Todd Frazier: All Smiles

Top Reasons to Love Todd Frazier.

(First Off: ESPN posted a wonderful Frazier article today that you must check out)



1. He is always smiling.  It's infectious.  It makes you feel good about the camaraderie of your ballclub.

• I went to Google Images and searched for "Todd Frazier."  These are just a few of the pictures that were retrieved from the search.  I promise you, nearly every photo of Frazier you can find on the web shows him smiling.  And, to think of it, I have a hard time recalling ever seeing him not smiling while on the field or in the dugout. 

2. The guy will be the National League Rookie of the Year for 2012.  Check out the numbers!

• .294 - Batting Average
• .354 - On-Base Percentage
• .554 - Slugging Percentage
• .907 - On-Base Plus Slugging:
• 23 - Doubles
• 6 - Triples
• 18 - Home Runs
• 62 - Runs Batted In

3. Todd can play a slew of positions.  And he plays them well.

• 3rd Base (83 Games - 6 Errors)
• 1st Base (35 Games - 2 Errors)
• Left Field (9 Games - 0 Errors)
• 2nd Base (2 Games - 0 Errors) *2011
• Shortstop (2 Games - 0 Errors) *2011

4. He is a clubhouse clown.  His teammates love him.  He loves his Cincinnati Reds.

• "He's got that loud, brash, New York-Philadelphia mentality, where you're outspoken and opinionated but lovable at the same time. He's the same guy every day. You know he's here when he comes in. He's constantly talking and providing humor for everybody. Everybody kind of gets a kick out of him. He keeps everybody loose."

         -Drew Stubbs

5. He saved a man's life in Pittsburgh.  The previous day he hit a 'no-handed' home run.  What can't this guy do?

• Huffington Post article on the life-saving event.
• Yahoo article and video of Frazier's no-hands homer.

Game 132: First to 80 Wins! Reds Sweep D-Backs in Arizona

Latos Sharp, Heisey Powerful as Reds Continue to Bolster Record

CIN  6  11  0  (80-52)
ARI  2   6  1  (64-67)

W: Mat Latos (11-4)
L: Patrick Corbin (5-6)

Box Score

Game 131: Cueto Wins 17th. Reds Take Best Record.

Cueto Terrific, Bullpen Magnificent in Reds Win.

CIN  5  9  0 (79-52)
ARI  2  4  1 (64-66)

W: Johnny Cueto (17-6)
L: Wade Miley (14-9)
S: Aroldis Chapman (33)

Box Score

Game 130: Do-It-All Arroyo

Bronson Has Solid Outing, Homers; Bullpen Finishes Job

CIN  3  6  0  (78-52)
ARI  2  5  1  (64-65)

W: Bronson Arroyo (11-7)
L: Tyler Skaggs (1-1)
S: Aroldis Chapman (32)

Box Score

Game 129: Well Dang It!

Bailey and Bullpen Poor as Reds Drop Two of Three to St. Louis

STL  8  17  0
CIN  2  7  0

W: Adam Wainwright (13-9)
L: Homer Bailey (10-9)

Box Score (Disclaimer: It's Unpleasant)

• Well that stunk!
• Homer wasn't as bad as the numbers show.  He had two very bad nonconsecutive innings. Other than that, he wasn't too shabby.  Both those bad innings were awfully shabby.
• The Reds only struck out three times as a team to the Cardinals seven!  Sorry, I'm trying to find the positives here.

***Alright, alright, it ain't the end of the world.  But it does always take the wind out of your sails when you lose to the Cards.  Especially if you lose a series at home to them.  But they are finally getting some of their pieces together and are the best offensive team in the league.  The Reds have been without their best hitter for six weeks and played tremendously during that stretch.  That series cuts the division lead down to six games.  That is still a large sum this late in the season, but it is still very much not enough.  The Reds head out to the desert to take on the D-Backs for a three game set on Monday night, then they come back home to play Philadelphia to start a nice long homestand.

***Good News:  Joseph Daniel Votto is scheduled to come back and rejoin the Reds lineup as early as Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Game 128: That's More Like It

Leake Throws Quality Start; Offense Comes Together

STL  2  11  0 (69-57)
CIN  8  12  0 (77-51)

W: Mike Leake (6-8)
L: Jaime Garcia (3-5)

Box Score

• Mike Leake scattered 10 ten hits, but he only allowed two runs to cross the plate in his 6.2 innings of work.  He struck out three Cards and walked none.  He also had a pair of hits including his second double on the season at the plate.  Solid outing for Mikey.
• Brandon Phillips had three hits including a double (26) and a home run (14).  He also scored twice and knocked in a pair (67).
• Ryan Ludwick struck for three singles.  He's batting .277.  Wow.  If you would have told me back in June what his numbers would be on this date I would have laughed at you.  Comeback player of the year.
• Bad: The top of the order (Cozart/Stubbs) was 1-for-10 with five strikeouts (four of them to Drew).

***Well, I'll take that, fellas!  A great bounce back game for the Redlegs against their bitter rivals.  

You gotta have faith...

By Joseph Dant

So, when the team you love has failed to win a World Series in 104 years, and hasn't even reached one in 67 years, you begin to see things differently. Luckily, this season gave Cubs fans no reason to have any disillusions that we could contend for anything. It was readily apparent from the beginning that this season would be a throw away as we moved forward with Theo's plan to make the team and franchise relevant again. In order to do this, the familiar Cubs of the last decade have been purged (outside of Alfonso Soriano, but that's a different story), making way for the players of the future.

As we begin this migration, we have seen plenty of new players who have a chance to play a role in the resurgence of the franchise. I am mainly going to focus on position players and one starting pitcher.

At first base, we have the player that Theo and his brain trust have been nuts about for years,  Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo has the potential to be the Cubs Joey Votto. I'm not saying he will be that good, but I do think he can play that role for our franchise. His first year with the Cubs is looking very promising. Although his first stint in the majors looked a little iffy, he appears to have figured it out a bit more this year. He is hitting .282 with 9 HRs in 52 games.The last few weeks have definitely seen his performance dip, but everyone goes through rough patches, especially rookies.

At third, we have Josh Vitters. He has been projected as the third baseman of the future, but he has looked pretty terrible in his short run. Batting .102 with 16 SOs and only 1 BB in 15 games does not portend well for the long term. He's 23, but this is his first run in the majors. We shall see if he can start to figure it out, but I worry about his confidence going through this.

In the outfield, we have Brett Jackson. I do not see him doing much in the majors. It frightens me that he is supposed to be our CF of the future. He shares a Drew Stubbs-like SO rate through his career. It has only continued in the majors. In 18 games, he has struck out 31 times. In 61 ABs. Thats 31 in in 61. That is more than half of his ABs ending in SOs. I'll end with that on Jackson. Just....no.

As for our pitching, Jeff Samardzija has shown promise. I don't know that he projects as an ace, but as a number 2 or 3 in a rotation, he has lots of promise. He has steadily improved his pitches through his career, and has shown himself to be a capable starter.

If we can keep this season from destroying the confidence of our young players, we have a real chance of contending. In about 2 or 3 years. We need to keep building our farm system and bringing in fresh blood to revitalize the organization. That's the joy of baseball. We will see in the next few years if Theo's vision will come to fruition, or if we have to completely start again.

