Reds fail to go Mark David Chapman on John Lannan, instead get Nationals a new car for their Super Sweet Sixteenth Victory

by Brendanukkah on Jun 11, 2009 10:11 PM EDT in Game Threads Comment 29 comments

Joe Nuxhall Star of the Game

Josh Willingham. Willingham went 2-3 with a walk and a run scored, plus a number of nice catches in left.

Key Plays

The Reds HAVOC'd themselves out of a big inning in the first. Jerry Hairston singled to lead off, then Willy Taveras popped up a bunt, preventing Cherry from running all out to second and he was forced out. Then Phillips singled, but was caught at second on the back end of a double steal, and Gomes flied out to end the inning.
The Reds did get a run in the second when Alex Gonzalez singled, took second on a wild pitch, and scored when Adam Rosales scrappily made Ryan Zimmerman sail a throw 20 feet above Adam Dunn's head at first base.
In the fourth inning, the Reds demonstrated all facets of OBP, when Jonny Gomes was hit by a pitch, Ramon Hernandez walked, and Jay Bruce advanced Gomes to third on a fielder's choice. Someone finally got on base via a hit when Gonzalez singled and scored Gomes. Reds lead, 2-0.
The Nats finally got to Micah Owings in the sixth, when he gave up singles to Josh Willingham and Wil Nieves. Jared Burton came on in relief and promptly gave up a single to pinch-hitter Nick Johnson. The bases were loaded and Willingham scored on Christian Guzman's ground out.
The offense was predictably meager, so the Reds had to win this game with pitching and defense. Both went begging in the eighth inning. Singles to Willie Harris, Anderson Hernandez, and Alberto Gonzalez loaded the bases, and Ryan Zimmerman hit a tough ball to Alex Gonzalez's right. Sea Bass snagged the grounder and threw to Phillips at second to get one out, but Alberto Gonzalez made a nice slide into the bag and forced a bad throw from Phillips to Rosales at first base. No double play, and two runs score. The Nats lead 3-2, and even though their bullpen is awful, no comeback would be forthcoming.

FanGraphs

Other Notes

The two first basemen in the game, Adam Dunn and Adam Rosales, had a combined 129 games experience at 1B previous to today. I, for one, was shocked to find out that Dunn had played 122 games at first.
Cristian Guzman is making a strong case for inclusion into the Bill Hall All-Stars with this series. He went 5-15 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and a triple and a home run. The numbers don't seem so impressive, but Cristian Guzman?! Displaying power?! He also had a number of nifty diving stops that made me wonder when he got good. Prior to tonight, he had a 207 OPS+ against us this year.
The Reds have scored 18 runs over their last seven games, an average of 2.57 runs per. With that anemic stretch, they are now 22nd in the Majors in runs scored. Come back Joey Votto!
I caught a t-shirt thrown by a guy on a Segway. It had a bratwurst in it.
The Reds are still only 1.5 games out of first. We owe the Colorado Rockies a gift basket, as they have swept consecutive series against the Cardinals and the Brewers.

Final - 6.11.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	1
Washington Nationals	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	X	3	9	1

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Comments

Didn't know Bowden was simply demoted to crowd support

He threw you his sausage. Heh.

by ken on Jun 11, 2009 10:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Can one Ride dirty in leather pants?

Nerdy, certainly (a la the photo), but dirty? I’m not sure.

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 Jun 12, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dusty Baker: Insane Genius

It’s fashionable to find fault with each and every Dusty Baker Lineup Decision – and fairly easy to do so. That being said, if anyone had told me entering the season that this team would be 3 games above .500 and in 2nd place in mid-June I would not have believed them. I think I’m lead to conclude Dusty has played a vital role in the over-achievement of the team. Despite suspicions that he may have had a hand in off-season acquisitions and call ups/send downs, I can’t blame him for being dealt a feeble, AAA-level offense.

Where Dusty’s ineptitude creeps in is in the arrangement of the playing pieces – and I don’t have much of a handle on how many loses this actually nets the team. I just wish I had some understanding of what his thought processes are for some of the lineup construction and in-game moves he makes. Some times he comes off as a some kind of little league manager who wants to get everyone playing time (Rosales), sometimes he acts like a stubborn conservator who he stubbornly runs out the same players in the same batting order to the detriment of the team and in the service of some vague notion of team cohesion (Taveras) and other times he comes off as Richard Nixon – acting crazy and unpredictable seemingly to keep the opposing side off balance

To whit:

1. How is batting Hairston-Taveras at the top of the order defensible in any possible universe? It’s incredibly unimaginative and foolish to stick Taveras in the top of the order every single day in his current morass, let alone alongside another guy with an OBP hovering around .300. The greater fault here of course was in the acquisition of Taveras.

2. Rosales played today for the sake of getting him some PT. Aside from the fact that he doesn’t belong in the majors to begin with, the execution of this logic is impossible to comprehend. Rosales gets put at 1st, becoming easily the weakest-hitting 1B to start across the big leagues. He is there at the expense of Ryan Hanigan, arguably the team’s best active contact hitter this year (and better catching arm). Rosales also gets this consideration where Janish does not. Dusty is willing to play Rosales out of position to get him time, but unwilling to start or late-inning sub Janish in at all, not to mention at 3B. Consequently, the lineup is weaker in two spots because of it and we still do not know whether Janish can become more than a defensive specialist at the major league level. If you’re going to experiment with Rosales, spread the wealth.

3. Bringing in Burton in a high leverage situation. Against lefties. When DRH was fully available. Then bringing in DRH in a but high leverage situation against righties. Basically, not understanding the strengths and weaknesses of his bullpen.

