Reds Tidbits (2006 Season)

[Dryden]

Great, so Krivsky's reunited Milton, Lohse, and Guardado.

Any chance we could get Santana, Liriano, or Radke instead? :tongue2:

Actually, after six straight years of being eliminated by the end of July, I won't bitch. Any move at all is a good move -- it's a lot nicer being in the position to complain about who the GM is adding rather than who the GM is subtracting in a deadline firesale.

 

[GoBucks89]

Great, so Krivsky's reunited Milton, Lohse, and Guardado.

Any chance we could get Santana, Liriano, or Radke instead? :tongue2:

Actually, after six straight years of being eliminated by the end of July, I won't bitch. Any move at all is a good move -- it's a lot nicer being in the position to complain about who the GM is adding rather than who the GM is subtracting in a deadline firesale.

I agree, but I've got nightmare visions of Ryan Dempster, Brian Moehler, and Sean Estes dancing through my mind. Hopefully, Lohse is cut out of the Juan Guzman mold instead.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Any chance we could get Santana, Liriano, or Radke instead? :tongue2:

All three for a class A pitcher? Sounds good. In fact, they can even keep Radke.

This doesn't feel like a very good fit to me, but Kriv's deals have ended up pretty good thus far, so I'm willing to wait and see.

 

[jlb1705]

Today's trades don't bother me one bit. I wasn't expecting anything big, and he didn't give up much for the guys he got today. Now it's time for them to go out there and win some ballgames!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/1/06

Reds add more experience to bullpen

Trades for Cormier, Lohse boost team’s payroll

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — The nonwaiver trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. yesterday without the blue-light special announcements playing outside the Reds’ clubhouse for the first time in four years.
Instead of shedding payroll, as was the July custom since 2003, wild-card leading Cincinnati added to its payroll by acquiring relief pitchers Rheal Cormier and Kyle Lohse in trades with the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins, respectively.
"Ownership stepped up big time," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "These two deals don’t get done without ownership giving us some more money to work with. And they did. We’ve added salary with these two guys."
Neither deal could be confused for a blockbuster, but Krivsky consummated both with the idea of further improving the team’s bullpen. The retooling started in early July with a trade for closer Eddie Guardado.
It continued after the All-Star break with the acquisition of setup men Bill Bray and Gary Majewski in an eightplayer deal with the Washington Nationals. Cormier, 39, and Lohse, 27, are expected to be in uniform for the game tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"We’re happy to add these two guys," Krivsky said. "They’re two important pieces for our bullpen, and guys who can help us win. It just so happened that they were available for what we thought was a fair price and we were able to strike a deal."
Krivsky dealt triple-A Louisville right-hander Justin Germano to the Phillies for Cormier, who waived a no-trade clause in his contract after the Reds picked up his option for next season and added a team option for ’08.
Lohse came at the cost of Class A right-hander Zach Ward, a third-round pick in the 2005 draft. Ward was 7-0 with a 2.29 ERA for Dayton and considered a rising prospect.
Reds manager Jerry Narron was happy to get help for this season even at the cost of two young arms. Ward is 22. Germano, who lost his only start with the Reds on Saturday in Milwaukee, turns 24 this week.
"It just shows the commitment ownership has and the organization has to do everything we can to win," Narron said. "For all our guys, (it’s good) seeing that ownership is willing to take on some extra money and trying to do everything it possibly can to make some deals to get some players in here."
Cormier has been a mainstay in the Philadelphia bullpen for the past six seasons. In 43 games this year, he was 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA. He didn’t fight the trade after the financial details came together.
"I think it’s great," he said. "I’m coming to a team that is in the middle of (a pennant race). Hopefully, I’m the piece of the puzzle that will help them get there."
Lohse was having a rougher time with the Twins. He lost his spot in the starting rotation in May and spent most of June in the minor leagues. When he returned, he was placed in the bullpen. Although he has a 7.07 ERA for the season, he finished July with a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings of relief work. He will stay in the bullpen with the Reds but offers the club an alternative for the unsettled fifth spot in the rotation.
"I’d like to start," Lohse said. "I’m just going to play it by ear. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help the team out."
The Dodgers trail the Reds by five games in the wild-card race. After Los Angeles leaves town Thursday, Atlanta comes in for three games. The Braves are 6½ games back of the Reds. The homestand concludes with four games against the St. Louis Cardinals, who lead the Reds by 3½ games in the National League Central.
"The whole next couple of months are big," Narron said. "But we’re definitely in a position where we can make the postseason if we play well."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/2/06

DODGERS 10 REDS 4

10 th win still eludes Arroyo

Pitching, ugliness in field add up to loss

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Ten has become such an elusive number for Bronson Arroyo that he could be forgiven if he began to suspect somebody had left him holding the bag at a snipe hunt.
Arroyo walked to the mound for the Reds in steamy Great American Ball Park last night seeking his 10 th win of the season for an eighth time. The bird, if it really is a bird, escaped his grasp again.
The Los Angeles Dodgers erupted twice, once against Arroyo and again against the rebuilt Cincinnati bullpen, to pull out a 10-4 victory in front of 25,127 fans.
"I felt like I was throwing the ball decent," Arroyo said. "I let an inning get away from me. A couple of mental errors killed me. To not get a win in eight starts is definitely frustrating. You’ve just got to know it’s going to come back at some point."
The loss occurred in the opener of a 10-game homestand against postseason contenders Los Angeles, Atlanta and St. Louis and contained more than a few ugly moments.
The seventh inning, in particular, provided nothing but lowlights. The Reds had just tied the score at 4 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run Adam Dunn home run, but the momentum disappeared quickly.
The Dodgers scored five times against three Reds relief pitchers. Along the way, an error by right fielder Ryan Freel didn’t help and a botched double play by shortstop Royce Clayton that would have ended the inning with no runs scoring proved to be a killer.
With the bases loaded, Clayton fielded Russell Martin’s grounder 6 feet from second base. He got the force but his throw to first pulled Scott Hatteberg off the bag. A television replay appeared to show Hatteberg got his foot down before Martin hit the base, but the call stood and nobody argued.
"I had to get to the bag and throw a perfect throw," Clayton said. "I’m not perfect. If it was a little off, I don’t know. The call went against us."
Hatteberg said that the play was close enough that he wasn’t sure whether he or Martin hit the base first.
"I felt like I got back on it," he said. "You kind of feel the runner hit the bag. The guy said on the replay in here that it was pretty definitive that he was out. That (stinks) because that was a huge play. That changes everything."
Even so, Bill Bray (2-2), Todd Coffey and the newly acquired Rheal Cormier each issued a walk in the abysmal inning. Cormier’s occurred with the bases loaded to force in the tie-breaking run. Rafael Furcal followed with a three-run double to put the Dodgers out of reach. Furcal later singled in a run against Kyle Lohse, another newcomer.
The Dodgers scored four times with two outs in the fourth inning against Arroyo. Wilson Betemit hit a two-run homer during the rally. David Ross cut a 4-1 deficit to 4-2 with a homer in the fifth against Aaron Sele (7-4). Dunn tied it in the sixth with his 32 nd homer, a two-run blast to the base of the smokestacks in right-center.
"Every time we give a club an extra out, it seems like it comes back to bite us," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "Just not getting the double play really hurt us."
[email protected]

Dispatch

8/2/06

REDS NOTEBOOK
Additions to bullpen offer varying styles
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>TOM UHLMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Dodgers’ J.D. Drew scores on a double by Andre Ethier as Reds catcher David Ross loses the ball in the third inning. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — More than the faces in the overhauled Reds bullpen have changed the past month.
The arrival of nonwaiver trade deadline acquisitions Rheal Cormier and Kyle Lohse yesterday meant that Cincinnati has added five relievers since July 6.
Manager Jerry Narron suddenly has a greater variety of styles to use than he did earlier this season, especially in the way of power arms to complement Todd Coffey. Closer Eddie Guardado, the first pickup in the new group, thinks that kind of variety is the spice of bullpen life.
"Back in my Minnesota days and even in Seattle, I had guys coming in throwing 96 or 97 (mph)," Guardado said. "My ball looked like a super slow ball to (hitters).
"When you have variations where you’ve got guys throwing 96 (mph), coming in throwing 89 and spotting (the ball), that helps out a lot too. But the key is that the guys we acquired are big-league pitchers."
Guardado pitched with Lohse in Minnesota from 2002 to 2004 when the Twins made it to the postseason. Cormier pitched in the playoffs for the Boston Red Sox in 1995 and 1999.
"Lohse has been in a pennant race," Guardado said. "Cormier has been in a pennant race. They know what to expect and how to handle the pressure. They’re going to be a great addition."
Rotation question

