March 11, 2012 (Goodyear, AZ) The first thing I notice: there's a new decoration at Goodyear Ballpark.
No, not Chris Heisey, decorative as he is. The sign!
I wonder if they had to get the Indians' permission to put that up.
It was my first chance to see our new ace, Mat Latos.
Wow, is he pale. What we used to call "shark bait" in Hawaii.
He got hit around a little bit, as you know if you listened to the game. But hey, it's only spring training.
There were a bunch of different mascots at the game, supposedly celebrating Zizzy's birthday. They had a race, and there was some blatant cheating. They appealed to the police, but they refused to get involved.
Zack Cozart singled, then got caught stealing.
Maybe I'm bad luck for him. Seems like he gets caught stealing or picked off every time I see him.
The Angels third baseman robbed him in his other at-bat. Alberto Callaspo was picking it. He turned a couple of sure doubles into outs.
There were a lot of former Yankees in this game. Tomko, Cairo, Navarro...and Bobby Abreu.
One man in the stands was heckling Abreu by yelling, "Hey, Bobby! You're older than my dad!"
Joey Votto throws across the infield to Scott Rolen.
(The throw was high, and Rolen jumped and landed on top of the runner. Safe! But I was just glad Rolen wasn't injured.)
Chris Heisey had kind of a rough day at the office. He went O-fer.
He looks good, though. A bit leaner than he was last year at this time.
Jay Bruce, doing what he does.
Brett Tomko pitched two innings. Some pics for tk:
He got hit by a comebacker, and insisted he was all right.
Mesoraco insisted on the trainer coming out check him out.
He stayed in, and held the Halos scoreless. With the help of his defense.
Jean Segura was caught stealing, gunned down by Mesoraco.
Miguel Cairo and Paul Janish began playing catch in front of me, and I knew that meant the starters were being pulled.
Miggy was very friendly. Someone told him his son was really cute. (Maybe he was on the field before the game? I dunno, I got there late.)
Miggy replied, "He looks like his mother. Thank god!"
Janish looked really scrawny.
Jeez, if they're worried about his keeping weight on during the season, he's starting out in a bit of a hole this year. Somebody needs to take that boy to McDonald's.
Jose Arredondo is growing his hair out.
At the beginning of the bottom of the sixth, Harris grounded out. The fan behind me got irate, and starting yelling at the next batter, Janish, to get his teammates going.
He did. Maybe the Reds should hire that guy to yell at Janish all year.
Janish smoked one to left.
The Angels left fielder had a really good arm, and got it back in fast. Janish was held to a single.
Janish was going on the full count to Votto, and he would have made it. No need, though; Votto walked.
Cairo singled...
...scoring Janish.
The Reds were on the board!
Frazier came in to pinch run for Votto. Joey walked slowly from the dugout to the clubhouse door in center field, stopping to talk to everyone along the way. He said something that Miguel Cairo found very funny.
Bruce singled, then Negron struck out.
Lutz singled:
Dioner Navarro doubled.
He split the outfielders. The CFer tried to dive, but missed.
Daryl Jones singled.
Harris grounded out. (Meaning he made two outs in that inning.) But the Reds had put 5 runs on the board.
Miguel Cairo and Angels SS Jean Segura.
Segura is listed at 5'-11". If he's 5'-11", Cairo is a giant.
Cairo looked pretty good. He made some nice plays on defense. The fans were yelling things like, "You still got it, old man!"
Ondrusek came in to close it out.
It was rather more eventful than expected. He got the first two outs easily, then gave up 4 hits and 2 runs. He came close to giving up the lead, and fans were getting restless. If this had been a real game, it would have been pretty annoying. Actually, it was pretty annoying anyway.
Finally, a grounder to SS.
Game over!
Donald Lutz spoke to the fans after the game. He seems like a really nice young man.
Final score: Reds 5, Angels 4. The Reds gave Zizzy a come from behind win for his birthday.