7.24.12 Reds @ Astros

[kaldaniels]

That makes 4 6-game winning streaks within an exactly 2 calendar month stretch.

[WVRedsFan]

17 over .500. For a team with no lead off hitter, no cleanup hitter, and a stubborn Old school manager, that's not bad.

[kaldaniels]

So what are we, one or two wins away from someone seriously suggesting they are a better "team" without Votto?

[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by kaldaniels

So what are we, one or two wins away from someone seriously suggesting they are a better "team" without Votto?

No, but you have to admit that the team has stepped up in his absence. Maybe putting Stubbs in the two hole and BP third helped, but they were playing the Brewers (44-52) and the Asrros (34-64). Also, it was the time that Ludwick looked like Ludwick and Frazier started to heat up. If Jay Bruce could get going...but we've been saying that forever it seems.

[OnBaseMachine]

This team is fun to follow. They still need add another bat, plus upgrade the bench, but it's so fun watching someone different step up each night. The starting pitching has been nothing short of amazing. Hopefully Walt can go out and acquire the right pieces to make this team even better.

[RedLegsToday]

So what are we, one or two wins away from someone seriously suggesting they are a better "team" without Votto?

From the Reds recap on MLB.com:

Recent results wouldn't suggest that the Reds are missing their most potent hitter, first baseman Joey Votto. With the slugger out of the lineup, the Reds are 7-2.

[Redhook]

Originally Posted by mbgrayson

Dusty, Dusty, Dusty......

I HATE BUNTS!

Me too.

After the 8th inning debacle, I was very pleasantly surprised to see the Reds had won this morning. Great win!

I do have a few questions:

1) Why did Dusty have Paul bunt in the 8th? Paul's left-handed, the pitcher was stuggling, don't give away outs, etc. etc. That decision was terrible. I wish reporters would consistently ask him why he bunts so often when it's proven to be a poor decision.

2) How many more runs would the Reds have this season if they never bunted, not counting pitchers?

3) If there were no outs in the 9th with Stubbs up, would Dusty have made Stubbs bunt? I found it interesting to see what happens when a player doesn't give an out away.

As you can see, I, along with many you, can't stand the bunting. And worse yet, they often fail at it. The Reds and Dusty were lucky to win after not scoring in the 8th.

I know he's not going to change his ways, but these decisions do and will cost the Reds game in the future. I'm happy they won and Dusty has done some great things with the chemistry of the club, but wow, some of his in-game decisions are just so bad.

[OldXOhio]

Originally Posted by Redhook

Me too.

After the 8th inning debacle, I was very pleasantly surprised to see the Reds had won this morning. Great win!

I do have a few questions:

1) Why did Dusty have Paul bunt in the 8th? Paul's left-handed, the pitcher was stuggling, don't give away outs, etc. etc. That decision was terrible. I wish reporters would consistently ask him why he bunts so often when it's proven to be a poor decision.

2) How many more runs would the Reds have this season if they never bunted, not counting pitchers?

3) If there were no outs in the 9th with Stubbs up, would Dusty have made Stubbs bunt? I found it interesting to see what happens when a player doesn't give an out away.

As you can see, I, along with many you, can't stand the bunting. And worse yet, they often fail at it. The Reds and Dusty were lucky to win after not scoring in the 8th.

I know he's not going to change his ways, but these decisions do and will cost the Reds game in the future. I'm happy they won and Dusty has done some great things with the chemistry of the club, but wow, some of his in-game decisions are just so bad.

I think the decision to bunt Paul there was an easy one....it's Xavier Paul at the plate, not Joey Votto. The fact that he already had a couple of hits and was facing a "struggling" pitcher didn't matter. Move the runners over, try and tie the thing up, it was late in the game.

My biggest problem with our manager's desire to bunt is that as a team we largely suck at it. And that absolutely includes Stubbs who yes, Dusty would have had bunting in the 9th.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by OldXOhio

Brown has a history and soft spot with the Reds. Deshaies announces like he pitched: good but not entirely memorable.

Didn't Brown do Reds games on TV a long time ago? The Astro announcers are solid but not too terribly exciting.

Certainly glad Cordero turned down that contract last off season. I felt his time was up here. I thought he did a good job with the Reds. He just made it really exciting when he closed the games.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by kaldaniels

So what are we, one or two wins away from someone seriously suggesting they are a better "team" without Votto?

I help moderate a UK sports board similar to RedsZone. We have a Reds thread going and someone was saying pretty much that the Reds were playing better as a team without Votto. That was just about three games into his injury too. Pretty stupid what people will say sometimes.

[OldXOhio]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Didn't Brown do Reds games on TV a long time ago?

Bill Brown was the Reds' television PBP guy for a stretch in the late 70s/early 80s.

[traderumor]

Man, I had scripted the game as the Reds were due to lose, the Astros were due to win, Cordero was going to come in and make it exciting as he always did, but get the save against his old team, and the Reds would end up losing the series and everyone would be jumping from the Great American building.

I'm glad I was wrong.

[Big Klu]

Originally Posted by OldXOhio

Bill Brown was the Reds' television PBP guy for a stretch in the late 70s/early 80s.

Bill Brown and Ray Lane.

[cumberlandreds]

Originally Posted by Big Klu

Bill Brown and Ray Lane.

Ah yes I remember them now. Of course only about 35 games were televised back in those days.