Pirates 9, Reds 1

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 13, 2008 4:34 PM EDT

The Reds didn't look very impressive in this series. Brandon Phillips is a tremendous defensive second baseman who didn't play like one; Johnny Cueto racks up strikeouts, but seems to have problems giving up extra-base hits (the Pirates had four against him, including two homers); and the Reds' management is (as some of us expected) shooting itself in the foot by filling their lineup with guys like Paul Bako, Corey Patterson, Norris Hopper and Juan Castro, and by playing Jeff Keppinger at first base when they could just as easily put him at short. The Reds are a very talented team, but they're going to get buried by manager Dusty Baker and general manager Wayne Krivsky if those two don't make better personnel choices.

There was lots to like about this game. The Pirates were the first team to really get to Cueto. Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit continued their hot-hitting ways. Jose Bautista made a spectacular stop to start a double play - if you missed it, check out SportsCenter, because you're going to see it there. The bullpen now hasn't allowed a run since that 15-inning marathon on Wednesday. And the Bucs are back to .500.

Jason Bay homered yet again, and his season line is now .282/.440/.538. For reference, his career-best season came in 2005, when he hit .306/.402/.559. It's obviously premature to say that he's back, and it's fair to point out that he hit well last April too, but his performance so far is consistent with the theory that his collapse beginning in June of last year happened because of injuries and not really for any other reason. In any case, these first dozen games have been extremely encouraging.

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I sort of disagree re: the Reds

The scores hide how well the Reds' offense actually performed. They were putting a TON of guys on base, but just could not string enough hits together. That can happen in a three game series, but if they can keep doing the things necessary to create runs, they'll start showing up on the scoreboard. I think they can be a fairly formidable team at the plate, and showed it this series (I think back to Saturday night when Snell was getting pasted, but the balls were all being hit to Pirates) the question is whether they'll have the arms.

by matskralc on Apr 13, 2008 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

i agree

despite the no names that the Reds have starting in the field i think they will be alright. they get on base, they just didn't get any breaks this series. i'm glad for that, don't get me wrong. Baker will run that team into the ground, but it's going to be because he'll push Cueto to 220 innings to get that 83rd win, not because he played Keppinger at 1st and sat Corey Patterson.

by Blyleven Curve Ball on Apr 13, 2008 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I think they've got the makings of a very good offensive team. But over time, someone as bad as Paul Bako is can be a huge drag, and the Reds have SO many players like that. They need to quit screwing around with Joey Votto, and they need Jay Bruce as soon as he's ready.

Their pitching depth is better than it's been in years, although I agree that it still isn't great.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Apr 13, 2008 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

That's their problem

They don't score runs BECAUSE they put a ton of guys on base. Don't you guys realize that just clogs up the bases?

- Dusty Baker

by Dignan on Apr 14, 2008 4:33 AM EDT up reply actions

4/13

The problem for the Reds is quite simple: They can't hit against lefties.

Patterson and Keppinger have both got off to great starts (Patterson surprisingly has 4 HR's already). Seems to be the same old story every year for the Redlegs though. They start off hot, then slump their way into the All-Star break then got hot again, but get flat again when it counts. Of course, normally the interim coach has taken over by then and they will resign him the next year.

by TheAnteater on Apr 13, 2008 10:24 PM EDT reply actions

Just going to throw in ...

That all that hand-wringing some of us did about the bullpen over the winter was misplaced, as it usually is. Possibly outside of the closer (and that's a big "possibly"), the pen should almost always be the least of our worries. If there are easy pickups like Tyler Yates out there all the time, what's there to worry about?

BTW, we see a few more weeks of Yates pitching like this and I'll start agitating for the team to flip Capps to somebody who lost a closer to injury and thinks you have to have a "proven" guy in that job.

Hey, look what we got for the last closer we shipped away!

... Oh, wait ...

by bucdaddy on Apr 14, 2008 9:10 AM EDT reply actions

Don't trusty in Dusty

I disagree with the premise that the Reds are a good team. I don't see either the talent on the field or on the mound necessary to finish ahead of us. Then, when you factor Dusty's lack of baseball knowledge into the equation the become noticeable weaker. On a positive note, I was glad to see Bay hitting with power to left field. Last year's problems were evidenced by the large number of balls he hit in the air to right field leaving some people to feel that his bat speed had dimished and thus so had his power. If he continue to hit the ball in the air to left field that should silence those critics and give us cause to expect good things from Bay this year. Just my take.

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Apr 14, 2008 10:42 AM EDT reply actions

One big issue with the Reds:

The defense froma lot of these guys is pretty rough. In particular, Keppinger is decent at 2B, but doesn't have the range for short, Encarnacion has issues with concentration at third, and Griffey and Dunn don't cover much real estate in the corners.

by Vlad on Apr 14, 2008 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions