BRANDON PHILLIPS
WILL HAVE A MRI ON HIS HAMSTRING MONDAY.
6.14.10 BY:MEH
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
BRANDON PHILLIPS WILL
HAVE A MRI ON HIS HAMSTRING MONDAY.
The Reds were
defeated 7-3 by the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon. Brandon
Phillips (hamstring) and Scott Rolen (scheduled off-day) were both missing
from the Reds' lineup as the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke
struck out twelve batters and pitched a complete game for the Royals. Joey
Votto hit two solo home runs, but the Reds' offense only assembled three
runs on five hits against Greinke. Sam LeCure threw 120 pitches effectively
(6.2IP, 6H, 4ER, 4K), but received his third loss of the season.
Prior to Sunday's game against the Royals, Dusty Baker scratched second
baseman Brandon Phillips from the Reds' lineup. Phillips currently owns a
15-game hitting streak and until Sunday, was the only Red to start in every
game this season. According to Dusty Baker, Phillips has been aching for
some time: ”I
don’t know if you’ve been noticing how he’s been stretching and limping for
about the last 10 days to two weeks. Finally today, it’s really bothering
him,especially with all
the running he has been doing. If you’re not hitting, you just run to first
base, turn right, then go sit down. This guy has been running, stealing,
going first-to-third, second-to-home, first-to-home.”
It seems that Phillips' NL leading 48 runs scored are catching up to him.
During his 15-game streak Phillips is batting .463 with 31 hits and has
scored 14 times.
“Certainly
you can’t afford to lose Brandon for 10 days to two weeks,”
Dusty Baker said.
“Hopefully having an off-day helps, too.”
Phillips will have a MRI on Monday to determine the damage, if any.
Injury is also
sidelining the return of Homer Bailey. During a rehab start for
Louisville on Tuesday, Bailey experienced new soreness in his pitching arm.
“We’ll probably keep him from throwing for maybe a week,”
Walt Jocketty said.
“Then it might take two of three weeks before he’s ready to pitch for us.
There’s really no timetable.”
Luckily, the Reds have ample depth when it comes to starting pitching.
Rookie Sam LeCure has pitched well during Bailey's absence despite his
record hardly showing it (1-3, 3.75). The Reds have lost during LeCure's
last three starts, but in his defense, LeCure faced three studs (Chris
Carpenter, Matt Cain, and Zack Greinke) in those games.
The Reds also have Travis Wood (4-4, 3.77), Matt Maloney (5-3, 3.10), and
Aroldis Chapman (5-4, 4.22) at their disposal in AAA Louisville. There will
be no sense of urgency surrounding Bailey's return.
"Being frustrated and upset is not going to help it heal any faster,"
Bailey said. "Luckily the team is still doing well, so that kind of helps
out a lot. Knowing that we have a good enough team that even though I’m not
able to help, that we can still continue to play well."
After pitching
three scoreless innings for Lynchburg on Saturday, the time-table for
All-Star Edinson Volquez is becoming more clear. He is on a 30-day plan that
will include two starts at each level of the Reds' farm system. After his
second start for Lynchburg on Thursday, Volquez will start twice for
Carolina and twice for Louisville barring any setbacks. Volquez's fastball
was clocked at 96mph on Saturday and he was hitting 92-95mph consistently.
Volquez's 50-day
suspension ends Monday.
“Right now it’s a matter of getting his pitch count up toward
100,”
Walt Jocketty said.
“We want him to do that two or three times before he comes back up here.”
LHP Bill Bray is also rehabbing in Lynchburg. Bray has tossed 5 2/3
scoreless innings for the Hillcats allowing one hit while striking out nine.
Catcher Ryan Hanigan's fractured left thumb is improving. Hanigan was placed
on the 15-day disabled list on May 29.
"Now it's just getting my swing back together,"
Hanigan said.
"I'll start playing light catch next week and see how it feels and then make
an evaluation mid-week about if I can start catching pitchers or not."
The Reds will begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on
Tuesday followed by their first West Coast road trip of the season against
the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics.
“The off day is coming at a good time,”
Baker said.
6.12.10 BY:MEH GOING, GOING, GOMES!
JONNY GOMES DRIVES IN SIX
RUNS WITH TWO HOMERS
Jonny Gomes had a career high six RBI in the Reds
11-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Gomes' 47 RBI currently leads the National League. Gomes hit
a pair of three-run homers; one in the first inning, and one in the
third. He was then hit by pitches during his next two at-bats by Kaneoka
Texeira. During the seventh inning, Paul Janish and Chris Heisey were also
hit by pitches from Dusty Hughes, but no intention was suspected:
“I don’t think they were intentional,”
Dusty Baker said.
“At least I hope they weren’t.”
FROM
OMGREDS:
THANKFULLY Jeff Brantley pointed it out
during the FSN broadcast on several occasions throughout the evening.
Including the following dialogue with Thom Brennaman after Heisey got hit in
the 7th by Hughes.
Jeff: Alright, now
it’s getting old.
Thom: Well, you don’t think that one had any intent to it, do you?
Jeff: I don’t care if it had any intent at all. You brushed my guy once,
then you hit him. He had two home runs. And now you’ve hit a third guy.
Well, that bothers me.
Brantley later added, "If you’re in that
locker room and you want to be Jonny’s (Gomes’) friend, I’ll tell you what
to do."
So obviously Brantley saw some or all of the HBP action as harshit. I’m certain that some of the Reds did as well but
there was no retaliation Saturday and I’ll be curious to see whether there
appears to be any Sunday, when the Reds face the Royals for the final time
this season (and if we manage to reach the World Series, something tells me
this isn’t the team we’re going to face). The question is … as long as
Texeira doesn’t get an at-bat Sunday (he got an at-bat Saturday but
unfortunately it was before he hit Gomes for the second time) … who is the
top candidate for a fastball between the shoulder blades on Sunday? I’d
guess maybe David DeJesus or Billy Butler. Don’t wish them any harm, just
looked at their lineup for star players. And I don’t think I’d mess with
Kendall or Jose Guillen. Because wouldn’t you say something kind of ought to
happen?
By the way, what about the tremendous
restraint Gomes showed by not charging Texeira when he plunked him the
second time! Because I’d guess he thought about it. I wanted him to … did
you? Then again, do we want to be without the services of the league-leader
in RBIs for the better part of a week?
Scott Rolen went 2-4 with an RBI in front of 32,240 Reds fans on his bobble
head night and Brandon Phillips (3-4, HR, 3R) extended his hitting steak to
sixteen games.
Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman
went five innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out
nine, during his start for Louisville on Saturday. The Bats were trailing
Pawtucket 1-0 when the game was delayed during the sixth.
Edinson Volquez
pitched three scoreless innings for single-A Lynchburg on Saturday. With
44 pitches, Volquez allowed hits to the first two Potomac batters then
retired the following nine. Volquez struck out three and walked none during
his first game action since June 1, 2009.
Sam Lecure (1-2, 3.12) will face Zack Greinke (1-8, 4.05) and the Royals at
1:10pm on Sunday.
6.11.10 BY:MEH
BRANDON'S PARADISE
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A
GANGSTER: PART TWO Brandon Phillips
batted leadoff for the Reds' on Thursday for the
old and tired Orlando Cabrera who was given the day off. Phillips has
not hit first in the Reds' lineup since April 13, 2007 when Jerry Narron
managed the team. Phillips extended his hitting streak to thirteen games on
Thursday, going 4-5 with two RBI and two runs scored against the Giants.
“I don't need a day off, just don’t want one,”
Phillips said.
“I’m here to play. What if today is the last game I’ll ever play and I miss
it."
During the last
thirteen games,
Brandon Phillips has hit .441 with 10 runs scored and 26 hits. Phillips has
raised his season average to .301 and is the only Red to play in every game
this season. Phillips is tied for second in hits (74) and tied for third in
runs (44) in the National League.
Gangster.
Mike "Godzilla" Leake pitched the worst game of his young career on Thursday
against the Giants. Leake pitched only 4.1 innings and allowed five earned
runs on eleven hits. Leake left the game down 5-4, but the Reds' offense and
bullpen would not allow him to lose his first major league game.
“I think what was different about this game is they had a pretty good plan
for me,”
Leake said.
“They punched me right off the bat, and I couldn’t react fast enough.
Sometimes games are going to be like that. They didn’t square every ball up.
But I made more mistakes than I wanted to.”
The Reds relief brigade of Del Rosario, Herrera, Masset, Rhodes, and Cordero
pitched 4.2 innings of two-hit, one-run ball. Squirmy Nick Masset was the
only reliever short of perfection.