I got to go down to the stadium and whip batteries at the players on both teams. - Philly Boy Roy

by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Jun 11, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Most MLB managers are stuck in the 'by the book' approach to the game

Dusty excels at communicating with his players and allowing them to participate oft times in decisions that affect their PT or staying in the game and pitching. I think this good. Not because he/they make the right decisions, but because in today’s high profile, high paid ML baseball industry it is pretty hard to be an old school ’ dictator manager’.

I agree that with the team he presently has he’s done well. I think most of us agree that he lacks imagination when it comes to batting orders, line ups and managing the pitching. Ultimately I don’t know how many games his tactical approach has won or lost…but as frustrated as I am at times with him, I must grudgingly admit that he’s ‘managed’ to keep the team in the picture. One thing that helps is the much improved pitching staff, and although I constantly make fun of Dick Pole, the staff for the most has been pretty good. Especially when you take in consideration the injuries and DL time that the staff has had to deal with.

We’ll see what happens with Jannish, Rosales and Hanigan when EdE and Votto come back. I don’t understand the Jannish deal, why he doesn’t get more PT, but everyone else is getting their share and that is good for a lot of reasons. The least of which is keeping everybody’s head in the game and keeping the team unified. Taveris will have ample opportunity to play himself out of a position, just like Dickerson did earlier in the year. That is really the correct approach when you have 25 guys and 162 games. Baker can’t be successful or keep the team unified if he goes ‘RAY KNIGHT’ and starts overmanaging and micromanaging.
Which is what I as an RR does every game, in the comfort of my office with my computer and my cyber pals…Dusty could be better, but he could a hell of a lot worse.

Sweat plus sacrifice equals another useless out. Mads

by Madville on Jun 12, 2009 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with almost everything you said

The only problem with moving Taveras is figuring out which Quad A player on the roster DOES get to hit there (I would argue Hanigan and his .400 OBP until he cools off, but Dusty wouldn’t let that happen). Dusty deserves a ton of credit for the 90% of managing that is not line up setting or in game strategy and he does not get it anywhere.

Meanwhile, a minor quibble, Rosales is NOT out of position at first. He spent a season and a half there at Double A and Triple A before his arm convinced the Reds to move him back to SS and 3rd.

by timb116 on Jun 12, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let me think

if only the Reds had a CF with plus glove that had an OBP 370/ walk rate over 16%- oh they do have such player on the roster but for some reason he has been supplanted by a player that was at replacement level in 08 is sub rep level YTD 09- whom has demonstated in the course of his career that he has no power and no ability to draw walks.
This is more on Walt than Dusty- but Dusty obviously isnt up to the task to permanently bench Taveras.

by davidmac84 on Jun 12, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CDick doesn't exactly tear up lefties

and Lannan is a lefty. I can’t imagine Dickerson would be much more effective than Taveras, so unless you want Stubbs to be called up (which isn’t rediculous) than this is your platoon.

by Cy Schourek on Jun 12, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i want stubbs

Bloop

by justin007000 on Jun 12, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm cool with that platoon

by timb116 on Jun 12, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hi guys :)

Congratulate me now, I think I might die. :)

"It seems as if every mistake I've ever made in life I've had an erection in one hand and a Bud Light in the other."

by jch24 on Jun 11, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You did it?

Holy crap. Now on to your next challenge—the shirt signing!

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on Jun 11, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

pics or it didn't happen.

Let me write out a formal proof for you.

by Gray on Jun 11, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, it happened...but there will be pics

I was impressed. I could only manage half of the Bardzilla.

"It seems like we're not hitting because we're not getting hits." - Dusty being Dusty

by Slyde on Jun 11, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are tons of pics

Eyewitness report forthcoming, and it was truly a thing to behold.

"We, as for me all seasons you are affected peculiarly in the edge of my seat and are happy concerning the fact that the Adam Dunn fan has been mixed up exactly." - Reynard-san

by BK on Jun 11, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

OMG I was feeling so down until I saw this picture

Baseball worshiped here.

by Daedalus on Jun 11, 2009 11:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just wait until I get the writeup done, you'll feel sick :)

"It seems as if every mistake I've ever made in life I've had an erection in one hand and a Bud Light in the other."

by jch24 on Jun 11, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I feel sick

I can’t imagine how you are still breathing.

"It seems like we're not hitting because we're not getting hits." - Dusty being Dusty

by Slyde on Jun 12, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Writeup is done, enjoy bitches. :)

I actually feel pretty normal at this point, and had two beers while writing the post. We’ll see tomorrow morning though.

"It seems as if every mistake I've ever made in life I've had an erection in one hand and a Bud Light in the other."

by jch24 on Jun 12, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

dang

i even felt a little queasy on the way home….

"We're going to Adonis, son"

jch24

by obc2 on Jun 12, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Say I forgot the 1960's Band of the Game yesterday...so now presenting:

Merilee Rush and the Turnabouts

Famous for the original ‘Just Call me Angel in the Morning’
Another Pacific northwest group.’

Sweat plus sacrifice equals another useless out. Mads

by Madville on Jun 12, 2009 7:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can I blame this on Dusty?

not necessarily for his game management yesterday, but for bringing Cordero back in the 9th 2 games ago. That used 2 innings of Masset… which would have been the 7th and 8th innings yesterday, leaving Rhodes for the 9th.

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handey

by JJ on Jun 12, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just wanted to add

after watching Greinke last night, I can say with confidence that he may have thrown a no-hitter against the Reds if he faced them. His slider/curveball combo would make BP and JB shit themselves.

by Cy Schourek on Jun 12, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs