A guy with long hair starts a baseball game for the Reds. He pitches pretty well. The team even gives him some serious run support. He leaves the game with a 6-2 lead. And then they turn the game over to
Stormy and the gang who promptly turn it into an 8-6 loss.
Reds baseball. (Wishbone) C You There!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Cheap tickets, Free Freel Shirt
This Friday the Reds are running two promotions. The first is Pepsi college/teen night; you can get a discount on non-premium tickets. Usually these are for games against teams like the Nats but this time it’s against Philadelphia so you’ll see a fairly good opponent. The second one is a free Ryan Freel get dirty shirt. It’s a t-shirt jersey that is made to look like it’s dirty. I got an Eric Byrnes shirt like this last year it’s pretty cool. It’s free to the first 10,000 adults. They are giving away the same shirt for kids on Sunday.
Monday, April 16, 2007
"I hate to say it, but I'm overpaid," Freel.
Kudos to Ryan Freel on his new $7,000,000 contract. I love that he sees it as an excuse to be more reckless now, if that is possible. Somebody is going to have some fun in a bar in Cincy tonight when Freel and Farney show up to buy the first few rounds.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
150 to go
Twelve games down and the Big Red Machine is in first. Somehow. The numbers baffle me at this point. Look at the bullpen- this bullpen and marvel at their collective earned run average, for it will surely increase. Aaron Harang, of all people, has the worst ERA on the club in this bizarro start to the season. Well, John Coutlangus has the worst ERA, technically, but I chalk that up to the taunting he must have endured sitting in the Wrigley Field bullpen.
Anyway, it's nigh on tax day and the Reds are in first. I won't complain yet. Hell, Kyle Lohse got 12 K's today.
I went to my first game of the season on Monday against the D-Backs (the full word "Diamondbacks" does not appear on any of their four official jerseys) in the newly ruddy Chase Field. The Reds blew a solid effort by Bronson. Of course, Bronson should get used to that since it's happened in all three of his starts now.
I was thoroughly impressed by the show that Josh Hamilton put on during BP that night and he seems to be holding his own in his limited playing time. I hope he's the real deal. I don't want this year's Reds to implode when Junior gets hurt again or if Dunn's back spasms are a lingering problem.
Well, it's Jackie Robinson Day. I'm a big admirer of Robinson, one of the great athletes in California history, who was a much more complex character than he is generally portrayed. However, I'll leave the lengthy Robinson essays to smarter bloggers.
And while it is an honor that the Los Angeles Dodgers are all wearing #42 (a number they finally retired 10 years after Jackie was already in the Hall of Fame, by the way). Here's what that franchise thought of him in the fall of 1956: a middle reliever with an ERA .31 above league average and $30,000.
Anyway, it's nigh on tax day and the Reds are in first. I won't complain yet. Hell, Kyle Lohse got 12 K's today.
I went to my first game of the season on Monday against the D-Backs (the full word "Diamondbacks" does not appear on any of their four official jerseys) in the newly ruddy Chase Field. The Reds blew a solid effort by Bronson. Of course, Bronson should get used to that since it's happened in all three of his starts now.
I was thoroughly impressed by the show that Josh Hamilton put on during BP that night and he seems to be holding his own in his limited playing time. I hope he's the real deal. I don't want this year's Reds to implode when Junior gets hurt again or if Dunn's back spasms are a lingering problem.
Well, it's Jackie Robinson Day. I'm a big admirer of Robinson, one of the great athletes in California history, who was a much more complex character than he is generally portrayed. However, I'll leave the lengthy Robinson essays to smarter bloggers.
And while it is an honor that the Los Angeles Dodgers are all wearing #42 (a number they finally retired 10 years after Jackie was already in the Hall of Fame, by the way). Here's what that franchise thought of him in the fall of 1956: a middle reliever with an ERA .31 above league average and $30,000.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Josh Hamilton
"We've got to get him on the field with what he's done," Narron said. "It's not easy playing four outfielders. But we'll work it out."
Where have we heard this before?
Oh yeah. Remember Dunn-Griffey-Kearns-Pena? Or how about Dunn-Griffey-Kearns-Guillen?
Now it's Dunn-Freel-Hamilton-Griffey (left to right). Thing is, it doesn't have to be, so fans shouldn't be quick to skepticism (even though, let's face it, we're talking about the Reds).
Freel always will be a "super utility guy," so this conversation shouldn't be happening. Freel is also a right handed batter with no power, and he gets hurt a lot. Hamilton is a lefty with plenty of power, and...well, okay...he missed four years. Both run well, field well (Hamilton has a better arm).
It just looks like a strict platoon waiting to happen, really. The problem is how much offense they lose by keeping Hamilton on the bench...
Where have we heard this before?
Oh yeah. Remember Dunn-Griffey-Kearns-Pena? Or how about Dunn-Griffey-Kearns-Guillen?
Now it's Dunn-Freel-Hamilton-Griffey (left to right). Thing is, it doesn't have to be, so fans shouldn't be quick to skepticism (even though, let's face it, we're talking about the Reds).
Freel always will be a "super utility guy," so this conversation shouldn't be happening. Freel is also a right handed batter with no power, and he gets hurt a lot. Hamilton is a lefty with plenty of power, and...well, okay...he missed four years. Both run well, field well (Hamilton has a better arm).
It just looks like a strict platoon waiting to happen, really. The problem is how much offense they lose by keeping Hamilton on the bench...
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Opening Day Roster, 2007
Well, here you go, Glenn.
Pitchers (11)
Bronson Arroyo
Matt Belisle
Jared Burton
Todd Coffey
Rheal Cormier
Jon Coutlangus
Aaron Harang
Kyle Lohse
Kirk Saarloos
Mike Stanton
David Weathers
I never expected to say this, but I don't mind the pitching staff too much. For once, they're not resting all their hopes on Jimmy Anderson/Jimmy Haynes/Paul Wilson/Ghost of Pete Harnisch. The staff is a good mix of young and old, but with two rookies in Coutlangus and Burton (the latter a Rule 5 guy), the bullpen could be worse than last year if they implode. If they do well, and they might, then Krivsky looks like a genius. You have to assume that Cormier, Weathers, and Stanton (combined age: Methuselah) will explode time and again before some of the DL'd guys get back. I'm worried about this bullpen all over again.
A rotation of Harang/Arroyo/Lohse/Belisle/Saarloos? Not too shabby. Bear in mind, Sun Woo Kim pitched here last year.
Infielders (6)
Juan Castro
Jeff Conine
Edwin Encarnacion
Alex Gonzalez
Scott Hatteberg
Brandon Phillips
There's a serious implosion factor at stake here. Can Hatteberg hit like he did last year -- which is to say, can he duplicate Sean Casey's production for a fraction of the price and a third of the GIDPs? Can Brandon Phillips repeat his 2006? Can Edwin Encarnacion figure out how to perform routine plays while hitting a ton with RISP? As for Castro and Gonzalez, not much needs to be said. They'll be fine -- catch everything and hit very little. Why is Jeff Conine here again?
Outfielders (4)
Adam Dunn
Ryan Freel
Ken Griffey Jr.
Josh Hamilton
Oh yeah, this is why they got Conine. Because after Junior and/or Freel gets hurt, you have a "can't miss prospect" (because none of those ever miss) who has never played AA ball, let alone the majors. To say this writer is skeptical of Hamilton is understating it a bit. I'd love to eat crow here.
Catchers (3)
David Ross
Javier Valentin
Chad Moeller
There's just no need for three catchers on a team that only has four outfielders and a Conine. Not that I'd prefer DeWayne Wise, but wow. There's got to be a cheap outfielder roaming the earth right now.
And this leaves one roster spot open. As of now, with 11 pitchers, they could add another outfielder (they won't). My money is on adding Victor Santos, but Krivsky has been known to do other things.
I'd love to see him ship Rheal Cormier out for a reserve outfielder, then sign Santos, and call it 25. But I ain't Wayne.
Meanwhile, look at this opening day DL:
Disabled list (8)
Bill Bray
Chris Denorfia
Jerry Gil
Eddie Guardado
Norris Hopper
Jeff Keppinger
Eric Milton
Elizardo Ramirez
Holy crap. At this rate, the 2007 Reds will make the 1989 Reds look like the all-Ripkens.
Pitchers (11)
Bronson Arroyo
Matt Belisle
Jared Burton
Todd Coffey
Rheal Cormier
Jon Coutlangus
Aaron Harang
Kyle Lohse
Kirk Saarloos
Mike Stanton
David Weathers
I never expected to say this, but I don't mind the pitching staff too much. For once, they're not resting all their hopes on Jimmy Anderson/Jimmy Haynes/Paul Wilson/Ghost of Pete Harnisch. The staff is a good mix of young and old, but with two rookies in Coutlangus and Burton (the latter a Rule 5 guy), the bullpen could be worse than last year if they implode. If they do well, and they might, then Krivsky looks like a genius. You have to assume that Cormier, Weathers, and Stanton (combined age: Methuselah) will explode time and again before some of the DL'd guys get back. I'm worried about this bullpen all over again.
A rotation of Harang/Arroyo/Lohse/Belisle/Saarloos? Not too shabby. Bear in mind, Sun Woo Kim pitched here last year.
Infielders (6)
Juan Castro
Jeff Conine
Edwin Encarnacion
Alex Gonzalez
Scott Hatteberg
Brandon Phillips
There's a serious implosion factor at stake here. Can Hatteberg hit like he did last year -- which is to say, can he duplicate Sean Casey's production for a fraction of the price and a third of the GIDPs? Can Brandon Phillips repeat his 2006? Can Edwin Encarnacion figure out how to perform routine plays while hitting a ton with RISP? As for Castro and Gonzalez, not much needs to be said. They'll be fine -- catch everything and hit very little. Why is Jeff Conine here again?
Outfielders (4)
Adam Dunn
Ryan Freel
Ken Griffey Jr.
Josh Hamilton
Oh yeah, this is why they got Conine. Because after Junior and/or Freel gets hurt, you have a "can't miss prospect" (because none of those ever miss) who has never played AA ball, let alone the majors. To say this writer is skeptical of Hamilton is understating it a bit. I'd love to eat crow here.
Catchers (3)
David Ross
Javier Valentin
Chad Moeller
There's just no need for three catchers on a team that only has four outfielders and a Conine. Not that I'd prefer DeWayne Wise, but wow. There's got to be a cheap outfielder roaming the earth right now.
And this leaves one roster spot open. As of now, with 11 pitchers, they could add another outfielder (they won't). My money is on adding Victor Santos, but Krivsky has been known to do other things.
I'd love to see him ship Rheal Cormier out for a reserve outfielder, then sign Santos, and call it 25. But I ain't Wayne.
Meanwhile, look at this opening day DL:
Disabled list (8)
Bill Bray
Chris Denorfia
Jerry Gil
Eddie Guardado
Norris Hopper
Jeff Keppinger
Eric Milton
Elizardo Ramirez
Holy crap. At this rate, the 2007 Reds will make the 1989 Reds look like the all-Ripkens.
Opening Day Genesis
I'll kick off our new Reds blog and the 2007 season with a piece I wrote that was on McSweeney's a few years ago.
Opening Day Genesis.
BY GLENN BIRKEMEIER
- - - -
In the big inning, God created Heaven on Earth. And it was without form, and void. God separated the dirt from the grass. He called the grass Outfield and the dirt He called Infield. God made the Infield a 90-foot square and the Outfield not less than 400 feet to center and 320 feet down the lines. He declared this Fair Territory. All other territory, God then declared, was Foul.
And God divided the players into two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, to play The Game on His field. God called some of these players Pitchers and some of them Hitters. He placed a Pitcher precisely 60 feet 6 inches from a Hitter. Then God commanded that it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the ol' Ballgame.
And God granted jurisdiction of The Game to lesser Gods, whom He called Umpires. God said the Umpires are infallible, blessed with Heavenly authority, whose judgment is not to be questioned under penalty of expulsion from The Game. And God looked at his creation and He was pleased. Then God created the Infield Fly Rule to confuse nonbelievers.
And God said, Let there be light beer, and there was. And, God said, let there be peanuts and hot dogs and overpriced souvenirs and let there be frosty chocolate malts with little wooden spoons that you can buy nowhere else except at this Heaven, which God called a Ballpark, and there was. God looked at His creation and it was good.
And the Lord God formed, from the dust, a collection of elite players in His own image. The Lord God then breathed the breath of life into His creation. God called this creation the National League.
And God said, It is not good for the National League to be alone. The Lord God shall make it a mate. And thus, while the National League slept, God took several of its top players and created the American League.
And God blessed The Game, saying, Be fruitful and multiply. Put teams in every city with deserving fans, God added, even if this occurs at the expense of starting-pitching depth.
From time to time, God understood, The Game would be corrupted by the Serpent. The Serpent was more cunning than any other beast and he would take many wicked forms: the Black Sox, segregation, the Designated Hitter, the Reserve Clause, dead balls, juiced balls, spit balls, corked bats, George Steinbrenner, AstroTurf, the 1981 strike, collusion, lockouts, Pete Rose, the 1994 strike, greenies, cocaine, HGH, Andro, steroids, $20 parking, corporate mallparks, Scott Boras, Donald Fehr, and Bud Selig.
But, God said, the goodness in The Game shall always prevail. As needed, the Lord shall bestow upon The Game a Savior. And the Savior, like the Serpent, can take many forms. The Savior shall remind Fans how blessed The Game truly is. The Savior shall be called by many names, including Cy, Matty, Honus, Big Train, the Babe, Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Lou Gehrig, Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson, Buck O'Neil, Hank Greenberg, Red Barber, Harry Caray, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Satchel Paige, Bill Veeck, Roberto Clemente, Ernie Banks, Hammerin' Hank, Cool Papa, Dizzy, Lefty, Whitey, Stan the Man, Big Klu, the Say Hey Kid, Campy, Duke, the Mick, the Splendid Splinter, the Gas House Gang, the Big Red Machine, the Damn Yankees, Pudge Fisk, Pudge Rodriguez, Yaz, Pops, the Wizard of Oz, Fernando, George Brett, Moonlight Graham, Roy Hobbs, Wild Thing Vaughn, Bingo Long, the Ryan Express, Donnie Baseball, Rickey, Eck, the Big Unit, the Cactus League, Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Camden Yards, Rotisserie Drafts, Web Gems, Derek Jeter, Dontrelle Willis, Vlad Guerrero, and, from the Far East, Ichiro. And, God guaranteed, there are many more to come.
God looked upon His creation and He was very pleased. And God spoke, yelling, PLAY BALL!
Opening Day Genesis.
BY GLENN BIRKEMEIER
- - - -
In the big inning, God created Heaven on Earth. And it was without form, and void. God separated the dirt from the grass. He called the grass Outfield and the dirt He called Infield. God made the Infield a 90-foot square and the Outfield not less than 400 feet to center and 320 feet down the lines. He declared this Fair Territory. All other territory, God then declared, was Foul.
And God divided the players into two teams of nine players each, under direction of a manager, to play The Game on His field. God called some of these players Pitchers and some of them Hitters. He placed a Pitcher precisely 60 feet 6 inches from a Hitter. Then God commanded that it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the ol' Ballgame.
And God granted jurisdiction of The Game to lesser Gods, whom He called Umpires. God said the Umpires are infallible, blessed with Heavenly authority, whose judgment is not to be questioned under penalty of expulsion from The Game. And God looked at his creation and He was pleased. Then God created the Infield Fly Rule to confuse nonbelievers.
And God said, Let there be light beer, and there was. And, God said, let there be peanuts and hot dogs and overpriced souvenirs and let there be frosty chocolate malts with little wooden spoons that you can buy nowhere else except at this Heaven, which God called a Ballpark, and there was. God looked at His creation and it was good.
And the Lord God formed, from the dust, a collection of elite players in His own image. The Lord God then breathed the breath of life into His creation. God called this creation the National League.
And God said, It is not good for the National League to be alone. The Lord God shall make it a mate. And thus, while the National League slept, God took several of its top players and created the American League.
And God blessed The Game, saying, Be fruitful and multiply. Put teams in every city with deserving fans, God added, even if this occurs at the expense of starting-pitching depth.
From time to time, God understood, The Game would be corrupted by the Serpent. The Serpent was more cunning than any other beast and he would take many wicked forms: the Black Sox, segregation, the Designated Hitter, the Reserve Clause, dead balls, juiced balls, spit balls, corked bats, George Steinbrenner, AstroTurf, the 1981 strike, collusion, lockouts, Pete Rose, the 1994 strike, greenies, cocaine, HGH, Andro, steroids, $20 parking, corporate mallparks, Scott Boras, Donald Fehr, and Bud Selig.
But, God said, the goodness in The Game shall always prevail. As needed, the Lord shall bestow upon The Game a Savior. And the Savior, like the Serpent, can take many forms. The Savior shall remind Fans how blessed The Game truly is. The Savior shall be called by many names, including Cy, Matty, Honus, Big Train, the Babe, Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Lou Gehrig, Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson, Buck O'Neil, Hank Greenberg, Red Barber, Harry Caray, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Satchel Paige, Bill Veeck, Roberto Clemente, Ernie Banks, Hammerin' Hank, Cool Papa, Dizzy, Lefty, Whitey, Stan the Man, Big Klu, the Say Hey Kid, Campy, Duke, the Mick, the Splendid Splinter, the Gas House Gang, the Big Red Machine, the Damn Yankees, Pudge Fisk, Pudge Rodriguez, Yaz, Pops, the Wizard of Oz, Fernando, George Brett, Moonlight Graham, Roy Hobbs, Wild Thing Vaughn, Bingo Long, the Ryan Express, Donnie Baseball, Rickey, Eck, the Big Unit, the Cactus League, Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Camden Yards, Rotisserie Drafts, Web Gems, Derek Jeter, Dontrelle Willis, Vlad Guerrero, and, from the Far East, Ichiro. And, God guaranteed, there are many more to come.
God looked upon His creation and He was very pleased. And God spoke, yelling, PLAY BALL!
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