Daily Archives: August 8, 2012

August 8, 2012

Game 110: Reds 1, Brewers 3

By
Amanda
Posted at 12:59 pm

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Reds000000100130
Brewers20000010-380
W: Fiers (6-4) L: Cueto (14-6) S: Henderson (1)

Boxscore

The Reds had nothing against Mike FiersThe Reds looked like crap last night, notching their third loss in a row and securing the series loss against the Brewers.

Johnny Cueto started for the Reds and actually didn’t look like crap. In 7.0 innings of work he allowed 3 runs (earned) on 6 hits and 0 walks. Sean Marshall and Sam LeCure didn’t look like crap either, when they shared the eighth inning and didn’t allow a run on 2 hits collectively.

I guess I would have been more specific to say that the offense looked like crap yesterday. You might say it’s due to the Brewer’s hot rookie right-hander Mike Fiers, who held the Reds to 1 run on 3 hits through 8 innings. Fiers is having a helluva season, but the Reds are up 12 games on this team. They’re letting its rookies take them to school?

FYI, those 3 hits came from Zack Cozart, Xavier Paul, and Ryan Hanigan. The one RBI belongs to Brandon Phillips who sacrificed Cozart in in the seventh. And that’s all that separated Fiers from a perfect game. Not so much as a walk or a HBP for anyone else. What is this? May all over again?

The loss brings the Reds record to 66-44. They’re 1 game behind the Nationals for the best record in baseball, but it’s harder to be happy about that right now. They try to redeem themselves and avoid the sweep this afternoon. Mat Latos (RHP, 10-3, 3.94 ERA) goes against Randy Wolf (LHP, 3-8, 5.57 ERA). First pitch at 2:10 p.m. and this game is on t.v., if you’d like to bear witness.

Posted in Game Wrap.
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August 8, 2012

Aroldis Chapman: Cy Young contender

By
Amanda
Posted at 11:37 am

Last Game
The Reds extended their losing streak to 3 last night. This time it wasn’t the starting pitching: Cueto gave up the 3 runs over his 7.0 innings of work, but that usually wouldn’t be a problem for this offense. Last night though, only Zack Cozart, Ryan Hanigan, and Xavier Paul could muster so much as a single hit against the Milwaukee team.

Oftentimes I’ll watch a game where the Reds are behind, and I’ll still feel like the Reds might bust out at any minute. Not so last night. Last night I felt lucky that Brandon Phillips hit the sac fly to put the Reds on the board at all.

Next Game
This afternoon the Reds wrap-up the 3-game series and try to avoid the sweep. Mat Latos (RHP, 10-3, 3.94 ERA), who is coming off a super outing last Friday, takes on Randy Wolf (LHP, 3-8, 5.57 ERA). The Gameday page says Wolf hasn’t won a decision in his last 16 starts, so this is certainly the best chance the Reds have. If the offense doesn’t wake up, though, Wolf may be due.

First pitch at 2:10 p.m. and this game is on FS Ohio.

Girlfriend tied up and robbed, arrested for speeding, forward rolls...this guy does it all

In addition to his unreal pitching, Chapman has also had one of the more newsworthy seasons in baseball.

Is Chapman a Cy Young Pitcher?
Gregg Doyel, columnist at CBS Sports, has a piece out today starting a campaign to give Aroldis Chapman the Cy Young award. By his reckoning, it’s not Chapman’s performance that is keeping him out of the sportswriters’ minds for the award; it’s just the fact that he’s not a starter. He addresses in turn the three major objections voters are likely to have:

  • 1. It’s too early to be talking about the Cy Young!
    Well, if you’re starting a campaign to get people to do something they normally wouldn’t consider, you’d better start early.
  • 2. Chapman and Kimbrel can’t be THAT good.
    Would sportswriters really say that? They’d know, wouldn’t they? I’d like to think that the people voting for these awards are at least paying attention to how relatively good each pitcher is.
  • 3. They don’t work as many innings as starters.
    Well that depends on the starter now, doesn’t it? On days Bronson Arroyo is pitching lately, there might be plenty of innings available.

I wish Doyel the best of luck in his campaign, as long as he doesn’t split the vote between Cueto and Chapman and end up letting someone dumb win.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
The Reds have scored 3 or fewer runs in their last 3 games. Immediately prior to that, they’d scored 3 or more runs in their last 12 games.

Posted in Daily Briefs.
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