Daily Archives: June 15, 2012

June 15, 2012

Walt Jocketty awoke from his long slumber and disabled Drew Stubbs

After almost two weeks of not playing because of a strained oblique and flu-like symptoms, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs was finally placed on the disabled list.

I can only imagine that this happened after Walt Jocketty woke up from a week-long nap and wondered why Stubbs wasn’t playing. I mean, the only other explanation would involve assuming that the Reds management staff doesn’t fully understand how the disabled list works.

Whatever the reason, Stubbs was finally put on the disabled list, giving him some time to rest and recover. In his place, the Reds recalled Willie Harris.

Despite Harris’ awfulness earlier in the year, the move does make sense. In addition to Stubbs hurting, Chris Heisey strained his groin, making him unavailable for at least a couple games. The outfield depth is thin, and Harris might be able to help there. I’d love for him to improve on that .086 batting average.

June 15, 2012

Game 62: Indians 5, Reds 12

Team123456789RHE
Indians2000102005122
Reds30125100-12171
W: Arredondo (4-1) L: Tomlin (3-4)

Boxscore

The Reds got out their brooms for yesterday’s game against the Indians and swept that sucker, 5-12.

Mike Leake took the mound for the Reds. He was pitching on long rest, necessitated by the flu-like symptoms that he caught from half the other guys in the clubhouse. It wasn’t a stellar performance. In 4.1 innings pitched he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. Two of those hits were home runs to Shin-Soo Choo.

The bullpen was relatively well-rested and put in a good showing. Jose Arredondo finished off the fifth inning without giving up a hit and got the win for his efforts.

Alfredo Simon gave up the other 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk while he pitched the sixth and seventh. I bet it’s not too hard to give up a couple when you’re working with a 9 run lead. That might make it a little harder to keep your intensity up.

J.J. Hoover and Sam LeCure put in a scoreless inning apiece, and that was all she wrote for the Indians.

There was plenty of good to go around on the offensive side, and nine different guys contributed to the team’s 17 hits. Zack Cozart, Brandon Phillips, and Ryan Ludwick each went 3-for-5 on the night. Wilson Valdez went 0-fer in his pinch-hitting appearance.

Joey Votto, Phillips, and Ludwick each had home runs. Votto’s was his only hit of the night (along with 2 walks) but it was a 3-run shot in the bottom of the first that gave the Reds the lead that they never gave back. I was watching the game on TV, and frankly, it was almost a little boring. But a good kind of boring.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 35-27. They head out east to visit the Mets tonight. Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 3.79 ERA) takes on Dillon Gee (4-4, 4.42 ERA) at 7:10 p.m.

June 15, 2012

Daily Brief: Baker-Lowe feud continues next week

Last Game
The Reds won the game and swept the series against the Indians last night with a 5-12 victory. Surprising in a game with a line like this one that the starter, Mike Leake, couldn’t qualify for the win, having not put in adequate innings. At least he didn’t get a loss.

Next Game
The Reds head to New York to visit the Mets tonight. Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 3.79 ERA) takes on Dillon Gee (4-4, 4.42 ERA). Gee’s ERA isn’t too impressive, but his performance has been on the upswing. He has struck out 27 in his last 27.2 innings.

Happy Birthday, Baker
Dusty Baker is 63 today. Some people might say that’s a little old to be getting into playground shouting matches with players. (Though, with Derek Lowe having just turned 39, it’s not as lopsided a match-up as you might expect.) In fact, Richard Justice went on a condescending rant to that effect yesterday on MLB.

Now, I’m as likely as anyone to say guys ought to just suck it up and play, but I wasn’t feeling it when Lowe volunteered his ambiguous hatred for Baker in the form of an unnecessarily heated reaction to an inside pitch.

When the normally cool Baker also spewed vitriol, even after having a night to work out his response to the media, my first thought was, “some serious shit must have gone down,” not “oh grow up, boys.”

I don’t know if we’ll ever find out what incident prompted this mystifying interaction, but I bet ratings will be higher for Lowe’s next start when the Reds are in town.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
Joey Votto now trails Jay Bruce by only one home run for most on the team.