March 1, 2007

Reds Preseason Game Thread – 3/1 Reds vs Pirates in Bradenton

TO make up for that embarrassing Eric Milton Diary post, I have decided to begin a new Spring Training tradition here at Red Hot Mama. FOr those of you unfortunate souls who do not have MLB radio, I will serve as your ears and provide you with game highlights as they happen right here in the Diaries section.

So check in often and I'll keep you up-ro-date on what's happening.

According to C. Trent Rosecrans this is our lineup:

Freel CF
Phillips 2B
Encarnacion 3B
Dunn LF
Bellhorn 1B
Hamilton RF
Gonzalez SS
Ross C
Milton LHP

which is interesting because one of our insiders who saw the posted lineup provided us with the same lineup except he had Jeff Conine at 1B. So we have to assume a switch was made inserting Bellhorn instead of Conine. is the old man feeling rusty after striking out to Homer Bailey yesterday? Maybe, maybe. We'll try to find out for you.

Also, I listened to marty's final Hot Stove Report yesterday and to say he is high on Homer Bailey would be an understatement. He said the Reds would be “asses” not to include Bailey on the big league roster if he has a lights out Spring. he says he is mature beyond his years and is showing command with his offspeed pitches, which was the question mark. He is convinced if the Reds had had the guts to call him up last September the Reds would have made a legitimate run at the playoffs. He lobbied hard for him to be the #5 starter out of the gate.

he then later said Paul Wilson looked exceptional and fully recovered and said he belongs in the rotation too. So who does marty want out of the rotation. He didn't say, but I am guessing Eric Milton is his least favorite Reds pitcher. Maybe we'll get more on that from today's radio cast. And, this is Marty's first broadcast with his son Thom Brennaman, and also jeff Brantley will be making his debut as well.

STAY TUNED. More updates coming, posted as comments to this thread.

60 comments to “Reds Preseason Game Thread – 3/1 Reds vs Pirates in Bradenton”

  1. Zeldink says:

    This one belongs to the Reds!

  2. smartelf says:

    THIS ONE BELONGS TO THE REDS…

    last out was a runner thrown out at home plate from RF.

  3. Zeldink says:

    Now that’s how you start a meaningless exhibition season! Throwing a runner out at home to end the game.

    Very nice.

  4. smartelf says:

    It was a relay throw from Denorfia to machado to home plate…

    5 errors and 5 home runs.

  5. smartelf says:

    SO LONG EVERYBODY!

  6. Zeldink says:

    Well, despite trying to improve the defense, that game was much like a lot of games last year. Let’s hope it’s not a portent. That many errors will lose you games in the long run.

    Thanks for the thread, smartelf.

  7. BubbaFan says:

    Hey, it’s the first game of spring training. You have to expect some errors.

    And it sounds like the OF errors (Freel and Deno) were at least partly due to the wind.

  8. smartelf says:

    Most errors were actually late in the game (i.e. garbage time)… but Freel’s came fairly early and that one was surprising, usually he is rock solid… but it is spring training after all.

    Another interesting thing was that according to Marty and Thom, almost all the Pirates home runs were wind assisted and would not have gone out under normal circumstances, whereas all the Reds home runs were legit except for Keppinger’s which was clearly a cheap one.

    All in all, a good game for da boys in Red.

  9. smartelf says:

    RHM, to answer your question about Milton.. they have a video at reds.com where he is asked about the year and what he did to prepare.. he said he and his trainer devised a new work out… he feels 100% healthy no knee problem.. he is hoping it stays that way.. he says he always has the same mental approach which is to give it his all every time out, and physical problems have been his main hurdle, but he feels as good as he ever has and he is looking forward to contributing any way he can.. he said he doesn’t care about personal acheivement, just wants the team to win… seems like a really classy guy and I wish him the best..he has had some tough luck in the ‘Nati, but I have witnessed him when he was dominating… unfortunately that is only a handful of times… he probably would be better suited to pitching in San Diego… if I were him that’s where I would go after this year, for whatever they offer…he could be damn good in a spacious park.