I won't be using the basket baby any more when something good happens. Baseball is a superstitious game, internet blogging doubly so. I do think "Sated Richard Schiff" has promise though.
I was hoping the Reds wouldn't lose ever again, so I could use a script to auto-fill these game threads: "It's __/__/__ and I can't believe it's a __ game win streak. This is an amazing ongoing event."
The team can't get afford to get complacent. They've only spent two days in first place and not only are the Cards just a half game back, but three teams are within 4 games. They also have an offense that, despite the recent home run binge, is still below league average and only fourth in its own division. In the NL, the Reds rank ahead of just the Pirates, Cubs and Padres for wRC+ - a stat that adjusts wOBA for league and park.
They're going to have to do some work with the bats, especially since Johnny Cueto isn't going to be holding teams to one or none runs all the time. Luckily, they've got an extra bat in the lineup: Mike Leake and his .333/.333/.533 slash line. Ignoring minimum PAs (Leake has only 17), that's the third-best OPS+ on the team. It also surprised me to learn that Todd Frazier was #2.
Lineups and all that after the jump. It's baseball night in America, no one seems to be saying.
Lineups
REDS (25-20)
Zack Cozart (R) SS
Drew Stubbs (R) CF
Joey Votto (L) 1B
Brandon Phillips (R) 2B
Jay Bruce (L) RF
Chris Heisey (R) LF
Miguel Cairo (R) 3B
Devin Mesoraco (R) C
Mike Leake (R) P
ROCKIES (17-27)
Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
Tyler Colvin (L) CF
Carlos Gonzalez (L) LF
Troy Tulowitzki (R) SS
Todd Helton (L) 1B
Michael Cuddyer (R) RF
Jordan Pacheco (R) 3B
Wil Nieves (R) C
Jeremy Guthrie (R) P
Bullpen notes:
- I don't think throwing 20+ pitches every other day is sustainable for Jose Arredondo, which is maybe why we saw him melt down a little last night. It's been since May 14 that he's gotten more than a day's rest.
- If Alfredo Simon is the long man, LeCure or Hoover could step into Arredondo's role for a few days.