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Happy Father's Day, everyone! For all the awful stuff you've probably taken for granted from your dad over the past year, your father will be rewarded today with a start from Johnny Cueto. The Reds ace returns from the disabled list today in hopes of making it through his seventh start of the season. In doing so, the Reds will attempt to take the rubber game of their three game series with the surprisingly bad Milwaukee Brewers.
If the Reds offense is going to bounce back after yesterday's shutout, it will have to do it against Wily Peralta. Given his 2013 stats, this may not necessarily be a tall order. Peralta is 4-7 with an ERA of 6.03 in 14 starts. And if you think his 1.43 strikeout to walk ratio isn't great, you should see his 1.661 WHIP. Quite frankly, Peralta has not been very good this year and if he pitches respectably this game, you may want to avoid Twitter at all costs.
The Reds lineup this afternoon will be without Shin Soo Choo. Choo, who has been in the midst of a sustained slump, will get the day off in favor of Not-Yet-Pumpkin Derrick Robinson. Upon hearing this news, Las Vegas has placed the over/under on Reds bunts this game at seven. Robinson and Cozart will be responsible for setting the table for Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips which is mildly concerning, if not somewhat depressing. Alas, the depression from forced lineup construction is not the type of depression one gets when their team is ten games under .500.
So, enjoy your Sparky Anderson-style lineup, Dads. It's a great accompaniment to the return of the Reds best and most dominating pitcher. I'm going to hope this is the first of many consecutive starts for Cueto without a return trip to the disabled list. Why? Because he's on the Reds; they're my favorite team!
After a sustained slump, the Reds lineup will be without Shin Soo Choo. In his place at leadoff will be Derrick Robinson.