Lohse might not stay in the bullpen long. The Reds still have the Saturday start against Atlanta listed as TBA. Brandon Claussen, in a rehabilitation start for triple-A Louisville on Monday, was far from dominant in a 12-9 win over the Clippers. He allowed six runs in 5 2 /3 innings.
Narron said that the decision has not been made as to whether Claussen would be recalled. If he isn’t, Lohse probably will be the starter. He was a starter until this season with the Twins and said Monday that he would like to start for the Reds.
Short hops

Relievers Matt Belisle (lower back) and Kent Mercker (left elbow) are improving. Belisle threw a 17-minute bullpen session yesterday. He is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Thursday and hopes to go out on a rehabilitation assignment afterward. Mercker long-tossed from 120 feet yesterday and is expected to throw a bullpen session today. ... The Reds optioned left-hander Brian Shackelford to Louisville.
[email protected]

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

And yet again, shoddy defense and the failure to turn a simple double play lead to a big inning.

 

[Dryden]

OK, Narron is really starting to piss me off. Why the fuck does Cormier, a left handed specialist, come into a relief situation where the first two hitters he's facing are right handed?

Narron really doesn't have a clue.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/3/06

Home field proving to be not so sweet

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Another muggy evening passed in Great American Ball Park last night with the Reds doing a better impersonation of a flabby palooka taking punches than a heavyweight contender dealing them out.
Despite leading the National League wild card standings and trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by 3 1 /2 games in the Central Division, Cincinnati remains a mediocre baseball team while playing in its home stadium.
The Los Angeles Dodgers punctuated that point for a second consecutive night by handing the Reds a 5-3 defeat in front of 22,110 fans. Cincinnati has lost four in a row and must win tonight’s 7:10 series finale to avoid a three-game sweep by the sub-.500 Dodgers. The Reds are 27-27 while sleeping in their own beds.
"I wish I could explain it," center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. said. "Maybe we should wear our grays (road uniforms) from here on out. It’s just one of those things. But we’ve got two months to change it."
The formula for the nonsuccess remained remarkably the same in the latest loss. The Dodgers hit a little and took advantage of every opening. The Reds hit a little less, which pretty much led to no openings.
The Cincinnati offense consisted of solo home runs from Griffey, Scott Hatteberg and Royce Clayton. The Dodgers bunched four hits around two walks in the third inning against Elizardo Ramirez to score four runs. That proved to be the difference.
Reds manager Jerry Narron wondered if the first hit Ramirez surrendered, an RBI to Los Angeles starting pitcher Brad Penny, caused what followed.
"(Ramirez) came out throwing really well," Narron said. "He had two strikes on (Penny) when he doubled. I don’t know if it got away from him mentally. But it looked like it did a little bit.
"Right now we just need to stay away from a crooked number. We’ve had two games in a row where we’ve gotten beat in three innings, really."
The bad inning from Ramirez (4-7) was even more frustrating because he was coming off one of his best starts, a 6-4 win over Houston that saw him strike out seven consecutive batters. He opened the game by fanning two Dodgers in the first and retired seven straight hitters.
After getting the first out to begin the third, Ramirez went south quickly following a walk to James Loney. Penny broke up the no-hitter with a run-scoring double.
Rafael Furcal continued the barrage with an RBI single. Kenny Lofton followed with a triple. He scored on a single by J.D. Drew to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.
Cincinnati finally showed signs of life in the fourth. Griffey greeted Penny (11-5) with a solo home run, the 558 th of his career, to start the fourth. The RBI tied Mike Schmidt for 23 rd all-time with 1,595. The Reds managed just two more hits, the homers from Hatteberg and Clayton.
"We’d definitely like to play better at home than we have," Narron said. "We just need to do something about it the rest of the way. I really can’t explain it. Maybe we spend too much time out on the field before the game. But I look for us to turn it around."
[email protected]

