The "Golden Anniversary" second coming of the Big Red Machine

[cincy14fan]

STANDINGS:

MLB Standings - Updated: Apr 21, 2013
NL CENTRAL	W	L	GB	RS	RA
Reds	14	5	-	87	60
Cubs	13	6	1.0	97	78
Breweres	10	8	3.5	85	77
Cardinals	9	10	5.0	73	75
Pirates	7	12	7.0	54	95

UPCOMING WEEK GAMES (4/22 – 4/28):


4-22 Chicago (Mike Leake 0-2 vs. Carlos Villanueva 2-0)
4-23 Chicago (Johnny Cueto 4-0 vs. Jeff Samardzija 2-1)
4-24 Chicago (Mat Latos 3-1 vs. Scott Baker 2-0)
4-25 @ Washington (Homer Bailey 3-1 vs. Dan Haren 1-1)
4-26 @ Washington (Bronson Arroyo 3-0 vs. Jordan Zimmermann 1-2)
4-27 @ Washington
4-28 @ Washington

Next series probably the most important for this month. Right now the Cubs lost the last two games to give up the lead in the N.L. Central to us. Just cause we are battling for first also doesn't really show this importance. First we are playing at home in which the odds are in our favor with a 11-2 record with the Cubs having a 6-3 record on the road.

In the first game of the series as well looks to be the worst game of the series. All of our power will be taking a rest (Votto, Bruce, and Choo) will be having the day off (man our players get tired quickly) and especially with Leake on the mound who hasn't been good at all in his three starts with an 0-2 record. The next game with Cueto seems to be all but a lock for a win since he is 3-0 at home and shows why he is our ace. Latos has been great as well, and his only loss is cause the bats didn't show up in two of his games.

The Cubs do have some of their best pitchers on the mound in this series, but the key is can they hold our offense down. While we don't score a lot of runs we do seem to do damage early in the game. They need to contain the beginning of our lineup (with Votto and Bruce in) to be successful against us, and to work the count with Latos (complete game) and Cueto (near complete game) last game they pitched. Also this is the last home series of the month for us as we are on the road for the 3 series, in which the third series is against the Cubs.


POSTIVES:
Batters who are HOT: Choo, Phillips, and Bruce
Pitchers who are HOT: Cueto, Latos, Bailey, Arroyo, and Chapman
Batters and Pitchers who are COLD: no one
Bruce leads Majors with 9 HR's
Choo (with Crisp) leads Majors with 18 runs
Cueto (with Lopez, Peavy,, and Hunter) lead Majors with 4 wins
Chapman (with Marmol) leads N.L. With 8 saves
Bailey and Cueto leads Majors with .68 WHIP
Reds lead League with 31 total HR's
Reds lead League with .475 Slugging Percentage
Reds lead League with 199 assists
Reds lead League with 2.89 ERA
Reds lead League with 11 base on balls allowed
Reds lead League with Rockies with .737 record


NEGATIVES:
Worst in League with just 6 walks
Second worst in League with a .276 On-Base Percentage
Second worst in League with 649 plate appearances

[cincy14fan]

Rookies show poise for a come from behind win

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds
Apr 22, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chicago (13-6)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	10	1
Cincinnati (14-5)	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	X	5	5	1
W: Sam Le Cure (1-0) L: Shawn Camp (2-1)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CHC	CIN
CHC	5	Villanueva singles to left as Lillibridge scores.	1	0
CIN	7	Soto singles up middle. Phillips scores. Heisey to second.	1	1
CIN	7	Lutz triples to gap in left. Heisey and Soto scores.	1	3
CIN	7	Cozart reaches first on fielder's choice off of a bunt. Lutz scores.	1	4
CIN	8	Phillips leads off 8th inning with a solo 390 ft homerun	1	5
CHC	9	Lillibridge reached on FC. Castillo out at second. Hairston scores.	2	5

@ Great American Ball Park, 41,739 (99%), 48 degrees

In what was the largest crowd all year at GABP since opening day they were missing some big names as Votto, Choo, and Bruce all had the day off. What we got in return was two rookies in their spot (Lutz and Soto).

With Leake on the mound it looked to be a little trouble without the power at the bat. At the beginning of the game it looked shaky. A double to start off the game for the Cubs. After a pop up they would have runners on the corners with a single to right. Leake would manage to get out of the inning without giving up a run which was surprising from his first three starts. In the next two innings he would also give up two doubles with at least one out, but manage to get out of those innings. Two more hits would leave runners on the corners with two outs as the pitcher Villanueva came up in the fifth. Easy out, but with Leake pitching it wouldn't be easy as we would allow a hit and it looked all but over at this point.

After six innings the Reds would only have one hit and that came to lead off the game by Hannahan (sub in for Bruce with Frazier playing in RF). Still the Reds in the seventh would get a lead off hit to start the inning by Phillips. After that Villanueva would get pulled for whatever reason. Phillips would steal second. Two pitches later the Reds would have runners on the corner for the first time as Heisey would lay down a bunt that would go all the way to third. Phillips would avoid the tag as they ruled it a fielders choice. First rookie Soto was up and he would single up the middle to tie the game and to extend his hit streak to double digits. Next batter was another rookie in Lutz would would laser one in the gap. Sappelt would try to stop the ball by overextending and would miss the ball and would tumble over. That allowed Lutz to get in with a triple as Soriano had to run back to retrieve the ball to give the Reds a two run lead. Cozart would hit a soft liner back to the pitcher in which looked to be an easy out, but Lutz would act like he would go home in which the pitcher would just hold the ball without throwing it. Cozart would be like Heisey in which the score keeper kept it as a fielders choice to wipe out a hit.

Next inning it would be Phillips to add an insurance run with a solo shot to right. In the ninth inning the Reds wouldn't warm up another pitcher as Le Cure was to finish the game. He would allow a run on three hits, but it wouldn't be enough as the Reds steal one from the Cubs in the series.

REDS Notes:
Soto hit streak at 10
Reds winning streak now at 5
Phillips hits his third homerun in 2 games

[cincy14fan]

Cueto first pitcher over 100 pitches, and long balls carry Reds

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds
Apr 23, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chicago (13-7)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	3	7	0
Cincinnati (15-5)	3	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	X	6	9	0
W: Johnny Cueto (5-0) L: Jeff Samardzija (2-2)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CHC	CIN
CIN	1	Frazier sends a 412 ft three-run homerun to left. Votto and Bruce score.	0	3
CIN	2	Mesoraco 3 pitch leadoff homerun to left for 398 ft.	0	4
CHC	4	Rizzo grounded out to second. Castro scores.	1	4
CIN	6	Bruce leads off inning with a 403 ft. homerun to left.	1	5
CHC	8	Sappelt flairs one over Votto's head. Lillibridge scores.	2	5
CIN	8	Bruce lines a 401 ft homerun to left.	2	6
CHC	9	Barney singles to left. Castillo scores.	3	6

@ Great American Ball Park, 42,271 (100%), 54 degrees

Cueto wasn't perfect by all means in this game as he gave up 3 runs and hit two consecutive batters (in the eight inning), but it didn't really matter much as the Reds have their power hitters back in the lineup and they brought their power to a sold out crowd.

Samardzija did get some help in the first inning as Votto would drop a ball in front of the Sorano, Phillips would try to score from second and would be thrown out. Reds wished he would of stayed on third cause after a single by Bruce, Frazier would hit a homerun to open up the game.

Samardzija did settle down even if it took three innings. In the third it looked like it could be a set up for a bunch of more runs with Votto, Bruce, and Frazier up, but for the first time all season the 3,4, and 5 hitters would all strikeout. He would start the fourth inning with a strikeout as well.

Someone should of told Samardzija not to strike out Bruce since he took it personally and the next at bat he hit a homerun to be the first player in the majors with double digits homeruns, but he wouldn't be satisfy as the last time he came up he lined another homerun.

Cueto would hit the 107 pitch count in the game and did give up two runs in the last two innings. Baker wanted to give his relievers some rest and Cueto has been very good so far and proved to keep his hot streak going as he cruised to his first complete game of the season.

REDS Notes:
Bruce hits his 10th, 11th homerun on the year
Mesoraco hits his first homerun
Frazier hits 10 RBI's on year
Cueto stats: CP, 7 hits, 3 R's, 3 ER's, 0 W's (2 HB), 7 K's

[cincy14fan]

Latos pitches 10 innings and still doesn't get win

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds
Apr 24, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Chicago (13-8)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	2
Cincinnati (16-5)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	0
W: Manny Parra (2-0) L: Shawn Camp (2-2)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CHC	CIN
CIN	12	Hanigan singles to left. Soto scores.	0	1

@ Great American Ball Park, 40,812 (44%), 70 degrees

A pitching duel was on show tonight in front of 40,000+ (which I think is weird since last game only 2,000 more came and it was 100% full and yet today was only 44, but I digress). Baker vs. Latos already have claimed the top spot on the year for two starting pitchers going at it.

While Baker only had four strikeouts in the eight innings pitched. The first two were huge as it was against Bruce who is the Reds hottest hitter. With the low total of strikeouts he would match it with only four hits in the game. Didn't walk a batter, but did hit Latos in the back on his first plate appearance.

On the other side Latos was dealing for the Reds and it was a shame he couldn't get the win in regular play or even in tenth inning since he pitched that far. He did give up a walk (two counting the one hit batter) and seven hits, but was the first Reds pitcher to record double digits strikeouts with 11.

Even the relief pitchers did good for the most part as Takahashi and Bowden for the Cubs pitched 3 innings and only gave up 2 hits and Bowden had a strikeout. Parra for the Reds, who got the win, had 2 innings of work with 3 strikeouts and no hits. However Camp wasn't very good as he came in the 12th inning and gave up 3 straight hits with the last driving in the run.

Soriano and Sappelt had games they would like to forget as they went 1 for 10 and had 7 strikeouts (4 by Sappelt) as Latos had two hat tricks in the game. Only Rizzo and Navarro where the only batters for the Cubs not to strike out in the game.

REDS Notes:
Soto 11 game hit streak continues with hit in 12th inning
Choo hit streak continues with leadoff hit in 11th inning
Cozart best hitter (?!?!) with 3-5 day
Cozart is now tied with Heisey with worst BA at .225 on the year
Latos at the plate: 2-2, HBP
Latos on the mound: 10 IP, 7 hits, 1 walk, 1 HP, 11 SO's
Votto is now 3-20 in his last 4 games after a 0-5 night

[cincy14fan]

Reds cost themselves a win on the road to continue road woes

Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals
Apr 25, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Cincinnati (17-5)	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	13	2
Washington (7-14)	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	7	0
W: Craig Stammen (1-1) L: Jonathan Broxton (0-2)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	WAS
CIN	2	Lutz hits a two-run homerun to right. Frazier scores.	2	0
WAS	2	Moore 378 solo shot to left.	2	1
CIN	3	Izturis doubles in the gap to right. Bailey scores from second.	3	1
WAS	3	Zimmerman doubles down the line. Harden and Span scores.	3	3
WAS	3	LaRoche reached first on throwing error. Werth scores.	3	4
CIN	4	Hanigan singles to right. Lutz scores.	4	4
WAS	11	Moore walk off homerun to left.	4	5

@ Nationals Park, 19,670 (47%), 58 degrees

Reds came in with hits on their mind with again another day Votto, Phillips, and Choo got a rest for being tired. Which meant small ball which the Reds did very well, but in the end it was mistakes that would doom them.

Bailey wasn't at all bad in this game. Despite the box score showing he giving up three error's the game should have been won and they should of only given up one run. He only allowed one hit going into the third inning. After a leadoff single by the pitcher to start the third it looked as if things was getting a little weird. Next batter was Span who seemed to hit into a easy double play ball, but Izturis couldn't handle the toss by Cozart, which Cozart was charged with the error, and still no outs. Next Werth would work the count on 16 pitches and finally the 17 pitch he would get on base with a walk. Zimmerman would double down the third base line to score two. Next bat was LaRoche who would hit it straight to Lutz. He would try to tag first and throw home, but apparently missed the base and the runner was safe at home. The scoreboard read it as an error.

As you can see mostly wasn't Bailey's fault but that would be all they needed against him to avoid the Reds winning. Reds also would shoot themselves in the foot when batting as they grounded into the double play twice and twice got the runner thrown out trying to advance to third on a hit.

Most of the National fans were upset that Harper didn't start today. In his place was Moore who hasn't even made an appearance this year, and his first at bat would crush a homerun against Bailey. The next two times Bailey saw him he knew he couldn't hit the curve and struck him out twice on that pitch. Going into the bottom of the eleventh inning Moore would come up to the plate with a 1-4 night with two K's. Earlier in the inning Harper would come in for a pitch hit and would sit down with a four pich strikeout. New hero Moore for the Nats would barely hit his second homerun over the left field wall for a walk off in his first game.

REDS Notes:
Reds snap 6 game winning streak
Second straight game in extra innings (1-1 record)
First game every player had a hit at bat for the Reds
Bailey first pitcher to throw strikes in one inning (5-5 in first inning)
Pitchers got hits again for second straight game
Bailey at the plate: 2-2, 1 R
Reds snap 7 game hit streak for Suzuki (0-3, K)
Only struck out twice (Hannahan and Heisey)

[cincy14fan]

Reds cavalier play cost them first shutout this year

Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals
Apr 27, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (18-6)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
Washington (8-15)	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	3	0
W: Ross Detwiler (3-2) L: Mike Leake (0-3)

Scoring Summary
SCORING DETAILS			CIN	WAS
WAS	5	Espinosa singles between short and third. Werth scores.	0	1
WAS	5	Span sac flies to center. Suzuki scores.	0	2

@ Nationals Park, 19,326 (46%), 70 degrees

First game all season that the Reds were shut out for a complete game by an opposing pitcher. It came by the hands of the sixth overall pick in the draft back in 2007 to Ross Detwiler. While he did seem to be destine to give up a run in the game he manage to get out of it. He didn't have that many strikeouts (5) in the game, but his defense came up huge time and time again.

In the first couple of innings there was about five or so chances of hits straight up the middle. Either Espinosa would track the ball for the out behind second on amazing throws or Zzimmerman would come to the rescue after a ball hit Detwiler (only happened once).

The Nationals seemed not be score a run in this game as Leake, who you think Leake would pitch like an ace this game, would come in and do his job. The fifth inning would come and a bloop single would get things started. An easy double play ball to Soto at third would turn into everyone being safe as Soto would pick up his third error on the year. After a pop out to get the first out it looked as if things would be okay for Leake. However a single to the eight hitter would bring home one run, and then Leake would turn back into the old as he would hit the Detwiler to lead the bases. A sac fly would bring in another run for insurance.

Detwiler came into the sixth which looked to be the flood gates opening for the reds. A pinch hit single by Frazier would start things off. A single by Choo to left on just two pitches would bring up Phillips. Instead of trying to drive in a run he lays down a surprise bunt to load the bases with no outs with Votto coming up. Earlier in the year that meant at least one run would score. With him being in the worst slump of his career Detwiler pitching to the most feared batters on the Reds got out of the inning with his first two strikeouts of the day. The second one would be a dropped ball by Suzuki, in which Frazier would try to score, but would be tagged out by half a step.

Quote:

I don't know why people are saying that. Just cause we have the best record right now in baseball (by one game over the Rockies) we are not the best team. We aren't even a great team right now. We make too many mistakes and it seems each game there is an inning or so on either side we totally fall apart on. Great teams don't do that every game, and the best team hardly does that. Luckily our pitching staff as a whole has been very good this month.

said Baker when asked after the game about thier first shutout of the year.

REDS Notes:
Phillips has 10 game hit streak with first inning double
Soto extends his hit streak to 13 games
Votto did get a hit finally in this game to go 1-14 in his last four games

[lilbiggio]

Votto is pressing at the plate it sounds like. Are you over eager with him, or is he in the dreaded swinging perfect "over" pitches slump that happens?

[cincy14fan]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilbiggio

Votto is pressing at the plate it sounds like. Are you over eager with him, or is he in the dreaded swinging perfect "over" pitches slump that happens?

It's more bad luck than any. When I strike out I am getting a little over eager to break out of the slump. Other than that sadly it's just bad luck. Always solid hits and either just a tad early or late, but the defense is always there to snag the ball for the out. Luckily Bruce is a beast for me and comes up with clutch hit after hit when I need it. Ironically most of his homerun balls are just normal swings and hardly ever any power swings.