Mr. Cueto and his terrorists must understand that their self-defeating efforts will only bring misery and suffering: 2009 Reds

Mar 27 RHP Edinson Volquez had not given up a run in his 14 innings this spring and would be a candidate to start Opening Day after winning 17 games. But manager Dusty Baker doesn't want to destroy the confidence of 17-game loser RHP Aaron Harang, who has started two consecutive Opening Days after winning 16 in both 2006 and 2007.

incredible quote!

would be neat to see this team break out in spite of dusty, they've got the players to do it

Some of the best Dusty quotes are only about Dusty, not from Dusty ("In fact, Fox said he and Baker cried together after Fox's elbow exploded," etc).

would suck to see Dusty acclaimed for it tho.

xpost

as someone said, Dusty owes his MGR rep to Barry Bonds.

bill (Cincy): With young studs Bruce and Votto, and cyyoung candidates Cueto and Volquez....along with the departure of Griffey and Dunn...where do the reds finish this year?

SportsNation Keith Law: Fourth.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/reds/2009/04/02/ddn040209spreds.html

Harang knows he deserved to start the previous three, but after going 6-17 last season he wouldn't have recoiled if manager Dusty Baker had named 17-game winner Edinson Volquez.

"I wouldn't do that to Harang," said Baker. "That would destroy his confidence. Everybody is entitled to one bad year and Harang has earned it with his consistency."

Said Harang, "I'm ready. I was thinking the other day, 'I've been here two months.'

"But I am proud that this is my fourth straight Opening Day assignment," he said. "I was talking with my wife about it and we thought it was great that Dusty knows, even though I had the year I had last year, that those seasons happen.

"I've established myself up to this point and he realizes, 'OK, he had one fluke year and I can't take everything away from him,'" said Harang. "If God forbid (Harang wrapped on wood), the season goes like it did last year, which I'm not planning on, then I'll know I don't deserve it. It's all about being consistent and being able to do it for a while."

Everybody is entitled to one bad year and Harang has earned it with his consistency.
Everybody is entitled to one bad year and Harang has earned it with his consistency.
Everybody is entitled to one bad year and Harang has earned it with his consistency.
Everybody is entitled to one bad year and Harang has earned it with his consistency.

It's all about being consistent and being able to do it for a while.
It's all about being consistent and being able to do it for a while.
It's all about being consistent and being able to do it for a while.
It's all about being consistent and being able to do it for a while.

what a treat

if you attack Aaron Harang you should be shot

^_^

The Reds starting pitching should be OK, could be great. The bullpen might be as good as last year, which was decent. The defense will probably be better, especially in the outfield. Scoring runs, that could be difficult. I think they should get better production from their catcher with Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan for a whole season. Votto and Bruce cannot fall back and have to continue to improve. Edwin Encarnacion needs to step up and become the clean up hitter and force Dusty to move Phillips. SS is going to be a bit of a stretch, as it looks like they are going to go with a couple of young players Paul Janish or Adam Rosales to start, neither of which have much at the plate although Janish is good with the glove as Gonzales is still broken and they just traded Jeff Keppinger.

Most of the simulations I see on the Reds has them about .500, which is probably not too far off. Hardball Times ran one that had them finishing 86-76. It all depends on how things fall together, they could be great or terrible.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=290403117

i loooove yonder

http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sp/v/mlb/players_l/20090407/6936.jpg?x=65&y=85&xc=1&yc=1&wc=164&hc=215&q=100&sig=5UKchiL9ZxbXDdzxB8AWXw--

^freakin me out

anyway

ive been wondering about yonder lately, what with his now-famed offseason workouts with a-rod

not so much about roids (but kinda) but just what... they were like - kinda fascinating to me

http://www.tvacres.com/images/lurch_butler3a.jpg

U RANG?

cordero_strike_two_celebration.gif????

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/06/fullj.9f947b110689c710f780ce9f4e7dadf5/9f947b110689c710f780ce9f4e7dadf5-getty-85138716cp017_cincinnati_re.jpg

PHOENIX - MAY 12: Relief pitcher Francisco Cordero (notes) #48 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after incorrectly thinking the game is over against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the major league baseball game at Chase Field on May 12, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Reds defeated the Diamondbacks 3-1.

The ump's call on the first pitch was confusing, he waved his arm like strike but called it a ball. The scoreboard at the stadium and TV had it as 2-2 when the strike went through.

Everyone thought the game was over then the ump started waving and corrected the call.

I really think it was the ump more than Cordero, pretty much everyone in the stadium and on TV thought the game was over.

The D-backs really suck. They looked absolutely pathetic in the series against the Reds.

gucci fan brandon phillips:

"Our swag is real nice right now," second baseman Brandon Phillips told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Our team chemistry is gorgeous. Our pitching is gorgeous."

http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sp/v/mlb/players_l/20090407/6936.jpg?x=65&y=85&xc=1&yc=1&wc=164&hc=215&q=100&sig=5UKchiL9ZxbXDdzxB8AWXw--

aaron harang aka "the world's greatest sinner"

Dusty has his nu-Patterson that he continues to play in Darnell McDonald. I get wanting to attempt get the righty/lefty advantage, but it doesn't work if the guy cannot hit a lick. Nice story, but the dude should not be in the bigs. They got Jonny Gomes who rakes against lefties and has a bit of power just sitting at Louisville. The dude would be the perfect compliment to either Nix or Dickerson in the outfield.

I also don't get why the Reds just don't eat the money and let Alex Gonzales go. They have three guys who can play short, two of which can out hit Gonzales with no problem in Jerry Hairston and Adam Rosales and one in Paul Janish that is probably as good a defensive player at this point. When Eddie Encarnacion gets off the DL, I'd cut A-Gonzales, but they probably won't. The guy is on the last year of his contract and had not played for a year and a half. When Gonzales was a regular, he wasn't that great a hitter anyway.

For a team that needs every run, it is just giving away outs on those two guys.

Get well Joey Votto, we need you back man!

gucci fan brandon phillips:

"Our swag is real nice right now," second baseman Brandon Phillips told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Our team chemistry is gorgeous. Our pitching is gorgeous."

― johnny crunch, Friday, May 15, 2009 6:45 AM (5 days ago) Bookmark

Our hitting is like a portrait— gorgeous.

http://www.sportsfrog.com/2009/05/20/fsn-ohio-and-that-woman-say-hi/

http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww242/membengal/IMG000341.jpg

Down by one, bottom of eighth, Taveras on first with a leadoff single... good idea not sending him until an 0-1 count after two outs... wouldn't want the other team to think you are attempting to score a run.

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/?p=17465

I love Adam Dunn.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=4251819

"The first time I saw him was last year during the week of the Kentucky Derby, and we figured he would have to leave the team that Saturday to go ride one of the horses," said Nationals outfielder Adam Dunn, who was Herrera's teammate last season in Cincinnati. "I've never faced him. But I haven't faced anyone his size since I was 11 or 12 years old."

lol i just got this title b/c total recall is on

Willy Taveras has rightfully assumed point lead on my HACKING MASS team

Willy Taveras -
Total Since May 15th 8-94 0.085
in June 1-42 .024

thats epic

he sure is fast though!

Geoff Young of BP on Willy:

"In 97 plate appearances from May 15 to June 18, he’s hitting .085/.113/.096, with three walks and 20 strikeouts. Taveras also has been thrown out in two of five stolen base attempts during that span.

Here’s my question: If speed never slumps, then what is the word for this?"

What is wrong with Cueto?

40 pitch 1st inning

^&#@^$*(&#!!!!!

spooked by francoeur lol

Jay Bruce, fractured wrist

The Reds have enough pitching to make the playoffs this year, but their hitting is so poor they haven't got a shot at all.

1b- Joey Votto - The guy has been ace all year. Things might be a bit different if he hadn't had to sit out a month, but as it goes. I'm glad the dude is doing better. If it was me, I'd probably get the guy some games in left to keep the options open at bringing in a second bat at 1st. Votto hits lefties pretty well and is really good at taking balls the other way.

2b- Brandon Phillips - He is a pretty solid player and is drawing a lot more walks at the plate this year. His defense is definitely not been as good, as his errors are way up. Phillips needs to realize that fans of a team playing on Pete Rose Way are never going to let be running lazy out of the box or standing admiring a long hit only to have it not go out of the stadium then take a single.

SS- This is a big hole. Alex Gonazales is on the last months of his contract. Hairston has some value as a bench player and he does play hard, but the guy is a wreck when he plays short. Paul Janish can field quite well, probably the best of all of them but he must have pissed Dusty off even when he starts, Baker pulls him out half way through the game. Janish probably is not going to hit, but getting 78 at bats in the first half while spending every game on the roster, how would you know? They need to give Janish some starts to see what you can get. I'd also like to see them give Todd Frazier a shot before September.

3B- This is also a hole. Edwin Encarnacion cannot throw. The guy can get to the ball quite well, but letting it loose you never know where it is going to go. Edwin also missed over a month with a broken wrist, so I don't hold much for him getting his bat back together too much. Hairston is better at third than he is at short. Rosales is a shortstop in the minors, but gumption doesn't equal hits. Rosales is back up in the bigs with Jay Bruce out. I wish the Reds could rip off the Nationals and get Ryan Zimmerman, but that won't happen. That dude would be about the perfect player the Reds need.

LF- I think if they stuck to a righty/lefty platoon of Jonny Gomes and Lance Nix, this could be OK. Nix has been up and down, but the guy has gotten a bunch of extra base hits. He can't hit lefties at all. Gomes on the other hand has some pop, plays hard and he seem to kill lefties. Neither one is a jem in the outfield, but they do OK (Nix being a bit better).

CF- Dusty is hooked on the speed, so Willie Taverez is going to continue to start. You can get buy starting him in Houston or Colorado in those big bat lineups, but the guy is an albatross. It might be different if he was batting 8th, but with him up front, you can guarantee there will be no one on base when the bats get hits. They play upped his defense, but a half season of watching Taverez, the guy miss plays a bunch of balls and takes some odd routes. Tavarez will make the amazing catch, but he doesn't catch some just as he will start in when it is over his head. Chris Dickerson has played better as the season went on. He made a couple of dumb errors early on, but has played quite well since. The guy isn't showing any power or not much speed on the basepaths, but he still should be the regular CF. Won't happen as Bruce's broken wrist cured Baker's problem with the fans, as he can just move Dickerson to right.

RF- Jay Bruce is probably going to need to work on his hitting. The guy has a long loping swing and seems to get beat on slow outside stuff. The guy just pops it up way too much. The guy also has a bunch of warning track power shots. I'd love to see the guy take stuff the other way. His defense has been pretty good. With the busted wrist, he is probably done until Sept.Reds should give Drew Stubbs a shot more early than later.

C- This has been much better than the last couple of years. Ryan Hanigan should be the regular starter and probably will be next year. His defense and hitting are much better than Hernandez. Hernandez is better than Bako, but the guy is middling at best. The guy has played OK defensively at first, especially considering he had never really played it in the bigs.

Taveras: The Road to 100 SBs

17 down
83 to go

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090216&content_id=3836474

Dont you have to get on base before you steal?

Last nights game loss to the Dodgers was an odd, odd game. All sorts of weird things were happening.

Encarnacion tagging from third, running with his head cocked toward the play half the way in, close play at plate (called out) = some dumbass base running

Volquez to operating table $%&*$%^

Encarnacion does a lot of dumbass things.

Boy that one serious dumb trade for Scott Rolen. You get a 34 year old banged up third basemen for your erratic as hell third basemen, your best reliever prospect and best starting prospect (not yet in the pros). Roenicke looked pretty good and can bring some heat. I thought he looked the best out of the young relievers they have had up.

I think they are totally f-ed in the head. Apparently Jocketty wasn't the real brains behind the Cardinals long term success.

Mark Sheldon: "Volquez's ulnar collateral ligament was almost completely torn. Could pitch by end of 2010, but most likely 2011 before back to form."

he got dustied

What the hell was that?

Top 9th: Cincinnati
- D. Sutton hit for D. Weathers
- D. Sutton reached on bunt single
- W. Taveras sacrificed to pitcher, D. Sutton to second
- A. Gonzalez walked
- J. Votto walked
- B. Phillips walked, D. Sutton scored, A. Gonzalez to third, J. Votto to second
- B. Medders relieved B. Wilson
- S. Rolen safe at first on catcher B. Molina's fielding error, A. Gonzalez scored, J. Votto to third, B. Phillips to second
- W. Balentien safe at first on third baseman P. Sandoval's throwing error, J. Votto scored, B. Phillips to third, S. Rolen to second
- B. Phillips scored, S. Rolen to third, W. Balentien to second on wild pitch
- L. Nix hit sacrifice fly to right center, S. Rolen scored
- R. Hanigan grounded out to second

5 runs, 1 hits, 2 errors
Cincinnati 10, San Francisco 5

wau

Dusty The Arm Killer:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=312235

Arroyo on his PED use:
"It might be dangerous," he says, "but so is drinking and driving. And how many of us do it at least once a year? Pretty much everybody."
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090812/SPT04/308120071/Arroyo+ignores+MLB+s+drug+policy
8^O

bronson all tellin' it like it is.

he's going to get a stern talking-to for that DUI quote

Also in non-news, what an idiot