Dispatch

8/3/06

REDS NOTEBOOK

Lohse glad to get shot as starter again

Recently acquired pitcher didn’t like his role with Minnesota

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Kyle Lohse received the news he wanted to hear yesterday when the Reds informed him that he would start Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.
A starter throughout his professional career, Lohse had been unhappily pitching out of the bullpen for the Minnesota Twins before Cincinnati acquired him in a trade Monday.
"Breaking news," Lohse said, smiling. "I’m happy with that. I’ll try to prepare myself the best I can. It might take me one or two (starts) to get fully adjusted and get the pitch count back up there and the endurance. But I’ve been working hard, even when I was in the bullpen, to try to stay in shape."
The decision means that Brandon Claussen will make another medical rehabilitation start for triple-A Louisville at Toledo on Saturday.
Claussen, however, was on the verge of losing his spot in the rotation when he went on the 15-day disabled list June 17 because of tendinitis in his left shoulder. He was not impressive in his last rehabilitation start. The Reds are hoping that Lohse can do what Joe Mays couldn’t and solidify the rotation.
"(It’s) a baseball decision," manager Jerry Narron said. "We’re not sure with Brandon where he is. He says he’s fine, ready to go. He’s still got some rehab time and we’re going to use it."
Claussen, who is 3-8 with a 6.19 ERA, said he would do whatever the team wants.
"I try to do my job," he said. "I respect them for whichever decision they make as far as my future is concerned. I think we’re taking the (rehabilitation) to the bitter end. I’ll just go from there."
Missed chance

Shortstop Royce Clayton heard boos from the home crowd Tuesday night after he failed to complete a double play in the seventh inning that would have ended the inning with no runs scoring.
At the start of the play, Clayton appeared to hesitate to let second baseman Brandon Phillips come to the bag. When Phillips didn’t, Clayton got the force but his high throw pulled first baseman Scott Hatteberg off the base.
Narron noted that chemistry between a shortstop and second baseman takes time to develop.
"We’ve got a couple of months for them to play together, and see if they can improve some," Narron said.
[email protected]

 

[Tipdogusaf]

Milton just cannot make it through the first inning without giving up at least 1 run.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/4/06

DODGERS 3 REDS 0

Reds can’t get hit off Maddux

Pitcher’s no-hit bid gets interrupted by rain

Friday, August 04, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — A uniform switch didn’t mean that Greg Maddux had to change anything else to turn the Reds into a collection of hitless wonders again last night in Great American Ball Park.
Making his debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Maddux pitched six no-hit innings against Cincinnati before a popup thunderstorm halted play in the bottom of the seventh and scuttled a chance at history.
When the game resumed 46 minutes later, Joe Beimel relieved Maddux and Scott Hatteberg immediately broke up the no-hitter with a single. The hit couldn’t help the moribund Reds, who dropped a 3-0, two-hit decision in front of 26,053 fans.
The 40-year-old Maddux had the Cincinnati players shaking their heads after the game.
"He doesn’t miss," Reds catcher Javy Valentin said. "He doesn’t leave the ball in the middle of the plate. They score two runs in the first inning and he doesn’t need any more. He’s one of the greatest pitchers in baseball."
To the point the weather intruded, Maddux (10-11) continued to do what he already had done three other times to the Reds this season while pitching for the Chicago Cubs. He played taxidermist to the road kill impersonation by the Cincinnati offense. In the process, he helped his new team to a three-game series sweep.
The Reds now have lost five consecutive games and are in a tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the top of the crowded wild-card standings. Maddux probably was the last pitcher Cincinnati wanted to see in its current slump.
"He does what he does," Hatteberg said. "His ball really seemed to move well. It seemed like he had good command. We didn’t seem like we had much of a pulse at the plate. I don’t know, we knew going in what he is capable of doing. We just didn’t make any adjustments."
Weather played a part in the evening from the outset. The game started after a one-hour, five-minute delay that featured mostly a lightning display along the Kentucky side of the Ohio River.
When the Dodgers finally batted, Reds starter Eric Milton (7-7) kept the thunder rolling in the neighborhood.
He allowed a leadoff single to Rafael Furcal in the first and a twoout, two-run homer to Olmedo Saenz.
Andre Ethier followed with a triple, but Milton struck out Wilson Betemit to end the inning. Milton would allow only four more hits in the next six innings, but the first two runs beat him.
Maddux took the mound knowing that he had owned the Reds in three starts and wins for the Cubs this season. His only two victories during a string of eight starts between May 3 and June 9 came at the expense of Cincinnati.
He picked up immediately where he left off in June, changing speeds and location while playing the Reds like a puppeteer. No one came close to a hit through the first six innings.
"You’ve got to take what he gives you," said Hatteberg, who drew two walks against Maddux.
"He’s great. It’s tough to beat a guy like that. He feeds off aggressive swings and guys struggling. He’ll pick apart a team trying to find itself at the plate. He was sharp tonight. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit. But we were not."
[email protected]

