Boxscore

One night after jumping all over Cubs closer Kerry Wood, the Reds did the same thing to Brewers closer Salomon Torres. I watched the game and was surprised to see the Reds come back to win. It was fun. Should the team ever get serious about winning and fire Dusty Baker, I could definitely get used to winning ball games.

Unfortunately, that’s the last baseball game I’ll be seeing for a while. Shortly after the game was over, a thunderstorm rolled in. One lightning strike was close enough to send a powerful surge through the house. How powerful? Enough that flames briefly shot out of the GFCI outlet in the bathroom. Oh, and it killed the satellite, too, among other things.

So the last Reds game I’ll see in about a week before the technician arrives was a win. And a fun win. The only downside was that it, like most wins “managed” by Baker, occurred in spite of Baker. There’s a reason they’ve lost so many this year.

Boxscore

With the Cubs leading 3-1 heading into the bottom of the 9th, you would think this game was over. Heck, I thought it was over long before that, having stopped watching after it was tied. I know the Reds, and once the Cubs tied, I figured it was good as over. Besides, I had a heapin’ helpin’ of lawn work to do.

Imagine my surprise when I found time to relax in front of my computer hours later to find that the Cubs had managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And to the Reds, no less! Dusty Baker’s Reds.

Crazy. I guess even a crappy, incompetent baseball buffoon like Baker can swing blindly into a win once in a while. Of course, it helps that the Cubs are in the midst of a free fall that’s drawing comparisons to their collapse in 1969. Gotta love the unnecessary, additional pressure that silly curses place on players.

How far down the rabbit hole will they go? We’ll just have to continue to watch as Chicago travels to St. Louis. Until, then, buy a t-shirt.

View image.

The Red Hot Store now features a brand new t-shirt design. This one lacks the wit and subtlety you’ve come to expect from Red Hot Mama in favor of a little straight up player hatin’ on the Cubs.

They’re in first, after all. It’s only natural to spew a little jealous vitriole. Plus, I’m happy to finally be doing my part for all the people who hit the site on searches for “Cubs suck t-shirts.”

Buy the shirt.

Now, I’m a big Lou Piniella fan. He’s the last great manager the Reds have had, and he cleaned up the pile of crap Dusty Baker deposited in Chicago more quickly than I ever could have imagined. But the symbolism of Piniella getting lost are very delicious.

As I write, the Cubs are down 9-0 to the Reds. That’s right, 9 to nothing. Should Cincinnati hold on, Chicago will have lost its 6th game in a row. Apparently, Piniella’s not the only one taking a nap.

Boxscore

The Reds celebrated elimination day yesterday by showing the world that the rebuilding Pirates are a better team than them. I wish they would have celebrated by firing Dusty Baker, but perhaps the club’s saving that for wild card elimination day next week.

I won’t get my hopes up.

Edinson Volquez wasn’t so good for the Reds, allowing 4 runs in 7 innings. He hasn’t been as good since the All Star break, either. Hopefully it has to do with not ever pitching at this high level of competition before. I’d hate for Cincinnati to have another Jack Armstrong.