127: All Right, 5-2!...Uh Oh, 5-5...Uggh, 8-5 Them? Wha?

Game Grades: First Five Innings, A+; Last Four Innings, F-

STL  8  14  2 (69-56)
CIN  5  12  0 (76-51)

W: Joe Kelly (4-5)
L: Mat Latos (10-4)
S: Jason Motte (30)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Ugh.  What happened there?  Mat Latos and the Reds were just sailing along through five innings.  Then, suddenly, Latos crashed and burned.  A six-run sixth inning turned a 3-run Reds' advantage into a 3-run Reds' deficit.  Then, a seemingly hot-hitting Reds team suddenly couldn't buy a hit.  It was a game of suddenly we stink.  Everything just fell apart.  It began with Mat Latos and continued with the entire Reds lineup that struck out 14 times on the night.
• Reds Offense:
• Todd Frazier - We can always count on Todd to do something right.  Reached base 4 times, went 3-for-4 on the night, and drove in his 59th RBI.  The Rookie of the Year is now batting .298.
• Brandon Phillips, Ryan Ludwick and Scott Rolen all had two hits apiece on the night.  Rolen's night included a double and his 31st RBI.  BP knocked in his 65th run.
• Reds Pitching:
• Mat Latos - 5.0 IP, 7 R, 9 H, 1 BB, 5 SO.  Yeesh.  Let's just hope thats the last bad one for a while.  He's better than that.
• Alfredo Simon - 3.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 SO.  Not bad.  Simon through for three innings of work which helps the rest of the guys get some much needed rest in the bullpen.  When you consider that St. Louis was hitting the heck out of the baseball, we should be thankful for Simon's effort.
• Sam LeCure - 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 SO. Nice little redemption outing for LeCure who had a tough time duting his last time out in Philly.

*Payback today starting at 4:05pm at GABP.  It will be Jaime Garcia (3-4, 4.00) taking on Mike Leake (5-8, 4.59).  Let's hope for one of Leake's solid performances where he works the zone, uses his pitches, and keeps the ball and the hits down. 

Game 126: Well That Took Forever

Phils Outlast Reds in Extra Inning Affair

CIN  3  6  1  (76-50)
PHI  4  14  1 (58-67)
F/11

W: Raul Valdes (3-2)
L: Alfredo Simon (2-2)

Box Score

• Recap:
• I'm going to keep this one short and sweet, very much unlike that game.  Johnny Cueto was decent, but nowhere near his normal dominance.  He was throwing a ton of pitches each inning which inevitably led to his early departure.  His counterpart, Cole Hamels, was having the same issue but was able to pitch one more inning than Johnny.  Cueto's successors were unable to hold onto the 3-0 lead, while Cole's bullpen held the Reds in check quite handily. 
• No Reds player had more than one hit on the night and there was only one extra-base hit in all for the team (a double by Todd Frazier that scored two).  All this might sound frustrating, but I can tell you that it wasn't until the 8th inning going forward that I was livid with this ballclub.  Offensively, Cincy was awful in the final frames and the extras.  Even though the bullpen was providing chances for more at-bats, we just weren't producing.  And I don't think we were going to deliver another run even if we had three more innings to do so. 
• Then there was Miguel Cairo.  Oh, Miguel.   Cairo made two gaffes in a row on defense at first base.  The first one was much worse than the second.  But after a terrible play like the one he had down the first base line, it made it hard to forgive him for the tough play he couldn't complete during the next at-bat.   Miguel was a key player for the Reds during 2010 and 2011.  It was certainly a surprise to everyone.  Unfortunately, a year-long sub .200 batting average and awful defense has closed my mind to the idea of using Miggy in any situation or lineup for the remainder of his contract with this ballclub.  I realize that is harsh.  But sometimes we have to face facts, people.  He is hurting us more than helping us.
• The loss wasn't all Miggy's fault.  Like I said earlier, we weren't producing from the 7th inning on.  We were swinging at first pitches, striking out, and popping up.  Not getting on base.  Then there was the relief work.  Jose Arredondo was unable to hold Cueto's leftovers from scoring when he entered the game in the 6th.  Sam LeCure wasn't able to hold Sean Marshall's baserunner in the 8th.  J.J. Hoover survived a walk, a hit, and even the Cairo fiasco in the 9th by getting a double play. He then survived the 10th after giving up a single and a double.  Alfredo Simon was unable to duplicate the Hoover-style inning of getting out of early trouble as he gave up a single, a double, an intentional walk, and the winning single while only recording one out in the 11th.

**Forget About it!  The WLB's (Whiny Little B*tches, AKA the Cards) come to the Queen City tonight for a huge series!  It'll be Lance Lynn vs. Mat Latos.  Let's send 'em packing, boys!

Game 125: Bronson and the Boys Win Again

Arroyo Nothing Short of Masterful; Reds Move to 27 Games Over .500.

CIN  3  11  1  (76-49)
PHI  2  4  1  (57-67)

W: Bronson Arroyo (10-7)
L: Vance Worley (6-9)
S: Aroldis Chapman (31)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Bronson Arroyo was flat-out amazing on Wednesday night.  Going into the 9th inning, he had given up one run on just two hits.  Add to that, Bronson had struck out four, walked none, and had only thrown 83 pitches!  This is the Bronson Arroyo we all love so much.  Simply stellar.  The Reds were able to muster just enough runs (3) to hold on for their second straight victory in Philly.  Jay Bruce has certainly shown us that he is currently on one of his patented hot streaks as he had the two biggest hits on the night for Cincinnati.
• Reds Offense:
• Jay Bruce - 2-for-4 with a massive home run (26) that landed in the second deck at Citizens Bank.  Not only that, but Jables also hit a triple in the game.  Believe it or not, that is Jay's third triple on the year.  Not to mention that he also has an inside-the-park home run on the season.
• Ryan Ludwick, Zack Cozart, and Ryan Hanigan all had two hits. Hanigan also drew a walk (because he believes in OBP like none other) and Ludwick had an RBI (70).
• Todd Frazier reached base twice with a single and a walk as well.  He's my hero, if you didn't know.  Soon, I will be writing a nice post on Frazier, Hanigan and Paul.  The unsung heroes of the 2012 Reds.
• Reds Pitching:
• Bronson Arroyo - 8.0 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 SO.  See Recap.  Simply amazing.  He was on his A-game tonight.  Threw a ridiculously low amount of pitches to go along with a masterful performance.
• Aroldis Chapman - 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 SO.  He's good. Save number 31.  He tied Reds' greats Rob Dibble and John Franco by converting his 23rd consecutive save opportunity, which is also the team record.
• Johnny Cueto will take the mound tomorrow and face Cole Hamels.  That is a solid matchup.

**Reds have taken two out of three and will go for the series win tomorrow! 
**We are a season high 27 games over .500!
**We have the best record in baseball since the All-Star Break.
**Since losing Joey Votto (the greatest player in baseball), the Reds own a record of 26-11

Game 124: Reds' Rookies Rock Phillies Late

Frazier, Then Cozart; Homers Down Phils in Final Frames.

