5/21/12 - Braves @ Reds

[The Operator]

Anyone else having trouble with FSO technical difficulties?

Yep, they weren't even able to go to commercials between the inning (not that I minded that) and then the feed dropped out altogether so I switched to ESPN.

[WVRedsFan]

Wonder what meeting Dusty is in? Trade? Sending Cos down? Inquiring minds want to know.

[CrackerJack]

Wonder what meeting Dusty is in? Trade? Sending Cos down? Inquiring minds want to know.

I think now we know thanks to the Cuban Speed Racer.

[redsmetz]

Just a few thoughts from being at the game last night.

From watching the game there, I didn't think Ludwick's night was as horrid as folks here suggested. No question, he was 0-4, but he battled in each AB. I don't know how you check it, but I would guess he went 6-8 (or more) pitches each time. He fouled off a ton of balls, including two scorchers out to the LF seats. They were giving him a ton of room that way, maybe that's how you play him. Clearly he had nothing to show for it, but again, I'd be curious to know how many pitches he went through.

Jay is in one of his class funks. I wish there was a way to even out the roller coaster rides he seems to interject into a season. When he's on, yikes! But he's at the bottom of the ride at the moment.

Leake was as good as folks said. He pitched a heck of a game. Defense, save Frazier's boot, was very good, although my initial thought was that ball would have been tough, but I can't disagree with the E on that. Joey must have had 5 or more balls hit right at him. Cozart made a seemingly impossible catch and Stubbs put something extra into catching that dying quail.

I thought Arredondo had strike 3 on the third batter, although I understand it was just slightly high.

Gotta run.

[cumberlandreds]

That was the Leake we all knew for most of last season. Great effort by him. He should have had the chance to finish it. That decision almost cost the Reds. Keep getting good starting pitching and I believe in the end this team will be just fine.

I agree with RM about Ludwick's AB's tonight. He battled everytime up. He just couldn't get the hit or walk in the end.

[redsmetz]

That was the Leake we all knew for most of last season. Great effort by him. He should have had the chance to finish it. That decision almost cost the Reds. Keep getting good starting pitching and I believe in the end this team will be just fine.

I agree with RM about Ludwick's AB's tonight. He battled everytime up. He just couldn't get the hit or walk in the end.

Found what I was looking for on Gameday, very easy way to click on the Play By Play and see each batter's AB.

Here's what Ludwick did: in the 1st, he faced 7 pitches, fouling off 3 and getting out on a curveball; in the 3rd, it took 9 pitches and he fouled off 5 of those, finally being put out on a change-up. In the 5th inning, Minor made short work of him, three pitches, all 89 MPH fastballs, popping him up to first. Finally, in the 7th, he had 7 more pitches, fouling off two of them.

I can't say whether it will turn on for Ludwick and I agree that one game doesn't portend anything. But he didn't look overmatched in most of those at bats and he made Minor work two of the three times he faced him. Now obviously, Minor won out each of those times, but it took a good bit of effort (19/113 total pitches - not quite 17% of his total). Both Ludwick and Heisey had a good week. It would be good to see both of them keep it up.

Of course, part of the team's problem has been that there have been few games when nearly everything was running in sync.

[traderumor]

Found what I was looking for on Gameday, very easy way to click on the Play By Play and see each batter's AB.

Here's what Ludwick did: in the 1st, he faced 7 pitches, fouling off 3 and getting out on a curveball; in the 3rd, it took 9 pitches and he fouled off 5 of those, finally being put out on a change-up. In the 5th inning, Minor made short work of him, three pitches, all 89 MPH fastballs, popping him up to first. Finally, in the 7th, he had 7 more pitches, fouling off two of them.

I can't say whether it will turn on for Ludwick and I agree that one game doesn't portend anything. But he didn't look overmatched in most of those at bats and he made Minor work two of the three times he faced him. Now obviously, Minor won out each of those times, but it took a good bit of effort (19/113 total pitches - not quite 17% of his total). Both Ludwick and Heisey had a good week. It would be good to see both of them keep it up.

Of course, part of the team's problem has been that there have been few games when nearly everything was running in sync.

I noticed the same thing about Ludwick. He was squaring it up and battling each at bat, hoping to see him go on a tear soon. He better if he wants to keep his job.

[lollipopcurve]

A couple additional thoughts:

I have been saying for a long time that Stubbs was overrated defensively on this board, due mostly to the fact that he was playing tentatively out there. I see progress this year. His effort on Prado's bloop was impressive -- the best I've seen from him. My guess is that balls he can slide feet first for and catch on his glove slide (as happened last night) will be where we see this kind of effort. I do not see him diving headfirst or to his left much at all, if ever. But maybe he'll surprise me. Still, I'm encouraged by his improvement in this area.

Marshall had little last night. No fastball command. Heyward was sitting on that last curveball and just got under it. He was an eyelash from hitting that ball 450 feet and tying the game. Marshall got lucky there. Lesson: Marshall is not used to going back-to-back-to-back. He like, Chapman, is going to be vulnerable to overuse in the push-button bullpen management style employed by the manager. IMO, it is critical that someone get to Baker and convince him that he needs to get more from Hoover, Lecure and or Simon in late and close situations.

Games in which Leake excels on the mound and at the plate are among my very favorite ballgames in a season.

Note the well-pitched games of Bailey and Leake lately. Doesn't Mesoraco deserve some credit for those? And hasn't he earned a start here or there with one of the other guys? If anything, you have to get him more ABs to get him untracked at the plate. He can be a real weapon there when he gets hot.

[traderumor]

A couple additional thoughts:

I have been saying for a long time that Stubbs was overrated defensively on this board, due mostly to the fact that he was playing tentatively out there. I see progress this year. His effort on Prado's bloop was impressive -- the best I've seen from him. My guess is that balls he can slide feet first for and catch on his glove slide (as happened last night) will be where we see this kind of effort. I do not see him diving headfirst or to his left much at all, if ever. But maybe he'll surprise me. Still, I'm encouraged by his improvement in this area.

Marshall had little last night. No fastball command. Heyward was sitting on that last curveball and just got under it. He was an eyelash from hitting that ball 450 feet and tying the game. Marshall got lucky there. Lesson: Marshall is not used to going back-to-back-to-back. He like, Chapman, is going to be vulnerable to overuse in the push-button bullpen management style employed by the manager. IMO, it is critical that someone get to Baker and convince him that he needs to get more from Hoover, Lecure and or Simon in late and close situations.

Games in which Leake excels on the mound and at the plate are among my very favorite ballgames in a season.

Note the well-pitched games of Bailey and Leake lately. Doesn't Mesoraco deserve some credit for those? And hasn't he earned a start here or there with one of the other guys? If anything, you have to get him more ABs to get him untracked at the plate. He can be a real weapon there when he gets hot.

First, I'd say he deserved a little luck, and that Heyward "just missed" the curveball the way it is usually "just missed"--catching the underside of the ball by overplaying the point of descent. And you could tell he had nothing from what, 5-6 pitches? That's impressive.

[jojo]

Marshall had little last night. No fastball command. Heyward was sitting on that last curveball and just got under it. He was an eyelash from hitting that ball 450 feet and tying the game. Marshall got lucky there. Lesson: Marshall is not used to going back-to-back-to-back. He like, Chapman, is going to be vulnerable to overuse in the push-button bullpen management style employed by the manager. IMO, it is critical that someone get to Baker and convince him that he needs to get more from Hoover, Lecure and or Simon in late and close situations.

Marshall only threw one fastball and only 6 pitches total.

[lollipopcurve]

Marshall only threw one fastball and only 6 pitches total.

Well, he threw two non-curves. One may have been a slider. Both missed badly. It was likely that he was coming with the curve on the 2-2 because he'd been able to get it over -- not the case with the non-curves. It was clear Heyward was sitting on it. Watch the swing and you can see he got the pitch he was expecting, and he tried to hit it a mile. Probably overswung. It was not a great pitch -- Marshall's curve is so good when it's good that hitters -- especially lefties -- will not get that kind of swing on it. Like I said, he was lucky Heyward didn't tie the game there.

[lollipopcurve]

And you could tell he had nothing from what, 5-6 pitches? That's impressive.

Yeah -- it was obvious he was less than sharp. Command on non-curves was awful. Maybe you don't like the terminology I used, but I stand by the observation 100%.

[traderumor]

Well, he threw two non-curves. One may have been a slider. Both missed badly. It was likely that he was coming with the curve on the 2-2 because he'd been able to get it over -- not the case with the non-curves. It was clear Heyward was sitting on it. Watch the swing and you can see he got the pitch he was expecting, and he tried to hit it a mile. Probably overswung. It was not a great pitch -- Marshall's curve is so good when it's good that hitters -- especially lefties -- will not get that kind of swing on it. Like I said, he was lucky Heyward didn't tie the game there.

Well, gee, he got a curve from Marshall. Go figure.

[lollipopcurve]

Well, gee, he got a curve from Marshall. Go figure.

Marshall hadn't thrown anything else near the plate. Not good. The curve was not a good one. Not good. He was pitching in his 3rd straight game, and he was not sharp at all. Sorry for pointing out the obvious.

[PuffyPig]

Marshall hadn't thrown anything else near the plate. Not good. The curve was not a good one. Not good. He was pitching in his 3rd straight game, and he was not sharp at all. Sorry for pointing out the obvious.

He likely wasn't trying to throw anything else for a strike.

He generally get's LH hitters out on his curve.