Stubbs can't stop Dragons' loss despite best efforts

[OnBaseMachine]

Stubbs can't stop Dragons' loss despite best efforts

Poor fielding overrides player's contributions as early 5-1 lead over Lansing disappears.

By Marc Katz

Staff Writer

Sunday, August 19, 2007

DAYTON — Drew Stubbs did about as much as he could do Saturday night to win a baseball game for Dayton.

That the Dragons didn't is no fault of his.

He had two doubles among his three hits, walked once, scored a run and knocked in another. He also threw out a runner at the plate from center field.

And still the Dragons lost to Lansing, 7-5, as poor fielding around Stubbs' contributed to two unearned runs after the Dragons took a 5-1 lead in the third.

"It's a bittersweet moment," said Stubbs, hitting .553 (21-38) since being ordered by manager Donnie Scott to choke up on the bat nine games ago. "Until the game is over, you feel good about yourself. If you're a team player, you feel down if you lose."

The loss to the Lugnuts — now four games ahead of the Dragons and in second place in the Class A Midwest League East in the second half — ended a three-game winning streak for Dayton. Stubbs' hot streak continues; he has hit safely in eight of the last nine games.

He also has connected for four doubles, a triple, three homers, 12 runs and eight RBIs. He also has walked three times and struck out only twice, this from a guy who has 128 strikeouts on the season.

"A few games ago, I had everybody choke up," Scott said. "I wanted to get them going. A couple days ago, I took it off, except for Stubbs. He went seven games without striking out."

Dragons tales

• Right fielder Denis Phipps was taken out of the game after not running out a grounder in the fourth.

• Second baseman Justin Turner jammed his thumb Friday and is day-to-day.

• Shortstop Zack Cozart, who made a Top-10-like play in the hole Friday, will miss games Monday and Tuesday to attend an aunt's funeral.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...07dragons.html

[JaxRed]

All in favor of Stubbs continuing to choke up?

[OnBaseMachine]

This is huge for the future of this organization if Drew Stubbs is indeed starting to figure it out. The Reds organization lacks a true RH power bat who can step in provide power in between Hamilton, Bruce, and Dunn/Votto. If Stubbs pans out then you have a 25 HR and .380+ OBP guy with gold glove defense. I sure hope he can keep this up. This recent surge has me excited about his future.

[KoryMac5]

This is huge for the future of this organization if Drew Stubbs is indeed starting to figure it out. The Reds organization lacks a true RH power bat who can step in provide power in between Hamilton, Bruce, and Dunn/Votto. If Stubbs pans out then you have a 25 HR and .380+ OBP guy with gold glove defense. I sure hope he can keep this up. This recent surge has me excited about his future.

Sounds to me like Scott figured it out for him. Ordering him to choke up on the bat is a lot different than Stubbs agreeing that it needed to be done. This move has definitely shortened that long swing problem Stubbs had.

[icehole3]

Should Scott's name go into the managerial hat for the big club???

[camisadelgolf]

It's kind of freaking me out how many people think choking up is the sole reason for his improvements. What happens when Stubbs slumps? Does he start holding the barrel? Don't get me wrong--I think choking up has helped--but I also think it's as much psychological as anything else.

[Degenerate39]

Where does Stubbs start at next year?

[OnBaseMachine]

Where does Stubbs start at next year?

Chattanooga if the Reds are smart (which means he'll be in the VSL).

[dougdirt]

Chattanooga if the Reds are smart (which means he'll be in the VSL).

hahahahahaha

[jmcclain19]

It's kind of freaking me out how many people think choking up is the sole reason for his improvements. What happens when Stubbs slumps? Does he start holding the barrel? Don't get me wrong--I think choking up has helped--but I also think it's as much psychological as anything else.

Like a no hitter in progress - lets just not talk about it and hope it continues.

[DoogMinAmo]

Couldn't he just get a shorter bat?

[CrackerJack]

Couldn't he just get a shorter bat?

[bucksfan2]

Couldn't he just get a shorter bat?

I dont think its that easy. If you get a shorter bat I think you have to get a lighter one as well. I always thought there was a correlation between bat size and weight.

[LoganBuck]

Stubbs can't stop Dragons' loss despite best efforts? Jay Bruce would have run around the world so fast that he would have reversed time to stop a loss.