Reds use Tresselball to beat the Marlins 3-2, by taking an early lead and sitting on it.

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 10:25 AM EDT in Game Threads

Sorry for the lateness of the recap. I fell asleep. You'd think the scintillating repartee in the game thread would have left me wide-eyed, but no.

Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Matt Maloney. The rookie earned his first major league win, and did it in gritty style by fighting through the pain caused by a blister on his finger. He went five innings, gave up two runs (same ERA as a quality start) and struck out three while walking one. Darnell McDonald had two hits, Jay Bruce had two RBI, and the bullpen pitched four scoreless innings.

Key Plays

Darnell McDonald led off the game with a home run. WHOA! Doubles machine Paul Janish then hit a double, making everyone who said he shouldn't bat second look like a dope. Joey Votto and Scott Rolen both drew walks, and with two outs Jay Bruce hit an opposite field, bases loaded single to drive in two more runs. The Reds had three runs, and decided to take the rest of the night off.
Maloney was generally outstanding, but began to run out of gas in the fifth inning as his pitch count crept into the 90s. Chris Coghlan doubled to start the frame, and took third on Nick Johnson's groundout. He scored when future-Red Hanley Ramirez singled, and Ramirez himself scored on a dubbla by Dan Uggla. Maloney got Cody Ross to foul out to end the inning, then hit the showers.
The end.

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

The Reds set a new record for second smallest attendance at GABP, with 9,685.
Coghlan had four hits on the night, and leads all NL rookies with 136. Remember when we were hyping Ryan Hanigan for Rookie of the Year? Good times... Well he only has 63 hits. Clearly Dusty is right not to play him.
Francisco Cordero got his NL-leading 38th save and his fourth save in as many days. He hasn't had a stretch like that since July 3-6, where he got three saves and blew the fourth but still earned the win.
The Reds have won nine in a row over the Marlins at GABP.

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I was keeping an eye on the score

on the little pitcher’s scoreboard over the visitor’s bullpen at PNC Field.

I saw the Reds were leading, and wondered if Janish hit any doubles. :-)

That new record low in attendance is a bit worrisome. Will it lead the Reds to cut back on payroll even more? Or will they shell out on a big name, hoping it puts buns in the seats?

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

I kinda phrased that badly

It’s the new mark for the SECOND-lowest crowd. The lowest was still for the second game of the Pirates doubleheader. But yeah, we’ve set lowest marks about five different times this season, so I’d say that’s not good. I think they would cut back rather than splash on a big name free agent, though the last big name free agent they signed has been playing like gangbusters this season. Great job, Coco!

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

remember when

the Reds actually had higher attendance than last year, despite the recession?

Not true any more.

Attendance is down -248,563 for the year, averaging -3,452 per game. About 13% drop from last year.

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

how much of that has to do with the recession though?

i’d say a good bit of that is about the team on the field. this is just off the cuff, but maybe people were more willing go out and watch the team the past 8 years when they were putting baseballs in the river instead of the lame ass Dodgerball bullshit we’ve been watching this year.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 18, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions

that's what I meant

The Reds might feel the need to try to stem the decline by buying a big name veteran.

However, I think the recession is probably part of it. MLB attendance is down 5 million so far this year. Even considering that the Yankees and Mets are playing in smaller stadiums, that’s a lot.

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah

it’s just that sometimes i miss Adam Dunn so badly…

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 18, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

A grumpy Nats fan

pointed out to me that Dunn was their consolation prize for losing Teixeira to the Yanks. And he’s hit more home runs than Tex, and cost a lot less.

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions

BUT TEX GREW UP IN SEVERNA PARK!

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

that must be why he didn't want to move back there :-)

I gotta say, what I love about Teixeira is his glove. After years of watching Giambi “field,” it’s nice to have solid D at 1B.

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I don't think Nats fans are really enamored with Dunn's defense

But most of them didn’t want to trade Nick Johnson either. Still, Dunn’s having a fine year, and I think they’re coming around on him.

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I just checked his stats

By “fine year,” I meant "best season of his career. He’s got a slash line of .280/.410/.558. That’s the highest average and OBP of his career, and third best slugging. His OPS is .968, a career high, and OPS+ is 152, six points higher than his second best.

He has 37 home runs and 99 RBI. He might not reach his career high of 46, but he seems likely to hit 40 again, and only needs 8 more RBI to set a career high. He’s leading the majors in walks with 102. It’s a stretch, but if he walks 23 more times, that’s a career best. He needs 12 more hits to tie his single season mark. All while playing 53 games (so far) at 1B.

And he’s struck out 164 times.

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

hmmm

Soriano also had a career year with the Nats.

Maybe it’s more of a hitter’s park than it appears.

Or maybe they wanted to get out so much it inspired them to work harder. ;-)

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Soriano played for the Nats in RFK

and Dunn is -3 wins with his glove. gawd.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 18, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, Soriano's season is all the more impressive for doing it at RFK

Personally, I choose to view this as a stark condemnation of Brook Jacoby.

by Brendanukkah on Sep 18, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

oh yeah and speaking of Yankees i hate

Jorge Posada is out of his mind. this is his age-37 season and he’s got a .375 wOBA. and he’ll catch 100 games before the season is over. unreal.

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 18, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I like Jorgie

Though I’m kinda pissed at him for starting that stupid brawl. At age 37, you’d think he’d know better.

I think Posada is really underrated. People don’t notice him because of all the other big stars on the team.

But Posada, as a switch-hitting catcher with a good stick, provides strength in a position that’s a weakness for many other teams. I think the Yanks will miss him more than any of their other players. (Mo is probably second on that list – but Posada plays a lot more than Mo does.) I think the Yanks will find replacing Jeter, A-Rod, etc. a lot easier than replacing Posada.

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

by BubbaFan on Sep 18, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

by Gray on Sep 18, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

You should post the Reposter at 11 last night

That’ll show ’em!

"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 Sep 18, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions