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Around SBN: Win or Lose, Boston Celtics' New Big 3 Era A Success

Back in the Saddle Again (Reds vs. A's: March 22, 2011)

GOODYEAR, AZ (MARCH 22, 2011) - It was a perfect day for a ballgame.  The previous day was horrendous.  Phoenix only got rain, but more northerly parts of Arizona got snow.  A lot of snow.  So much that major interstates were shut down.  Guess who was on the wrong side of the closures?  But no matter, today was cool, clear and sunny. It was perhaps a bit too cold in the shaded seats, but just right in the sun.  It was actually warmer in Cincinnati than it was in Goodyear, which sort of took the fun out of the traditional temperature comparison done during spring training games.

I sat a little further out this time.  The view was still pretty horrendous, and a lot of people were complaining and trying to move.  There was a crotchety old lady in the front row who bluntly told people to sit back in their seats and not lean forward.  So I guess even the front row seats have obstructed views.  What a horribly designed ballpark.

Luckily, there was an empty seat in front of me, which allowed me to see at least a slice of the field.

Goodyear Ballpark reflects in Joey Votto's sunglasses.

Votto-1_medium

Star-divide

Stretching before the game.

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Lined up along the third base line for the national anthem.

National-anthem_medium

(Jay Bruce is so cute.  When the "please stand and remove your caps" announcement came over the PA, he ran in from center field and jumped into line beside Janish, purposely bumping him with his shoulder.  He's as enthusiastic as a kindergartener.)

Starting pitcher Mike Leake sprung a leak in this game.  He struggled from the beginning, causing many fans to sigh over Cueto's injury.

Jonny Gomes chases the homerun Daric Barton hit off Leake.  The ball's on the wrong side of the fence, though, landing in the bullpen.

Gomes-1_medium

Dusty comes out to talk to Leake.

Dusty-leake_medium

He left him in, but probably shouldn't have.  

Bruce and Janish bring something out to Votto after he grounded out to end the top of the first.

Bruce-janish_medium

Not sure what it was.  Someone else brought him his hat and glove, and it was too small to be either of those, anyway.

Bruce gets ready to hit in the 2nd inning.

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I thought it was gone at first, but it bounced off the wall for a standup double.

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Bruce-double_medium

He ended up stranded there.  

Janish with a relay throw from left.

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Leake got in trouble again in the 2nd, escaping a jam thanks to a nice double play. But he didn't get out of the third inning. 

Rolen and Janish chat as Nick Christiani (who?) warms up.

Rolen-janish_medium

By the middle of the third, the Reds were down 7-0 and the game looked like it was going to be a laugher.  But Janish hit a leadoff single, Christiano bunted him over, and Brandon Phillips singled him home.  Then Joey Votto came through.

Votto-hr_medium

Coco Crisp climbs the wall...

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...in vain.

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Home run, Votto.

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Jonny Gomes hit a leadoff homer in the 4th.

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Gomes-hr_medium

Coco Crisp steals 3B in the 4th.

Crisp-steals_medium

The A's would steal three bases.  I'd blame it on pitcher inexperience, except one of them was stolen off Cordero.

BP catches a ball deflected by Cordero, holding Kevin Kouzmanoff to a single.

Bp_medium

Chris Valaika came in for BP at the top of the 6th, but the rest of the  regulars stayed in for the entire game.  Time to get ready for the real games, I guess.

Valaika-1_medium

Votto doubled in the 6th, and got to 3B on a Rolen fly out.

Votto-3b1_medium

Votto-3b_medium

He ended up stranded, alas.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the 7th.

Chapman-2_medium

He looked really good, for the first couple of batters anyway.

The two guys behind me were giving running scouting reports of the players.  One was a Reds fan who knew the players, one was an A's fan who didn't.  They thought Chapman's changeup needed work. They said they could see it coming.

Janish singled again in the 7th.

Janish-singles_medium

Dave Sappelt (pinch-hitting for Chapman) singled, and so did Drew Stubbs.

Stubbs-singles_medium

Janish scores...

Janish-scores_medium

...and Sap ends up on 3B due to a missed catch error.

Sap-1_medium

(Berry is listed as 6'-0".  Basketball probably isn't Sappelt's best sport.)

Sappelt would score on a Chris Valaika sac fly.

Votto hits one hard, but Matt Carson runs it down to end the inning.

Matt-carson_medium

Janish led off the ninth by reaching on an error.

Janish-error_medium

(It was a screamer down the line, and many in the stands were surprised it was ruled an error.)

Pinch-hitter Jeremy Hermida singled to left.  (Oakland fans remembered him, and seemed surprised he was a Red.)

Hermida-single_medium

Janish goes to third.

Janish-3b_medium

Stubbs struck out, and Valaika flew out. 

Joey Votto singled...

Votto-single-1_medium

...scoring Janish and Hermida.

Hermida-scores_medium

It all came down to Scott Rolen.  One swing of the bat could tie the game that once seemed hopelessly out of reach.

But there was no joy in Goodyear...mighty Scotty struck out swinging.

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Votto, stranded at 2B, leaves the field after the game.

Votto4-1_medium

Final score: Oakland 10, Cincinnati 8.

Joey Votto had a great game: 3 for 5 with a home run, a double, and 4 RBIs.  Paul Janish had a nice day at the office as well: 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored (shoulda been 3 for 4!).

Comment 27 comments  |  6 recs  | 

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Yep don't we all?

I am whatever you say I am; if I wasn't, then why would you say I am.
Eminem

by Madville on Mar 24, 2011 2:23 AM EDT up reply actions  

Great shots!

Thanks!

A dope trailer is no place for a kitty.

by GlennBraggsSwingAndMissBrokenBat on Mar 23, 2011 1:17 PM EDT reply actions  

Awesome, thanks BF

I wonder if Leake is like Sampson-he cut his hair and now all of his strength and pitching ability is gone?

Either way, I’m starting to get slightly worried about the rotation. Get better soon, Cueto!

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on Mar 23, 2011 2:32 PM EDT reply actions  

I see what you did there.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on Mar 23, 2011 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions  

The Reds don't have anybody like that. They wouldn't spend the money!

Oh, wait. . .

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on Mar 24, 2011 8:32 AM EDT up reply actions  

I know you've been asked this before

But what kind of camera do you use?

"Those fellas make some good points," Baker said. "They're profane as hell, and they're probably gay, but they make some good points."

Dusty Baker on RR

by DTFH91 on Mar 23, 2011 2:49 PM EDT reply actions  

I wrote about it

here.

It’s a bit out of date now. However, I still like the Canon 40D for sports. Newer versions of that model (50D, etc.) don’t get as many frames per second, or didn’t the last time I checked. And being an older model, it’s cheaper than it used to be.

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

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2011 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions  

Most useful

You are rapidly becoming my most favoritist RR poster.

thanks.

AW, just never fuckin' mind, OK?

by johnu1 on Mar 23, 2011 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions  

as always

great job

pete rose to tony perez "how can anyone as slow as you pull a muscle?"

by dunnateher on Mar 23, 2011 3:09 PM EDT reply actions  

I love how there are multiple pictures of Janish in all these.

But really, great job. Thanks.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on Mar 23, 2011 7:16 PM EDT reply actions  

heh

Part of it was that I got a clear view of only a small slice of the field – the part usually patrolled by the shortstop. Part of it is that Janish had a great game. (So did Votto. You’ll notice there are a lot of pics of him, too.)

But yeah, part of it is that I like Janish. And this is the first time I’ve gotten a good chance to photograph him. He’s either been out of the lineup or I’ve been in the wrong section of the ballpark.

The luck of the draw in spring training. I was sitting with some Reds fans in Peoria today, and they’ve managed to miss Joey Votto in every game they’ve attended. They were really hoping to get a photo of him, and were bummed that he wasn’t playing today. I told them he would probably play tomorrow, but they’re flying back to Cincinnati tomorrow morning.

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

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2011 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

Are you a professional photog, BF?

I would love to get this kind of stuff at the ballpark.
What kind of camera do I need?

AW, just never fuckin' mind, OK?

by johnu1 on Mar 23, 2011 8:05 PM EDT reply actions  

Nothing too special...

Red Reporter: Driving that train high on cocaine.

by justin007000 on Mar 23, 2011 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm not a pro

just an enthusiastic amateur.

A DSLR camera and good lenses are important for sports photography.

However, small point and shoot cameras and formats like micro four thirds are improving to the point where they might be usable. You won’t get the same results as with a DSLR. Generally, you have to choose between speed and reach with those pocket cameras, and the image quality won’t be as good. But they’re improving by leaps and bounds right now.

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

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2011 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions  

These really are professional quality.

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on Mar 24, 2011 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions  

And yet NO ONE has ever seen a picture of BubbaFan herself.

The female Howard Hughes of RR !
Brilliant, eccentric and elusive…genius me thinks.

I am whatever you say I am; if I wasn't, then why would you say I am.
Eminem

by Madville on Mar 24, 2011 12:12 PM EDT reply actions  

Photographers never photograph themselves!

I’m nowhere near as good as BF with a camera but I’m usually the one taking pictures, which means I never have any of myself.

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on Mar 24, 2011 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions  

I have a lot of pictures of bugs...

Me? I have to depend on other people.

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on Mar 24, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions  

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