Johnny Cueto Allows the Atlanta Braves To Rip Off His Cape
Johnny Cueto who was off to a fantastic start to the season, met his match to the ‘nth’ last night in Atlanta.
The Braves chased the NL ERA leader before the fifth inning last night and served him with his first defeat of 2012 as they salvaged a split in the two-game set.
He has been so outstanding this year, that even four innings of 5 ER baseball just lifts his ERA to 1.89. That is saying a mouthful right there, I don’t care who you are.
So far in his eight starts, six have been dubbed “quality starts.” For anyone who doesn’t know the meaning of that moniker, it is given to a starting pitcher who pitches a minimum of six innings and allows three or less earned runs.
In a season that has produced a host of excellent pitching statistics, nobody stood taller (until last night) than Cueto. Entering the game he had a Bob Gibson-esque ERA of 1.12, a 4-0 record, one complete game, and had come out of a game without surrendering a run three times.
His WHIP entering the game last night was 0.972. At night’s end it stood at 1.089.
The Braves jumped on him for eight hits, however only one of those was for extra bases. Brian McCann lit him up to lead off the second inning with a 388 foot shot to the seats in right.
Cueto has served notice to all that he is not just the ‘ace’ of the staff but an ‘ace’ in and of himself. He has become arguably one of the best four or five starters in the National League.
He is rolling along with an ERA+ of 209. Clayton Kershaw is doing very well yet his ERA+ pales at 163. Roy Halladay who led the league in that category in 2011 checks in at only 118.
In the eight games he has started, the Reds have a record of 6-2. In stark contrast, the Phillies are only 3-5 when Halladay starts, the five losses are all in succession.
The Dodgers have a 6-2 record when last year’s Cy Young Award winner Kershaw starts.
Everybody has a bad day at some point. Stephen Strasburg was treated poorly last night by the San Diego Padres, chasing him after four innings as well.
The beating Cueto took last night only proves that he is human, not that the Braves are his kryptonite. His cape may be gone, but he hasn’t even learned how to fly yet. Beware!
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Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds send Henry Rodriguez to Blow-ville
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Waking up on Monday morning, Henry Rodriguez is one of the last people on earth I would want to be. Oh the pain, humiliation, and self-loathing that must be going on between his ears.
Every closer blows a game once in a while. Just ask Coco Cordero, Sean Marshall, and even the best of all-time, Mo Rivera. In fact, it was already the third one blown by Rodriguez.
Just because you are the third closer in the normal healthy pecking order leaves no wiggle room for error.
What do you think went through H-Rod’s mind? The bases were loaded, two outs and he still held a 6-5 lead. What was he thinking when he let that 2-2 pitch go to Joey Votto Sunday? Do you think he gave the ball a good dressing-down as he threw it? “Come on, ball, go right where I threw you.”
Sometimes balls refuse to listen. Joey Votto swung at that ball as though he was mad at it. It sailed over the fence in center-field and 28,361 people (or how many were still there wearing their soakers) went home happy.
Happy, I tell you. There is nothing like sending the team back on the road with a win under their collective belt. It was the sixth consecutive Sunday (all of them this season) that the Reds sent someone packing with a big defeat on their back. 6-0 on Sunday, that sounds good.
In a game that was tardy by over 3 1/2 hours, the Reds clawed back from a 6-3 deficit to avoid a series sweep. Votto had one of the best games of his career, belting the game winning granny along with two solo homers. In all he was 4-5 with six knocked in. He raised his average 24 points to .319.
Let us turn our focus back to the 25-year-old Venezuelan. Just the night before he struck out the side to notch his eighth save of the season.
Oh what a difference a day makes. Rodriguez, the hardest thrower in the National League could not just rear back and throw it this time. He should have had some mustard or something on it because Votto just mistreated it.
The big win coupled with the St. Louis Cardinals loss to Atlanta pulled the Reds to just 2.5 games off the pace.
With Scott Rolen being placed on the DL, the Reds called up left-hand batting Mike Costanzo to fill his spot on the roster. Todd Frazier is expected to get most, if not all starts at the hot corner in Rolen’s absence.
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Cincinnati Reds Mediocre Start: Putting a Positive Spin on it
The Cincinnati Reds have been very inconsistent this young season. Strike that your Honor, let’s say it this way: The Reds are playing .500 baseball despite losing Ryan Madsen, Nick Masset, Bill Bray, Mike (yes you can call him Mike) Cairo, and most recently Scott Rolen.
Their current two-game skid at home is alarming. I take that back Judge, shall I rephrase? Is there a better pitching staff than the Washington Nationals? If there is I wish they would stand so the jurors could see them.
Gio Gonzalez was beating the Reds like they stole something Friday night. I will withdraw that statement your most High Excellency. Let’s go this way: The Reds need to be commended for their ability to stay within Grand Slam distance against a pitcher with nine strikeouts in five innings.
