The Reds got back above .500 in style with their second walk-off win of the series and a sweep of Washington. Johnny Cueto is still stuck on 9 wins in spite of his 2.05 ERA, but only positive vibes surround this team right now on its current 4-game win streak.
1) Joey Votto. A home run to begin the Reds' scoring in the 1st, and another in the bottom of the 14th. Neither one cleared the wall by much, but they all count the same. Well, a solo shot doesn't count the same as a grand slam, but you get my meaning.
2) Yonder Alonso. The guy never gets to play, but he hits and hits and hits when he does. The pinch-hit tying shot in the bottom of the 9th was ridiculously clutch.
3) Jose Arredondo. Held the Nats scoreless for 3 straight extra innings of relief (11th-13th).
4) Johnny Cueto. Scattered 9 hits over 7 innings and recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts (previously mowed down 10 twice, both times in 2008). Walked only 1, which was a welcome sight after his control problems in Miami, although he also hit two batters, so maybe that's a reach.
Honorable mention: Ryan Hanigan (reached base 5 of 6 times), BP (another multi-hit day in the leadoff spot), Bill Bray (got the win with a scoreless 14th).
Red LOBster: Jay Bruce left a whopping 8 on in one game! We'll forgive him thanks to his homer in the 4th.
Mr. Redlegs is watching you. Always.
Showing posts with label bill bray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bill bray. Show all posts
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Bad offense, meet bad bullpen
If you watched today's game on FOX, you heard Mitch Williams blaming the Reds' woes on pitching, because that's the "intelligent" thing for an analyst to say. As I've bemoaned on this blog the past couple months, the offense has been the real problem, and it's been that way the entire season. Eliminating wins where both the offense and pitching/defense were good, and losses where both phases were bad, you get:
March/April:
3 "hitting wins" and 6 "hitting losses" Score: -3
3 "pitching wins" and 3 "pitching losses" Score: 0
May: Hitting -2, Pitching 0
June: Hitting -7, Pitching +3
July: Hitting -4, Pitching +1
August so far: Hitting -2, Pitching +2
Unfortunately, this month we've had a new problem arise: the bullpen. It performed admirably through July, and still has an ERA half a run lower than last season, but has completely fallen off the table in August with an ERA near 6.
Ondrusek, Bray, LeCure and Masset have all had an atrocious August, and even Chapman imploded in today's game. Only the much-maligned Francisco Cordero has been consistent, and Arredondo has done okay as well.
Want something positive? Although it's not, and shouldn't be, his natural spot in the order, BP has been ridiculous in his 3 games back in the leadoff spot. 9 for 13 and a walk, 1 home run and 4 RBI.
Dontrelle Willis, meanwhile, has thrown 6 quality starts among his 8 total this season, and is still winless. See what I mean about offense?
March/April:
3 "hitting wins" and 6 "hitting losses" Score: -3
3 "pitching wins" and 3 "pitching losses" Score: 0
May: Hitting -2, Pitching 0
June: Hitting -7, Pitching +3
July: Hitting -4, Pitching +1
August so far: Hitting -2, Pitching +2
Unfortunately, this month we've had a new problem arise: the bullpen. It performed admirably through July, and still has an ERA half a run lower than last season, but has completely fallen off the table in August with an ERA near 6.
Ondrusek, Bray, LeCure and Masset have all had an atrocious August, and even Chapman imploded in today's game. Only the much-maligned Francisco Cordero has been consistent, and Arredondo has done okay as well.
Want something positive? Although it's not, and shouldn't be, his natural spot in the order, BP has been ridiculous in his 3 games back in the leadoff spot. 9 for 13 and a walk, 1 home run and 4 RBI.
Dontrelle Willis, meanwhile, has thrown 6 quality starts among his 8 total this season, and is still winless. See what I mean about offense?
Friday, August 12, 2011
The men behind the win, 8/12/11
What do you know? Another win streak. Great to see some late-inning resilience from the bunch. I had a feeling before Bruce's AB he might pull some magic like that.
1) Jay Bruce. Can't give this to anyone else but him after his beyond-clutch 3-run blast in the 8th to win it. 4 of the 5 RBIs in the game, and on fire of late.
2) Bronson Arroyo. Sure, it was the Padres, he didn't get the win, and he made TWO errors, but the guitarist only gave up two runs in 6 innings to keep the Reds hanging around.
3) Drew Stubbs. I think every Reds fan was on edge during his 7th inning AB with Cairo on third and 1 out, thinking "please just hit a fly ball." He did better than that, with a hard single up the middle.
4) Bill Bray. Only got one out, but it was a big one with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the 8th, keeping the deficit at 1. He was mopping up for Sam LeCure, who's been a little too generous with the mustache rides lately (9 runs and 7 walks in his 7 August innings)
And get this - while they only got 5 hits and produced 8 overall baserunners, the Reds only stranded 3 all game. No LOBster Kings this evening, thanks to Bruuuuuce and Dreeeewww.
1) Jay Bruce. Can't give this to anyone else but him after his beyond-clutch 3-run blast in the 8th to win it. 4 of the 5 RBIs in the game, and on fire of late.
2) Bronson Arroyo. Sure, it was the Padres, he didn't get the win, and he made TWO errors, but the guitarist only gave up two runs in 6 innings to keep the Reds hanging around.
3) Drew Stubbs. I think every Reds fan was on edge during his 7th inning AB with Cairo on third and 1 out, thinking "please just hit a fly ball." He did better than that, with a hard single up the middle.
4) Bill Bray. Only got one out, but it was a big one with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the 8th, keeping the deficit at 1. He was mopping up for Sam LeCure, who's been a little too generous with the mustache rides lately (9 runs and 7 walks in his 7 August innings)
And get this - while they only got 5 hits and produced 8 overall baserunners, the Reds only stranded 3 all game. No LOBster Kings this evening, thanks to Bruuuuuce and Dreeeewww.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The men behind the win, 7/9/11
1) Jay Bruce - 2 singles, 2 walks, 1 HR in 6 PAs. Go-ahead solo HR in the 10th inning for his only RBI. 2 runs scored.
2) Ramon Hernandez - single, HR in 5 ABs. 3 RBIs. Gave the Reds their first lead.
3) Joey Votto - 3 singles, 1 BB in 6 PAs. 1 RBI
4) Bill Bray - he did have a nightmarish throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the 9th (the THIRD error by a Reds pitcher in a single game). BUT he came in with a guy on and nobody out in a tie game, got a K and flyout, walked Fielder intentionally and then sent it to extras by recording the last out. He's the one guy on the team who has consistently performed with inherited runners.
The underperformers (in spite of the win):
- Drew Stubbs (0 for 6 in the leadoff spot, with 3 strikeouts...a familiar refrain)
- Johnny Cueto...the absolute definition of a non-quality quality start. 4 walks. 2 errors. Gave up all the runs early. But if this is about as bad as it gets for 2011 Cueto (and basically, it is) we'll take it. Frankly I'm not surprised that he struggled a bit. He hasn't pitched well at Miller Park and the pre-game team meeting probably added some pressure to his outing.
- Scott Rolen...1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts...and an unfathomable NINE MEN LEFT ON BASE
- Fred Lewis twice failed to convert with 2 outs and the bases loaded.
The Reds went 3 for 7 with 2 outs and RISP. 0 for 3 (Lewis twice, Rolen) in regulation and then 3 for 4 in the big 10th inning - Cairo, Votto and BP all had RBI singles and Bruce lined out.
2) Ramon Hernandez - single, HR in 5 ABs. 3 RBIs. Gave the Reds their first lead.
3) Joey Votto - 3 singles, 1 BB in 6 PAs. 1 RBI
4) Bill Bray - he did have a nightmarish throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the 9th (the THIRD error by a Reds pitcher in a single game). BUT he came in with a guy on and nobody out in a tie game, got a K and flyout, walked Fielder intentionally and then sent it to extras by recording the last out. He's the one guy on the team who has consistently performed with inherited runners.
The underperformers (in spite of the win):
- Drew Stubbs (0 for 6 in the leadoff spot, with 3 strikeouts...a familiar refrain)
- Johnny Cueto...the absolute definition of a non-quality quality start. 4 walks. 2 errors. Gave up all the runs early. But if this is about as bad as it gets for 2011 Cueto (and basically, it is) we'll take it. Frankly I'm not surprised that he struggled a bit. He hasn't pitched well at Miller Park and the pre-game team meeting probably added some pressure to his outing.
- Scott Rolen...1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts...and an unfathomable NINE MEN LEFT ON BASE
- Fred Lewis twice failed to convert with 2 outs and the bases loaded.
The Reds went 3 for 7 with 2 outs and RISP. 0 for 3 (Lewis twice, Rolen) in regulation and then 3 for 4 in the big 10th inning - Cairo, Votto and BP all had RBI singles and Bruce lined out.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The men behind the win, 7/6/11
1) Aroldis Chapman - First career save, 1 IP, 2 K
2) Jay Bruce - 2B, HR, BB in 6 PAs. 2 R, 2 RBI
3) Jose Arredondo - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K
4) Chris Heisey- HR, 2 BB in 7 PAs. Set the tone for the game with his first-pitch blast.
Honorable mention: Brandon Phillips, Scott Rolen, Fred Lewis, Sam LeCure, Nick Masset
Guys who let us down in spite of the win...
1) Bill Bray. In a rarity, he let both inherited runners score. He's only allowed that to happen 7 of 28 times this season (25%) and in fact is the only guy on the team below league average (30%) for that stat in both 2010 and 2011.
2) The SS position. No surprise here. Renteria and Janish a combined 1 for 7 with 2 strikeouts and 5 left on base.
3) Bronson Arroyo. What could have been one of his finer starts of the year turned into yet another non-quality start (he now has only 8 in 18 games this year).
2) Jay Bruce - 2B, HR, BB in 6 PAs. 2 R, 2 RBI
3) Jose Arredondo - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K
4) Chris Heisey- HR, 2 BB in 7 PAs. Set the tone for the game with his first-pitch blast.
Honorable mention: Brandon Phillips, Scott Rolen, Fred Lewis, Sam LeCure, Nick Masset
Guys who let us down in spite of the win...
1) Bill Bray. In a rarity, he let both inherited runners score. He's only allowed that to happen 7 of 28 times this season (25%) and in fact is the only guy on the team below league average (30%) for that stat in both 2010 and 2011.
2) The SS position. No surprise here. Renteria and Janish a combined 1 for 7 with 2 strikeouts and 5 left on base.
3) Bronson Arroyo. What could have been one of his finer starts of the year turned into yet another non-quality start (he now has only 8 in 18 games this year).
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