TIME: 7:10 @ Great American Ball Park
REDS PROBABLE: CARDINALS PROBABLE:
Brandon Claussen (1-2, 2.51) Mark Mulder (3-1, 3.50)
TV: ESPN for our out of town fans.
So we're up to six in a row at this point, still no changes, still running out guys like Joe Valentine every night. I suppose if changes are coming they'll come tomorrow on the off day. The Reds brass is meeting today, so maybe something will happen.
Paul Daugherty has a great column on Danny Graves' idiocy:
Graves' reasoning - we try hard, nobody wants to lose - works when you're 12 years old and playing Knothole, not when you're an adult, playing for money. His disappointment with the fans holds water if they were getting personal. All they did Monday was boo. Something any normal fan who gives a damn would do in that situation. Every time.The next time Graves saves a game at home, fans will cheer. That's what fans do.
"Yeah, but they'll boo when I come in," he said.
Yup. Why wouldn't they?
I also wrote Lonnie Wheeler the other night after reading this:
It's difficult to say which is more embarrassing to baseball in Cincinnati - 15,961 for a Cardinals game or more than a few of them on their feet, their faces sharpened by angry screaming at a bunch of ballplayers whose world, like their relief pitcher, have just been rocked.
My email:
To: Lonnie Wheeler
Subject: attendence/embarassment" It's difficult to say which is more embarrassing to baseball in Cincinnati - 15,961 for a Cardinals game or more than a few of them on their feet, their faces sharpened by angry screaming at a bunch of ballplayers whose world, like their relief pitcher, have just been rocked. "
I think what's more embarassing is the performance from the Reds last night, especially from Graves. Take off the gloves man, this team deserved every boo it received last night, and I hope they get booed tonight when they take the field.
Last night was historically bad. Don't be an apologist for that crap.
JD Arney
www.redreporter.com
His response:
JD,I should have elaborated, but it was late. What bothered me wasn't the booing in general, but how, after the horrible inning was over, the fans stood up and got in the Reds' faces as they returned to the dugout. That, to me, smacked of being too personal.
Lonnie Wheeler
I appreciate the response, but I just don't see how you can expect anything differently after such a miserable performance. I think the biggest thing the media is missing is that the Reds were coming off a four game losing streak where they'd lost 4+ run leads twice already. Losing a six run lead in the top of the ninth was simply the cherry on top of a terrible week.
Brandon Claussen tonight. We need our starters to have more outings like Aaron Harang's last night or we're going to lose most of our August/September games due to a chronically fatigued bullpen.
Let's go Reds, salvage something here.