitters in their lineup, particularly once Joey Votto left the game with more ear troubles. Hernandez shifted to first base and Hanigan put on the tools of ignorance, and together they formed Hernanigans! Ryan walked, and Ramon hit his third homer of the year to tie the game.
In the sixth inning, Ryan Braun doubled to lead off the inning, then tried to score on Mike Cameron's fly out. Laynce Nix threw him out at the playte.
In the seventh inning, Corey Hart homered to finish up the scoring with our Frisch's Big Boy Big Play of the Game.
In the eighth, Alex Gonzalez and Adam Rosales led off the inning with singles, but then pinch-hitter Chris Dickerson hit into a double play. Might have been a good time for a bunt...
...Unlike in the 9th inning, when Dusty sent Brandon Phillips in to pinch hit for Ryan Hanigan. Phillips then laid down a bunt and was thrown out. Hernandez singled to spark some hope, because that's what the office of the first baseman does, but then Jay Bruce struck out to end the game.

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

The Reds only gave up three hits, but allowed three runs. Cueto had a quality start, but takes the loss.
All of the runs in this game scored on homers.
Cueto has allowed seven home runs, five of them in May.

Final - 5.29.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Milwaukee Brewers	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	X	3	3	0
WP: Braden Looper (5 - 3) SV: Trevor Hoffman (12) LP: Johnny Cueto (4 - 3)

Complete Coverage >

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Comments

Again, a rec for the caption

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. A f*ckin' playground for the cocks*ckers.
-Lee Elia on Cubs fans

by Farneyismycopilot on May 29, 2009 11:23 PM EDT reply actions

The picture alone made me LOL.

by jsl413 on May 30, 2009 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

fuck frisch's

and their support of other teams

Baseball worshiped here.

by Daedalus on May 29, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions

Missed the game...

Looks like a tough loss…but I’m betting the boys will bounce right back tomorrow…That’s is what the better teams do and this team has the makings of a ‘better than usual’ Reds team.

"I just wanted to be like my dad, Jesus. He was a good shortstop.
Johan Santana

by Madville on May 29, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions

I'm calling it right now

Owings will triumph over Gallardo on Sunday.

by Brendanukkah on May 29, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I second that emotion

"I just wanted to be like my dad, Jesus. He was a good shortstop.
Johan Santana

by Madville on May 29, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

its a gang of three

"We're going to Adonis, son"

jch24

by obc2 on May 30, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Just got back from the Bats game

(No, it didn’t end this late. I got lost in the spaghetti 81/84 interchange in Scranton. It’s under construction, making it even more confusing than usual.)

I saw a 2-0 score for the Reds game flash up on the message board at PNC Field, so I had an inkling things weren’t going well.

It was a pitcher’s duel in Scranton, too. The old guys sitting next to me were getting antsy. They wanted to go home and watch basketball, and were afraid it would be 0-0 after nine, and go into extras. They were amazed at that stud, Justin Lehr, on the mound. (And also pretty amazed at the game Kei Igawa had. He may be the IL MVP, but fans have come to expect him to have one bad inning per game.)

Luckily for the basketball fans in the stands, Rick Sweet settled the game by putting Ben Jukich in. He looked surprisingly normal. I didn’t recognize him until they announced his name. No soulless gaze to freeze my blood and suck out my life force. It was the mere mortal Jukich on the mound tonight, and he was terrible. Gave up four runs, and didn’t even make it out of the inning.

The old guys next to me had heard of Homer Bailey, and were wondering if they would get to see him. (Not on the mound, since he pitched yesterday. But he was standing right in front of them while they talking, leaning on the dugout rail and blowing green bubblegum bubbles. They didn’t recognize him.)

Bailey seemed to be in good spirits. Actually, I’ve never seen him that way before. In previous Bats games I’ve attended, he made himself scarce. If he wasn’t pitching, you didn’t see him. And when he was pitching, he wasn’t very sociable.

Tonight, he spent most of the night at the dugout rail, talking and joking with his teammates.

I’m buying the “Homer has turned over a new leaf” story.

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

by BubbaFan on May 29, 2009 11:51 PM EDT reply actions

Homer just came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum

Unfortunately, he’s still got a lot of bubble gum.

by Brendanukkah on May 29, 2009 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions

We've gotta get Votto in there for at least one at bat.

Just steady him, point him in the direction of the pitcher, and let him go.

He sits alone...Reds are not home.

by Gapper on May 29, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

He was in there for one at bat

He popped out.

by Brendanukkah on May 30, 2009 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Ahhh, I see.

That must’ve been while I had my head up my ass.

I owe an apology to Dusty Baker’s good name.

Nevermind, he didn’t tell Dickerson to bunt.

