Reds Tidbits (2006 Season)

[BuckeyeNation27]

I missed the game tonite, saw that they lost, but Elizardo didnt throw to bad.

Seems Hamels is the real deal only giving up 1 hit through 5 innings. I am guessing they took him out, b/c they still want him to work his stamina up.

he was up in the 90s in pitch count when they took him out.

I made this for my brother, but figured I'd post it here too:

 

[Jaxbuck]

Dave Williams pitches the game of his life and we lose 2-0.

-Quinton F McCracken drops a can-o-corn flyball for 1 run

-Coffee throws a 50 ft fastball with an 0-2 count and a man on 3rd for the 2nd run

-Dunn K's swinging at ball 4 to end the game with 2 men on.

Claussen stands between us and a sweep at the hands of the Phillies as well as a losing home stand.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

I swear to god, the Reds ought to trade for Jon Lieber just so we don't have to face him. Thank god he's not with the Cubbies anymore.

Quinton McFuckingCracken.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Dave Williams pitches the game of his life and we lose 2-0.

-Quinton F McCracken drops a can-o-corn flyball for 1 run

-Coffee throws a 50 ft fastball with an 0-2 count and a man on 3rd for the 2nd run

-Dunn K's swinging at ball 4 to end the game with 2 men on.

Claussen stands between us and a sweep at the hands of the Phillies as well as a losing home stand.

This pretty much sums up what I was going to come in here and say.

I was at the game, so it multiplied the anger.

First off if you would of told me I was going to the game and Dave Williams was going to throw 8 1/3 innings of no unearned runs I would of probably put a million dollars on the game.

Well first off I was mad when they started Quinton McCracken instead of Griffey or Freel. Then the fuck drops the easily fly ball ever. We can't get a hit off the guy that has the most hits allowed in the national league.

Then Dunn breaks up the perfect game with a single, Go figure he has more HR's then he does singles on the year.

I can't stand Jason fuckin' Larue. He is officially batting under 200 now folks.

Then I called it in the 9th I said watch Dunn get up with 2 on and run the count full and strikeout on his bobble head nite. Well sure enough I was right.

We have Dunn and Larue who are making a collective 14 or so million and thier combine batting averages are about 210.

I was pissed going to the game b/c I had to watch Dave Williams, but I was thinking it was going to be like a 12-8 game or something with 2 guys throwing with era's above 6. But to my suprise I leave seeing only 2 unearned runs on some great defense by the Reds and absolutely piss poor hitting off the sad fuck he is Jon Lieber.

Can any one explain to me why I let these guy pull me in everyear when they start hot in the month of April. They will be out of it by the All-star break, Dunn will lead the league in K's, Griffey will soon be back on the DL, Larue will hang around 200 all year, We will continue to average an error a game and be dead last in fielding percentage, the bullpen will continue to suck, and Reds fans will continue to think Adam Dunn who hits 230 with a lot of long homeruns is an all-star.

 

[coastalbuck]

I predicted a slump breaking game last week, so I'll try again. I think they'll score 10 today! I do have one question though, why the hell is Quentin McCracken playing? I would hope it's just to show him off for a trade, if so, we didn't accomplish much last night!

Quinton McFuckingCracken.

Bucky said it best!!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/14/06

PHILLIES 2 REDS 0

Lieber has no problem with Reds

Williams’ best effort is wasted in loss

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI – Dave Williams picked a bad time to pitch the best game of his short career with the Reds last night in Great American Ball Park.
As sharp as the Cincinnati left-hander looked, he never really had a chance because Jon Lieber flirted with perfection while pitching the Philadelphia Phillies to a three-hit, 2-0 victory in front of 32,620 fans.
Lieber (3-4) retired the first 20 Reds before Adam Dunn lined a single past diving Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins with two outs in the seventh inning. Lieber didn’t bother to blink. He set down the next six Reds before turning the game over to closer Tom Gordon with two outs in the ninth. Gordon struck out Dunn on a 3-and-2 pitch with the tying runs on base.
"Williams pitched a hell of a game," Lieber said. "I knew after the fourth inning that it was going to be a pretty good ballgame. It’s all about making pitches."
Williams also realized early on that he was in a dogfight with his Philadelphia counterpart.
"He seemed to be in a groove and I was trying to put up a zero to make him put up a zero," Williams said. "I was just trying to stay around the strike zone and make them hit good pitches."
For his part, Williams (2-3) should have taken a four-hit shutout into the ninth. An error by center fielder Quinton McCracken in the seventh opened the door to the first run of the game. McCracken dropped a fly ball off the bat of Ryan Howard. David Bell followed with an RBI double, the only run Lieber would need.
"I just didn’t secure the catch," McCracken said. "It just popped out. Unfortunately, it cost us a run there. I guess in Murphy’s Law of baseball when things go wrong they go wrong. And sure enough, the next guy gets up and gets a base hit. There’s no excuses."
It hurt more because no Cincinnati batter came close to a hit until Dunn broke up the perfect game. Lieber scarcely gave the Reds room to breathe.
"You could just tell by the pace of the game that it was well-pitched," first baseman Scott Hatteberg said. "Lieber threw so many strikes and just kept it off our barrels. We were early and late, and couldn’t square anything up. He threw phenomenal. But as bad as we were showing offensively, Willie kept giving us a shot. It was an incredibly wellpitched game."
Williams brought a 7.85 ERA into the game. The Phillies, however, had nearly as much trouble with him as the Reds did with Lieber. At one point, Williams retired 12 straight hitters and 19 of 20 before Howard reached on McCracken’s error in the seventh.
"After the pop fly, I got a ball up," Williams said. "Bell, he’s a good hitter, and I just kept a change-up up and he went the other way with it."
The one run loomed largely. The Phillies added to it in the ninth. Williams hit Chase Utley with a pitch to start the inning and he stole second. Pat Burrell singled him to third before Howard bounced into a force play. Todd Coffey relieved Williams and uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Utley to score.
The Reds mounted a two-out threat in the ninth. Ken Griffey Jr. lined a pinch-single off the wall in left. Gordon relieved Lieber and Felipe Lopez greeted him with a single. But the veteran closed it out by fanning Dunn.
"It just makes feel like that’s what I’m supposed to do," Williams said. "That’s what I was brought here to do every time out. It was a good game. I would have liked to have won. But I guess those even out."
[email protected]

 

[Jaxbuck]

This pretty much sums up what I was going to come in here and say.

I was at the game, so it multiplied the anger.

First off if you would of told me I was going to the game and Dave Williams was going to throw 8 1/3 innings of no unearned runs I would of probably put a million dollars on the game.

Well first off I was mad when they started Quinton McCracken instead of Griffey or Freel. Then the fuck drops the easily fly ball ever. We can't get a hit off the guy that has the most hits allowed in the national league.

Then Dunn breaks up the perfect game with a single, Go figure he has more HR's then he does singles on the year.

I can't stand Jason fuckin' Larue. He is officially batting under 200 now folks.

Then I called it in the 9th I said watch Dunn get up with 2 on and run the count full and strikeout on his bobble head nite. Well sure enough I was right.

We have Dunn and Larue who are making a collective 14 or so million and thier combine batting averages are about 210.

I was pissed going to the game b/c I had to watch Dave Williams, but I was thinking it was going to be like a 12-8 game or something with 2 guys throwing with era's above 6. But to my suprise I leave seeing only 2 unearned runs on some great defense by the Reds and absolutely piss poor hitting off the sad fuck he is Jon Lieber.

Can any one explain to me why I let these guy pull me in everyear when they start hot in the month of April. They will be out of it by the All-star break, Dunn will lead the league in K's, Griffey will soon be back on the DL, Larue will hang around 200 all year, We will continue to average an error a game and be dead last in fielding percentage, the bullpen will continue to suck, and Reds fans will continue to think Adam Dunn who hits 230 with a lot of long homeruns is an all-star.

It well documented that I don't give a tinkers damn for batting average as an indicator of how good a hitter someone is but that said I have zero faith in a good outcome when Dunn comes up in a situation like that. His overall stats w/RISP are fine but you just know when its nut cutting time a BB is the best you can hope for from him. Before we trade him for another scrappy veteran who knows how to win and gives professional at bats lets remember he is still very young and very talented.

As far as LaRue goes I'm suprised it still upsets you. He's one of the streakiest hitters in MLB. When it goes bad you have him hitting under .200 and looking futile as can be. When he's hot its 2 weeks or so of insane production. At the end of the year when you look at his complete body of work he's one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

Personally I'm happy to have him but at 3M a year he gets my vote for most tradeable without crippling the existing team.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

It well documented that I don't give a tinkers damn for batting average as an indicator of how good a hitter someone is but that said I have zero faith in a good outcome when Dunn comes up in a situation like that. His overall stats w/RISP are fine but you just know when its nut cutting time a BB is the best you can hope for from him. Before we trade him for another scrappy veteran who knows how to win and gives professional at bats lets remember he is still very young and very talented.

As far as LaRue goes I'm suprised it still upsets you. He's one of the streakiest hitters in MLB. When it goes bad you have him hitting under .200 and looking futile as can be. When he's hot its 2 weeks or so of insane production. At the end of the year when you look at his complete body of work he's one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

Personally I'm happy to have him but at 3M a year he gets my vote for most tradeable without crippling the existing team.

I know you don't care about batting average but when he is only getting a hit of some sorts 22% of the time that is just not good. No matter how you slice it.

As for Larue, I just can't stand to watch him, b/c he frustrates me so much.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I know you don't care about batting average but when he is only getting a hit of some sorts 22% of the time that is just not good. No matter how you slice it.

As for Larue, I just can't stand to watch him, b/c he frustrates me so much.

The key is how often a batter doesn't make an out not how often they get a hit. 2nd most important is what kind of damage they do when they don't make an out.

Dunn's OBP (not making an out) is .333 w/RISP coming into today. Thats not bad but its nearly a 90 point drop from his regular OBP. I think he tries too hard and swings at shit when there are RISP. Of course because he's so dangerous he gets more shit to swing at than the next guy so who knows. He is in a prodigus slump right now, that much is certain.

 

[coastalbuck]

I was wrong again, we managed 1 run over 12 innings, thats bordering on amazing. It's a long season,

 

[crazybuckfan40]

The key is how often a batter doesn't make an out not how often they get a hit. 2nd most important is what kind of damage they do when they don't make an out.

Dunn's OBP (not making an out) is .333 w/RISP coming into today. Thats not bad but its nearly a 90 point drop from his regular OBP. I think he tries too hard and swings at shit when there are RISP. Of course because he's so dangerous he gets more shit to swing at than the next guy so who knows. He is in a prodigus slump right now, that much is certain.

I see what you are saying, but he is a guy that we need to knock in runs, if he is going to sit in the four hole. His average is also going to continue to go South, if teams keep playing that huge shift on him and he doesnt learn how to hit the ball to the left side.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I see what you are saying, but he is a guy that we need to knock in runs, if he is going to sit in the four hole. His average is also going to continue to go South, if teams keep playing that huge shift on him and he doesnt learn how to hit the ball to the left side.

He'll never hit the ball to the left side. Neither will JR, Giambi or many other big time leftie power hitters.

What needs to happen is make him the #3 hitter and protect him with JR. It will either result in more pitches to hit for Dunn or more RBI chances for JR. The best lineup for me is

leadoff CF
Lopez SS
Dunn 1B
Griffey LF
Kearns RF
EE 3B
Phillips 2B
LaRue C
pitcher

My fervent desire is that leadoff man becomes Denorfia as Freel has shown us all once again he can't start every day, he simply wears out too fast.

Back to Dunn, I realize he is slumping badly right now but major league pitchers aren't all stupid and have a strong desire to not get embarrassed. Dunn is the one guy outside of JR who can do both to you and given JR's injury status Dunn is a solo act much of the time. Bottom line is they aren't going to let Dunn beat them and right now he's pressing and helping them out by swinging at shit they aren't trying to even challenge him with.

Give Dunn a full season in the 3 hole with men on base all the time and JR in the on deck circle and his numbers(save BA) will rival Pujols. Although 40 + HR's, 100 + Runs and 100+ RBI's a year aren't enough to keep that stupid cocksucker Chris Welsh from wanting him to bunt all the time.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

He'll never hit the ball to the left side. Neither will JR, Giambi or many other big time leftie power hitters.

That is why he will never be a good hitter. He will be nothing but a power hitter and why his numbers are nice, pitchers will pitch around him, or force him to swing at tough pitches while he is trying to hit the ball out of the park. Look at Pujols, he can hit the ball to right, left, center, and he can also hit for average. Dunn has enough power, to hit a ball to left and put it in the upper deck. If he would use the whole field he woudl be a much better hitter.

What needs to happen is make him the #3 hitter and protect him with JR. It will either result in more pitches to hit for Dunn or more RBI chances for JR. The best lineup for me is

leadoff CF
Lopez SS
Dunn 1B
Griffey LF
Kearns RF
EE 3B
Phillips 2B
LaRue C
pitcher

My fervent desire is that leadoff man becomes Denorfia as Freel has shown us all once again he can't start every day, he simply wears out too fast.

He already has Kearns who is the best hitter on the team this year. IMO it doesnt matter where you put Dunn in the lineup, b/c the only time he does damage usually is when we are winning by a lot or losing by a lot or with no one on base. They all know he can rock the ball, so they arent going to give him anything to hit.

Give Dunn a full season in the 3 hole with men on base all the time and JR in the on deck circle and his numbers(save BA) will rival Pujols. Although 40 + HR's, 100 + Runs and 100+ RBI's a year aren't enough to keep that stupid cocksucker Chris Welsh from wanting him to bunt all the time.

Not sure about his number rivaling Pujols as he is on pace for 80 homeruns and about 200 RBI's.

As for Dunn's numbers, yes he puts up great numbers, but just how many of them are productive, and meaningful. I would hate to see Dunn in the playoffs, or down the stretch in a playoff run, he would crumble.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/15/06

PHILLIES 2 REDS 1, 12 INNINGS

Little pop in Reds’ bats

Phillies pitchers dominate again; Howard’s homer off Hammond wins it

Monday, May 15, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Reds’ Adam Dunn slides into third base to beat the tag from the Phillies’ David Bell, left, after a Scott Hatteberg hit in the second inning. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — The Reds’ oftmaligned starting rotation continued a startling run of excellence yesterday afternoon in Great American Ball Park. Under normal circumstances, this man-bites-dog kind of trend would have translated into better headlines.
Yet in the topsy-turvy world of baseball, one good turn doesn’t necessarily lead to another. The Cincinnati hitters, advertised as a thundering bunch, failed to produce rain for a third consecutive game against Philadelphia pitching, and the result was another deflating loss.
The Phillies rallied late on two home runs by Ryan Howard to dump the Reds 2-1 in 12 innings and complete the three-game series sweep.
The comeback ruined an outstanding performance from Brandon Claussen, who took a two-hit, 1-0 shutout into the eighth inning. He retired the first two batters before Howard tied the score with a pinchhomer.
Howard won it in the 12 th with a one-out shot off Chris Hammond (0-1).
"We’re just not scoring any runs right now," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "We’re not getting a lot of hits early in the ballgame, especially. We’re definitely going to hit. We’ve got too many good hitters to only score one or two runs a night. We just have to keep pitching this way. At some point, somebody is going to pay."
In the series, Philadelphia’s starting pitchers limited the Reds to seven hits and one run in 20 2 /3 innings. Brett Myers followed up on the performances of Cole Hamels (five shutout innings) and Jon Lieber (8 2 /3 shutout innings) with a strong outing of his own. Jason LaRue provided the only blip on the radar screen with a home run in the fifth.
Claussen also matched what teammates Elizardo Ramirez and Dave Williams accomplished by limiting the Phillies to a combined three earned runs in their respective starts Friday and Saturday. The home run by Howard, who spent Saturday night in a hospital because of food poisoning, was his only mistake over eight four-hit innings.
"We’ve been doing great," he said. "I don’t think anyone could ever ask anything else of the staff. I know I feel with everyone who’s got the ball out there that we’ve got a real good shot at winning. The runs will come. We’ll score runs. It’s just that part of the season right now. You know it’s going to come. It’s just happening right now.
"You’ve got to tip your cap to (the Phillies). What are they, 13 of their last 14? That’s a good team. They’re hot right now. Unfortunately, we couldn’t knock them off their horse."
The Reds nearly knocked the Phillies off the saddle in the eighth after Felipe Lopez walked and Edwin Encarnacion singled. Ken Griffey Jr. lined a ball to right that Chris Roberson pulled down on the run with an over-the-shoulder catch.
Griffey lined out to Howard at first base to end the game. A foot or two in the other direction and the outcome could have been different. The thought drew a wry smile from LaRue.
"If you could guide the ball in baseball, it’d be awesome," he said. "But unfortunately, you can’t. It’s just that part of the year. Some days you’re going to score a lot of runs. Some days you’re not going to score any. For whatever reason it is, that’s the game of baseball."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/15/06

REDS NOTEBOOK

Mercker goes on DL to rest sore left elbow

Monday, May 15, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — Veteran Reds relief pitcher Kent Mercker landed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday because of an inflamed left elbow, partly because he didn’t want to have to give manager Jerry Narron and pitching coach Tom Hume daily updates on his health.
"I’ve never had to do that," Mercker said. "I don’t like doing that. I’ve always just been available. I’ll take these two weeks to get 100 percent and I’ve got four months to go. Then don’t even ask me if I’m OK. Just assume I am."
Mercker thinks he knows how the elbow trouble started.
"I had that (back) thing in spring training, and I think trying to battle through that I altered my mechanics a little bit," he said. "It’s just referring the pain somewhere. It’s enough that when I come into a game I don’t feel like I can let (the ball) go. I don’t feel like I can throw that slider where I want to."
With Cincinnati near the top of the National League Central, Mercker didn’t want to risk performing poorly.
"I don’t want to go out there in the situation we’re in and blow a game for (Aaron) Harang or (Bronson) Arroyo, because we’re playing too well to do that," Mercker said.
The Reds recalled reliever Mike Burns from triple-A Louisville to replace Mercker on the roster. Burns was optioned to the Bats on April 19 with a 7.56 ERA. He was 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA with Louisville.
Narron is hoping lefties Chris Hammond and Brian Shackelford will be able to assume Mercker’s late-innings role. After a horrid start to the season, Hammond has a 1.04 ERA in his past eight appearances.
Hall of Fame forecast

The recent chilly, wet weather was expected to follow the Reds to Cooperstown, N.Y., for today’s Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Narron hoped the conditions would allow Eric Milton (DL, left knee) to start. Narron plans to play his regulars for one at-bat, then go to reserves and minor-leaguers. Second baseman Brandon Phillips, however, is going to shift to shortstop for a few innings.
The Hall is displaying some memorabilia from Reds players, including the ball from the no-hitter that Mercker threw for the Atlanta Braves against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994.
Mercker won’t see it now.
"Richie (Aurilia) says he’s going to take a picture of it for me," Mercker said.
[email protected]