May 14, 2009

Gorgeous, Dizzy, and a Half Game Out

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Felipe Lopez, left, turns the double play while avoiding Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips in the fifth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)The Reds didn’t play today–taking a day to travel from the unhappy confines of the Arizona Diamondbacks to the unhappy confines for the San Diego Padres–and by virtue of that inactivity, have fallen from a four-way tie for first place in the division this morning to being a half game behind the Brewers and Cardinals.

That’s not really anything to worry about, unlike the dizziness that Joey Votto continues to experience. From the story on Reds.com:

“I felt a little off then,” Votto said. “Then during my at-bat [in the top of the fourth], I felt my heart really racing and I felt really odd. After I flew out to finish the inning, I was on the field and I couldn’t center myself.”

Sure, it’s probably just the lingering effects of the flu or possibly the dry desert heat, but if it’s vertigo from the heights he’s suddenly ascended to, this could be an ongoing issue.

Meanwhile, Brandon Phillips is using words in fun and nontraditional ways. From John Fay’s blog:

“Our swag is real nice right now. We’re picking each other up. Our team chemistry is gorgeous. Everybody on this team is rooting for each other. When somebody gets a hit, you see everybody in the dugout going crazy. Honestly, this is the best team I’ve played on. The guys on this team pick each other up.”

I’m not 100% sure of what it means for a swag to be nice (unless he’s saying they’ve got some darn nice curtains), but what I think he’s getting at is that it’s actually fun to play on this team for a change. It’s pretty fun to watch this team for a change, too.

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