Times are getting bad, and scary.

[will5979]

Well I don't want to be a negative nancy here but facts are facts. Just 1 week ago we were 9, thats right 9 games over 500, now we've dropped to 5 over in just a week. Our record this month is 7-10, and with Harang pitching today I don't have a good feeling about us stopping the bleeding (I pray I'm wrong).

On top of that this month we still have a 3 game series vs. Oakland (which we'll lose), a series against Cleveland-which we should win but then again look how we choked against the freakin lowly Royals, then a series vs. the NL Champs which we'll lose.

I can't help but to think about how well things were going last year and in 2006 and then BOOM right around this time it all falls apart.

Do us all a favor Dusty, light a fire under these million dollar crybabies arses, it worked in April.

[texasdave]

I think Harang pitches a gem. This ballpark and this opposition is the perfect storm for him.

[bgwilly31]

were not going to get swept.

[1990REDS]

I think Harang pitches a gem. This ballpark and this opposition is the perfect storm for him.

Ya i was thinkin that to. A fly ball pitcher in a park thats hard to go yard and a team that doesnt hit many HR might be a recipe for sucess. It just really sucks to have to really on Harang to be a stopper today. Hopefully he can earn some of that large paycheck today.

[Reds]

Today's game is key. With a win we would avoid the sweep, and gain momentum for the Oakland series.

[Griffey012]

I have no confidence in Harang to pitch well in a game where we need a W. However, did anyone really expect us to beat Cliff Lee or King Felix? I did not, if we took one of the games it was a gift. We need a victory today though.

[TheBigLebowski]

I have no confidence in Harang to pitch well in a game where we need a W. However, did anyone really expect us to beat Cliff Lee or King Felix? I did not, if we took one of the games it was a gift. We need a victory today though.

The Reds simply don't beat good pitchers. It's that simple. Hell, look at how long a guy like Oswalt has dominated this team. For us to have any hope of competing, we HAVE to beat the league-average and worse pitchers because high-caliber ones and twos (Lee/Felix, Carpenter/Wainwright, Hamels/Halladay, etc) are always going to beat these guys 9 out of 10 times. 5-6 times out of those 9 losses we will not even look like a AAA team with the bat, as evidenced by our last 18 innings.

[Maker_84]

The Reds simply don't beat good pitchers. It's that simple. Hell, look at how long a guy like Oswalt has dominated this team. For us to have any hope of competing, we HAVE to beat the league-average and worse pitchers because high-caliber ones and twos (Lee/Felix, Carpenter/Wainwright, Hamels/Halladay, etc) are always going to beat these guys 9 out of 10 times. 5-6 times out of those 9 losses we will not even look like a AAA team with the bat, as evidenced by our last 18 innings.

The reds are also simply not good at all. We played extremely above our heads for awhile and now we're falling back to earth. It's time to start accepting it will be a struggle to hit 500 at this point.

[bshall2105]

The reds are also simply not good at all. We played extremely above our heads for awhile and now we're falling back to earth. It's time to start accepting it will be a struggle to hit 500 at this point.

I think that's a little overboard with the not good at all comment. Evrybody has their rough patches in a season. At one time we were five games out and everyone thought the Cardinals had the division wrapped, they were playing great and the Reds were not. Then the Cardinals hit a rough stretch, and we took advantage. Now it seems to be trending back to how it was at the beginning of the year, sure we may fall back 5 games or so. However, eventually the Cardinals will stop playing good and the Reds will stop playing bad. This should be a good division race for a while.

[Parliament]

I think that's a little overboard with the not good at all comment. Evrybody has their rough patches in a season. At one time we were five games out and everyone thought the Cardinals had the division wrapped, they were playing great and the Reds were not. Then the Cardinals hit a rough stretch, and we took advantage. Now it seems to be trending back to how it was at the beginning of the year, sure we may fall back 5 games or so. However, eventually the Cardinals will stop playing good and the Reds will stop playing bad. This should be a good division race for a while.

