Observations from Today's Game (9/3)

[ThatPitchIsDunn]

Just got back from Petco, and here's a few things I noticed from my left field seats:

1) Milton pitched beautifully. There was only one flyball I recall that he gave up that would have been a homer in GABP. He was getting a lot of groundballs too. He wasn't straight up missing bats, but for the most part hitters fouled off anything close, but never right on it. His only questionable decision is not taking the sure out on the Wells bunt. Of course, he had no idea Ross would throw away the pickoff attempt, but still, take the out. Great job by Eric and a shame we couldn't give him a win for his efforts.

2) I have held out for so long in bashing Majewski and Cormier since they came over. Well, I've now officially had it with them. I understand Gary's just coming back, but good heavens, throw a freakin strike. That pitch he hit Cammy with was just awful. It's terrible that the second Majewski came in, my heart sank. And Cormier, if you want to come in at the beginning of an inning, it would help to every now and again get the first guy out.

3) I love Ryan Freel....but he probably didn't have to dive for that ball in the 7th. Although I'm 100% sure Griffey doesn't make that catch.

4) Speaking of Griffey, I know it was a routine grounder, but run out a ball for once in your life. Please?

5) I'm sure it's my Reds bias coming through, but it seemed like a TON of padre grounders had eyes. Two out of the reach of Clayton I'm unfortunately beginning to get used to, but I think 3 B-Phil just missed. Luck was against us in that regard.

6) I know there was already one out in the 5th when Deno was on 2nd, but I was wondering why not have Freel bunt for a hit there too? Wells was beyond slow getting off the mound, and we weren't getting great wood on his pitches anyways. Great catch by Barfield in that inning definitely saved a run too.

7) Sitting in the left field box, we were right by the Padre bullpen. I hated the reason he was coming in, but Hell's Bells when Hoffman came out along with a clapping in unison crowd was pretty darn cool.

8) Petco's a great park; if you've never seen a game there; I highly recommend it.


Quick game, just under 2 and a half hours. The sun shining bright couldn't hide my disappointment though. I'm not sure how many more losses I can keep saying "Well we've got some work to do" before it turns into a pipe dream.

[redsupport]

relax, it is a pipe dream

[Ltlabner]

Thatpitchisdunn,

Thanks for the from the field report! I always enjoy hearing from those who were there.

Milton can be pretty impressive when he's on. I just wish we could find the "on" button and glue it down.

[Kc61]

In defense of Majewski. Guy had tendinitis. Pitched at AAA Wed and Thurs. Went to SD. Warmed up Fri, pitched Sat. Now pitches in key spot Sunday.

Is that how you handle a guy coming off tendinitis?

Weathers, best reliever right now, didn't pitch in whole series.

[ThatPitchIsDunn]

In defense of Majewski. Guy had tendinitis. Pitched at AAA Wed and Thurs. Went to SD. Warmed up Fri, pitched Sat. Now pitches in key spot Sunday.

Is that how you handle a guy coming off tendinitis?

Weathers, best reliever right now, didn't pitch in whole series.

My buddy who was at the game with me was a Mets fan, and he posed the exact same question, recalling Stormy's semi-success with NY.

All joking aside, he's been our best righty reliever as of late. Maybe Narron thought we could tightrope out of the 8th and have him pitch the 9th.

[Always Red]

Me? I just rue the day that Trevor Hoffman was drafted away from the Reds, by the Marlins, in the expansion draft when the Marlins were created.

Can you imagine him with a Reds uni on these last 10 years??

[Homer Bailey]

Yeah but then we wouldn't have been able to throw Danny Graves out there...

[BEETTLEBUG]

Danny Graves would have never been here.

[TeamBoone]

In defense of Majewski. Guy had tendinitis. Pitched at AAA Wed and Thurs. Went to SD. Warmed up Fri, pitched Sat. Now pitches in key spot Sunday.

Is that how you handle a guy coming off tendinitis?

You certainly don't bring him in with the game on the line! I was irate at that decision.... before he even threw a pitch.

Just as I was irate on Monday when JN chose to have Harang pitch to Barry Bonds with the game tied in the 8th!

I don't often feel like things are totally the manager's fault, but in these two instances I do... they were choices, and he made the wrong one each time.

[Ltlabner]

Just as I was irate on Monday when JN chose to have Harang pitch to Barry Bonds with the game tied in the 8th!

I was at the game yesterday. My father and I both wondered why he left AH in to face Bonds. There were two guys up in the pen. Once it because obvious that Harang wasn't comming out of the game you just got a sinking fealing as to what was going to happen.

Harang was in the 8th, had been used hard in the begining of the year and was starting to get hit more by the Giants as the game wore on. I don't care about what Harang's record against Bonds may or may not have been. It was obvious that Harang was out of gas at that point last night.

Thats the kind of pitching decision that I think Narron just doesn't have the skil for. It also makes we wonder where the heck Tom Hume was?

[TeamBoone]

I should rephrase what I meant... Bonds should have been intentionally walked in that situation, regardless of who was pitching.

Shouldn't have pitched to Hillenbrand in the late innings either. He killed the Reds on the west coast.

[RollyInRaleigh]

Bonds follows Hillenbrand. Gotta pitch to one of 'em.

[Ltlabner]

Bonds follows Hillenbrand. Gotta pitch to one of 'em.

In the 8th Hillenbrand was either already on base (I think he was) or had been put out. So he had been pitched to.

But that left Bonds who tied the game with a 2 run shot.

I would have pitched to him. But I would have done with a fresh reliever and very, very carefully.

[RollyInRaleigh]

Hillenbrand grounded into a force. Randy Winn was on first, and that was the big mistake. Harang had 2 strikes on Winn and then proceeded to hit him with the pitch and give him a base. I believe that Vizquel flied out. Probably would have been out of the inning without the HBP to Winn. Should have never had to pitch to Bonds until the following inning with the bases empty.

If's and but's......................................and yesterday surely wasn't Christmas. Gotta get 'em tonight.

[Ltlabner]

Hillenbrand grounded into a force. Randy Winn was on first, and that was the big mistake. Harang had 2 strikes on Winn and then proceeded to hit him with the pitch and give him a base. I believe that Vizquel flied out. Probably would have been out of the inning without the HBP to Winn. Should have never had to pitch to Bonds until the following inning with the bases empty.

If's and but's......................................and yesterday surely wasn't Christmas. Gotta get 'em tonight.

Thanks....trying to do too many things at once.

But the HPB should have been the last red flag that said, "time for a new pitcher" to Narron/Hume.

Normally I defend Jerry against the litney of "Narron sucks" posts, but this was a grade A poor decision (to let Harang pitch against Bonds).