Cincinnati Reds Live Blog (5/04)

Hi, hello and welcome to another Cincinnati Reds live blog. It’s been more than two weeks since my last one of these, and oh how times have changed. The bad news: The Reds are 13-15, they’re five games out of first place, the bullpen is probably the worst in the National League if not all of baseball and the offense has been mediocre at best (10th in the NL in batting average, 7th in runs scored and 11th in on-base percentage). The good news: Well, it’s early. The season is only 28 games old so a lot can still happen. Plus, the Brewers are in first in the NL Central at 18-10, and I just don’t see that pace lasting all season. I know they’re greatly improved, but come on, it’s still Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Reds sit just one-half game behind the Cubs and Pirates for second place. So I guess we got that going for us, which is nice.

I sat down and kept a running diary of the first of a three-game set between the Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park. Here’s what went down:

6:50 – Matt Belisle (3-1, 3.45) is on the hill for Cincinnati tonight. Not only is Belisle coming off the first complete game of his career, the Reds’ righty has pitched well all season. Before the season, I predicted that Kyle Lohse would start the season very strong and get a lot of people’s hopes up. Looks like Belisle has taken on that role, at least thus far in 2007. The Rockies counter with Jason Hirsh (2-2, 3.41).

7:11 – Thom Brennaman and Chris Welsh are behind the mics for Fox Sports Ohio, Belisle is on the mound for the Reds, Willy Taveras is at the plate for the Rocks and we are underway.

7:17 – With Troy Tulowitzki on first after a single, Todd Helton drives a two-out, two-run home run over the right field fence. Uh-oh, perhaps I jinxed our boy with all my kind words in the opening. It’s 2-0 Rockies early.

7:21 – Belisle gets out of the first, and the Reds come to bat with a line-up of Scott Hatteberg, Brandon Phillips, Ken Griffey Jr., Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Dunn, Alex Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, David Ross and Belisle.

I keep trying to come up with an “everyday” line-up for the Reds, and I keep struggling with it. Well, thanks to my guy Lance McAlister, I finally figured out why. Lance pointed out that the Reds don’t have everyday players! So how can they have an everyday line-up? Dunn, Junior, Freel and Hamilton are all going to play in the outfield. Hatteberg and Jeff Conine are going to platoon at first. Edwin’s going to get some days off at third and will move around in the batting order a lot. Considering Cincinnati doesn’t have eight guys who are going to start on a consistent basis, it’s pretty much impossible to lobby for a set batting order. The only thing you can write in permanent marker is Ross in the eight hole. Other than that, it’s going to depend on pitching match-ups, injuries, home/away, day/night and a number of other factors.

Another thing I should mention is that Jerry Narron is not with the club this evening. He’s actually attending his daughter’s college graduation, so Bucky Dent will be handling the managing duties for tonight’s game. Why do I have a feeling there won’t be 6-8 easy managerial decisions blown in tonight’s game?

7:28 – Hatteberg drew a leadoff walk and, after a Phillips pop out, Junior takes ball four to put two men on with one out.

7:32 – Encarnacion pops out and (surprise, surprise) Dunn strikes out to end the inning.

7:36 – Omar Quintanilla grounds softly to third, but Hatteberg comes off the bag when fielding Edwin’s throw. When I saw it live, I thought for sure that was a bad call by the first base ump; after seeing the replay, now I’m not so sure. With Tulowitzki at short and Quintanilla at second, I think I can safely say that Colorado’s double play combo leads the league in total letters. I’m guessing their teammates just go with Troy and Omar.

7:48 – The guy an entire city is rooting for, Josh Hamilton, reaches on an infield hit. Ross follows with a high fly ball to left, and it just barely reaches the seats. Unbelievable! We’re all tied up at two.

The heavy-hitting Ross (.185 BA coming into tonight) missed hitting a two-run homer by about ten feet last night in Houston and had to settle for an RBI double. Tonight Ross homers into the first row of the left field bleachers to match Helton’s first inning two-run bomb. Maybe he’s coming out of his funk.

8:01 – Belisle retires Colorado in order in the third, so let’s revisit the Narron topic for a second. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a huge Narron guy. I think he blows some incredibly easy and obvious tactical moves and does so on a far too regular basis. In other words, Narron could get the pink slip tomorrow and I wouldn’t bat an eyelash.

However, some things are just beyond the manager’s control. If your bullpen is gonna give up 36 runs in 28 games (tied for the most in the majors), there’s nothing you can do about that as a manager. The same goes for all of the errors this team makes on defense and for his hitters not being intelligent enough to lay off pitches in key situations and work favorable pitch counts. So would I be in favor of the Reds making a change? Probably, but … unless Bucky Dent or another new manager is going to bring with him three new relief pitchers and force the team to do the little things correctly on a nightly basis, I still see this as a losing ball club.

8:08 – After Junior had walked earlier in the inning, Dunn singles to center, but Griffey is thrown out trying to go first to third. The replay shows Griffey hesitating big time and nearly stopping at second before getting gunned down at third. Dunn advances to second on the throw.

“I like the aggressive base running,” says Welsh. Really? I like it a lot more when the guy’s safe.

8:11 – Gonzalez comes up huge with a two-out, RBI double to give the Reds the lead for the first time tonight.

8:29 – Hirsh gets the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Earlier, Welsh compared Hirsh to Reds pitcher Aaron Harang, not in terms of pitching style but in reference to size and body type. At first I thought this was crazy as Hirsh goes 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, but after some quick Internet research, it turns out Harang is 6-7 and 275. In a million years, I wouldn’t have guessed he was that big. How did I, as a Reds fan, not know Harang is so huge? I mean, that’s a big boy.

8:42 – Boom goes the dynamite! Griffey Jr. just absolutely tattoos a ball down the right field line, and it’s 4-2 Reds.

Welsh and Brennaman bring up a point that simply cannot be overlooked. When Junior is in the line-up, healthy and hitting like he can, Cincinnati is a different ball club. Junior doing his thing really does make that big of a difference to the Reds as a team.

8:49 – Matt Holliday leads off the sixth with a single and Helton follows with a walk. Belisle then gives up another single to Garrett Atkins, and all of a sudden it’s a 4-3 game, the Rockies have runners on the corners and there’s nobody out. Time to warm somebody up in the bullpen. Oh boy, there’s a scary thought for you.

8:52 – Brad Hawpe draws a walk and the bases are now juiced. If Belisle can get out of this inning allowing just one more run, I’d be thrilled.

8:57 – Belisle coaxes a 4-6-3 double play ball and gets Quintanilla to line out to end the inning. The damage is done as the Rocks get a pair of runs, but it could have been a lot worse.

The Cincinnati right-hander has given you six innings of four-run ball, and the pitcher’s spot is due up fourth in the bottom of the inning. If I’m Dent, I’m hoping to pinch hit for Belisle here and maybe retake the lead. Then if I’m Dent, I close my eyes and say every prayer I know before turning the game over to the ’pen.

9:04 – Gonzalez leads off with a walk but, of course, Hamilton grounds into a DP. Ross pops out to end the inning and leave the nine spot in the on-deck circle, so…

9:06 – Bucky decides to stick with Belisle for the seventh. Talk about your lose-lose situations.

9:08 – Belisle gives up a pinch hit single to Steve Finley to lead off the inning. Then Taveras lays down a bunt, which is fielded by Encarnacion and promptly thrown into right field. Have I mentioned this team struggles do to the little things? Finley comes all the way around to score the go-ahead run and Taveras ends up at third.

9:11 – The Reds go to the bullpen, and Belisle gives way to Todd Coffey and 5.79 ERA.

9:20 – With the infield in, Coffey gets a ground out and strike out before intentionally walking Helton and unintentionally walking Atkins. Another call to the ’pen and rookie Jon Coutlangus is on to face Hawpe with the bases loaded.

9:23 – Hawpe flies out to right, and the Reds keep the deficit at 5-4. Cincinnati’s bullpen: giving fans heart attacks since 2006.

9:27 – After Norris Hopper leads off the inning with a pinch hit single, Hatteberg lays down a perfect sacrifice bunt.

9:28 – Phillips smashes a single to right, and this one is all tied up! That’s how you manufacture a run; get him on, move him over, drive him in. See, the Reds do know how to do the little things after all. No way would that run have scored if Narron was managing tonight. J

9:36 – After at least one pitching change by Colorado (I wasn’t watching that closely), Edwin rips a double down the line off of some rookie named Alberto Arias. Phillips is gonna try to score all the way from first, and … he’s gunned down at the plate. The throw was way offline, and the catcher still had time to get the ball and dive six feet to his left and tag Phillips out. I’m sorry but when that happens, it’s on third base coach Mark Berry. Berry has not been having a good season down at third. I mean, if it were a bang-bang play at the plate, I’d understand. But with a good throw, Phillips is out by a mile. In that case, you have to hold the runner, coach.

That ends the seventh. Oh well, at least Cincy scores to tie it up at 5-5.

9:42 – The Rockies go down in order in the eighth. While we have a minute, I wanted to revisit a little debate some comments in my previous live blogs had sparked. Basically, I’ve been pretty critical of Thom Brennaman as an announcer. Most people outside of Cincinnati tend to agree with me (the minority as very few people outside of people I know here in Cincy actually read this) while those I’ve talked to within the city disagree and defend Brennaman.

See, it’s not that I really like George Grande, nor is it that I think Brennaman is bad at what he does. In terms of pure play-by-play ability – calling the game, voice, baseball knowledge, etc. – Brennaman is better than Grande hands down. My point was just that Thom is so negative all the time. He is critical of every little thing the Reds do and always has a negative tone to his voice. He also, in my opinion, doesn’t do a very good job of making his point without sounding like he is preaching or talking down to his audience. That’s where Thom differs greatly from his dad, Marty. The elder Brennaman can criticize the team without making me feel like a dumbass.

Grande has a ton of flaws in his own right. He’s corny, he’s cheesy, he squeals and shrieks in a high pitch, he is a Reds’ employee and you can tell by listening to him. But in the end, Grande sounds like he’s having a good time in the booth whereas Thom just sounds angry most of the time. When it comes right down to it, I’ll take Grande and all of his imperfections for no other reason than that he lets me enjoy myself while I’m watching a game. Thom Brennaman seems too uptight and completely humorless. When he relaxes, focuses on simply calling the game and stops inserting his own opinion so damn much, give me a call and I’ll be happy to listen.

9:51 – Another rookie, this one named Zach McClellan, strikes out Dunn and Gonzalez to begin the bottom of the eighth. Hamilton draws a two-out walk, and I’d be thinking about hitting Javier Valentin for Ross right now. McClellan is a righty and Valentin hits better from the left side. If Javier were to drive one in the gap, Hamilton has the wheels to score from first. I’m just saying…

9:55 – And Ross strikes out looking with Valentin in the on-deck circle. Apparently, Javier was going to hit for the pitcher if Ross had reached base.

10:01 – Kirk Saarloos gives the Reds a perfect eighth and ninth, so the good guys are coming to bat in the bottom of nine with a chance to win it.

10:05 – I don’t know if his stuff is that good or it’s just the Reds making him look it, but McClellan is just mowing down Reds hitters right now. He K-ed Valentin looking and induced one of the worst swings I’ve ever seen outta Hatteberg.

10:09 – Phillips walks (McClellan has yet to give up a hit), and that’ll bring up Junior with two outs.

10:11 – Griffey Jr. flies harmlessly to left. Where did Zach McClellan come from? And feel free to send him back there.

10:13 – Mike Stanton comes in to start the tenth, and every Reds fans who saw last night’s game is holding his breath right now.

10:18 – Helton singles the opposite way to lead off the inning. Jamey Carroll, who I’m going to assume is really fast, enters the game to pinch run. Stanton proceeds to walk Atkins and a chorus of boos rings out from the fans remaining at GABP. Can you say game over? I think I’m just going to go ahead and write down a 6-5 Colorado win and post this thing.

10:23 – Hawpe fouls twice trying to lay down a sac bunt, then strikes out looking, so Stanton catches a break. The next batter Yorvit Torrealba (try that five times fast) grounds into a 5-4-3 double play, and Stanton gets out of the inning.

Just to review, I propped up Belisle and he had one of his worse outings of the season so far. I then bashed David Ross who hit a two-run homer and mercilessly ripped the bullpen, which has pitched four scoreless innings tonight.

10:27 – Dunn singles into left and, with one away, the Reds have a base runner.

10:31 – Gonzalez pops straight up in the air and the entire Rockies infield converges on the mound only to have the ball fall in between three players. Fortunately for Colorado, Dunn had to stay on his first base, so the Rocks throw to second for the force out. Score it a fielder’s choice even though it should be an error. Hamilton Ks on three pitches and we’re going to the eleventh.

10:34 – Top of eleven and Stanton is still in the game? Yikes. Meanwhile, Brennaman and Welsh are talking about singing karaoke in a hotel bar somewhere. Stop the presses; Brennaman might have a sense of humor after all.

10:44 – Stanton gives up a two-out double, and Weathers enters the game to pitch to Tulowitzski, who singles to right. Taveras scores the go-ahead run, and that’s the second night in the row Weathers has allowed one of Stanton’s base runners to score.

10:48 – It’s 6-5 Rockies with Ross, Valentin and the pitcher’s spot due up for the Reds in the bottom of eleven.

10:54 – Ross grounds to third, and Freel (hitting for Javier) flies to center for the second out. The Reds had been 3-0 in games that I’ve done live blogs for, but it’s not looking good here.

Conine draws a walk so maybe there’s still hope.

10:55 – But Phillips flies out to the warning track in right, and this one belongs to the Rockies. Good night all.

Enable Comment Auto-Refresher