:beerme:

I agree completely. Lets get a game back today

[arkimadee]

Lets pretend we started the season 10 games under and have won 15 i in a row to make us 5 games over .500 and have moved within a game an a half of first place. Then it don't sound that bad :)

[LeDoux]

The problem is that their backs are hurting from sitting on hard seats and their minds are overworked with baseball. They need to get something softer to sit on in the dugout, perhaps a sofa. Some light reading, maybe Field and Stream, would help them relax as well.

[texasdave]

The problem is that their backs are hurting from sitting on hard seats and their minds are overworked with baseball. They need to get something softer to sit on in the dugout, perhaps a sofa. Some light reading, maybe Field and Stream, would help them relax as well.

Recliners in the locker room maybe?

[The Voice of IH]

ok, I am really starting to get nervous right now...please someone talk me down from jumping off the cliff and busting out the Bengals stuff :thumbdown:D

[Vottomatic]

I couldn't even watch it was so pathetic.

[DirtyBaker]

I really feel like that was the one the reds had to have. man o man last 3 games have been rough.

[bshall2105]

ok, I am really starting to get nervous right now...please someone talk me down from jumping off the cliff and busting out the Bengals stuff :thumbdown:D

Hey at least the Bengals have made the playoffs in the last 10 years.

[krm1580]

I guess it is all about perspective. After we got swept by Pittsburgh back in April, if somebody would have said "Would you take being 1.5 games out of 1st on June 21" I would have said YES!!!!!!

I know a week like this makes it tough for fans, but realistically this team is a little ahead of schedule. I thought a better than .500 season this year would be solid and a playoff run of a few years would start in 2011.

[Reds]

We still have a shot to go .500 on the road trip, if we can do that it won't be unsuccessful. And, for what it's worth, it's better to lose to the AL than the NL.

We sure do hit a lot of pop-ups, I've noticed that over the past couple weeks.

It's a shame we don't play the NL Central more though. :|

[mivers176]

I understand losing the first two against Lee and Felix, at least they are dominant pitchers that you expect to get a tough outing from.

But Rowland-smith!?? really. coming in he was 0-6 with an ERA near 7 and we cant scratch out a run or two? that is unacceptable especially given the circumstances (verge of being swept by the last place AL west team).

this road trip could kill us.

[The Voice of IH]

I really do feel that the Reds need to win this series against Oakland, just for their confidence and to prove to the Fans and themselves that they are truly as resilient as they have shown to be thus far this year. I know every series is important, but this one IMO, is crucial.

[winks]

It seems to me that too many (Votto Phillips Gomes) were trying to be the hero. Swinging for the fences especially late in the 1-0 games. It was almost like someone told the Reds its hard to hit HRs in Seattle and they pumped out there chest and said "we"ll see about that." Well they did and its even harder to hit HRs in Oaktown. Just hit situationally like they had done all season and that series turns out different.
Thinking back to the debacle in Seattle the only run they scored was Votto's heads up tag up. WOW

[bshall2105]

It seems to me that too many (Votto Phillips Gomes) were trying to be the hero. Swinging for the fences especially late in the 1-0 games. It was almost like someone told the Reds its hard to hit HRs in Seattle and they pumped out there chest and said "we"ll see about that." Well they did and its even harder to hit HRs in Oaktown. Just hit situationally like they had done all season and that series turns out different.
Thinking back to the debacle in Seattle the only run they scored was Votto's heads up tag up. WOW

Especially Gomes, He swung at balls so far low and outside it was comical.

[1990REDS]

So im gonna say it aloud, am I the only one whos wondering if this is the point in the year when gomes comes crashing back down to earth and goes back to being the .245 hitter hes been his whole career.

[The Voice of IH]

So im gonna say it aloud, am I the only one whos wondering if this is the point in the year when gomes comes crashing back down to earth and goes back to being the .245 hitter hes been his whole career.

:thumbdown:

He faced two Cy-Young type pitchers and had a bad day against a mediocre one. I think Gomes can get everything back in this series against Oakland...oh i hope