Halladay throws 2nd postseason no-hitter in history to beat Reds in Game 1

[Brutus]

Meh... This is definitely wrong... Volquez had been the Reds best starter over the last month. He also had a very nice history (albeit small sample size) vs. the Phillies, and good splits vs. lefties...

Starting Volquez wasn't the wrong decision... It had the 2nd worst repercussions if it went wrong (an Arroyo meltdown would've been more ugly), but it was still the perfect gamble given the guy throwing on the other side...

I'm not going to second-guess the decision by Dusty to throw him, because it was a high-risk/high-reward and I knew that when it was announced. Didn't know if it would turn out well, but I also knew it had a chance of turning out great.

But at the same time, yeah Volquez was really good in all of four (4) September starts against Houston, Milwaukee, Arizona and Pittsburgh, but he was absolutely awful the last two starts in August.

I won't complain about him being run out there. I understand the reasoning. It is fair, though, to point out that he's had 12 starts this year prior to the playoffs, and has gone fewer than 5 innings in a third of them. That's shaky odds.

A case could have been made for any of the five starters. And there was a valid case to be made for Volquez (though I hope we have learned our lesson for this season). Now, the next time around needs to go to Wood or Bailey.

[reds44]

There's really no reason not to pitch Wood in game four if we get that far. The "he's a rookie" excuse is out the window now.

[Brutus]

All I can say is I'm really down in the dumps fellas. I really am. I took this one hard tonight.

So you'll be changing your name from EdinsonVolquez32?

[Reds Nd2]

Anyone have a link to Marty's call of the last out?

[oregonred]

Tip of the hat to Halladay. Was worth the risk on Volquez, but I'm not convinced Cueto or Volquez will ever have big game success. Volquez gets a pass into 2011 due to surgery.

Gotta love Travis Wood although burning him with a 4-0 hole against Doc is a head scratcher... Thought it was the easy call to make him the Game 2 starter. If there is a game 4 on Monday and Wood isn't your starter then Dusty needs his head examined. Of course the ball finds Gomes in LF likely costing three runs that Heisey or Nix saves, not that it mattered tonight.

Good news is that it is only one loss, Friday was always going to be the deciding game. Oswalt can be beat and the mission can still be accomplished going home 1-1.

The only thing that irks me is the philospophy of not going for the second best record in the league when it was clearly within grasp. Besides leaving at least $5M in revenue on the table from hosting at least an extra playoff game, with two more wins down the stretch we're getting ready to host Atlanta in Game 1 tomorrow night for a much easlier path to the NLCS while the Phils/Giants have a 5-game death match.

It's all about Friday night at this point.

[Brutus]

There's really no reason not to pitch Wood in game four if we get that far. The "he's a rookie" excuse is out the window now.

Agreed.

[sivman17]

Right. Except all stats say Cabrera is an above average defender. But I'm sure you knew that.

Cabrera
Range Factor: 17th out of 21 qualifying SS in the MLB; 76th in the MLB for all SS (qualifying or non-qualifying)


To be honest that was the first stat I looked at and I didn't feel like looking up anymore. He's got a good fielding percentage because he can only get to the easy ones. We have said all year he lacks range.

But I'm sure you knew that.

[Homer Bailey]

meh... wrong line... OCab is an entire .1 runs above average in Range Runs above average... That's not good... He's also a complete hacker at the plate... If you'd really take OCab over Janish defensively at SS, there's not much of an argument...

You just proved my point. UZR has OC as an above average defender. Literally the only guy on the Reds roster that an ORG'er will actively look into the UZR number to try to find a flaw with his defense. And show me where I said I'd take OC over Janish defensively. Go ahead, I'll wait.

I guess we're just throwing out the fact that he hit over .300 since the break too?

[reds44]

Look OC made a bonehead play and Gomes made a bad play in LF but talking about that when we got NO HIT is kind of silly isn't it?

[Homer Bailey]

Cabrera
Range Factor: 17th out of 21 qualifying SS in the MLB; 76th in the MLB for all SS (qualifying or non-qualifying)


To be honest that was the first stat I looked at and I didn't feel like looking up anymore. He's got a good fielding percentage because he can only get to the easy ones. We have said all year he lacks range.

But I'm sure you knew that.

See my post above this one. When UZR proves you wrong, keep digging until you find something to support your argument!

[Homer Bailey]

Look OC made a bonehead play and Gomes made a bad play in LF but talking about that when we got NO HIT is kind of silly isn't it?

You don't get it. It's OC and Gomes's fault that we got no hit!

[REDblooded]

You just proved my point. UZR has OC as an above average defender. Literally the only guy on the Reds roster that an ORG'er will actively look into the UZR number to try to find a flaw with his defense. And show me where I said I'd take OC over Janish defensively. Go ahead, I'll wait.

I guess we're just throwing out the fact that he hit over .300 since the break too?

Ignore the guy posting above you, because TBH, that's the main issue... There are FAR too many balls that OCab doesn't get to, or field cleanly because of his range... I can see that without the benefit of any fielding metrics...

[Ghosts of 1990]

Halladay is one of the best of our generation, but whether you're no-hit by an all-time great or a guy nobody's ever heard of, it's embarrassing and a little disheartening to open the first playoffs in 15 years like this.

The series isn't over by a long shot. 1 loss is 1 loss, no more, as long as the players focus on Oswalt now. What's done is done. Those players realize Halladay was simply untouchable. They will move on.

I think we find out what they're made of Friday night, game two. Period. The season either goes on from there or it pretty much ends there.

[reds44]

You don't get it. It's OC and Gomes's fault that we got no hit!

OC had two of the best ABs in the game today, as silly as that may sound.

Gomes, well, yeah.

[Ghosts of 1990]

YouTube - Richard Nixon on The Purpose of Life

I think everyone should watch this. I wish the Reds could watch this tonight.