5/10 Lineups and Game Thread (Aurilia hitting second)

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Tonight is the start of a 20 game win streak.

I think I just wet my pants..someone let off a firecracker outside my window.

They have a pill for that. "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now."

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by Stormy

It becomes increasingly difficult to presume that Miley can makes such a mess of the Kearns' situation out of arbitrary cluelessness, or earnest personnel evaluation... this treatment smacks of intent, and it's disturbing. It's unpleasant to have an outdated, out of his depths, bush leaguer as your manager, it's outrageous to have him alienating and misusing future cornerstones, of a talent bereft franchise, in the process.

Dave Miley may succeed in increasing ticket sales by at least one. I haven't been to a game yet this year, but I may go just so I can boo Miley. Bush leaguer is right.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

They have a pill for that. "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now."

And...I...don't...have...to go...right now.

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by Raisor

anyone that writes "Just sayin" owes me a dollar everytime he/she says it.

Just sayin about your sayin.

Screw you hippie!

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

Tonight is the start of a 20 game win streak.

I think I just wet my pants..someone let off a firecracker outside my window.

Graves?

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

And...I...don't...have...to go...right now.

God, I love this board.

[rdiersin]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Danny Graves needs to grow a goatee.

Because it's a proven scientific fact that everyone's evil twin has a goatee, and I imagine that Danny Graves' evil twin is a hard-throwing shutdown closer.

Then Milton and Wilson need to shave theirs off.

[RosieRed]

First things first: I'm glad the Reds won. Very nice to be reminded that they can win a game here and there. I hope Claussen is okay, as well as Aurilia.

Now onto the real stuff: What in the hell kind of lineup was that???? I am really and truly at my wits end over the lineups we see. I absolutely cannot believe Aurilia was in the No. 2 spot, and Kearns was batting seventh. It blows my mind that Aurilia was in the lineup AT ALL. Honestly, words can't express my disbelief. A million bang-your-head-on-the-wall smilies might come close.

I only caught bits and pieces of the game, until I was driving home and caught the 8th and 9th innings. Did Miley really take Kearns out of the lineup to get Freel into the game? And if so, why? Was it a situational thing that made sense at the time? Please, someone, tell me it was.

What's sad to me is that I really can't get past the lineup tonight. Even though they won, I'm still frustrated. Sigh. Someone tell me to let it go, because I don't want to be this annoyed every night.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by RosieRed

First things first: I'm glad the Reds won. Very nice to be reminded that they can win a game here and there. I hope Claussen is okay, as well as Aurilia.

Now onto the real stuff: What in the hell kind of lineup was that???? I am really and truly at my wits end over the lineups we see. I absolutely cannot believe Aurilia was in the No. 2 spot, and Kearns was batting seventh. It blows my mind that Aurilia was in the lineup AT ALL. Honestly, words can't express my disbelief. A million bang-your-head-on-the-wall smilies might come close.

I only caught bits and pieces of the game, until I was driving home and caught the 8th and 9th innings. Did Miley really take Kearns out of the lineup to get Freel into the game? And if so, why? Was it a situational thing that made sense at the time? Please, someone, tell me it was.

What's sad to me is that I really can't get past the lineup tonight. Even though they won, I'm still frustrated. Sigh. Someone tell me to let it go, because I don't want to be this annoyed every night.

Hey, it's not your fault Miley stinks. I mean it could be that bad. You could be the one causing Miley's stinkiness. But you're not. You follow the Way and the Way in you follows. Breathe in; breathe out. Zen.

[pedro]

There's a really good chance that was the worst line up the Reds will face all year.

[WVRedsFan]

I have a confession to make. I didn't watch tonight's game (just wasted money to DirecTV, I guess). Instead I listened for the most part (which leaves me cold when Steve does PBP--he has to be the most boring PBP man in the major leagues) and hoped for the best.

Since I didn't see the game, I thought Claussen was pitching well until the unfortunate ball that hit him. It sounded like he had command. Tell me if I'm wrong. It also sounded like the bullpen sucked it up tonight except for Graves' usual hittable performance. This sounded like a major league club for the first time in a long time. A couple of things still bother me...

We're still not hitting. We got a total of seven hits tonight. That shocked me. Something is wrong here and you can put the blame where you want to, but it's been the same for the past three years. We just don't see the ball well or we're lousy. Once again, take your pick.

Continuing to put Rich Aurilla in the lineup borders on the insane. He's hitting on the interstate now - I95. "The man who paid his dues" benched Kearns for hitting in the .220's, so where is the consistency here? I guess the pulled hamstring will answer a lot of questions. If he plays, then we can call the guys in the white coats and haul "TMWPHD" off to the insane asylum.

Our pitchers, although they didn't allow a lot of runs, still allow a lot of hits. Our pitchers don't seem to have velocity--even those who used to. Looking as recently as last year, these pitchers kept the opposition in check with less hits than innings pitched, so what's the difference? Graves came in the 9th and allowed two hits. That's a closer?

I thought it was funny hearing Andy Furman defending Graves tonight and proclaiming that Graves "would be in the Reds Hall of Fame." How in the world can you defend Graves? He had some good seasons, but the last three? Lots of saves and lots of close calls and many blown saves. If he makes it, good for him. I just want to see him and his $6 million contract gone.

Good win. Let's hope we don't see the total end of our hopes (if, indeed any are left) if Paul Wilson continues to struggle. I keep thinking Jimmy Haynes as I watch him pitch this year. If I were the Reds, I'd never give a retread pitcher any more than a one-year contract ever again. If Jim Bowden was a sucker, DanO was an idiot for not looking at history.

And finally, I just feel sorry for Aaron Harang. The one guy who everyone thought was never going to be able to pitch any better than a 5th starter should, is the ace of the staff. He's given up less hits than innings pitched (and only he and Mercker can say that), has a sterling ERA of less than 3.50 (Mercker is the only other one below 4 at 2.25, which leads the team), and is as stoic as anyone I've ever seen. Folks, he ain't Roger Clemmons, but he's a winner and deserves something more than a non decision when the guys who replaced him gave up more hits in 0.0 innings than he did in eight. If I were Aaron, I might be looking to get out of here fast. In fact, that could be said for most of the club.

Since I've established a tradition, I won't watch until they lose again. The only problem is that even with XM's signal coming in loud and clear, I long to hear Joe's voice. Don't worry, I'll get over it (though time is running short).

[RedsBaron]

Harang has pitched great. In 44 innings he has allowed only 14 walks while striking out 34 hitters, averaging 6.95 Ks per 9 innings. Harang, Wagner, maybe Claussen are about the only guys on this staff worth keeping for the long haul.
As for Rich Aurilia, his injury last night marks the first time in my nearly 40 years as a Reds fan that I mentally cheered upon hearing that a Red was injured. I kinda feel guilty about my reaction, so I'm wishing him a speedy recovery. I hope he is ready to again play about October 15.