After Nick Masset allowed a run during the seventh inning, the Giants were
finished scoring for the night and led the Reds 6-4. After a Ramon Hernandez
single and a Chris Heisey double during the bottom of the eighth, Brandon
Phillips drove them both in with his first triple of the season, tying the
game at six. Joey "Capone" Votto drove in Phillips with a single and the
Reds
beat the Giants 7-6 at Great American Ballpark.
"I tell ya' what it's all about is believing in ourselves,"
said Brandon Phillips.
"We
did that (today). The pitching staff did its job and we just believe. We
just learn from our mistakes and keep rollin'. This was a great game and we
really needed it. When you're
winning, you become a different player and that's what Scott Rolen has been
talking about.
When you start winning, you're going to see what type of player you really
are. And hey, it's a lot of fun."
Arthur Rhodes extended his scoreless appearance streak to 27 outings.
Rhodes' five outs on Thursday were the most he's recorded since May 1, 2008.
Francisco Cordero pitched the only Reds' 1-2-3 inning during the ninth and
notched his seventeenth save (tied for 2nd in the NL) of the season.
The Reds are now 1 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the
National League Central.
"I'm doing a lot of hoping and praying and finger-crossing and stuff like
that,"
said Reds' manager Dusty Baker.
" I just hope everybody keeps believing - including the fans and everybody
out there. When everybody believes, from the front office to the
administrative assistants to the ground crew to everybody and just thinks
positive, good things will happen."
Bronson Arroyo (5-3, 4.65) will face Luke Hochevar (5-4, 4.74) and the
Kansas City Royals (25-36) at 7:10pm on Friday at GABP.
ORLANDO CABRERA
AND JONNY GOMES LEAD THE REDS OVER THE GIANTS
6.10.10 BY:MEH GOMES AND CABRERA REAP
ORLANDO CABRERA AND JONNY
GOMES LEAD THE REDS OVER THE GIANTS
Entering Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants, Reds' leadoff
hitter Orlando Cabrera was sporting a 0-12 mini-slump. Cabrera led off the
first inning with a single and scored on a Scott Rolen double giving Aaron
Harang and the Reds an early 1-0 lead. Cabrera ended the day going 4-5 with
three doubles and three runs scored. Scott Rolen went 3-3 driving in two
runs with two doubles and Jonny Gomes went 1-2 with three RBI. Combined, the
trio went 8-10 with six doubles.
Aaron Harang started for the Reds and went seven innings. Harang allowed
only five hits while striking out three. After retiring the first five
Giants' batters he faced, Harang walked Pat Burrell, and Buster Posey hit
his first career home run into the left field bleachers at GABP. After
Harang left the game, Danny Herrera and Logan Ondrusek combined for a
scoreless eighth. The Giants scored again in the ninth inning off closer
Francisco Cordero, but could not overcome the six runs the Reds had already
put on the board. The Reds
defeated the Giants 6-3 and gained a one-game lead for first place as
the Dodgers completed a three-game
sweep of the Cardinals on Wednesday night.
In case you missed it, the Reds were featured on MLB Production's This
Week in Baseball on Saturday afternoon (Watch
it here). The show highlighted the Reds' double play combination of
Orlando Cabrera and Brandon Phillips, former University of Texas Longhorn
Drew Stubbs, and the friendship between rookie Mike Leake and veteran
Bronson Arroyo. During the broadcast, Brandon Phillips talked about his
teammate Orlando Cabrera:
"We're going to the playoffs because we have him on our team."
Mike "Godzilla" Leake (5-0, 2.22) will face Todd Wellemeyer (3-5, 5.72) and
the Giants at 12:35pm on Thursday.
6.9.10 BY:MEH SAVE OUR SHIP
HOW WILL THE CINCINNATI
REDS SPELL RELIEF?
It is no longer an enigma; the Cincinnati Reds will need to locate bullpen
help if they want to remain in the 2010 playoff hunt. The Reds have lost
their last two attempts at the San Francisco Giants, both games being
entirely within reach, until the Reds' bullpen entered the game.
On Monday, Johnny Cueto clearly struggled (6IP, 10H, 4ER, 5K) against the
Giants, but held himself together enough to keep his team in the game. Cueto
left the game down 4-3 in the sixth, but the Reds' offense offered two runs
in the bottom half of the inning, giving the team a 5-4 lead and a possible
victory for Cueto. Danny Herrera came into the game in the seventh with only
one run allowed in his last nine appearances. Herrera quickly allowed two
singles to Giants' hitters. After recording only one out, Herrera was pulled
for the young Enerio Del Rosario. Giants' shortstop Juan Uribe drove in his
third and fourth RBI of the game off Rosario with a single. Arthur Rhodes
and Logan Ondrusek finished the game with scoreless appearances, but the
Reds' offense was out of gas as they lost to the Giants 6-5.
On Tuesday, Sam LeCure made his
third major league start against the Giants. LeCure pitched well during
six innings allowing only one run on five hits. LeCure left the game
trailing 1-0. After Logan Ondrusek and Arthur Rhodes recorded four outs
without allowing a run (WOW!), Nick Masset entered the game. The Giants
continued their singles parade from the previous day and scored two
insurance runs off the seemingly hopeless Masset. In the end, the Giants
only needed one as they blanked the Reds 3-0. Matt Cain pitched a complete
game shutout (7H, 2BB, 5K).
The Reds' bullpen seems so desperate that even David Weathers
has offered to help. Walt Jocketty quickly
disposed of the rumors, but it still makes one wonder. Enduring the
apparent inadequacies of the Reds pen, along with Mike Leake's innings
beings closely monitored, Arthur Rhodes
playing hurt, and closer Francisco Cordero remaining in his funk; the
Reds may need even more help than suspected. Where will we find it?
The Reds' farm system is very deep when it comes to starters. Relievers; not
so much. Aroldis Chapman has been speculated to possibly become an option
out of the Reds' pen, but Walt Jocketty has
said otherwise. It is hard to imagine that the Reds would risk his
demise experimenting with him in relief situations. Chapman will likely
spend more time developing in Louisville than any fan would like. Even when
he is ready, he will probably have to wait for a hole in the rotation to
open up. Not a bad problem to have.
Homer Bailey made his first rehab start in Louisville on Tuesday (4 1/3IP,
5ER, 6H) after coming off the 15-day disabled list. Rookie Sam LeCure has
pitched very well (1-2, 3.12) as Bailey's replacement and could slide into a
reliever role once Bailey returns to the Reds.
If Reds' starters remain healthy and effective, Edinson Volquez could become
an option for the Reds when he returns from Tommy John surgery. Volquez is
currently rehabbing in extended spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. His
50-day suspension will end on June 12, but he will not be available to
pitch until mid-to-late July. The Reds will need help before then.
The obvious option would be Louisville, but there is not much there. Carlos
Fisher (9.82), Logan Ondrusek (9.90), and Enerio Del Rosario (1.35) have
already been up and down this season and have suffered from their
inexperience. All three pitchers have showed signs of dominance, but are not
ready to take on the savior role for the Reds' harrowing pen.
Louisville starters Travis Wood (3-4, 4.15) and Matt Maloney (4-3, 3.55)
could be converted to relievers to help their major league affiliate, but
the decision would deplete the Bats' rotation considerably, creating a
contrary impression. We have already seen potential youngsters (Fisher,
Ondrusek, Rosario) tangle with major league hitters and the dubious chance
of a Wood or Maloney endeavor suspends the idea of farm system assistance.
Jared Burton is rehabbing in Louisville (1-1, 6.30 in 9 games). Burton did
not make the team out of Spring Training and has been working his way back
from fatigue issues this season. He has spent most of the last three seasons
in the majors (10-3, 3.47) and will be back with the club once he regains
his endurance. Burton's 4.40 ERA in 53 games during 2009 suggests he will
assist, but not save, the Reds' bullpen.
It appears that the solution will need to come from another team. There are
currently five teams in the majors that are ten games or more out of first
place. With trade-bait like Yonder Alonso, Juan Francisco, and Chris Valaika;
the Reds could easily acquire what they need. If the Reds' appetite craves
the 2010 post-season, a serious addition to the bullpen is mandatory.
Walt Jocketty, here are some suggestions:
David Aardsma: RHP with 12 saves for Seattle this season. Seattle is
currently 13 games out of first place and desperate for a bat after Junior
announced his retirement. Just kidding about Junior, but the M's do lack
outfield depth.
Chris Perez: RHP with 5 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 23 games for Cleveland
this season. The Indians have slid 12.5 games behind the Twins in the AL
Central.
Will Ohman: LHP with a 3.38 ERA in 29 games so far for the Orioles.
Ohman knows the NL Central (spent '00-'07 in Chicago), and was second in the
NL in games (83) and fourth in holds (23) during 2008. The guy is a
workhorse who knows how to get hitters out. Ohman has great breaking pitches
and could capitalize with the Reds' solid defense behind him. The Orioles
are already 20 games out of first place and will be unloading soon.
Aaron Heilman: RHP with a 2.84 ERA in 26 games with Arizona. The D-Backs
are 11.5 games away from first place and have a trade history with the Reds.
Heilman and Arthur Rhodes would be a nasty R/L setup-man combination.
Kyle Farnsworth: Another ex-Cub who has posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 games
for Kansas City this season. Farnsworth's heat and control would be a great
ingredient for the Reds during late innings. Kansas City is currently 10.5
games out of first. Farnsworth would probably fair well in a return to the
National League since his departure during the 2005 season. He can
fight
too.
THE REDS HAD TO
COME BACK TWICE TO DEFEAT THE NATIONALS 5-4 ON SUNDAY.
6.6.10 BY:MEH ARROCKETTE
REDS AND ARROYO COMEBACK
TO BEAT NATS'
(Props to @pinklibrarybook
for the photoshopspiration)
Francisco Cordero
scares me like Freddy Krueger did when I was ten. Cordero blew his fourth
game of the season on Sunday afternoon, but also managed to steal the win
away from Bronson Arroyo. After the Reds came back for the second time
during Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals in the tenth inning,
Nick Masset recorded the second save of his career, and his first in the
National League. The Reds defeated the Nationals 5-4 to win the weekend
series, moved back into a tie for first place after a
Cardinal loss, and salvaged the road trip going .500 in six games
against the Cardinals and Nationals.
After Bronson Arroyo's last start against the Cardinals (4.1IP, 10H, 7ER,
5BB), he was due to pitch the gem that he did. Arroyo went eight innings and
allowed only two earned runs on six hits while striking out five. Arroyo
always has his fair share of horrible starts each season, but his short term
memory and professional demeanor usually propel him over his opposition five
days later.
Placing his last start behind him, Arroyo pitched well enough to receive the
win, but left the game in the eighth inning trailing the Nationals 2-1.
Attempting to award their teammate with a win, the Reds' offense put
together three runs in the top of the ninth. With the National League's save
leader Matt Capps (18) on the mound, Drew Stubbs doubled with one out.
Pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes then doubled Stubbs in and pinch-hitter Scott Rolen
hit his 14th home run of the season to make the score 4-2.
“You can’t ask for more than the team three spot in the ninth when you’re
down 2-1 after throwing eight innings,”
Arroyo said.
“It was good win for the team.”
Francisco "Coco Krueger" Cordero entered the game during the bottom of the
ninth inning attempting to record his 17th save of the season. Cordero
walked Josh Willingham to begin the inning. One out later Ian Desmond
singled, both runners stole as Alberto Gonzalez struck out, and pinch-hitter
Michael Morse tied the game with a double to right-center.
“It’s always easy to do something again when you’ve done it before,"
Johnny Gomes said.
"We’ve won some games in last at-bats. We know we have that ability."
The spunky Reds wasted no time coming back. During the top of the tenth
inning Jay Bruce and Lance Nix singled. Drew Stubbs then notched his third
hit of the game with a two-out RBI single giving the Reds the lead once
again. Nick Masset allowed a hit and a walk during the bottom of the tenth,
but got the job done, as the Reds
beat the Nationals 5-4.
“Nix said it best,"
Dusty Baker noted.
"We’re a bunch of fightin’ fools.’ That’s what we were today.”
The Reds lead the NL in numerous offensive categories at home (166 runs, 45
homers, .291 average, .487 slugging percentage) as they begin their longest
stay at GABP of the year on Monday. They will play four games against the
Giants (luckily avoiding two-time Cy Young winner
Tim
Lincecum), three games against Kansas City (will likely see the unlucky
Zack
Greinke Saturday), and three games against the Dodgers. Here are this
week's probable pitching match-ups against the Giants and some interesting
tidbits from @juergenscj:
MON: Johnny Cueto (5-1, 4.09) vs. Barry Zito (6-2, 2.78) @ 7:10pm
TUE: *Sam LeCure (1-1, 3.97) vs. Matt Cain (4-4, 2.36) @7:10pm
WED: Aaron Harang (4-5, 5.43) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (4-4, 2.63) @7:10pm
THU: Mike Leake (5-0, 2.22) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (3-5, 5.72) @ 12:35pm
*Homer Bailey comes off the 15-day disabled list and
could pitch.
-Giants are the second worse team in the league in free passes (2.9 per
game) -Giants
have the second stingiest difference in the league (3.5 runs per game)
-Giants are the third worst team in base on balls allowed (4 per game)
-Giants are the third best in the league in striking out (6.7 per game)
-Giants have the best hits allowed in the league (7.2 per game)
-Giants' hurlers lead the league in K's (8 per game)
During the Cardinal's 4-3 loss to the Brewers on Sunday night, Albert Pujols
hit a kid. A young Cardinal fan poorly attempted to catch Pujols' sixth
inning solo-shot, resulting in the line-drive home run catching him in the
chest. Despite acquiring a spectacular souvenir, a fantastic bruise/story to
go with it, and air time on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the kid continued
to cry. Like his favorite team, he complained. The Cardinals gave the kid an
Albert Pujols bat as his father posed him for cell-phone snapshots instead
of teaching him how to correctly catch a baseball. Watch the video
here.
LEAKE
PITCHED WELL ENOUGH HIS LAST TWO STARTS TO RECEIVE A WIN. THIS TIME HE DOES.
6.5.10 BY:MEH "GODZILLA" FINALLY GETS "FIF"
LEAKE PITCHED WELL ENOUGH
HIS LAST TWO STARTS TO RECEIVE A WIN. THIS TIME HE DOES.
(Photo:
Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Mike "Godzilla" Leake
finally received his fifth win of the season on Saturday against the
Washington Nationals
pitching seven innings (7H, 0BB, 5K) of one-run ball. The rookie has put
together quality starts for the Reds ten times over his eleven starts and
has posted a 2.22 ERA on the season. The undefeated right-hander is
undoubtedly the best pitcher in the Reds rotation.
"The
thing about him is he pitches to the situation," Baker said. "If he needs a
double play, he throws his best double-play pitch. If he needs a strikeout,
he’ll go for the strikeout. That’s tough to teach. Most guys don’t learn
that until far into their careers."
Avoiding their third straight loss, the Reds defeated the Nationals 5-1 on
Saturday. Joey Votto and Orlando Cabrera each had two hits and a RBI while
Mr. Leake helped himself out, as he usually does, going 2-3 and scoring a
run. Leake became the first Reds' pitcher to have a four-game hitting streak
since Bobby Livingston's in 2007. Godzilla can do it all.
Reds' second baseman Brandon Phillips added some
hysteria during the eighth inning. After driving in Orlando Cabrera with
a single, Phillips went to third on a wild pitch with Joey Votto at the
plate. Phillips was clearly out at third, but the Nationals' Ian Desmond
unintentionally clogged the base-path and was called for interference. After
Votto walked, Scott Rolen hit a ball to short. Phillips aggressively charged
home,
bulldozing over National's catcher Luis Nieves as he blocked the plate.
Nieves dropped the ball and Phillips scored causing him to beat his chest in
celebration. During the bottom of the eighth, Phillips was drilled by a
Miguel Batista pitch. Batista was promptly ejected by umpire Joe West. "I
just go out there and play the game of baseball the way I know how,"
Phillips said. "I just play with a lot of excitement. I didn’t see nothing
wrong with what I did. If people think I did something wrong, I apologize to
whoever thinks so, but it’s baseball."
Bronson Arroyo (5-3, 4.92) will face Craig Stammen (1-2, 5.88) and the
Washington Nationals at 1:35pm on Sunday.
6.2.10 BY:MEH
ADIÓS AMIGO
JUNIOR IS ON HIS WAY TO
COOPERSTOWN Ken Griffey
Junior's final hit of his hall of fame career was a walk-off pinch-hit
single to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 at Safeco field in Seattle on May
20, 2010. His final home run was hit on October 4, 2009 helping the Mariners
defeat the Teas Rangers 2-1. Junior hit 19 home runs in 2009. He failed to
go yard this season. After batting only .184 in 98 at-bats this year as the
Mariner's left handed specialist and dealing with
rumors surrounding his decline, Junior decided to walk away from the
game of baseball on June 2, 2010 at the age of forty.
Although it didn't bolster Junior's career homerun total of 630 (5th
all-time), Cincinnati fans
will
always remember the walk-off grand slam he hit to defeat the Reds 6-5 on
March 26, 2010 during spring training while playing for the Mariners. It was
the first game in which Junior had ever faced his former team. After hitting
210 home runs for the Reds in nine injury plagued seasons, Junior crushed a
3-2 Kip Wells pitch for his final (unofficial) homerun to defeat them.
There was nothing unofficial about Junior's 21-plus year
major league career. During baseball's steroid era, Junior will always
be know as the one who did it right. Because of that, he suffered multiple
injuries over the years that sidelined his numbers and himself. Juicing
could have potentially prevented, or at least minimized, his stints on the
disabled list, but Junior never submitted to the temptation. He played the
game that he loved aristocratically, and when he failed to have fun, he
stopped.
"I've come to a decision today to retire from Major League Baseball as an
active player," Griffey said. "This has been on my mind recently, but it's not an easy decision to come
by. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to play Major League
Baseball for so long and thankful for all the friendships I have made, while
also being proud of my accomplishments. While I feel I am still able to make
a contribution on the field, and nobody in the front office asked me to
retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season
and was invited back, that I will never allow myself to become a
distraction. I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper
coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair
distraction to my teammates, and their success as a team is what the
ultimate goal should be."
Ken Griffey Junior will always be remembered as a dedicated family man, a
congenial sports icon, and an extraordinary baseball player. Long live The
Kid.
JOEY VOTTO
HELPS REDS DEFEAT CARDINALS AFTER MISSING SIX GAMES.. STILL GANGSTER.
6.1.10 BY:MEH "THE BEST GAME OF THE YEAR."
JOEY VOTTO HELPS REDS
DEFEAT CARDINALS AFTER MISSING SIX GAMES.. STILL GANGSTER. After Monday's
12-4 blowout against the Cardinals, first place for the Cincinnati Reds
appeared to be fading away. Bronson Arroyo allowed seven runs in just over
four innings of work and the bullpen looked terrible, as Mike Lincoln and
Carlos Fisher allowed five more after Arroyo's exit. The offense was stale
as the wheels seemed to be falling off for the Reds. After Monday's game,
St. Louis moved back into a tie for first with the Reds.
Prior to Tuesday's game the Reds decided to
make some changes. Mike Lincoln was placed on the disabled list and
Carlos Fisher was sent back to AAA Louisville. Logan Ondrusek and Enerio Del
Rosario were called up to remedy the Reds' ailing pen and Joey Votto started
at first after missing six games with a stiff neck. Some speculated that
Votto spent the week
voting for himself.
On Tuesday, the Reds' offense
exploded to defeat the Cardinals, reclaiming an isolated spot atop the
NL Central. Despite Johnny Cueto having a rough night (5IP, 10H, 8ER, 0K)
and the score fluctuating constantly, the Reds held on and put together
enough runs to defeat the Cardinals 9-8. Dusty was delighted:
"Both
sides were battling. That was probably the best game of the year. That was
as close to a playoff atmosphere as a young team can get in. That’s just a
sample of what exciting baseball is all about. That was big for us to win
that game tonight."
Joey "Capone" Votto confirmed his
"gangster" going 4-5 with a home run and Scott Rolen went yard twice, as
he went 3-5 on the night with four RBI. The Reds' bullpen rebounded
triumphantly, pitching four scoreless innings after Cueto's departure.
Enerio Del Rosario received his first career win and Arthur Rhodes assembled
his 21st consecutive scoreless appearance (19 2/3 innings).
"Tomorrow, we've
got a chance to win a series,"
said Scott Rolen.
"That's important. It's a series. It's not the battle of first place in
June. We've got a chance to win a series. That's why we're here in the
position we're in playing good baseball and tied for first place. It's
because we played well and won series. It doesn't matter who you're playing,
you win series and play good baseball, you'll find yourself in good
position."
Sam LeCure (1-0, 3.00) will face Chris Carpenter (6-1, 2.93) and the
Cardinals at 8:15pm on Wednesday.
