3/2/2017 - Preseason Game 7 - Wins are for Losers

[membengal]

Amir Garrett on the bump for the Reds at home against the Cubs. And my personal spring training crush Luis Castillo slated for work as well.

The line-up:

Hamilton - CF
Peraza - 2b
Votto - 1b
Duvall - LF
Raburn - RF
Jennings - DH
Irabarren - 3b
Turner - C
Alcantara - SS

[OnBaseMachine]

Two impressive innings in the books for Amir Garrett.

2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

[membengal]

Just now getting to the mlb.com audio after a meeting, Garrett through his first two innings, no runs, 1 hit, 1 K. No walks.

0-0 middle of 2.

In Reds half of first Peraza got a hit but was caught stealing.

[klw]

Two impressive innings in the books for Amir Garrett.

2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Nice!

[Raisor]

Delaying career RIP for Garrett.

[membengal]

Garrett back to the mound for the 3rd. Ks the first batter he sees.

Ground out to SS for the second out. Garrett sounds like he is cruising. Brantley making happy noises over his change-up/breaking ball.

Fly out to CF ends the 3rd.

3 innings for Garrett, 1 hit, 2 Ks, no walks, no runs. Nice.

[OnBaseMachine]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C57lgdZVUAAg01U.jpg

Nick Senzel is wearing #15 in camp. I've long felt #15 and 44 should be reserved for Reds top/elite prospects only based on the great players to wear those numbers before. Nick Senzel certainly matches the criteria.

[OnBaseMachine]

Garrett wasn't exactly facing the Cubs AA squad, either. Heyward, Bryant, Zobrist, Russell, Contreras and Jon Jay are all starting from the big league squad, and top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ rounded out the bottom of the lineup.

[membengal]

Stuart Turner and Hamilton have singled in Reds half of third, two on, two out, Cubs changing the pitcher.

[membengal]

Peraza triples, two runs score.

Full confession - I slagged Peraza as the target that the Reds clearly thought he was, but he's been way better since arriving in the bigs than I had hoped for him.

- - - Updated - - -

Votto robbed of a single by a diving play at 3b, inning over.

Reds up 2-0 after 3.

[membengal]

Cingrani on for the 4th, retires Kris Bryant on a groundout to start the inning.

Then a 4-pitch walk. Ah, Cingrani, you do you.

Then Addison Russell pops up, as good Cingrani returns.

Then he walks Contreras as bad Cingrani comes back.

Alcantara makes a leaping catch at shortstop of a flare to end the inning.

2-0 Reds middle of four.

[membengal]

Duvall hbp to start the 4th, two outs later with Duvall at second Irabarren singles him home.

[Tom Servo]

Cingrani on for the 4th, retires Kris Bryant on a groundout to start the inning.

Then a 4-pitch walk. Ah, Cingrani, you do you.

Then Addison Russell pops up, as good Cingrani returns.

Then he walks Contreras as bad Cingrani comes back.

Alcantara makes a leaping catch at shortstop of a flare to end the inning.

2-0 Reds middle of four.
Cingrani is in midseason form.

[membengal]

Reds up 3-0 after 4.

Michael (don't call him Jared) Lorenzen on the mound for second time this spring, looking for better things than his first appearance.

Nice 3 up 3 down inning for Lorenzen, three ground ball outs.

3-0 Reds middle of 5.

[WrongVerb]

Garrett wasn't exactly facing the Cubs AA squad, either. Heyward, Bryant, Zobrist, Russell, Contreras and Jon Jay are all starting from the big league squad, and top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Ian Happ rounded out the bottom of the lineup.

This is a big consideration and something I try to look at, even during the season in the minors. Quality of competition is a big thing. A few more outings like that, against that level of competition, and Garrett might very well prove himself ready.

[Tracy Jones]

Is it possible that Jose Peraza has been vastly underestimated? I know that it's March 2 but the guy is a hitting machine, and has been ever since he put on a Reds uniform.

[membengal]

I already said above that I am ready to give an initial apology for my hot take on his acquisition. I've liked what he's been about since arriving in the bigs.

[membengal]

Michael Lorenzen back for a second inning of work to begin the 6th. Gets another groundout to start the inning.

One out walk, but then an inning-ending double play. Superfluous J a part of it, as he is now on at shortstop.

Reds still up 3-0 middle of 6.

[membengal]

3-base error on Cubs CF with two outs sets up Jennings for an RBI-single. Lead expands to 4-0.

[membengal]

Reds up 4-0 after 6.

Luis Castillo on the mound alert. My heart fluttered a bit. I am smitten.

There was a first pitch leadoff single by a Cub. I can see my crush will be jinxing Castillo today.

And now another single.

I take it back, fate. Leave Castillo alone.

And now a full count walk.

Bases loaded. All is loss.

[Tom Servo]

Reds up 4-0 after 6.

Luis Castillo on the mound alert. My heart fluttered a bit. I am smitten.

There was a first pitch leadoff single by a Cub. I can see my crush will be jinxing Castillo today.

And now another single.

I take it back, fate. Leave Castillo alone.

And now a full count walk.

Bases loaded. All is loss.
wow good one membengal you ruined him

[membengal]

wow good one membengal you ruined him

I have a long and sad history of ruining all that is good and pure in this world with my fandom.

Fly out to LF gets an out, runner scores on the sac fly, runners remain at first and second.

And now a K, that's more like it.

But then a single, runner scores, but Phil Ervin throws a seed to 3b and knocks off the runner trying to advance there.

Inning over. 4-2 Reds middle of 7.

[membengal]

One out, one on, Phil Ervin at the plate in the 7th. Smashed ball, but on the ground and the Cubs turn 2.

End of 7, Reds up 4-2.

[membengal]

Someone named Evan Mitchell on for the Reds to pitch the 8th. He gets a quick out. He's now my new favorite, sorry Luis, you had your chance.

And now a K looking.

Evan Mitchell rules.

And a simple ground out ends a quick and easy 8th for the best pitcher that ever was and ever will be, Evan Mitchell.

Reds up 4-2 middle of 8.

[klw]

Reds up 4-0 after 6.

Luis Castillo on the mound alert. .

La Isla Castillo?

[membengal]

La Isla Castillo?

No way, that is reserved for another. Only Bonilla appreciates all of nature wild and free.

Renda leadoff single in bottom of 8th.

[Tom Servo]

Someone named Evan Mitchell on for the Reds to pitch the 8th. He gets a quick out. He's now my new favorite, sorry Luis, you had your chance.

And now a K looking.

Evan Mitchell rules.

And a simple ground out ends a quick and easy 8th for the best pitcher that ever was and ever will be, Evan Mitchell.

Reds up 4-2 middle of 8.
Doug's been hyping up Evan Mitchell for a while now, throws pretty hard and gets a ton of ground balls.

[membengal]

Doug's been hyping up Evan Mitchell for a while now, throws pretty hard and gets a ton of ground balls.

Yeah, I looked up his stats during the inning, just 32 Ks in 46 innings last year at AA but Brantley mentioned he's a groundball pitcher, so I will try and remember him going forward. And he did have 18 Ks in 16 innings at high A before his promotion.

For those interested in Mitchell:

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=641887#/career/R/pitching/2017/ALL

Wallach, Chad, not Tim, doubles deep to LF into a stiff wind, runner scores (Renda), 5-2 Reds. Winker up now, he replaced Duvall a few innings back.

Winker Ks. Kivlehan is up. Kivlehan doubles, Reds up 6-2.

Dixon singles after fouling off a number of pitches. Two outs, 1st and 3rd, and sadly the Cubs are changing pitchers. Which prolong this game.

[Kc61]

I already said above that I am ready to give an initial apology for my hot take on his acquisition. I've liked what he's been about since arriving in the bigs.

The reason for all the negativity was because Peraza doesn't walk. It's still an issue, he needs to avoid Ks and continue to hit line drives and avoid popping it up.

But he is a darn good ball striker this kid, still very young and a contact machine.

[membengal]

I am on my way home, thanks for reading along all. 6-2 Reds bottom of 8th still. Maybe wins can be for winners when this one ends.

[Tom Servo]

We're good again! :beerme:

[Mutaman]

And the # 1 star of the game, from St John's University, Amir Garrett.

[Vander]

The one time we win is when the gameday says that said wins are only for losers...

[klw]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2ycDWywGls