Dispatch

8/4/06

REDS NOTEBOOK
Arroyo hopes less rest gets him going
Friday, August 04, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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CINCINNATI — Bronson Arroyo scratched a seasonlong itch yesterday that also offered some welcome relief for Reds manager Jerry Narron.
Arroyo, winless in his past eight starts, asked if he could pitch Saturday against the Atlanta Braves on three days’ rest instead of four. Narron said yes.
"I haven’t won a game in eight starts, so let’s mix something up," Arroyo said. "Hopefully, I’ll feel better on three days’ instead of four. And it allows me to pitch against the (St. Louis) Cardinals before this (homestand) is over."
Arroyo would welcome a more drastic change to his routine but knows it isn’t likely to happen.
"I’ve been wanting to go a four-man rotation all year," he said. "But I know nobody else wants to do that. Five-man rotation, if you stay on your normal days, is fine for everybody."
Off days, however, put five days between starts, and that bothers Arroyo.
"I have a little bit more of a problem with my command, and I never have as good of stuff," he said. "I’d rather pitch on three days’ instead of five."
The move suited Narron because it means Arroyo will pitch against NL Central leading St. Louis twice in five days.
"It says something about competing, wanting to win and doing everything you can to win," Narron said. "He says he feels great. If it would have been me going to him, it would have been different."
Narron isn’t worried about overtaxing Arroyo.
"He has always had a really resilient arm," Narron said. "If he was in the bullpen, he’d probably be a guy that could pitch every day."
Second switch

Newcomer Kyle Lohse was scheduled to make his first start for the Reds on Saturday. He now moves into the Sunday game.
"It gives Kyle a chance to throw a good bullpen (session), take two days off and come back more like a regular starter," Arroyo said.
Picked off

Los Angeles starter Brad Penny picked off Ryan Freel at first base in the fifth inning Wednesday. Freel has been picked off seven times this season.
"We definitely discussed it," Narron said. "I think he knows that when he steals a base he gets everybody pumped up. I think he knows when he does get picked off or caught stealing, it can work in the other way. I don’t think he got picked off on purpose."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/5/06

REDS 5 BRAVES 4

Defense bails out reliever in ninth

Guardado picks up save after clutch double play

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Eddie Guardado took a deep breath before letting loose a laugh in front of his locker last night in Great American Ball Park.
"What are you going to do?" the Reds closer asked. "That was fun, but you never really want to do that all the time. It’s just a good thing we got the (win)."
With the help of a spectacular game-ending double play, Guardado worked out of a bases-loaded, noout jam in the ninth inning to preserve a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Reds and brought them to 2½ games of firstplace St. Louis in the National League Central. It also returned some much-needed electricity to the ballpark because of the sudden way it happened.
Royce Clayton jolted his teammates to life by breaking up a no-hit bid with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. In the eighth, Ryan Freel dragged the crowd along in his inimitable car-crash fashion by risking his body to make a diving catch against the right-field stands to help preserve Cincinnati’s one-run lead.
Guardado then walked the tightrope in the ninth by loading the bases with no outs, only to escape when third baseman Juan Castro and second baseman Brandon Phillips combined to turn the remarkable double play.
"It got some emotion started," Clayton said of his home run. "I was pretty pumped up. We needed a spark. We kept it rolling after that. Freel goes diving into the bleachers and pumps us up even more."
The performance followed a pregame team meeting with manager Jerry Narron.
"I think it was a great call by Jerry," Clayton said. "You have to play with emotion. You have to play with passion. I think today exemplifies the type of character we have. We’re going to be tough to beat if we play with that kind of passion."
The switch didn’t turn immediately. Atlanta rookie left-hander Chuck James mystified the Reds for five no-hit innings, as did Los Angeles veteran Greg Maddux on Thursday night through six hitless innings.
Freel, though, drew a walk in the sixth and stole second base. Clayton ran the count to 3-and-2 before tying the score at 2 with his home run. After Ken Griffey Jr. walked, Rich Aurilia doubled to put runners on second and third. Edwin Encarnacion followed with a double that drove in both runners for a 4-2 lead.
In the eighth, Jeff Francoeur brought the Braves to 5-4 with a homer. Scott Thorman doubled, but reliever David Weathers kept the lead with the help of the diving catch in foul territory by Freel against Matthew Diaz.
With the bases loaded in the ninth, Guardado coaxed Brian McCann to pop to Chris Denorfia in left before Francoeur hit the chopper that Castro and Phillips turned into the double play.
"I was glad they hit it to me and I made a good throw to second base," Castro said. "And Brandon made a good throw to first. Today was a real fun game. We needed this kind of game. Everybody can forget about what happened the last week or so. It’s erased. We can go from here."
Guardado agreed about the double play and the win.
"I always like a double play," he said. "That was beautiful. You couldn’t turn it any better. It was exciting. But we needed that. We needed that excitement."
[email protected]

REDS NOTEBOOK
Narron doesn’t have to rush injured relievers
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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CINCINNATI — A month ago, manager Jerry Narron would have watched injured relief pitchers Kent Mercker and Matt Belisle throw bullpens with a mind on how soon he could have them back.
He looked on yesterday while the two worked off the mound with the idea that neither needs to rush.
"You just want to make sure everybody is healthy when they come back," Narron said. "That’s the biggest question with them."
Mercker (left elbow) and Belisle (lower back) are on the disabled list for the second time this season. The recent additions of relievers Eddie Guardado, Gary Majewski, Bill Bray and Rheal Cormier through trades give Narron the option of waiting.
"Having the depth definitely does help," Narron said. "If we did decide to go with Merck, Bray and Cormier, all three (lefties), that way it wouldn’t be like Merck before when we were getting him up like every day. The history of Cormier and Bray, so far this year, is they pitch well against right-handers, too. Merck does, too."
Belisle appears closer to going out on a minor-league medical rehab assignment. He threw his second bullpen session of the week and reported no pain. He expects to throw a light bullpen Sunday and head to Louisville on Monday to pitch for the Bats.
"I’m trying to get out of here," Belisle said. "I’m healthy. I’m ready. I just need to pitch. Everything has responded even better than it did the last time."
Day off

Reds left fielder Adam Dunn was not in the starting lineup last night for only the third time this season.
The left-handed-hitting Dunn went from hot to ice-cold to start the homestand. He struck out seven of eight times in losses Wednesday and Thursday to the Los Angeles Dodgers. With lefty Chuck James starting for the Atlanta Braves, Narron decided to give Dunn a mental break.
"We’re seeing right-handers the next six games," Narron said. "We’ve got day games (today) and Sunday. It gives (Chris) Denorfia a chance a chance to get into a game and face a left-handed pitcher."
New TV pact

The Reds announced that they signed an extension of their television contract with Fox Sports Net, allowing the telecast of 145 games next season. The contract this season called for 100 games, with 14 added at midseason. The length of the new deal and its financial terms were not released.
[email protected]

 

[coastalbuck]

I'll take the win today too. If there's anyone I like the Reds to beat,(other than the Indians!), it's the over hyped, sorry ass Braves.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

8/6/06

REDS 8 BRAVES 6

Phillips’ two HRs help deliver win

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>TOM UHLMAN ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Reds’ Scott Hatteberg crashes into Braves catcher Brian McCann while scoring on a double by Ken Griffey Jr. in the eighth inning. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CINCINNATI — After he hit his second home run of the game yesterday afternoon in Great American Ball Park, Brandon Phillips circled the bases in the eighth inning like he was running the anchor leg for a sprint relay team.
"I was going to run faster," said Phillips, whose homers helped the Reds to an 8-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves. "I just lost it, to tell you the truth. Any time you have, like, the game-winning run, of course you’re going to run like that. I was happy."
Suddenly the smiles that were absent during a five-game losing streak were filling the Cincinnati clubhouse again after the second consecutive win over the Braves.
The emotional turnaround followed a pregame team meeting called Friday by manager Jerry Narron.
"I just felt like our intensity wasn’t quite what it should be," Narron said. "For the most part, these guys have given us a good effort all year. As a team, I had a fear that we may have reached our goal just by being competitive. We’ve got to have higher goals than that. I think the postseason is right there for us."
So far the message has resonated in hard-nose play. First baseman Scott Hatteberg barreled into Atlanta catcher Brian McCann in the eighth to score the final Reds run. Catcher David Ross risked injury when he flipped over the dugout railing in a failed attempt to catch a Jeff Francoeur foul ball in the ninth.
"I think I landed the dismount," Ross joked. "I tried to keep my feet straight."
Mostly, however, the Reds kept after the Braves for nine innings. Trailing 3-0 in the first on a McCann home run, Cincinnati responded with an RBI double from Ken Griffey Jr. and a two-run homer by Adam Dunn.
Phillips’ first homer, a three-run blast in the fourth, gave Bronson Arroyo a chance to finally win his 10 th game in his ninth attempt. That didn’t happen. The Braves tied the score at 6 in the sixth when Todd Coffey relieved Arroyo and served up a two-run homer to Marcus Giles.
Rheal Cormier, David Weathers (4-3) and Bill Bray emerged from the bullpen to pitch shutout innings ahead of the second Phillips homer and a second RBI double from Griffey.
"We had a bad series against (Los Angeles)," third baseman Rich Aurilia said. "We had a group meeting and talked about playing with some more intensity and some more emotion. I’m not talking about going crazy. But you have to show that you want to win, you care about winning and expect to win."
The slump served as lesson.
"We got lost for a while," Phillips said. "When (Narron) told us what he saw, it really opened up our eyes. It really let us know we need to do what we need to do."
A win cures everything. Aurilia had a tough day but still wore a smile.
"It’s just part of going through a pennant race," he said. "It’s fun at the same time. Shoot, I went 0 for 5 today and missed a popup, but I had fun because we won."
[email protected]

Dispatch

8/6/06

REDS NOTEBOOK

Rookie picks up save in place of injured closer

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CINCINNATI — Manager Jerry Narron turned to rookie reliever Bill Bray yesterday to pitch the ninth inning of an 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves because a stiff left forearm left closer Eddie Guardado unavailable.
"I didn’t want to tell (Bray) before the game if we had the lead in the ninth inning that he was getting the ball," Narron said. "But he’s got tremendous makeup. That’s the biggest part about pitching at the back end of the bullpen. This guy has a chance to be something special."
Bray worked through the middle of the Atlanta lineup to post his second save since joining the Reds. He didn’t mind the surprise.
"Any time the phone rings in the bullpen, you expect to go in," Bray said. "The last couple of games have been very exciting. We definitely feel like we’re right in the middle of (a pennant race)."
Tennessee two - step

David Weathers isn’t one for on-field celebrations. So the reliever surprised his teammates Friday with a fist pump and a dance step after he escaped an eighth-inning jam.
"I think sometimes we just turn into robots," Weathers said. "We don’t enjoy what we do sometimes. (Friday) night was just one of those games where a lot of frustration (came out). … It was nice to come in, pick a teammate up and have fun."
Itching to pitch

Reliever Kent Mercker (left elbow) was eligible to come off the disabled list but didn’t.
"It feels good today," he said. "I don’t know if it’s the medical department or if it’s upper management’s (decision). They’re talking about some rehabs."
Mercker isn’t crazy about the idea.
"I don’t want to go," he said. "If that’s what (Narron) wants me to do, I’ll do it." [email protected]

 

[X Buckeyes07 X]

Please God, someone convince Castellini to can Narron. The guy flat out doesn't know how to manage in the big leagues. He's too devoted to the minor league mode of managing, where development is valued over wins. Yet another example of that today, as he runs out gas can Majewski with a 2 run lead for the 8th inning, only to watch him yet again blow it and give up 4 runs. Of course we lose the game, the sweep against the Braves, and a game in the Central standings to the Cards. 3.5 back instead of 2.5 with them coming in tomorrow for a four game series. Thanks Jerry..