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Thread: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

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    Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    I didn't see a game thread today to share my thoughts in, but I made it out to this afternoon's game in Bradenton, my first spring training game I've ever gone to. Sorry but I don't have too much to share...I came to Bradenton with some college buddies and they aren't too into baseball so it's sort of like pulling teeth to get them off the beach and to a game. Therefore, we sat out in the bleachers and arrived right before game time. I think I'll be heading over to tomorrow afternoon's game by myself and they will hit the beach instead...probably better for all involved.

    Anyways, onto today's game with the Louisville Bats playing the Pittsburgh Pirates....at least that was what it seemed like looking at the lineups.

    Some notes and observations:

    - Aaron Harang - I was out down the right field line in the bleachers so I couldn't see the pitching too well but it really looked to me like Harang had his curve working. Throwing it for a lot of first pitch strikes. Some Pirates got good contact on him but the wind was blowing in and it knocked a lot of them down. He also had some great defense behind him. He got into a little trouble throughout getting behind early in the count but that was mostly the first inning and the last couple innings. He really hit a groove in the middle there.

    - Adam Rosales should be on this team. He played EXCELLENT defense at third today. He made at least 3 plays that put Encarnacion to shame. If he can hit then he needs to be in Cincinnati. I also loved his hustle and I noticed talking to some other fans that they made the same comment. It sure is easy to make it into the hearts of Cincinnati fans...just hustle down to first after a walk.

    - Paul Janish - Nothing stood out in the game, but he makes defense look so easy. I wish I could look that good fielding infield tosses and firing them to first.

    - Dernell McDonald (or however you spell it) - He looks like he really wants to make the club. I'm not sure what kind of spring he's had or what he's done in his career (been busy with college exams lately) but he looked great today. He has some good speed, hustled hard and got excellent breaks when on the basepaths. On both the failed hit and runs he easily had second stolen. And I think he had 2 SB's as it was. Also played good defense.

    - Josh Roenicke - Faced the scrubs in the 9th, but his stuff looked good. Nice fastball and good off speed stuff.

    - Can't say much about how Weathers or Lincoln looked, we went on an ice cream run then and ran into a guy working the concession stand who was the superintendent of all of our high school alma mater for 25 years in the 1960's thru 1980's. Talk about random, I knew the guys name from seeing it on plaques and stuff in grade school. Pretty cool he noticed one of my buddies wearing a t shirt from high school.

    - Castillo looked good behind the plate. He has a heck of an arm from what I saw. Made 2 perfect laser throws from his knees to try and pick runners off. He also had a really nice bunt base hit. I hope he gets a lot more time at catcher and hopefully his bat can develop a bit more. I was very impressed with his D today though.

    That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Lots of nice people and good Pirates fans. Had a lot of fun teasing a couple Pirates fans around me who kept telling me they were gonna come back. A good bunch of people and a perfect afternoon for a ball game.

    I'm planning on hitting the game tomorrow and then Wednesday and Thursday's games as well. I'd like to try and make it over to the minor league fields before the game tomorrow but I'll have to see when I get up. Loving the sun so far.


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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    It sure is easy to make it into the hearts of Cincinnati fans...just hustle down to first after a walk.
    Cincinnati does love it's grindy white players that lack talent.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Thanks for the report, Caseyfan21.

    I'm not sure what to make of your report on Harang. It sounds as though he was inconsistent for major parts of th outing and overall not all that impressive. As I anticipate the coming season, he is a major concern of mine.
    "I am your child from the future. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier." - Dylan Easton

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by Spitball View Post
    Thanks for the report, Caseyfan21.

    I'm not sure what to make of your report on Harang. It sounds as though he was inconsistent for major parts of th outing and overall not all that impressive. As I anticipate the coming season, he is a major concern of mine.
    His line looks pretty impressive, though.
    "I am your child from the future. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier." - Dylan Easton

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    I love me some Adam "Pete" Roseales....

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    Passion for the game Team Clark's Avatar
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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Seems to me their is a contingent of players who go about ST in the "geesh, let's get this over with" fashion and then there is a larger group of "let's go out and kick some butt". I'm hoping the team takes on the latter identity.
    It's absolutely pathetic that people can't have an opinion from actually watching games and supplementing that with stats. If you voice an opinion that doesn't fit into a black/white box you will get completely misrepresented and basically called a tobacco chewing traditionalist...
    Cedric 3/24/08

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    I did get to see the "scrub" unit play on TV the other day and.....

    Castillo looked pretty rusty behind the plate(i'll call it rusty as benefit of the doubt considering how little he's been back there of late)

    Johnny Gomes looks to have an extremely fast bat....who can ever tell the difference between someone with a quick bat and someone who just simply swings hard? I'll go with a quick bat due to the fact that he looked to maintain good balance.

    I love me some Jeff Keppinger but he still doesn't look like the same guy pre-injury from last year at the plate.

    I hope the adrenaline kicks in during the real games for Weathers and Cordero



    I also saw the game against the Sox(red ones)and my only thought was that even as positive I try to be about the chances of "our" Reds I have to admit that offensively they look a little inept. There's alot of talk about the new brand of ball in Cincy but I wouldn't mind 3 or 4 fast guys and one big bopper instead of 4 or 5 guys and a couple of medium sized boppers.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    It's unfortunate that the Reds signed Taveras in the offseason. Darnell Mcdonald could probably produce more than him if given the chance. I was impressed the few times I saw him in person this spring. Rosales was also impressive, and it had little to do with his "scrappiness." He's just a good ballplayer. He plays good defense and he battles at the plate. Edwin can't always say as much.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    What was the final score today?? THANKS
    I can spell,I just can't type!!

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by WVPacman View Post
    What was the final score today?? THANKS
    6-0 Redlegs

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by cincrazy View Post
    6-0 Redlegs

    Woo Hoo!!
    I can spell,I just can't type!!

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by Spitball View Post
    Thanks for the report, Caseyfan21.

    I'm not sure what to make of your report on Harang. It sounds as though he was inconsistent for major parts of th outing and overall not all that impressive. As I anticipate the coming season, he is a major concern of mine.
    Don't get me wrong, he looked great today. However, at the same time, I noticed he got behind some hitters, especially in the last inning. I would take his performance any time this season that he had today. They had a few hard hits off him, but fielders made great plays. Hopefully this is the start that gets Harang on track and propels him into the season.

    Oh, and as a note, Harang really did lose a lot of weight, I hardly recognized him on the mound. Probably wouldn't have if he had worn a different jersey.
    Last edited by Caseyfan21; 03-23-2009 at 12:30 AM.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by GADawg View Post
    I did get to see the "scrub" unit play on TV the other day and.....

    Castillo looked pretty rusty behind the plate(i'll call it rusty as benefit of the doubt considering how little he's been back there of late)

    Johnny Gomes looks to have an extremely fast bat....who can ever tell the difference between someone with a quick bat and someone who just simply swings hard? I'll go with a quick bat due to the fact that he looked to maintain good balance.

    I love me some Jeff Keppinger but he still doesn't look like the same guy pre-injury from last year at the plate.

    I hope the adrenaline kicks in during the real games for Weathers and Cordero



    I also saw the game against the Sox(red ones)and my only thought was that even as positive I try to be about the chances of "our" Reds I have to admit that offensively they look a little inept. There's alot of talk about the new brand of ball in Cincy but I wouldn't mind 3 or 4 fast guys and one big bopper instead of 4 or 5 guys and a couple of medium sized boppers.
    I can't comment on Castillo behind the plate, we were too fard down the line to tell what he was doing. But his arm looked good the two times I saw him throw.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by Team Clark View Post
    Seems to me their is a contingent of players who go about ST in the "geesh, let's get this over with" fashion and then there is a larger group of "let's go out and kick some butt". I'm hoping the team takes on the latter identity.
    Today's was definitely the latter. Great group of players who really battled hard today. I was proud to tell the Pirates fans around me that that was more AAA than MLB today.

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    Re: Thoughts on Today's Game (3/22 vs Pirates)

    Quote Originally Posted by jesusfan View Post
    I love me some Adam "Pete" Roseales....
    I heard more than one fan call him this today.


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