CIN  5  11  1  (75-49)
PHI  4  11  2  (57-66) 

W: Jonathan Broxton (3-3)
L: Jonathan Papelbon (3-5)
S: Aroldis Chapman (30)

Box Score

• Recap:
• That was a fun one!  And we needed it after last night's debacle.  How 'bout them rookies?  Todd Frazier gave the Reds the lead with a homer in the 8th inning, and then Zack Cozart had to break the tie once again in the 9th inning by tagging a home run as well.  Through six innings of baseball, the score was 1-0 in favor of Philadelphia.  Then the game came to life.  Homer Bailey and Cliff Lee both pitched quality starts before being replaced by releivers.  The Reds came out on top however, and have taken two out of three so far in Philly.
• Reds Offense:
• Zack Cozart was 2-for-4 with two RBI and the winning home run (14) in the 9th inning.  He's gonna be a stellar shortstop (both offensively and defensively) for our Redlegs for years to come.
• Todd Frazier was 2-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored, a walk, and a huge home run (18) that gave the Reds the lead in the 8th.  How about this guy?  When Joey comes back, he had better still be in the lineup every day.  And I don't trust Dusty Baker with this issue.  Frazier is THE Rookie of the Year.  He is one of the hottest hitters in the league.  He is my hero. 
• Ryan Hanigan delivered again as he was 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.  He's good, people.  How much more does he need to show people?  He's batting .289 with an OBP of .374.
• Brandon Phillips had a pair of hits including his 25th double on the year.
• Stubbs had two hits and an RBI.
• Scotty Baseball hit his 13th double.
• Reds Pitching:
• Homer Bailey - 6.1 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 7 H, 0 BB, 6 SO.  Another terrific road start for Homer.  Unfortunately he couldn't notch the victory, but he'll get 'em next time.
• Marshall and Broxton - 1.2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 SO.  Not that good, again.  I'm hoping this is just a drought the relievers are going through at the moment and it will pass very soon.  Both Marshall and Brox were credited with blown saves in this one. 
• Aroldis Chapman - 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 SO. Save number 30.  Chapman is locked in and dealing.  He's cruising.  So, right now he's The Cuban Cruise Missile.

**Reds take game two of the four game set! We are back to 26 games over .500.  Boys, enjoy this season.  It is something special. 

**Arroyo vs. Worley in game three.  Let's go Redlegs!

Game 123: Reds Can't Slow Philly O

Reds Beat Up On Doc Halladay; Phillies Pummel Leake and Bullpen.

CIN  5  12  0  (74-49) 
PHI  12  15  0  (57-65)

W: Roy Halladay (7-7)
L:  Mike Leake (5-8)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Cincinnati brought their whoopin' sticks to the City of Brotherly Love, but they also sent a wretched version of Mike Leake to the mound.  Leake threw 4.1 innings of baseball and gave up a whopping seven runs on 10 hits.  LeCure, Arredondo and Ondrusek threw a combined 3.2 innings and weren't much better: 5 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 SO.  So, game one wasn't that fun.
• Reds Offense:
• Jay Bruce was 3-for-3 with a walk and a pair of RBI's.  He also doubled on the night.  It was a terrific game for Jables whose batting average climbed to .261.
• Chris Heisey was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a double.  He's back up to .278.
• Brandon Phillips was 2-for-4 and scored twice.
• Cozart, Rolen, Mesoraco, and Todd Frazier (1-for-1) all had a hit.
• Reds Pitching:
• See Recap.

*Game two of the series features Homer Bailey and Cliff Lee. Hopefully we will see more Reds runs than Phillies runs in that one.

Game 122: Hero Hanigan

Paul and Hanigan Play Heros; Chapman Finishes Latos' Solid Game.

CHC  4  7  0  (47-73)
CIN  5  10  3  (74-48)

W: Aroldis Chapman (5-4)
L: Shawn Camp (3-6)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Ryan Hanigan won this one in walk-off fashion by hitting a deep fly ball over the head of the centerfielder in the bottom of the 9th with one on and nobody out.  Xavier Paul led off the inning by raking the first pitch he saw down the right field line for a triple.  The 9th inning was over before we could even worry about anything.  Reds win.  The late and quick drama overshadowed another solid performance from Mat Latos, who was very deserving of the win.
• Reds Offense:
• Ryan Hanigan was the hero, so let's start with him.  2-for-3 with a pair of RBI's and a game winning hit.  He also threw out a baserunner like he tends to do oh so often.  Hanigan is batting .284 on the season and continues to be the most underrated catcher in baseball, both offensively and defensively...and heck, even in his game calling abilities.
• Zack Cozart and Jay Bruce both had two hits apiece.
• Todd Frazier, Wilson Valdez, and Mat Latos all had a hit.
• Ryan Ludwick walked twice.
• Xavier Paul should not be surprising anyone by now.  He came in to pinch-hit to lead off the 9th inning and promptly tripled and scored the winning run.
• Reds Pitching:
• Mat Latos - 8.0 IP, 4 R (2 ER), 6 H, 3 BB, 6 SO.  Another good one for Latos.  He continues to impress, this kid.  Remember, he's only 24 years old too.
• Aroldis Chapman - 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 SO.  Not a save situation, but it was a prime situation to use the Missile.  Objective accomplished.

*Reds took 3 out of 4 from the Cubbies.  Pretty much what we needed to do.  On to Philadelphia for a four-game set.  Philly may not a have a winning record, but they do have the majority of their star-studded lineup back in action.  Howard and Utley are back and already swinging the bats.  Plus, they have these guys: Halladay, Lee, Hamels.  We will face all three.

Game 120 & 121: Reds Split Doubleheader

Game 1: No Problem; Cueto Was Pitching.  Game 2: Eh, Not So Much; Redmond Was Pitching.

Game 1:

CHC  3  5  1 (46-72)
CIN  5  8  0  (73-47)

W: Johnny Cueto (16-6)
L: Jeff Samardzija (8-11)
S: Aroldis Chapman (29)

Box Score

• Xavier Paul!  He hit his first homer as a Red in the 2nd inning with a man on base.  He's played quite well, ladies and gentlemen.  
• Todd Frazier continued his quest for Rookie of the Year honors as he smacked a couple of hits including his 17th longball of the year.   Man, I love this kid.
• Cozart hit his 30th double and Bruce hit his second triple of the year.  When Jay goes the other way with the ball, its almost always a gaurenteed base hit and usually for extra bases.
• Johnny Cueto.  Ah, I can't help but breathe a deep breath of fresh air after typing his name.  That's the breath we take after a solid winning performance.  Johnny earned league leading win number 16 by tossing eight beautiful innings.  8.0 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 SO.  Yeah.  Solid.  He threw two bad pitches all day.  One was a ghost hit-by-pitch.  The second was to the next batter (Soriano) who homered.  Outside those two pitches, Cueto was pristine.

Game 2:

CHC  9  13  1 (47-72)
CIN  7  11  2 (73-48)

W: Brooks Raley (1-2)
L: Todd Redmond (0-1)
S: Carlos Marmol (15)

Box Score

• It's hard telling what the brass was thinking when they brought up Todd Redmond from AAA Louisville to pitch in this one. I understand a couple of things:
• One, it was part two a doubleheader and you don't want to use one of your five regular starters out-of-turn and risk an injury.  After all, this Reds rotation has not had a single hiccup all year long (knock on wood, please). 
• Two, this is the kind of situation where you have an opportunity to see a guy in the system pitch in the show.  Now that trade season has come and gone, it is time to figure out who is going to be a replacement for an injured starter (knock on wood, please) at this point in the season.
• But here is what I don't understand:
• One, why would the Reds not use a perfectly capable and proven starter that is already in the majors?  That guy would be Sam LeCure.  He is a control pitcher with decent stuff that is honestly, in my opinion, a better option than Mike Leake 50% of the time.  Nothing against Mike, but sometimes I wish he were the long reliever and Sam was the fifth starter.  Also, when you call a guy up from the minors, you have to send somebody down.  That's how it works.
• Two, if you're going to bring up a guy to see what he's got, why bring up a guy who isn't even on anybody's list of Reds future pitchers?  Redmond is 27, and is having a decent year in AAA.  He is 8-9 with a 3.54 ERA.  I think there are several pitchers in the Reds farm system that people would rather see get the nod for this game, and at least two that were definitely ready for the occasion. 
• Needless to say, we got beat up.  Redmond was basically a pitching machine wearing a Reds jersey.  The bullpen wasn't much better. 
• We rallied several times but just couldn't stop giving up runs on defense.  Ryan Ludwick hit his 25th homer of the year.

Game 119: Home Runs!

Homers-a-Plenty as Bronson Throws Quality Start.

CHC   3   11  2 (46-71)
CIN    7   10  1 (72-47)

W: Bronson Arroyo (9-7)
L: Travis Wood (4-9)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Arroyo was good enough on Friday as he went 6.1 innings and gave up three runs and earned his 9th win on the season.  Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick all went yard to give the fans something more to cheer about along the way.  Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs both had outfield assists as well.  Bruce threw Rizzo out at the plate and Stubbs threw Travis Wood out at second base.  The Reds move to 25 games over .500 after the victory.
• Reds Offense:
• Extra Bases:  Ludwick (23) and Frazier (16) homered in the 4th inning off Wood.  Bruce hit his 25th of the year off Wood in the 6th.  Arroyo and Cozart both hit doubles.  Drew Stubbs smacked a triple in the game.
• Stubbs, Ludwick, and Frazier were all 2-for-4;  Cozart, Bruce, Rolen and Arroyo all supplied hits.
• Reds Pitching:
• Bronson Arroyo - 6.1 IP, 3 R, 9 H, 3 BB, 3 SO.  Like I said, it was a quality start and good enough for the win.  
• Arredondo and Broxron - 2.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 SO. Good holds for these gentlemen.
• Aroldis Chapman - 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 SO. Chapman pitched in a non-save situation and made the most of it.  He did not strike anyone out, but he also only needed seven pitches to retire the side and end the game.

** Reds win!  Move to 25 games over .500.  Good stuff, boys.

Game 118: Forget About That One. Bring On The Cubbies!

Bailey Gets Knocked Around, Mets Take Final Game of Series.

NYM   8   9   0  (56-62)
CIN     4   8   3  (71-47)

W: Matt Harvey (2-3)
L: Homer Bailey (10-8)
S: Jon Rauch (3)

Box Score

• Recap:
• We didn't play well.  Thus, we lost.  Homer couldn't seem to find his stuff and fell off the wagon in both the 4th and 6th innings.  Even worse, the Reds' stellar defensive infield committed three errors.  Yes, three.  The culprits were Scott Rolen, Zack Cozart, and even Brandon Phillips.  No need to get to upset about it this one, guys.  We are still 71-47.  The Pirates won and the Cardinals lost on Thursday, wich means we are back to six games up on Pittsburgh and seven up on St. Louis.  Luckily, the Cubs are coming to town for four games including a double-header on Saturday!  Hopefully the Redlegs can do what they are fully capable of and win all four games and really put some space between them and the Pirates/Cards.
• Reds Offense:
• Phillips and Cozart both had a double as their only hit on the night.  Phillips hit his 23rd double and Cozart hit his 28th.
• Jay Bruce continued his recent tear (knock on wood he keeps it up) as he smacked a pair of doubles (29, 30) and knocked in RBI number 74.
• Ryan Ludwick pounded his 22nd homer of the year in the 9th.  Unfortunately it was a solo blast.
• Rolen, Mesoraco and Cairo all chipped in singles as well.  Cairo's knocked in a run.
• Reds Pitching:
• Homer Bailey - 5.2 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 8 H, 3 BB, 6 SO.  So, it wasn't the good Homer that pitched on Thursday night.  But this is what we might need to come to expect when Homer is pitching at Great American Ballpark.  His stats prove that he is an ace on the road and a master exploder at the home field.
• Alfredo Simon, Logan Ondrusek, and Jose Arredondo - 3.1 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 2 BB, 3 SO.  Eh, not bad.  We were already losing and these guys did their job by not really making it any worse than it already was.

**Cubs come to Cincinnati for a Queen City Buttwhippin' today at 7:10pm

Reds Player Stats: 72.2% Thru 2012

Batting Average
.342 - J. Votto
.294 - B. Phillips
.286 - T. Frazier
.282 - R. Hanigan
.268 - C. Heisey
.268 - R. Ludwick
.248 - Z. Cozart  
.248 - S. Rolen
.245 - J. Bruce
.230 - D. Stubbs
.213 - D. Mesoraco
.211 - W. Valdez
.156 - M. Cairo

Home Runs
24 - J. Bruce
21 - R. Ludwick
15 - T. Frazier
14 - D. Stubbs
14 - J. Votto
13 - Z. Cozart
13 - B. Phillips
6 - S. Rolen
5 - D. Mesoraco
4 - C. Heisey
2 - R. Hanigan
2 - M. Leake

Runs Batted In
73 - J. Bruce
64 - B. Phillips
64 - R. Ludwick
49 - J. Votto
49 - T. Frazier
36 - D. Stubbs
28 - S. Rolen
26 - Z. Cozart
21 - C. Heisey
14 - D. Mesoraco
13 - R. Hanigan
11 - W. Valdez
8 - M. Cairo

On-Base Percentage
.465 - J. Votto
.368 - R. Hanigan
.343 - T. Frazier
.336 - B. Phillips
.335 - R. Ludwick
.328 - J. Bruce
.323 - S. Rolen
.308 - C. Heisey
.298 - D. Stubbs
.296 - Z. Cozart
.296 - D. Mesoraco
.265 - M. Leake

Wins Above Replacement (Offense)
4.6 - J. Votto
2.8 - B. Phillips
2.0 - Z. Cozart
2.0 - T. Frazier
1.3 - J. Bruce
1.2 - R. Hanigan
1.2 - R. Ludwick

Wins
15 - J. Cueto
10 - M. Latos
10 - H. Bailey
8 - B. Arroyo
5 - M. Leake
5 - J. Arredondo

ERA (Starters)
2.45 - J. Cueto
3.63 - M. Latos
3.95 - B. Arroyo
4.08 - H. Bailey
4.29 - M. Leake

ERA (Relievers)
1.26 - A. Chapman
2.27 - A. Simon
2.51 - J. Arredondo
2.82 - S. Marshall
3.02 - S. LeCure
3.19 - L. Ondrusek

Strikeouts
134 - M. Latos
127 - J. Cueto
106 - A. Chapman
105 - H. Bailey
95 - B. Arroyo
95 - M. Leake

Wins Above Replacement (Pitching)
5.2 - J. Cueto
3.0 - A. Chapman
2.6 - M. Latos
1.9 - B. Arroyo
1.1 - S. Marshall
1.0 - H. Bailey
0.9 - M. Leake

Game 117: Leake and Longballs Hammer Mets

Leake Goes Distance, Reds Go Yard; Dickey Downed.

By Ryan Bramwell

NYM  1   4   0    
CIN    6  13   0  

W: Mike Leake (5-7)
L: R.A. Dickey (15-4)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Well that was fun, eh?  Mike Leake stepped up to the challenge of facing the NL's leading Cy Young candidate and took it to the next level.  While Leake demonstrated he too could be a force on the mound like his fellow rotation members, the Reds offense was demonstrating that Dickey's knuckleball has the ability to travel a long distance when struck hard by a baseball bat.  While Leake allowed only one run on four hits for the entire night, R.A. was smashed for three home runs and ten hits thru just six innings of work.  The beating Dickey took certainly helps Johnny Cueto at least a little in his attempt for the Cy Young Award himself.  Overall, that makes five straight wins for the Redlegs and puts us 25 games over the .500 mark!  We are also seven full games up on both the Pirates and the Cardinals.
• Reds Offense:
• Home Runs - Scotty Baseball and Superhero Todd Frazier went back-to-back off Dickey in the 4th inning.  Rolen's (6) was a left field corner shot and Frazier's (15) was just preposterous.  Todd's home run ball hit above the batter's eye in dead center field and was so high up that the camerman was unable to follow it.  The ball traveled an estimated 475 feet.  That is the 10th longest in GABP history and the 4th longest in the majors this season (according to sources at Redleg Nation).  Jay Bruce then joined the party in the 6th inning when he smacked his third home run in as many games. It was Jay's 24th on the year and the third allowed by Dickey in the game, the most he's allowed in a start all season.
• Cozart continues to pile up extra base hits as he was 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of doubles (26, 27). Don't look now but Cozy has his average almost up to .250.
• Bruce and Rolen were both 2-for-4 with a home run.  Rolen also added a double.
• Stubbs, Phillips, Ludwick and Leake all had a hit apiece on the night.
• Todd Frazier - My man!  Frazier had the best night of them all: 3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI
• Reds Pitching:
• Mike Leake - 9.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 SO.  Mike pitched his second complete game on the season which is also the second of his young career.  It's been easy to fault Leake in 2012, as he has been the weakest link among a tremendous staff.  I've been guilty of not wanting to give him another chance at times, myself.  We have to remember that all these starters, with the exception of Arroyo, are under the age of 26.  Most pitchers are just getting their big league careers underway at that age.  We have four that contribute so much that they are a major reason the Reds will be going to the playoffs this season.  Leake is our fifth starter.  Our back-of-the-rotation guy.  The guy that will most likely be cut from the playoff rotation and be used out of the pen instead. And yet, he still sports a very respecatable 4.29 ERA.  And he pitches half his games in the league's most hitter friendly park.  Just something to think about the next time you start to unravel on Mike Leake.

**5-in-a-row!  The Reds will send Homer Bailey (10-7, 4.08) to the hill to face the Mets' talented and young Matt Harvey (1-3, 3.63) at 7:10pm ET tonight.  Go root for the good guys, people!

A Cup of Joey: Votto Injury Update

Reds Record is 20-8 Without Mr. Immaculate.

By Ryan Bramwell
Yeah, we are still winning games without our star player in the lineup.  We've seen 10-straight wins, 5-straight losses, and now we are at 4-straight wins and counting.  We've been full of streaks, but mainly of the hot variety.  An optimist like myself will tell you that the injury has made the Reds a better team overall. 

Nick Hall, fellow blog author, wrote this back on June 29, in response to the first injury update article:

--"I should clarify, I think Joey going down was the best thing that could have happened to this ball club, because we had a lot of guys on this team seemingly riding his coat tails. Now, as they have done the last two weeks, they have found character and the little extra it takes to make a championship caliber team."--

Party on, Nick. I couldn't agree more.

The Votto injury allowed for:

• The emergence of Ryan Ludwick and his big 'ol home run stick.
• Drew Stubbs to raise his average above the Mendoza Line and play hero in Houston.
• Scott Rolen to notch those big, late hits that won a pair of ballgames and helped regain his confidence.
• Playing time for Todd Frazier which allowed him to continue his ROY campaign as well as showcase major defensive skills at 1B.

Okay, so some of those are debatable and can't really be proven.  But what's not debatable is the intangible "team" effect that has been formed.  The Reds are better as a whole.  And nearly every player has seen an improvement on the offensive side of the ball. 

Ok, On to Joey's injury:

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds expect a Votto return could happen during the four-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia (August 20-23).  However, a "more realistic date" for return would be during the series against the Cardinals (August 24-26).

Liars! Why is it taking so long?

--"Votto had arthroscopic knee surgery July 17 for a torn medial meniscus in his left knee. Votto last Wednesday was about ready to be activated and was practicing slides as a final test, but he re-injured the knee while sliding. Votto underwent a minor procedure last Friday to remove a piece of floating cartilage.

Votto originally was projected to miss three-to-four weeks. The Reds estimated that the second knee procedure would add an additional seven-to-10 days to Votto’s recovery."--
Information gathered at Cincinnati.com


*So yeah, somebody should be fired for all this poor surgery/rehab management on the world's greatest hitter. I really can not wait until he is back in the lineup and 100% healthy.  The Reds have the second best record in baseball right now.  Can you imagine what happens when Votto comes back to a lineup where the regulars have finally found their stride? 

*Also, we all love the nickname 'Vottomatic."  Just today I was thinking of another moniker for him.  Seeing as he was on pace to break the single-season doubles record and will most likely threaten that record every season for years to come, I was thinking of calling him "Dr. Double."  Like it?

Game 116: Bruuuuuuuuce! Reds Win 70th in Walk-Off Fashion

Mets Can't Solve Latos, Reds Finally Drive In Runs in the 9th

By Ryan Bramwell
New York   0   6   0  (55-61)
Cincinnati   3  11  1  (70-46)

W: Jose Arredondo (5-2)
L: Manny Acosta (1-3)

Box Score

• Recap:
• The Reds left 14 men on base.  Fourteen.  But the Mets themselves left ten on base...and they lost the game.  So, in this instance I will take the good with the bad.  Mat Latos continued to look immensely impressive during his outing on Tuesday night.  Unfortunately, Latos was not attributed with the win, however he was a significant factor.  The other significant factor was Bruce's walk-off three-run homer, of course.  The win last night gives the Redlegs 70 of them on the season.  They are 24 games over .500 and six games ahead of the second-place Pirates (and seven up on the Cardinals).  The 6-game lead is tied for the largest among all division leaders in the MLB.  Texas and the Yankees both have a half a dozen games between them and their closest division enemy as well.  Only the Nationals have a better record than the Reds in all of baseball at 72-45. 
• The Call: If you were watching FS Ohio, then you heard good ol' George Grande attempting to yell, "And its gone! Gone! Gone!" through his hoarse vocal cords.  I feel like there is always a special ending to a Reds game when George Grande makes an appearance in the booth.  If you were listening to Marty Brennaman on WLW, then you got a very boisterous version of his "And this one belongs to the Reds!" tagline.  Baseball Tonight played both calls when they showed the game highlights.  I heard/watched both calls because I am an insane person that has to get the most out of every Reds game and every call.  That's just pure Reds fandom though, right?
• Reds Offense:
• Jay Bruce: Why not start with him, right?  Bruce struck out badly on two separate occasions but was able to totally redeem himself.  Jay hit his 28th double of the season in the game, but it was his 9th inning at-bat that provided the sweetest redemption.  After a walk to Brandon Phillips and a single from Ryan Ludwick, Bruce stepped up to the plate with two on and nobody out in the home 9th of a tie ballgame.  He watched the first two pitches go by for a ball and then a strike.  Jay proceeded to foul the next four pitches off.  He looked different than usual in this appearance.  He was fouling off tough pitches and staying alive.  In the seventh pitch of the at-bat Jay unloaded on a 95mph fastball that he muscled out to left-center field and over the wall.  Game over.  It was Jables' 23rd homer and RBIs number 70-71-and-72 on the year.  According to Redleg Nation, it was Bruce's sixth career walkoff hit and his fourth career walkoff homer.
• Zack Cozart and Ryan Hanigan both had a single, a double, and a walk on the night.  It was Cozy's 25th double and Hanigan's 12th. Very nice, gentlemen.
• Ryan Ludwick had a pair of hits including his 23rd dub-dub on the season.
• Stubbs and Frazier both had a hit.
• Phillips walked from home plate to first base three times on the night.
• Mat Latos reached base twice as he hit a single and drew a walk.
• Reds Pitching:
• Mat Latos: 7.0 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 SO (104 Pitches/71 Strikes).  What a terrific night on the mound it was for the young right-hander.  He brilliantly worked out of the limited trouble he got himself into.  Latos has allowed one run over his last three starts (21.1 IP).
• Marshall pitched an inning, didn't allow a hit, walked a batter and struck out a pair.
• Arredondo gave up a hit and a walk in the 9th inning, but nothing else as he was given the "W" thanks to Bruce's heroics.

ESPN MLB Front Page Reds Coverage: Aroldis Chapman and Billy Hamilton

By Ryan Bramwell

Jayson Stark Writes That Aroldis Chapman is Easily the National League Cy Young Winner and By Far the Most Dominant Pitcher in the Game.

Aroldis Chapman - 2012 Cincinnati Reds

53 Games, 57.0 IP
25 Hits Allowed, 8 Earned Runs, 3 HR Allowed
4-4, 28 Saves/32 Opportunities
1.26 ERA, .127 BA Against, 0.68 WHIP
106 SO/14 BB, 16.74 K/9

Article Highlights:

--"Who has been the most dominant pitcher in this league? Friends, if that's the question, how is there any answer this year besides Chapman?"--

--"106 strikeouts, 25 hits. Unless something bizarre happens, this man's numbers project out to make him the first relief pitcher in history with 110 more strikeouts than hits. Crazy."--

--"The batting average of the 216 hitters who have had the misfortune to step into the box against Chapman this year is an insane .127. Want to guess how many pitchers in the live-ball era have proved to be that unhittable in any season of 50 innings or more? Not a one."--

--"Do you realize this guy is piling up more than four strikeouts for every hit he allows (4.24, to be precise)? Once again, nobody has ever done that in a year in which he pitched this many innings."--

--"Want to talk domination? This guy has thrown 964 pitches this year. Only 9.9 percent of them (95) have been put in play. You have got to be kidding."--


Read the Full Article Here!
Watch Baseball Tonight Video Discussion!


I had to add this video from ESPN's Sport Science although it has been around for a couple of years.  Isn't it just dandy that this guy plays for us?

Jerry Crasnick Tells Us All About Billy Hamilton: His Life and Background, His Speed and Determination, His Projected Date of Arrival in the Bigs.

Billy Hamilton - 2012 (A - Bakersfield, AA - Pensacola)

113 Games (82 A/31 AA), 448 AB (337 A, 111 AA)
.315 BA, .412 OBP, .431 SLG, .843 OPS
141 Hits, 20 2B, 13 3B, 2 HR, 41 RBI
103 Runs, 73 BB, 95 SO
139 SB, 31 CS

Article Highlights:

--"At every stop, Hamilton does something novel to burnish his reputation as a game-changer. If he's not turning a double into a triple, he's scoring from first base on a single. In mid-July, Hamilton rounded the bases in 13.8 seconds for an inside-the-park homer -- faster than the 14.3 clocked by Los Angeles Angels outfielder Peter Bourjos against Minnesota in April."--

--"The Reds appear to be in no hurry to push Hamilton to Cincinnati, likely because they're not required to place him on the 40-man roster and protect him from the Rule 5 draft until after the 2013 season. Although Dusty Baker recently told reporters that Hamilton "possibly" could join the club in September as a late-inning base-stealing weapon, it has not been a prominent topic of discussion among Cincinnati's front-office people. 'All our discussions about Billy have been about his long-term development,' Bavasi said."--

Read Full Article And Watch Video!

Game 115: Cueto Continues His CYA Pace As Reds Shutout Cubbies

Cueto Dominant While Earning Win Number 15, Bruce Breaks Out Of Slump

By Ryan Bramwell

Cincinnati   3   6   0  (69-46)
Chicago     0   4   0  (44-69)

W: Johnny Cueto (15-6)
L: Brooks Raley (0-2)
S: Aroldis Chapman (28)

Box Score

• Reds Offense:
• Jay Bruce may have broken out of his slump when he tacked his 22nd homer in the 5th inning.  It was Jay's only hit on the night, but it did knock in a pair of runs for his 68th and 69th RBI.
• Ryan Ludwick did not want to be outshone and knocked a solo homer out of the park in the following inning for the Redlegs.  It was home run number 21 and RBI number 63 for Ludwick.
• Todd Frazier was the only player for either team to obtain more than one hit on the night as he went 2-for-4.  My boy Todd is now batting .280 on the season.
• Miguel Cairo doubled (5) and stole a base (3).
• Cueto pitched in a single at the plate as well
• Reds Pitching:
• Johnny Cueto: 8.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 SO.  Magnificent night for the NL Cy Young pursuing Johnny Cueto. He picked up his 15th win on the season, which ties him with the Mets' R.A. Dickey for the NL lead in wins.  Cueto's ERA is a miniscule 2.45 on the season.  Love it.
• Aroldis Chapman:  Picked up save number 28 while giving up one hit and striking out one in the final inning.   

*Three wins in a row!  We are back at it, people!  Winning the final three games of this road trip was the best possible thing the Reds could have hoped for after being swept in Milwaukee and dropping the first game to the Cubs.  It will go a long way in the confidence department for these guys and they will need all they can get.  The Reds have Monday off and then invite the Mets into town for a 3-game set where they will face Chris Young, knuckleballing Cy Young candidate R.A. Dickey, and young phenom Matt Harvey. 

Game 114: Back-To-Back Wins. Hooray.

Arroyo Goes Eight Strong, Outlasts Former Red Travis Wood.

By Ryan Bramwell

Cincinnati  4 12  0 (68-46)
Chicago    2  5   0  (44-68)

W: Bronson Arroyo (8-7)
L: James Russell (5-1)
S: Aroldis Chapman (27)

Box Score

• Travis Wood was impressive.  He threw strike after strike to open up every at-bat against his former team.  It really made me miss seeing him in a Cincinnati uniform.  I am honest when I say that I was aggravated with the Reds organization for trading him away instead of Mike Leake in the Sean Marshall deal this past offseason.  I really liked Wood.  The fact that he was the only left-handed starter we had only strengthened my backing of him.  Remember when he nearly threw that perfect game and the Reds couldn't score for him?  For the night, Wood's numbers went as follows: 7.0 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 8 SO.  Very, very good. (Hey J, would you consider taking Leake for Wood in a straight-up deal?)
• Reds offense:
• Brandon Phillips went 3-for-5 and hit his 22nd double on the season.  He's batting .299.
• Frazier reached three times going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI (48).
• Ryan Hanigan had a pair of singles and went 2-for-4.
• Stubbs, Ludwick and Heisey all had doubles for their only hits.
• Ludwick also knocked in a pair of runs for his 61st and 62nd RBI.
• BAD:  Cozart and Stubbs (top of the order) were both 1-for-5 with three strikeouts apiece.  That is a combined 2-for-10 with SIX strikeouts.  Just awful.  What are you doing, Dusty? 
• Reds pitching:
• Bronson Arroyo:  8.0 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 SO.  A very, very good night for Bronson.  He thew 104 pitches on the night (75 for strikes) and had not trouble on the back end of his start.  I will take this every time, Mr. Arroyo.
• Chapman finished the game in style per usual.  He struck out a pair (106) and notched his 27th save.

*There it is, fellas.  We have started a new winning streak.  Let's keep it going, shall we?

Game 113: The Windy City Blows Game Out Of Cubs' Reach

Reds End Skid At Five Games, Put Up Big Offensive Numbers

By Ryan Bramwell
Cincinnati   10 15 0 (67-46)
Chicago      8  13 5 (44-67)

W: Homer Bailey (10-7)
L: Justin Germano (1-2)
S: Aroldis Chapman (26)

Box Score

• Ah, finally!  I feel like I can breathe again all the sudden.  It was a super-strange day at the Friendly Confines today.  I've never seen the wind play such a factor like it did in this one.  But we won and that's all that matters.  The losing streak is over. 
• Reds offense:
• Ryan Freakin' Ludwick:  He was 3-for-4, reached base four times, scored all four times, hit a double (21), and cracked a home run (20) that gave him two RBI (60).  An unbelievable night for this guy.  Way to go, Ludwick!
• Superhero Todd Frazier also reached base four times going 3-for-4 with a double (18), a walk, and four RBI (47).  Incredible night for Todd...the next NL Rookie of the Year.
• Phillips was 2-for-6 with a double (21).
• Xavier Paul reached base three times with a sinlge and a pair of walks.  I really like this kid.  He's left-handed, plays hard, and is really patient at the dish.  He is a tremendous backup to have on this team.
• The other hits came from Cozart - a double (24), and singles from Hanigan, Valdez, Stubbs, Mesoraco, and Bailey.
• Paul and Stubbs both had a stolen base on the night.  It was Paul's third and Drew's 27th on the season.
• Reds pitching:
• Homer Bailey: 5.2 IP, 4 R, 9 H, 2 BB, 5 SO.  Homer wasn't terrible, but he also wasn't all that good.  It was a rough night for all pitchers (see box score) and Homer actually came out on top in this gusty affair.
• Arredondo pitched to one batter and got the out.  Nice.
• Marshall wasn't good.  He pitched a third of an inning and gave up a walk and a pair of runs.
• LeCure pitched two-thirds of an inning and got away clean.
• Broxton as good as Marshall: 0.2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 BB.  Ugly stuff.
• Aroldis Chapman: Dusty made a wise decision and brought Aroldis into the game when they really needed to get an out in the bottom of the 8th.  Aroldis not only got that one, but he also took the final three out in the bottom of the 9th as well.  He struck out three and didn't give up a single thing.  Save number 26.  He's just terrific. :)

*Let's go for 2-in-a-row tomorrow!

Game 112: Cubs Win. Cubs Win

Reds Drop Fifth Straight.  I Die A Little On The Inside.

By Ryan Bramwell
Cincinnati   3   8   1 (66-46)
Chicago     5   7   1 (44-66)

W: Shawn Camp (3-5)
L: Sean Marshall (4-4)
S: Carlos Marmol (14)

• The Redlegs were up 3-1 thru five and a half innings of this one.  They gave up two runs in the bottom of the 6th to relenquish the lead, and then two more in the bottom of the 8th to relenquish the game.
• Reds offense:
• Phillips was 3-for-4 with a double (20).
• Frazier was 2-for-4 with a double (17) and a home run (14). He remains very good at baseball.
• Cozart was 1-for-4 with a home run (13) and a walk.
• Ludwick reached twice with a single and a walk.
• Xavier Paul had a single in his pinch-hit appearance.
• Reds pitching:
• Mike Leake: 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 SO.  Not bad.  It's a quality start.  Not good enough.
• Arredondo threw to one batter and struck him out.
• Sean Marshall pitched three outs and gave up a run and a walk. He also struck out a pair.  Sean picked up the loss in this one.
• Logan Ondrusek pitched two outs.  Not before giving up a solo homer however.
• Overall, this wasn't fun to watch or listen to.  We surely won't continue this awfulness and lose another game tomorrow will we?

Wicked Wiffleball

Some Random Perusing Led to a Fascinating Look at Wiffleball.

Check out these videos and tell me you are not interested in going outside and trying to throw some pitches like these guys do. 


**Various Wiffleball Pitches.

**Incredible.  That's Plastic, Right?

**Made The Local News.

**More of Wiffleboy28.

**Professional Wiffleball?  Yep, The GSWL. Golden Sticks Wiffleball League.

**Sport Science: James Loney vs. Douchy Self-Righteous Wiffleball Pitcher.

**If Your're Like Me, You Are Wondering About That Strike Zone They Use.

**Check out the prices of some of this official wiffle gear! 
**The 2011 Official Rulebook of the GSWL
**More at Big League Wiffleball including videos, rules, etc.

So who wants to get together, pitch in some money, and create a league? 

Game 111: Bah Humbug!

Latos Deserving of Win, Gets No Decision As Brew Crew Rallies Late

Cincinnati      2   6   1
Milwaukee    3   6   0

By Ryan Bramwell

• Mat Latos continued his hot streak on the mound as he went seven innings and gave up only one run on three hits.  Along the way he struck out eight Brewers and walked only one.  Latos homered in his last start, and last night he reached base three times with a pair of singles and a walk.  Still, it wasn't enough.
• Jonathan Broxton had his first poor performance as a Red.  0.2 innings, two runs on three hits.  Ugh.
• Phillips, Ludwick, Cairo and Navarro were the only Reds' batters to get hits.  All were singles except for Navarro's two-run homer.
• Drew Stubbs made a pinch-hit appearance and managed a walk which he followed up with his 26th stolen base on the year.
• Dusty Baker put a terrible lineup together for this one.  Yes, we are still down a couple guys and everybody needs a day off here and there, but man, this was a bad lineup.

The Reds should be happy to be out of Milwaukee and they will head southeast a few miles down the road to Chicago, Illinois, where they will take on the Cubbies for a four game set.  It will be Leake up against Volstad in game one at 8:05pm ET Thursday. 

***Can we bring Joey back, please???

Must Watch! Wonderful Reds Video

Found this posted over at Redlegs Review. 

Oh, how glorious.  Gives me goosebumps.

Game 110: Okay, Everybody Just Calm Down

Cueto Deals, Offense Can't Back Him Up

Cincinnati     1   3   0
Milwaukee   3   8   0

By Ryan Bramwell

Well, that wasn't fun.  Milwaukee's Mike Fiers continued his rapid rise in the majors as he was tremendous versus the Redlegs on Tuesday night.  In fact, Fiers had a perfect game through six innings of work.  The Reds just couldn't seem to touch him.  Fiers has started 12 games now in the bigs and sports a miniscule 1.80 ERA along with a WHIP of 1.01 through 80 innings.  That's impressive.  He could be that good, or it could be that no one has figured him out just yet.  Cincinnati's batters sure made it look like a little of both last night.

I don't feel much like recapping this one.  I fell behind on reviewing the last three games and now I am too disappointed to complete one for last night's game too.  It's terrible, I know.  Let's hope that Mat Latos and the Reds can get it done today in Milwaukee and avoid a rare sweep.  Hopefully, and I am thinking very optimistically here, the Reds will have had enough of this losing stuff and will activate our savior before the Chicago series.  We have surprised the masses and baseball as a whole with our play during the absense of Joey Votto, but I think we might be running out of steam right now.  We could really use his bat back in the lineup.  As fans, I don't think we could have asked for anything more from Votto's replacements and the rest of the team.  They turned up the dials and raked in win after win, and we have to be super satisfied and ultra-pleased with that fact.  But now we are in a lull.  Let's bring back the dynamite, shall we?

Game 109: Arroyo's 6th Inning Spells Loss For The Good Guys

Brewers Smash Bronson, Reds Lose Second Straight.

Cincinnati    3   9   0
Milwaukee  6  12  0

• Box Score
• Game Wrap

*Everybody chill out.
*Hang in there, fellas.  It's just a pair of losses.
*We are still the best team in baseball.  Remember that.

Game 108: We Still Took Two Outta Three

Bailey Not Terrific, Reds Take Day Off On Offense.

Pittsburgh   6  15  0
Cincinnati   2   3   2

• Box Score
• Game Wrap

*It's all good, Reds' fans.
*We still own the best record in baseball.
*We won the series, and that's what is important.

Game 107: August 4th Is Now "Scott Rolen Appreciation Day"

Scotty Keeps The Reds Rollin', Broxton/Chapman Slam The Door

Pittsburgh  4   8   1
Cincinnati  5   9   1

• Box Score
• Game Wrap

*Rolen was the offensive hero.
*Reds win their 5th straight.
*Record now at 66-41.  That's 25 games over .500!
*We are now 5 1/2 games up on the Pirates.

First Place Appreciation: Front Page Love!

Mat Latos and the Reds Get Some Much Deserved Appreciation

ESPN:
Check out the main article here. About Latos' awesome night.

Just a little more love here. About Latos/Sabathia and the importance of their sliders.

And a tad more appreciation here. About NL MVP candidates Joey Votto and Andrew McCutchen.

Bleacher Report:
Article about the future Broxton deal and what it means for Chapman and the rest of the bullpen.

Yahoo! Sports
Story at Yahoo! Sports regarding Marty Brennaman and his head shaving for charity night.

Fox Sports
Video entailing the streak of Ryan Ludwick and his fantasy impact.

MLB.com
Frontpage loaded with Reds media

Non-Reds Related:
How neat is this? B.J. and Justin Upton both hit their 100th homers on the same night! 

Game 106: No Votto, No Phillips, No Bruce: No Problem (All We Needed Was Mat Latos)

Latos Pitches Gem, Homers.  Marty Shaved Bald Following Victory.

Pittsburgh   0   4   0
Cincinnati   3   7   0

By Ryan Bramwell

• Mat Latos was tremendous for the Reds Friday night.  Through seven innings of work Latos had only given up a pair of hits and no runs.  He decided that pitching a shutout wasn't good enough and rocketed a two-run homer in the 5th inning to give the Reds a 3-0 lead.  In the end, Latos left after seven and one-third innings and gave up no runs on four hits, struck out five, and walked three.  A heck of game if you ask me.
• Jonathan Broxton came into the game in the 8th inning after Latos had gotten himself in the only jam he had been in all night.  With one out and two runners on base, Broxton got pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez to hit into an inning-ending double play.  The lead was safe and Broxton earned his second hold in as many days in his new uniform.
• Aroldis Chapman picked up save number 24 on the year without a hitch.  He struck out a pair along the way.  It's pretty safe to say that the Reds have a three-headed monster in the bullpen with Marshall, Broxton and Chapman.  The New Nasty Boys.
• Zack Cozart looked good in the leadoff position tonight for the first time in quite some time.  He was 3-for-4 and even had a bunt single.  Good job, Cozy.
• Chris Heisey had the surprise of the night when he hit a long shot that bounced off the wall and ricocheted back toward the infield.  It took just enough time for Heisey to round the bases and slide in at home on a close play.  He was safe and the Reds' first run of the night came off an inside-the-park home run.  That's is the second one of the year at GABP (Bruce had the other).
• Ryan Hanigan and Drew Stubbs had the only other hits on the night for the Reds.
• The Reds are now 65-41 on the season!  Incredible.  They are 4.5 games up on the Pirates now! 
• Votto and Phillips did not play due to injury and Jay Bruce had the night off as well.  Who would have thought the Reds will still be able to pull off a victory over a 60-win team like the upstart Pirates without their three major offensive threats?  That's how good they are, people.  Get used to it.
• The Reds have now won 21 of the last 24 games and 14 of the last 15.  That's scorching hot.
• Fans are showing their support as last night was another sellout crowd.  That makes for 10 sellouts on the year!  Marty Brennaman announced that Saturday's game was already sold out and that Sunday still had some tickets available.  Remember when it used to be so easy to snag tickets for anywhere in the ballpark for a Reds/Pirates affair?  Not anymore.  Go Redlegs!

Marty Brennaman was on the field after the game for what they decided to call the "Marty Party."  Marty had turned 70 a few ago, but more importantly he had promised to shave his head bald if the Reds won 10-straight games this season.  The opinionated Reds' broadcaster of 39 years has always had some "big" hair and it is going to be strange to seem him without it...but it will be hilarious.  Brennaman made good on his promise and had his head shaved in front of the crowd that hung around after the game.  Below is a link to the video of historic moment.  (Somewhere around minute-mark 15:45, Marty is told that it "doesn't look that bad" and you can read his lips as he rebuttles with "Bull**it."  Just tremendous.)

Marty Gets His Head Shaved

Marty Brennaman Through the Years