Mike Leake was pitching as poorly as anyone on the Reds’ staff this season in that game. That sounds rough, too negative you know? Move to strike your Honor. Look at how good the Nationals looked against Leake. Good on ya Mike! Especially since they are without Jayson Werth, Mike Morse and Mark DeRosa.
I bet they could have really lit it up with those guys on the card.
If the St. Louis Cardinals weren’t losing as well the Reds would be 5.5 games back. That was clearly a negative remark Mr. Eastham. Sorry Judge, move to strike. Watch this: Even playing .500 ball and in the midst of a two game losing streak the Reds find themselves firmly entrenched in second place.
The Reds are getting nearly nothing in the way of offense from their left-field experiment. C’mon Judge how can I spin that around? Wait, I got it. If Chris Heisey and Ryan Ludwick would go on a crash diet, they would soon be batting their weight. Ahh, much better.
Matt Latos pitched as well as he could for as long as he could last night. It just wasn’t good enough. Thank you Jose Arredondo.
I can really spin this one, stand back. You should have seen how pretty the first pitch was that Arredondo offered up to Danny Espinosa. It must have surely been to his liking as he placed it deep into the seats in right-center field.
That, in effect was your ballgame right there.
So far in this series, the Reds have struck out 26 times in 18 innings. Sorry, I apologize. Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann came into Great American Ball Park and pitched as though they were Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale (may he rest in peace).
Too much spinning, feeling dizzy, queezy, I can’t go on much longer.
In the final game of the set, the Reds will send veteran Bronson Arroyo to the hill against Edwin Jackson. Oh, by the way, Jackson already pitched what was arguably the best game against Cincinnati all season long.
On April 14, he pitched a two-hit gem allowing one run, yielding only one walk while fanning nine in a complete game which he threw only 92 pitches in.
The moral of this story is that you cannot always find something pleasant to write about if you want to foster discussion among the troops. Call me negative, call me Stormy, call me Caesar Cliffius, just don’t call me Polyanna.
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Sean Marshall of the Cincinnati Reds Gives Me Coco-itis When He Attempts to Close
Francisco Cordero, AKA “Coco” got me hooked on Maalox when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. Heartburn City was where I was living.
He could come into a game with a clean slate and by the time it was over the chalkboard looked like Einstein was writing equations that only he could understand.
That same characteristic has been passed down to his successor, albeit by misfortune, Sean Marshall.
Marshall is considered to be one of the best setup men in all of baseball. I can attest to his eighth-inning prowess by watching him battle against the Reds while with the Chicago Cubs.
A setup man extraordinaire! But not a closer. I am sorry to tell you this but it is the plain unadulterated truth. Love you Man. Good on ya Sean. Coco-itis is nothing to be looked at or talked about mindlessly.
The first dose of Maalox on Marshall’s watch started April 26 in a game against the San Francisco Giants. The Reds were all keyed-up for a three game sweep and then it started.
The top of the ninth with the Reds leading 5-3. Marshall promptly issued a base on balls and surrendered a single. After striking out Brett Pill on three pitches, he let Angel Pagan leave the yard and give his team what turned out to be the win 6-5.
Wow! Just wow. You know you have stunk up the place when you have to decisions on your line in the box score: a blown save and a loss.
Visions of that catastrophic scenario played in my mind as I watched him face the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon.
Zack Greinke and Johnny Cueto had engaged in an old fashioned pitcher’s duel, with the Reds scoring in the top of the ninth to take a 2-0 lead.
Then it happened. With a 2-2 count to Ryan Braun to open the inning, the guts started churning. That burning sensation. The next pitch saw Braun leave the yard and with him any confidence I ever had in Marshall.
After taking Aramis Ramirez to a full count, he dispatched the third baseman with a swinging strikeout. Maybe he can get out of this thing after all. Burn.
Then Corey Hart hit a ball so far into center-field that Drew Stubbs was closer to the wall than pee on a board. Nice catch, two outs now. Hold steady son.
Jonathan Lucroy belts a line drive single to left field and the nausea becomes audible. My stomach is growling and asking Dusty Baker if he sees what it sees. Baker is working overtime on his toothpick.
Norichika Aoki blooped the first pitch into short left where nobody was and became the winning run on first base. C’mon Dusty, send him into that sweet night, because he won’t go gently.
The Coco-itis begins to subside as Baker takes the ball from Marshall and he trots off into a place called Humiliation.
What message does that send to the enemy? You have just taken the spear from your most decorated warrior and given it to an understudy.
If that isn’t tantamount to waving the white flag then I don’t know what is.
Logan Ondrusek came on to put out the fire (the one the Brewers had started plus the one in my belly). He made it very interesting however, by loading them up with a walk before inducing a game ending popup to Chris Heisey.
The moral of the story is if Aroldis Chapman is throwing aspirins at 101 mph and blowing them by the batters, don’t press your luck by bringing in a so-called closer just to appease traditionalists.
Seriously, my entrails cannot afford the further damage that will be caused by Marshall remaining in the closer role.
The entire time Cordero was closing for the Reds I can only recall Baker bringing the hook out to get him twice. It may have been more but that is all that I can recall. He has already done it with Marshall in only his seventh chance for a save.
To add insult to injury, Marshall is credited with a ‘Hold’ instead of being awarded another ‘Blown Save’.
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Cincinnati Reds Prospect Billy Hamilton: Square Peg in Round Hole Syndrome?
Photo by Ricky Bassman
Geez, be stuck in court for two days as an expert witness, and you miss all the Bleacher Report excitement. I don’t know where to begin.
Close friend and former featured columnist Illya Harrell wrote a piece about the emergence of Billy Hamilton as a bona fide top prospect that has rocked the Reds community there.
In his article, Harrell doesn’t necessarily condone a trade of the highly regarded speedster, merely providing fuel for thought, as opposed to providing 10 reasons why the Reds are off to a slow start in slideshow format.
He described how the Reds currently have a true Rookie of the Year prospect in Zack Cozart, and therefore Hamilton is blocked as a shortstop. Should the Reds see what size fish could be caught if they threw Hamilton in the creek as bait?
It was particularly interesting to see that most fans and writers here see the answer to the problem as moving the youngster to various positions to accommodate his base-stealing ability.
Arguing as to the validity of Hamilton’s offensive prowess, some fans seek to move Cozart to third base, thus allowing Hamilton to play shortstop.
Some claim he should be converted to an outfielder. Did all the love for Drew Stubbs suddenly evaporate?
This debate has all the earmarks of the burning question, “What do we do with Yonder Alonso?”
John Grieshop/Getty Images
The result of that question was answered when the Reds sent the top prospect to the San Diego Padres bundled with Yasmani Grandal, Brad Boxberger and Opening Day starter Edinson Volquez for Mat Latos.
I won’t go into details as to what Latos has done or the fact that Volquez’ ERA is below 3.00.
The point to be made is that nobody is sacred to an organization, Joey Votto excepted.
A player may be worth his weight in gold on offense, but if there is no square hole to insert the square peg into, a round hole is not the answer.
Hamilton lacks the power to play either a corner infield or outfield position. Left field and third base are the burning futuristic questions for the faithful of the Queen City.
Many have complained that Chris Heisey has yet to have his time card punched regularly enough to be discarded from the LF slot.
Others are still hopeful that Ryan Ludwick will turn the clock back four years and demonstrate what an asset he can be.
Cozart has never played third base on any professional level. The fact that he is an excellent athlete does not preclude the fact that he may not be able to adjust to it.
Some have made the transition from shortstop to center field successfully. Hall of Famer Robin Yount comes to mind first.
But before grooming the youngster Hamilton for center field, you should be certain that Stubbs is not what you thought he was when he was your first-round draft choice in 2006.
Is Hamilton faster than Stubbs? Have they been clocked together? Stubbs has very good range, and many think he is an excellent defensive player. He can also hit for power and was third in the NL with 40 stolen bases in 2011.
That being said, “What do we do with Billy Hamilton?”
Square peg for a round hole, anyone?
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Cincinnati Reds Claw Their Way Past Milwaukee Brewers into 2nd Place
The Cincinnati Reds have been one of the National League’s top run-producing teams the past couple years. This year they started off like they were poured out of a molasses jar.
Scott Rolen cracked his first home run last night as the Reds extended their win streak to three games and clinched their third series win of the young campaign. The win also pulled the Reds 2.5 games back in the NL Central Division.
Some significant highlights have taken place recently that should serve notice to the rest of the league.
Mat Latos is actually as good as advertised. As his harshest critic, I believe I see the light.
In his last performance in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants, he went seven strong innings of shutout baseball allowing only four hits and two walks.
As I mentioned in an earlier article, “He will be working the rest of the month to get his ERA down below five.” That is a true statement but he is well on his way as his ERA dropped about 2.5 runs in the one game.
Ryan Ludwick is turning out to be a good acquisition. He leads the team with three HR and 10 RBI. His upper-deck blast on Tuesday chased starter Matt Cain and opened the door for the Reds’ winning rally.
Bronson Arroyo is not over the hill as many had irreverently proclaimed. In his last three starts, his ERA is an eye-popping 1.71 and his WHIP is 0.936.
Aroldis Chapman has developed into a feared pitcher. You can almost see the dread on the batter’s faces when he takes the mound. The burning question in all fan’s minds is whether he will remain a setup man or become a starter.
If the latter were true he would have to knock Mike Leake out as he has become the least effective member of the starting rotation.
Drew Stubbs actually looks as though he has become a MLB player. His strikeouts are down and he has started to prove his worth.
Sean Marshall showed that the loss of Ryan Madson is not a season killer. He has saved four games in four attempts.
The three-game win streak is second in the National League only to the astounding Washington Nationals, who have won four straight and stand alone atop the NL East Division.
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