3/23 game thread Reds vs. Pirates

[redsfan30]

As M2 said, the guy busted his butt to become a major league player, on his own. He wasn't given regular playing time to develop his skills, he worked on his own. I'm not a huge Wily Mo fan, in other words, I don't think he's a future MVP or that he will break out and be a perennial superstar, but you have to pay the man his dues. He worked very, very hard to become the player he is today. He still has a lot of work ahead of him, but effort is not something you can say he lacked.

Agreed. He definetly worked his butt off to get to where he is. But it seems to me that he's been where he is for going on three years now. From 2004 to now I honestly haven't seen much improvement. I think that's where Marty's coming from. If he could put all that effort into getting himself where he is now, why can't he put in that same effort into getting better?

Just seems to me after watching him throughout his Reds' career, just seems like he settled to be where he's at now.

[BRM]

I'm almost positive that this is his second. The lone RBI he had up to this point came on a homerun. I think it happened early in the spring, like maybe the first week.

Well, I checked ESPN, Sportsline and Yahoo and they all list him with zero homeruns coming into this game.

[redsfan30]

Yeah, does look like all the stats say he didn't have any but I could have SWORN that he did.

And by the way...is this batter's name Boobie?

Haha....boobie.

[BRM]

Here's an interesting update from Marc's blog. I didn't want to start a new thread so I'll put it here.

SARASOTA -- Wandered out to the back fields, where Dayton and Sarasota are playing their opposite numbers from the Orioles' system this afternoon. I retreated inside a couple minutes ago, as a storm has swept in and is now dropping sheets of rain at a 45-degree angle, as I see it from the press room, but there were some interesting sights out there earlier.

A couple of pitchers who are highly thought of in the organization were plying their trade. For Dayton, 20-year-old righty Johnny Cueto, and for Sarasota, University of Texas product Sam LeCure. I mostly watched LeCure, who I've been curious about, and was very impressed. Had pretty good stuff. Didn't see the radar gun, but the glove was popping on his fastball and guys were having trouble making solid contact. Nice breaking ball, too -- made one guy in the last inning he pitched look pretty bad.

Among the others playing for Sarasota were the great Bobby Mosby, a 6-1, 290-pound bopper who hit 19 homers in 69 games for Billings two years ago, the very well-regarded 2005 draft pick Adam Rosales at short and (I swear I'm not making this up) Stephen Smitherman. The Reds' 2003 minor league player of the year, who played 21 games in the majors that season, was with the High-A guys. He split time between Louisville and Chattanooga last year.

Also, word from rain-delayed Bradenton is that Jason Standridge has cleared waivers. No surprise there. He has three days to decide whether to accept an outright assignment to Louisville.

[Doc. Scott]

Also, word from rain-delayed Bradenton is that Jason Standridge has cleared waivers. No surprise there. He has three days to decide whether to accept an outright assignment to Louisville.

Whoa, bratwurst must contain tryptophan. DanO's asleep in his office already.

[Matt700wlw]

Rain delay and spring training....two things that don't go together well.

[BRM]

Is the game still in a rain delay?

[TRF]

watch as Sam LeCure soars through the org.

[KronoRed]

Really gutsy of Marty to pick on a player no longer on the team to defend himself.

Where was that when Woly Mo was on the Reds huh Marty?

[Matt700wlw]

Is the game still in a rain delay?

Thankfully, no.

[BRM]

I take it Dave Williams pitched well?

[M2]

Can't really criticise Marty for blasting him once he was gone...he blasted him when he was here.

And quite honestly, I take Marty's assesment of Wily Mo and tend to believe him. We as fans just see what happens from 7:00 to 10:00 every night. We don't see his pregame activities and we're not in the clubhouse to see how is attitude is. Marty was around him on a daily basis. He would have a better idea than any fan would.

There has to be a reason why none of the many glaring holes in Wily Mo's game ever seem to get any better.

The primary reason why they're there is because he's young and young players tend to have holes in their game. He's always going to whiff and he'll never win a Gold Glove, but you can bet he'll be better in those areas in his late 20s than he was in his early 20s.

As far as Marty being around him on a daily basis, it's been widely reported that Pena has always taken extra fielding and hitting practice and sought out the advice of his coaches and elder players on the team on how to improve. He works out on a year round basis, keeps himself in top shape and plays the game almost 12 months a year.

That Marty would blast Pena for being lazy yet he was worried about potentially losing Kearns (who spent two years coasting) tells me all I need to know about Marty's skills at judging effort. Marty's a stooge and his senseless campaigns against certain players has been programming casual fans who don't know any better to dislike many of the more talented players who've taken the field for the franchise in recent years.

Note to Bob Castellini: That bitter old man in the booth is going to cost you a lot money in the coming years.

[Reds1]

Yes, Williams 1 unearned run.

they just said Basham will get every opp to be in the pen for SD when they go North.

[Hoosier Red]

Well, I checked ESPN, Sportsline and Yahoo and they all list him with zero homeruns coming into this game.

I think he hit one in the intra squad scrimmage.

[BRM]

Yes, Williams 1 unearned run.

Not bad. Anyone have the rest of his line today? Is Wagner pitching now?