He sits alone...Reds are not home.

by Gapper on May 30, 2009 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

they just showed the highlights of the Reds game on ESPN

They like Laynce Nix’s ayrm.

Prince Fielder is apparently still a vegetarian.

Meanwhile, the Fay has this report:

On Votto and why no bunt in the eighth

He thinks Votto may be headed to the DL. :-(

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

by BubbaFan on May 30, 2009 12:39 AM EDT reply actions

Ben Sheets had an inner ear problem

and got absolutely roasted by the fans and the jerks that are strangely chosen to host sports radio talk shows here. Sadly I could tell you a great deal more about inner ear problems, including things that would have you throwing digital rotten tomatoes at me, but I’ll move to the good news. It usually just takes time for everything to clear up. There is virtually no blood flow to carry the body’s natural infection fighters or the chemical adjuncts to parts of the inner ear.

Rosy – you have to give him credit for making the defensive plays and getting a clutch hit. That fangraph chart is rather remarkable. The odds were close to 50/50 after Rosy’s hit. Of course it doesn’t take into account the clash of youthful ignorance versus the veteranness of the genetically engineered 68 year old Craig Counsell.

by ol Pete on May 30, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I know it takes time

Unfortunately, “time” can mean months.

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

by BubbaFan on May 30, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Not usually

Two or 3 weeks more likely.

by ol Pete on May 30, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

been longer than that already

And they are considering a DL stint, which means at least another two weeks.

And Wikipedia isn’t exactly reassuring:

Recovery from acute labyrinthine inflammation generally takes from one to six weeks; however, it is not uncommon for residual symptoms (dysequilibrium and/or dizziness) to last for many months or even years if permanent damage occurs.

Recovery from a permanently damaged inner ear typically follows three phases:

   1. An acute period, which may include severe vertigo and vomiting
   2. approximately two weeks of subacute symptoms and rapid recovery
   3. finally a period of chronic compensation which may last for months or years.

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

by BubbaFan on May 30, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions

right

They go 1-6 weeks. Residual symptoms would have little or no effect on his ability to play baseball in all likelihood. The big question is whether that is what is wrong. It probably is, but to the best of my knowledge, there is no definitive test.

While they’re playing the Brewers, have Attanasio call his brother who is the producer (or one of?) House. Fly out Hugh Lawrie and get those writers to start hammering out that script.

by ol Pete on May 30, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Sounds to me like the problem RIGHT NOW is residual symptoms

He’s fine sometimes, but suffers dizziness from time to time.

For an ordinary person, probably no big deal. For a professional athlete, though, it’s a different story.

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

by BubbaFan on May 30, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh man,

I just noticed the girl in the middle of the photo up top. HOLY CRAP. Now, that, is an o face.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. A f*ckin' playground for the cocks*ckers.
-Lee Elia on Cubs fans

by Farneyismycopilot on May 30, 2009 1:14 AM EDT reply actions

Nobody listens to Andrew

by nlt-andrew68 on May 30, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

"I just wanted to be like my dad, Jesus. He was a good shortstop.
Johan Santana

by Madville on May 30, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm really getting tired of Rosales.

Scrappy, hard-working type players without natural gifts are fine, but by lacking the solid grasp on fundamentals that players of his type must live by, he does nothing well. He’s failed to get a bunt down in the turning point of the game before, and today he mindlessly hustled his way up the line right to Counsell.

If only Keppiner was still here. I hope Phillips is ready to take the field tomorrow, so Hairston can move over to the hot corner and Rosales can begin his journey out of the lineup and back to AAA.

He sits alone...Reds are not home.

by Gapper on May 30, 2009 1:29 AM EDT reply actions

Finally! I couldn't believe that idiot ran into Counsell.

by timb116 on May 30, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

the photo is just too funny

Baseball worshiped here.

by Daedalus on May 30, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions

The broadcasters seem to think Votto's case of the dizzies

is aggravated by flying, since he always seems worst the first day in a new city.

I’m sure the Rosie Reds, or whatever that traveling female fan club is, would absolutely love to have his company in their caravan. Hell, I’ll pick him up in Milwaukee and take him to St Louis myself if it means another win or four. Also, does anyone know if payment by ‘road head’ exists in Canada?

He sits alone...Reds are not home.

by Gapper on May 30, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions

frickin'

drive him to St. Louis. It’s not that far. hell, with the off-day, they should have driven him to Milwaukee.

When not lurking here, the sportsfrog is where I am.

by membengal on May 30, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

you know, that's a good point

They did say earlier that flying made it worse.

Maybe they could just use him at home. Considering all the other roster dead weight they’ve carried this year, I think it would be worth it. Half a Votto is better than an injured A-Gon or Masset (or a perfectly healthy Darnell).

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

by BubbaFan on May 30, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions