Craig Biggio led off with his NL record 50th career leadoff homer.
So we start off 1-0.
But Bad Andy showed up.
Yecccccchhhhhhh
5 runs (4 earned) in 5 IP, 11 hits, 1 HR, 1 BB and 3 K. Yecccch. Phil pulled him for a pinch hitter with 2 on and no out in the 6th, deciding to have NL OPS leader Willy Taveras bat instead of having Andy sac bunt, and it paid off because Royce Clayton bobbled and misthrew an easy DP GB and there were bases loaded. But, if Royce had handled that ball cleanly, it woulda been 1 or 2 outs, and the runners don’t advance. Just because something happened to work out don’t mean it was a good idea in the first place.
Anyhow, Bronson had been cruising – but then, it’s an RBI single for Bidge. Then it’s a 2 RBI single for Burke. Then it’s a 480′ HR practically into the Three Amigos Bar for Lance – guess he had enough rest. Cuz he added another homer – this one opposite field, just below the Conoco Pump, to make the score 8-5.
You know, this was the worst ass-whippin he got ALL year? Yep, you read that right. 8 runs in 6.2 IP???!!! His ERA went all the way from 2.92 to 3.20…
SO, then
Springer ROCKS the 6th!!!
Chad Qualls ROCKS the 7th and 8th!!!
(do I dare to say that suddenly, the bullpen is lookin good and I hope we ain’t tradin our farm for some crappy middle reliever…)
Then it’s Brad Lidge in to save a 3 run game. Who we gonna get?
BRAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDD or drab?
So, yall tell me -
Hatteberg singles on a 2-2
Freel HBP on a 1-2
WP advances each runner
Valentin Ks on 4 pitches.
- total 9 strikes, 5 balls, 1 hit, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 1 out…
THEN
Trever Miller comes in to face Griffey. Because Griffey is a lefty. And Phil thinks that righty closers can’t get leftys out. And indeed, Griffey pops out.
Oh, my, Phil is a GEENYUSSSSSSSSSS
But then, it’s righty Richie Aurilia. GAAAAKKK!! A RIGHTY!!!!
Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WHATEVER should Phil do?
I know, I know!!!!
WHY, we can’t have a lefty reliever facing a righty – they can’t get rightys out – you disbelieve me, ask Billy Wags. Or Brian Fuentes.
So in comes Dan Wheeler!!! Can he get his second save of the year?
YES!!!!!!!!!!
Richie strikes out swinging on a slider in the dirt!!!
How VERY fortunate, because Adam Dunn was coming up next and we just don’t got no leftys left, so whatEVER could Phil possibly do??????????????????? Leave Dan In?????
HORRORS!!!!!
He is even worse about this lefty lefty thing than TLR. And I didn’t think that was possible…
- oh, by the way
I had a few, uh, discussions last year with a few readers about should we try to sign Adam Dunn. I got 2 comments – is it REALLY possible that he scores better on fielding stats than Preston Wilson? Does he even TRY?
- and last, yeah, I DID see that Jason Lane was back up – for a few days, at least, while slugger Orlando Palmeiro is on the bereavement list. Jase had been playing center in AAA (oh yeah he IS bettern Jimerson) and hitting 300. Unfortunately, he struck out in his pinch hit AB, keeping him right on top of Phil’s poopoo list…
Rubber Game today -
Taylor Buchholz, RHP vs Elizardo Ramirez, RHP
Hey Taylor – I hear tell all them Reds talkin some smack, sayin how HAPPY they are it’s icky ol you instead of Roy the Ace. You better be makin em pay for that disrespect…
this year: 6-8 in 17 GS and 2 in relief with 1 SO: 19 HR, 30 BB, 75 K over 106.2 IP – 5.57 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, .241BAA
- last start against the Mets, well, let me be nice and say he did very bad. We sent both Fernando and Wandy down in favor of this guy, and he better start showin that Purpura didn’t send the wrong guys down. As you can see, Taylor is killed by homers in a big inning. WHIP is STILL pretty low…
@ the Box: 4-3 in 8 GS and 1 in relief with 1 SO: 9 HR, 10 BB, 35 K over 54 IP – 4.33 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, .208 BAA
vs Cincy: won his only game 3 H, 1 HR, 4 BB and 2 K over 6.1 IP
-
Elizardo Ramirez, RHP
this year: 3-6 in 15 GS and 1 in relief: 10 HR, 19 BB, 56 K over 89.1 IP – 4.43 ERA, 1.32 WHIPand a .280 BAA
@ the Box: a ND in his only game – 3 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 ER over 6 IP
vs Hou: 0-1 in 2 GS: 3 HR, 4 BB, 9 K over 12 IP with a 3.75 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a .209 BAA
Tags: Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, MLB, Reds
Well, at least Phil’s maneuvering got us a win, but his moves could just as easily have backfired. And Brad is the closer – Phil has to leave him in to work out his kinks when facing righties. With a 3-run lead he has some margin of error.
And you’re right, Phil doesn’t understand the matchups thing very well. If you want to do a lefty/lefty matchup or a righty/righty, you do that BEFORE you bring in your closer, not after. Brad’s been pitching better of late, so pulling him isn’t the right thing to do, unless it becomes a 1-run lead, then you might have some concern about pulling him.
Jared
i don’t agree, necessarily, in this case. phil has left brad in several times with lofty leads only to have them crushed this year – most notably the nomar grand slam.
i don’t think he should’ve pulled miller for wheeler so quickly, but FINALLY allowing the thought that he shouldn’t always leave a pitcher in to get himself out of a jam and have it backfire (most notably taylor buchholz) seems to be a step in the right direction for garner’s managing.
Not on the topic of last night’s game, but still relevant… why not try to pick up Bobby Abreu? Because of the salary, the trade price seems fairly cheap, much of the 2005 salary is already paid for, Bagwell comes off the books in 2006 (and probably also Roger) so payroll increase isn’t much, he’s a lefty hitter, gets on base, and has good speed. Sure, he’s a corner OF, and they already have Wilson, Lane, Lamb, Ensberg, Huff, and Berkman for 1B/3B/LF/RF, but Ensberg’s hurt, Phil seemingly hates Lane, and Wilson sucks. There’s room for Abreu in there.
Phil won’t ask for Abreu and you know it. he just LOOOVES Wilson for some reason, even tho Preston doesn’t hit anymore and his defense has also been lacking in recent years.