Red Reposter - 5/4/09
by Charlie Scrabbles on May 4, 2009 11:57 AM EDT
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Print- Remember back in Houston when Johnny Cueto was pulled in the middle of the 5th inning after walking in a run? He had struck out 9 up to that point in the game, but that 5th inning saw him walk the pitcher Roy Oswalt and then walk in a run for a total of 6 walks in the game. Dusty Baker says he wasnt trying to teach him a lesson, but only trying to win the game. Since that start, Cueto has pitched 22 innings and given up only 2 runs, while striking out 17.
- Hall o' Famer Hal tells us Adam Rosales was supposed to hit 2nd yesterday, but Dusty thought better of it. Baker said, "Let’s not put undue pressure on the young man so fast. There are a lot of things to do at No. 2. Rosales is not a taker yet and we need that with Willy Taveras batting ahead of him." I wholeheartedly agree. Dickerson's patience is a valuable asset in front of Votto. There was also this little ancedote, which gave me a good chuckle:
Dan Hoard, radio voice of the Pawtucket Red Sox in the International League, told Baker that Dusty Brown, a player for the PawSox is named after him. Said Baker, "That’s humbling. I’ve heard of a few people named after me, but mostly it’s dogs and cats. People write me letters saying they named their cat after me. Mostly it’s animals named after me."
- Hitting coach Brook Jacoby isnt worried about the paltry hitting. The Reds had 14 hits in Saturday's game.
- The Reds are 5-1 in "getaway day" games, the last game of a series.
- Red Hot Mama wants everyone to know that Johnny Cueto is going to be a Cy Young candidate this year.
- The A's and Mariners played into the 15th inning yesterday in a wild, wild game. Take a look at the FanGraphs win probability graph for it:
- Jon Heyman tells us the Nationals are planning on taking Stephen Strasburg with the 1st pick in the draft next month. Not that I'm surprised, I mean, the dude is far-and-away the best talent available this year, but Nats fans need that team to do something, ANYTHING, right. This could bode well for them.
- This one shocked me, and I'm kinda sad that it did. Yankees manager Joe Girardi defended Alex-Rod from the latest salvo on his already tarnished image. Girardi says there have been plenty of things he's done wrong in his life, and he cant see why anyone would want to write a book about someone like this. It shocks me to see such humanity in this situation. And I'm sad that a little humanity can come as such a surprise to me. As Girardi puts it, "This man (Alex-Rod) wants to be a father, too."
Selena Roberts, the author of the new book "A-Rod", was on the Today Show this morning and I caught most of the interview. She struck as someone with an axe to grind. It seemed like she was evangelizing against Alex-Rod. I wasnt going to buy the book anyway. - I'm gonna try a poll question here for the Reposter. We'll see if it floats. If you like it we might just do it more often.
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The 5-1 record in getaway games is particulary heartening
considering that it seemed like Dusty didn’t care if the team tried in those games last year. Maybe another of Baker’s pet peeves, the 2-game series, will be conquered in like fashion.
It seems like he's been less of a fan of getaway day lineups so far...
Of course, this is partially because he hasn’t had many hot-hitting starters to sit for no particular reason this year.
Let me write out a formal proof for you.
maybe Dusty is learning something
You know Dusty wouldn’t be a bad name for a dog, if the Reds win the World Series under Dusty I will name my next dog Dusty.
Bloop
fuck that was supposed to be a reply to chesriecat
madville’d
Bloop
by justin007000 on May 4, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
And the answer is Pontiac Del Rio
This was supposed to be an reply to Reynard and loose women
I want to be there when a trailer full of coffins slams into a an ambulance full of terminally ill Bolivians. Or when the Reds win a WS..whichever comes first....
A dog named Dusty never went and brought him no pheasant.
wait…
Will you stop it with the vegetables
by Man Mountain on May 4, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't get this stuff about "not being ready"
to hit second.
And I get that he’s off to a hot start and will probably not maintain it, but, um…he’s got four walks through 17 PAs. Dickerson has 9 walks through 60 PAs; moreover, he only has 10 hits. While I like that Dusty is thinking about how important it is for the guy in front of Votto to get on base, is Dickerson really the best guy to bat there?
I’m starting to think that Dickerson keeps getting starts because if Nix started, Dusty wouldn’t have anyone to bat second. So if Rosales solves that problem, I’m all for batting him there.
Let me write out a formal proof for you.
i dont buy the "not being ready" stuff either
and if you compare Rosie’s and C-Dick’s minor league OBPs Rosie comes out on top (.366 – .354). honestly i dont think either of them are suited to hit that high in the lineup, but we just dont have anyone else.
Consider the Eskimos.
by Charlie Scrabbles on May 4, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Dusty is assessing Rosales temperament
For example can he take strikes to let the runner steal? Can he hit and run? Can he protect a runner from getting thrown out on a steal?
Plus he is still learning the pitchers. That puts a lot of pressure to do the above when still working out how major league pitchers plot an out.
As I said before Baker puts players into situations where he knows they will succeed. He will probably move Rosales to 2nd in the order. Just a matter of time and probably against an appropriate pitcher to start with. Maybe very soon.
by Outside Observer on May 4, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions
"Baker puts players into situations where he knows they will succeed."
this is untrue. I refute it thusly:
1) Brandon Phillips in the clean-up spot.
2) Adam Dunn hitting no higher than the 5th spot and sometimes in the 6th or 7th spot.
3) Jr in the 3 spot.
4) Corey Patterson in the leadoff spot (or anywhere, for that matter).
5) Jeff Keppinger at SS.
6) Jolbert Cabrera at SS.
7) Jerry Hairston at SS.
8) EdE and Dunn being asked to bunt.
9) Javy Valentin at 3B.
10) Adam Rosales being with the club for 2 months last season and getting only 30 PAs.
should i go on? or is 10 enough?
Consider the Eskimos.
by Charlie Scrabbles on May 4, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
10 is enough to prove your point
but I would prefer you go on… im thinking you ought to compile 95 theses on why Dusty Baker is an idiot and nail it to the main entrance of GABP
More
11) Paul Janish is with the team for the first month of the season and gets 15 AB (with 5 H).
12) Willy Taveras in the leadoff spot.
13) Mike Lincoln in a major league bullpen.
14) Again, Corey Patterson.
15) Jerry Hairston, everyday player.
16) Homer Bailey, Louisville Bat.
17) Refusing to play Ryan Hanigan.
18) Putting Paul Bako in the lineup everyday.
19) Aaron Harang’s 4 innings of relief in San Diego last year.
20) Wasting spring training ABs on Jacque Jones over Danny Dorn.
"I can eat mayonnaise with a spoon." - Jeff Brantley
by BK on May 4, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
#12
I know you want someone who can get on-base as your leadoff, but who, besides Votto, has been getting consistently on base? Taveras is #2 of every-day players in OBP
"Putting players into situations where he knows they will succeed"
My point really isn’t that Taveras isn’t the best option to bat leadoff, it’s that it’s not the best place you want Willy Taveras batting in your lineup. Did Dusty bring Taveras and his low OBP in because he knew he could succeed there? He’s been a pleasant surprise in that he’s outperforming his low expectations, but that doesn’t make it a good decision, does it?
"I can eat mayonnaise with a spoon." - Jeff Brantley
by BK on May 4, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I see your point
I guess my understanding is that it’s Walt’s job is to bring in the talent using the Manager as a sounding board. I guess, in retrospect (Corey Patterson, Jacque Jones, etc.) that Dustbrain is the one calling the shots. However, if Walt is letting Dusty determine the makeup of the team, then I think Walt still is to blame, because he is Dusty’s boss.
You don’t buy a shot for an alcoholic and get mad when he drinks…
No but you can buy a shot for Mads and another when he drinks the first one and so on
I want to be there when a trailer full of coffins slams into a an ambulance full of terminally ill Bolivians. Or when the Reds win a WS..whichever comes first....
personally
I don’t hate taveras in the leadoff spot, since we don’t really have anyone else that much better. If we had better offensive players it would be a different story entirely.
What I’d really like to see is him bunt less, mostly because I rarely see it work, and since he’s fast as shit and it’s not working that means there’s a problem.
He's actually bunting much less this year
And he’s attempted fewer steals. I signed up for Havoc, dammit.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1876&position=OF
by ken on May 4, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions
when they signed Taveras
they did say that they would try to change his approach to hit more ground balls.
Of course, this year his fly ball rate is the highest of his career. He has added value by almost doubling his BB% and by a slight increase in power.
I am not that optimistic about Taveras- I think his BB% will slide towards his career average and I think we have a couple long spells of offensively futility coming our way from the lead off position.
But I think if Willie succeeds or fails is more on Walt than Dusty. Unlike last year where Dusty by all accounts was the primary mover for Patterson.
OK
You have to understand roster spots is decided on by the GM not the manager. So bringing players up from minor leagues or demoting them is not his call.
As for trying players in different positions. How exactly is any manager going to assess players if he doesn’t try them in different situations. This is especially true when the front office asks mangers to do that specifically to rebuild a franchise. If the Reds had a number of successful years before Baker got there, then you can genuinely criticise. But there wasn’t. So hindsight doesn’t make a cogent argument.
That was his first year as the Reds manager. And things have started to turn around.
Of course its up to you to put that entire transformation down to luck or Walt or miracles.
If the Reds finish above 500. Something they haven’t done for years with an average budget I still doubt you will give him any credit.
by Outside Observer on May 4, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
im not sure i understand
You have to understand roster spots is decided on by the GM not the manager. So bringing players up from minor leagues or demoting them is not his call.
where did i criticize Dusty for bringing up/sending down players? i criticized him for playing players of out position, in situations where they are unlikely to succeed.
