4-19 vs Cubs(Freel starting at 2B, Pena in RF)

[WVRed]

First Gamethread Ever.

Reds
Ryan Freel, 2B
Ken Griffey Jr., CF
Sean Casey, 1B
Joe Randa, 3B
Adam Dunn, LF
Wily Mo Pena, RF
Rich Aurilia, SS
Javier Valentin, C
Brandon Claussen, P

Cubs
Jerry Hairston Jr., RF
Corey Patterson, CF
Nomar Garciaparra, SS
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Derrek Lee, 1B
Jason Dubois, LF
Neifi Perez, 2B
Michael Barrett, C
Mark Prior, P

[Riverfront]

Woo Hoo!!!! Go Reds!!

[flyer85]

Beating the Cubs two in a row while they are running out Woods and Prior would be fun. However, if Claussen is anything like the guy I saw in ST the Cubs are going to open up a can on him tonight.

[The Baumer]

Mark Prior, meet Wily Mo.

[realreds1]

Originally Posted by The Baumer

Mark Prior, meet Wily Mo.

Let's just hope Brandon Claussen has talked to Matt Belisle before he meets Jeromy Burnitz, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Corey Patterson.

[Aronchis]

Hopefully WMP is on the bench tonight. Kearns rocked Prior last year and cost the Cubs a postseason bid, I wouldn't be surprised some lingering effects are still being felt by Prior.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by Aronchis

Hopefully WMP is on the bench tonight. Kearns rocked Prior last year and cost the Cubs a postseason bid, I wouldn't be surprised some lingering effects are still being felt by Prior.

Honestly after 4 days in a row I would give Jr the night off.

[The Baumer]

Originally Posted by realreds1

Let's just hope Brandon Claussen has talked to Matt Belisle before he meets Jeromy Burnitz, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Corey Patterson.

Belisle was blowing fastballs by all of them. He just threw poor 2 strike pitches. Also Ramirez looked fooled and had a terrible uppercut swing on his home run.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by The Baumer

Belisle was blowing fastballs by all of them. He just threw poor 2 strike pitches. Also Ramirez looked fooled and had a terrible uppercut swing on his home run.

Poor command does not always show up as walks. Everytime Belisle threw his curve last night he didn't locate it. he kept leaving it in the middle of the plate.

[Aronchis]

Originally Posted by The Baumer

Belisle was blowing fastballs by all of them. He just threw poor 2 strike pitches. Also Ramirez looked fooled and had a terrible uppercut swing on his home run.

Belisle threw the worst sequence of breaking pitches I have seen of a young pitcher in some time. Man, that must have been embarrasing.

[HotCorner]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Cabesa

Honestly after 4 days in a row I would give Jr the night off.

Seriously. Keep Wily Mo in the lineup and get Kearns some AB's.

[DoogMinAmo]

Originally Posted by The Baumer

Belisle was blowing fastballs by all of them. He just threw poor 2 strike pitches. Also Ramirez looked fooled and had a terrible uppercut swing on his home run.

How fooled could he have been if a "terrible uppercut" swing hit a hanging breaking ball (note no heat) over 480 feet? Although I did not see the play, so you could be right, I would have to disagree by sheer consequence.

[SYCMiniBus]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Cabesa

Poor command does not always show up as walks. Everytime Belisle threw his curve last night he didn't locate it. he kept leaving it in the middle of the plate.

Its not that he didnt locate it, the ball just didnt CURVE. He basically threw a really slow pitch with spin. That is not a recipe for success. Also he couldn't throw a change for a strike. His fastball was fine but when your not Billy Wagner you can not get by throwing only fastballs.

[The Baumer]

Originally Posted by DoogMinAmo

How fooled could he have been if a "terrible uppercut" swing hit a hanging breaking ball (note no heat) over 480 feet? Although I did not see the play, so you could be right, I would have to disagree by sheer consequence.

He took a long sweeping swing that managed to just catch the curve ball. The ball went straight up into the air and just carried. And it was Lee's homerun that was a blast. Ramirez' was just a few rows into the seats if I recall.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by DoogMinAmo

How fooled could he have been if a "terrible uppercut" swing hit a hanging breaking ball (note no heat) over 480 feet? Although I did not see the play, so you could be right, I would have to disagree by sheer consequence.

It was a curveball that had some bite but it was down on the inner half of the plate when the pitch was supposed to be down and away. If he had thrown it where Larue wanted it Ramirez could not have hit it. Instead Ramirez went down and launched it.