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http://www.columbussports.com/content/hotNews/reds-rap---july-2008.shtmlReds Rap - July 2008
Cincinnati steps back and forth in its quest for mediocrity.
Reds Best Worst (7/24) -- Win a few, lose a few. That seems to be the game plan in the Queen City these days. After losing the series finale in 10 innings to the hottest NL team (New York, 53-46) on Sunday due to an Edwin Encarnacion error and a subsequent sacrifice fly, the Reds also dropped Monday's game to the league lowly Padres 6-4, blowing a 4-3 lead heading into the last inning. The loss came once again off the arm of Coco Cordero, so reliable earlier in the season but now in classic meltdown mode. The Reds' closer again invited disaster with 3 walks and 2 hits allowed in 2/3 inning, a mind-numbing WHIP for you Moneyballers out there. The Padres improved to 1-53 when trailing after eight innings, surely a dubious distinction for the Reds. The Padres also broke a 6 game losing streak and a 6-23 skid. Former Tribesman Kevin Kouzmanoff provided the game-winning double, and the Reds could not rally despite three straight singles off Trevor Hoffman in the bottom of the ninth. Thankfully, in beisbol we always play the next day, and the Reds shifted their fortunes with two wins over San Diego on Tuesday and Wednesday, improving the season record to 50-53, still 10 games behind in the Central. Tuesday night was an 11 inning 4-3 victory, and anyone wanting the details can call my brother. I'll give you a hint -- Johnny Cueto struck out 10 and Jeff Keppinger improved to 1-6 on the night with an RBI double in the final frame. Cincinnati rolled on to take the series 2-1 with a Padre pounding 9-5 on Wednesday, thanks to an Adam Dunn seventh inning grand slam, his 29th. Edwin Encarnacion added his 19th bomb and Bronson Arroyo (9-7) won his fifth straight start, allowing only 6 hits and no BB in 7 innings. Javier Valentin was also 3-4 with a homer. The creep to mediocrity continues . . .
Cordero Crash (7/18) -- Normally reliable closer Francisco Coco Cordero was the culprit last night in the Reds' first action since the All-Star break, a disappointing, long and tumultuous 10-8 loss to the resurgent New York Mets (52-44, ten straight wins) at Great American Ballpark before 23,681 on a hot July night. Cordero has been an excellent acquisition in general but allowed 6 hits and 4 earned runs in 1/3 of the ninth inning for the loss. The main damage came from David Wright's two run homer, but an RBI single from Carlos Delgado and a double off the bat of Fernando Tatis didn't hurt. The Reds squandered a 5 run fourth that chased Mets' star Johan Santana from the game. The fourth inning explosion included back to back solo homers from Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion and a two run triple by Jeff Keppinger. In the seventh, Reds pinch hitter Javier Valentin smoked a bases loaded and clearing double to put the Reds up 8-6, which is where it stayed until Cordero appeared. Cincinnati also got an on again off again performance from Johnny Cueto in an outing that basically summed up his season. Cueto struck out the first five batters of the game but ended with a dismal final line of 5 1/3 innings, 6 hits, three walks and 6 earned runs but just one more K. We love Johnny with his potential and his flashes of brilliance, but pitching lines like that are painful when a team is struggling to get to the .500 "respectability" mark. The Reds fell to 46-51 on the year, five losses under the magic milestone, but have eight more games on the current homestand.
Slow and Steady (7/12) -- The Reds' up and down march back to respectability continues as summer wears on, and was exhibited in back to back wins over division rivals who have been looking at Cincinnati in their rear view mirrors. The Reds are back to just four games under .500 (now 45-49) after defeating the Chicago Cubs 12-7 on Thursday and the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 in a wild one Friday night. Something's Brewin' -- It was a good comeback win for the Reds in the land of Schlitz, as the Selig family high times were spoiled in front of 41,229. Remember when the Brew Crew would draw 9,000 a game? It wasn't that long ago, really, but the western "mistake on the lake" (not to be confused with our fond friends on Ohio's north coast) has taken to the Brewers, who stand at 51-42, just 5 games out of first and a half game out of second in a season where the wildcard may well come out of the Central. Lord knows it ain't coming out of the West, where Arizona leads with a 46-47 record. Ryan Braun continues to power the Brewers with 23 homers and 66 RBI, including one against the Reds Friday night, but it wasn't enough to overcome a Milwaukee error in the seventh and a wild pitch in the eighth that allowed the Reds to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Softball Swings -- Thursday's game at Wrigley Field before another 41,000+ crowd was fit for the beer leaguers as the Reds pounded Cubs pitchers Ted Lilly (L, 9-6), Michael Wuertz and Jon Leiber. Cincinnati connected for 18 hits including 7 homers, two by David Ross and one apiece by Edwin Encarnacion, Brandon Phillips, Ken Griffey, Jr., Joey Votto and Adam Dunn. Griffey tallied 4 RBI even as he left two runners stranded in scoring position. Bronson Arroyo (7-7) picked up the win to help his trade bait status despite giving up ten hits and walks and five earned runs in five innings for an unhealthy 2.00 WHIP and 9.00 ERA. He is at similarly appalling figures of 1.66 and 5.97 for the year.
Rotating Rotation -- Bronson Arroyo will still be starting in Cincinnati for the time being as the trade deadline appears on the horizon, but his possible departure is not the only change in the air as Dusty Baker continues to struggle to find the right arms to right the ship and get the squad to a over .500 year. Josh Fogg got the start Friday against the Brewers and got a no decision, despite giving up only 1 hit in 5 1/3 innings. Fogg also walked two and carries a 7.94 ERA. Ouch!! Of course, most of that was absorbed earlier in the year before his demotion to AAA Louisville and lengthy DL stint, but 3 earned runs in 5 innings is not going to get the ratio down very quickly. To be fair, Fogg did pitch a nice 3-2 victory over Washington in his first return start. The question is will Fogg hold on to the number 5 (or 4 if Arroyo is traded) slot? Cincinnati will obviously continue to trod out Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Aaron Harang (if healthy) every fifth day and fans and management are relatively happy with that trio. Despite a recent injury and some struggles and a 3-11 record, Harang has pitched well in many outings with little run support and his ERA is a respectable (just barely) 4.76. Johnny Cueto has generally held his own through some disappointments but is still very promising, and obviously everyone in the Queen City has noticed Volquez' breakout year (11-3, 2.36 ERA and 116 K's in 110 innings). Right now, the word is that Homer Bailey will get more chances to start before and after the All-Star break. Bailey is winless both in AAA and in MLB since 4/27. The coaching staff is mouthing the words that Bailey's "stuff has improved", and we may well get a chance to see firsthand if Homer indeed takes the mound tomorrow (Sunday 7/13) against the Brewers. Bailey got three previous starts for the Reds this year but managed to last only 12.1 innings total, giving up 16 hits and 10 walks to feasting opponents. Update 7/18 -- Bailey acquitted himself well the Reds' 2-1 loss last Sunday to Milwaukee. Bailey went 5 and 2/3 with no walks, 4 K's and only two earned runs. So maybe there's hope . . .