As for trying players in different positions. How exactly is any manager going to assess players if he doesn’t try them in different situations. This is especially true when the front office asks mangers to do that specifically to rebuild a franchise. If the Reds had a number of successful years before Baker got there, then you can genuinely criticise. But there wasn’t. So hindsight doesn’t make a cogent argument.
if you were in my class, i would tell you to visit the Student Learning Center and have them check your grammar before you submit it.
as for “things start(ing) to turn around”, i agree with you to an extent. this team is better now than it has been in a long time, but much of that has to do with organization building. i give a big chunk of credit to Wayne Krivsky, who drafted or signed or traded for some of these guys and then didnt trade them all last winter for Erik Bedard. as for Dusty’s contribution, i admit that it is much easier to point out his failures than it is it point out his successes. how much of the pitching staff’s success is due to talent, and how much is due to coaching? how much is Votto’s sweet swing the product of Dusty’s hitting tips and how much is due to the 24 years of teaching he’s had before now?
it is so much easier to sit behind my keyboard and rake Dusty for playing Corey Patterson too much or playing Jeff Keppinger at a position he has no business playing, but i feel like im being fair. im willing to give him credit for sticking with Votto last year instead of Hatteberg. or playing EdE when he’s been down. i wrote a post this past fall applauding his use of the starting rotation.
Dusty Baker is a manager with strengths and weaknesses, but putting players in a position to succeed is definitely not a strength.
Consider the Eskimos.
by Charlie Scrabbles on May 4, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Rosales, as Gray says is getting walks
Therefore showing discipline. If Wily is on base then he’ll have ample time (in most ABS) to maybe steal a base and with Votto up behind him Rosy will have to be pitched to, It is a brilliant out of the box idea, showing imagination…are you up to it Dusty?
I want to be there when a trailer full of coffins slams into a an ambulance full of terminally ill Bolivians. Or when the Reds win a WS..whichever comes first....
I don't mind Rosales staying down at 6 or 7 against righties
Even though CDick isn’t hitting all that well, he’s averaging 4.3 pitches per plate apperance, so he’s giving T-Virus time to create some HAVOC.
Against lefites, though, I’d much rather see Rosales second than Cherry.
Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?
I'd rather see YOU bat second than Cherry
His fall to the mean has been the least surprising thing about this season.
I'd rather see that too
I’d at least make the league minimum.
Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?
a positive comment just for the heck of it
The Reds had three shutouts last week! Wooo! When was the last time that happened?
The Reds have been shut out three times in a week plenty of times.
Let me write out a formal proof for you.
And don't forget ....NORM !!!
"I wanna listen to Elephants Gerald."
by Fat Vegas Alan on May 4, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
some interesting numbers
Reds 21,460 19,750 +1,710
That’s the Reds 09 vs 08 April attendance. Despite having no one in the stands last week, they’re still up thanks to that awesome attendance last weekend.
Still not high enough, but not because of RRs. (It was nice to see so many Reds fans in Pittsburgh – big groups of them.)
Anyway, let’s make sure we put some butts in the seats this weekend in the battle for first place!
Tonight's Lineup
Reds lineup via Fay:
Taveras 8,
Dickerson 7,
Votto 3,
Phillips 4,
Bruce 9,
Hernandez 2,
Rosales 5,
Gonzalez 6,
Harang 1.
vs. RHP Johnson.
I'm not 100% for Rosales in the second hole
but I would much rather see him hit in front of ramon.
and if hairston’s in the lineup I bat rosales 2nd
Innerestin'
Every team in the NL Central has at least 11 wins. Every other division has at least one team with single digit wins. It seems like if the Reds are going to make any noise for the postseason, it won’t be because “the NL Central is so weak.” It’s going to be a scrap for at least another month before the teams start to suss themselves out. St. Louis has to come back to earth eventually, right?
There's no way St Louis is that good
Guys have been pitching and hitting out of their minds. I know Dave Duncan is a magician, but the pitching isn’t sustainable at that level.
They’ll probably be in the thick the whole time, but now way they play that far above .500 all year.
Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?
Well Rosales had a tough night at the plate against the fish last night
He was under pressure just about every AB and appeared to be over anxious, to be trying to hit a 6 run homer with no one on base…so to speak. He needs to calm the fuck down.
Maybe its best to leave him at the 7 hole. But with Agon hurt and EdE out we could be seeing Cherry back at the #2 spot…I don’t think dusty has very much confidence in Jannish’s ability to make contact or bunt..
So hopefully Jerry Jr. starts hitting again…like tonight.
I want to be there when a trailer full of coffins slams into a an ambulance full of terminally ill Bolivians. Or when the Reds win a WS..whichever comes first....
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