Redlegs Review

Pete Rose's helpful advice has stuck with Joey Votto

2013-05-22T17:36:00.001-04:00

Anybody who has ever watched Joey Votto play baseball knows that there is something different about him.

The Canadian native approaches the game unlike any of his peers. Votto's tedious approach to hitting and incredible work ethic are second to none. Perhaps those are just two of the reasons why he is widely regarded as one of the elite players in Major League Baseball.

On Wednesday, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com published a great feature piece on Cincinnati's star, which gives further background on how he became the player he is today. One of the nuggets in the article is about how Votto has forged a bond with baseball's all-time hit king Pete Rose.

In the article, Votto recollected an encounter he had with Rose while standing in the on-deck circle at Great American Ball Park several seasons ago. Rose was watching intently from a front row seat and eventually struck up a conversation with the left-handed slugger. It was during that conversation when Votto received a piece of wisdom that he still remembers to do this day.

"Early in my career, Pete kept an eye on me," Votto said, "and the one piece of advice he gave me was, 'When you get the second hit, get the third hit. And when you get the third hit, get the fourth hit. And when you get the fourth hit, get the fifth hit.' That really stuck with me, because it's a genuine challenge when you're tired, or you're sick, or the score is mismatched, or you're facing a tough pitcher, or you're not in a good mood that day. Whatever it is.

"What I took away from Pete's advice is, 'You're playing for yourself. You're competing for your team. You're doing the best you can every day to get the most out of your abilities.' So when I have that at-bat when the score is 10-0, yeah, I usually check in with myself and make sure I'm in a prime place to hit and I'm ready to go and I'm not about to give away this at-bat. I'll take my time before the at-bat or call timeout so there's no excuses and nothing I can look back and regret."

Rose referred to this pearl of advice as always striving to "reach for the last cookie in the jar." Basically, it means never be content with your successes, and in baseball terms, never waste an at-bat, which I'm pretty sure Rose rarely ever did. He was the definition of a tough out for pitchers.

The article also includes several quotes from teammates gushing over Votto's hitting ability and even boasts a little snippet on Shin-Soo Choo. I believe it's a must read for any Reds fan out there. Especially with an off day looming on Thursday. Here's the link.

Photo: Reds to wear camo on Memorial Day

2013-05-21T23:24:00.003-04:00

The Reds will be donning camouflage jerseys and hats when they take the field against the Indians on Memorial Day, which believe it or not is next Monday.

In fact, all MLB teams will be wearing camo on the patriotic holiday in honor of those brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It is because of them that we are able to live the lifestyle that we are so accustomed to here in America.

God bless America. And God bless the Redlegs.

Video: Mat Latos fields questions from fans on MLB Network

2013-05-21T08:11:00.001-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

As much as fans love watching their favorite players perform on the diamond, they love it even more when they can actually hear from them.

Well, this is precisely what fans got to do with Mat Latos recently, as the big right-hander appeared on MLB Network's "Chatting Cage" to field questions from fans.

Latos addresses how he approaches hitters at Great American Ball Park, who he thinks the funniest guy on the team is, how he adjusted to being the team's ace in Johnny Cueto's absence, and more.

Check it out. It's bascially a really good extended interview.

Reds surge toward top in new MLB power rankings

2013-05-20T13:32:00.000-04:00

Cincinnati is the biggest winner in ESPN's newly released MLB Power Rankings.

Apparently, the pollsters were impressed with the six-game winning streak the Reds strung together in the past week. That streak came to an end in Philadelphia over the weekend, though, as the Reds dropped two of three from the feisty Phillies.

Nonetheless, Dusty Baker's bunch still landed at spot No. 3 this week in the rankings. That is up seven spots from the previous week, which is the highest jump for any team in baseball. Baltimore experienced the worst drop, falling nine spots from No. 4 to No. 13.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals fell off the top perch and down to No. 2.
The voting panel was comprised of Tim Kurkjian, David Schoenfield, and Jayson Stark. However, former Red and Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin also voiced his opinion on air Monday, and he didn't think so highly of his former team.

Larkin excluded Cincy from his top five, choosing to include the Rangers, Indians, Yankees, Cardinals, and Pirates, instead. I know he has to be neutral, but there is no way I'm ready to dub the Pirates a better overall team than the Reds at this point. Let's wait until July before we say the Buccos have turned the ship around. Twenty straight losing seasons isn't coincidence.

Click here to check out the full rankings.

Quotes from weekend series against Philly

2013-05-20T08:02:00.004-04:00

Back-to-back home runs from two of the most unlikely suspects was the difference between the Reds winning and losing the series against Philadelphia over the weekend.

Both homers came off Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the ninth Sunday. It marked the first time in 157 career appearances that Chapman had allowed two home runs in the same game.

Despite the heart-breaking loss, the beat goes on for Dusty Baker and the Reds, who now travel to New York for a three-game set against the Mets. Until then, mull over some quotes from the weekend series against Philly.

Friday (L, 5-3)

"Everything was working. Mes was calling a great game back there. We mixed our pitches really well. It was two mistake pitches. I left them a little too much over the plate. It's what cost me."
[Tony Cingrani on his outing]

"The walk and then the infield hit, how many infield hits is Ryan Howard going to get? And then the ball bounced so far on the other side of second base that Cozart couldn't turn the double play. It was just a matter of a couple of feet. ... That would have been a great play."
[Baker on a tumultuous eighth inning]

Saturday (W, 10-0)

"I don't care what the score is. You stay together and you keep fighting. And that's what you've got to do. But if you don't, well, that's kind of sending a message of what kind of player that you are. That's how I look at it. Like I said, I played for 20 years. I've been on a lot of teams. Your character is revealed. They say the game builds character. I don't know about building, but it'll definitely reveal your character."
[Charlie Manuel on the blowout defeat]

"Everything worked today. I didn't think anything was outstanding, but everything collectively was a good mix against this lineup. It's been so tough for us to win over the years in this ballpark, it's nice to nail one down with good run support and keeping them off balance all night."
[Bronson Arroyo on his stellar start]

"My swing feels quite a bit better. It feels quicker and more direct to the ball, and combining that with being able to see the ball as deep as possible, it's usually when I am at my best."
[Joey Votto on reaching base six times]

Sunday (L, 3-2)

"Rarely do you see back-to-back homers [to end a game]. We were thinking Freddy Galvis has power from the left side. We were thinking Eric Kratz was really the only guy that could hurt you at the bottom of the order. I guess it shows that anybody with a bat is dangerous. That's a tough one to lose."
[Baker on Sunday's ending]

"As soon as I hit it, I knew I hit it good. I didn't think it was to the wall, but thank God it was a homer. "[Chapman is] really tough. Here's a guy who throws 99-100 [mph], sometimes throws a 96 cutter. What I did when I went to home plate, I was like, 'OK, follow it right there and try to hit it.'"
[Galvis on his first career walk-off]

"It's sort of spoiled you that you expect automatic. There is no automatic. He went through a couple of streaks last year at this time. They all do. You don't like it. But everybody is capable of it. Right now, we just have to get him out of this funk that he's in and hope it's not too long."
[Baker on Chapman blowing two straight saves]

Video: Watch Joey Votto go yard against Phillies

2013-05-18T15:14:00.006-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

Cincinnati's six-game winning streak came to a halt Friday night as the Phillies handed the visitors a 5-3 defeat. Philly scored two in the bottom of the eighth to help push past the second-place Reds.

However, one guy Cincy certainly can't blame for the loss is Joey Votto, who notched two hits in the affair, including this solo home run in the top of the eighth to knot the score at three a piece. It marked the fifth of the year for the three-time All-Star.

Broadcaster Thom Brennaman called it the hardest ball Votto has hit all season long. Although it isn't always easy to agree with Thom, it's hard to argue against him on this one. That ball was smoked.

Comparing the 2013 Reds to past postseason teams and other notes

2013-05-17T14:30:00.003-04:00

by: Dan Howard
Staff Writer

First of all I want to wish a happy birthday to my “bookend” children. Taira Faith, my oldest, turns 25 on May 20, Ethan Joel, my youngest, turns 8 on May 17. The other three will just have to wait their turn!

Speaking of children, I just got my Father’s Day present, the complete Ken Burns’ Baseball series on DVD, including the Tenth Inning. Thanks kids!

Having five kids is great, especially when four of them are in their twenties. Getting them there is a bit tough!

Prayer request update; Cindy Ward, wife of Tomahawk Missionary Baptist church pastor Dr. Jack Ward, is home from the hospital, her infection is minimal and can be controlled/eliminated by antibiotics. Thank God!

As of the date of this writing, Thursday May 16, 2013, Reds baseball has reached the “quarter pole”. Forty-one games have passed, 121 games remain, and hopefully more for the Reds in October. Now the boring part, here’s how the 2013 Reds compare to the past ten Reds postseason teams since 1970.

Reds Team	Won	Lost	W - L Final 121
70 N.L. Champions	30	11	72 – 49
72 N.L. Champions	23	18	72 – 41(a)
73 West Division	25	16	74 – 47
75 World Champs	21	20	87 – 34
76 World Champs	25	16	77 – 44
79 West Division	24	17	66 – 54
90 World Champs	30	11	61 – 60
95 Central Division	27	14	58 – 45(b)
10 Central Division	23	18	68 – 53
12 Central Division	22	19	75 – 46
*2013 Reds*	25	16	*Projected 74 - 47*

(a) – Owners’ lockout in 1972, season reduced to 154 games
(b) – Players strike, season reduced to 144 games.

My 2013 projection is based on the Reds win percentage after Game 41, expanded to a 162 game season. Now the cold slap of reality; the 2002 Reds won 25 of the first 41 only to fall on hard times, winning just 53 of the remaining 121. This is a very different Reds team with a lot better pitching than ’02 so I believe this year the Reds will enjoy their first back to back 90 plus win seasons since 1978 – 1979.

Did I mention the Reds will win their first back to back division titles since 1975 – 1976?

Memo to Bryce Harper; it’s called a warning track for a reason.

The media went wild over Bryce Harper’s face plant on the right field fence of Dodger Stadium, especially the blood running down his neck. That’s nothing; I look like that every time I shave.

Not beating on the Toronto Blue Jays this week, after Monday’s Maple Leaf – Boston Bruins Game 7 folks in Toronto have enough to worry about.

What’s up with Boston teams rallying from three down? First it was the Red Sox coming back from a 3 – 0 deficit only to win four straight games from the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. Now the Bruins rally from three back to beat the Maple Leafs, scoring 3 in the third period to tie the game winning it in overtime. In the classic game 6 of the 1975 World Series the Red Sox trailed Cincinnati by three, 6 – 3, in the eighth inning only to tie the game on a pinch hit three run homer by former Red Bernie Carbo.

It used to be the other way around; teams would come back from three down to beat the Red Sox. The aforementioned game 6 of the 1975 World Series, the Red Sox led 3 – 0 after the first inning. In game 7 of the same series Boston scored 3 in the third inning only to see the Reds rally to win the game, 4 – 3. In game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the New York Mets scored three in the bottom of the tenth to defeat the Sox 6 – 5. Boston took a 3 – 0 lead early in game 7, only to see the Mets storm back to win the World Championship. In game 7 of the 2003 ALCS the Red Sox led New York 5 – 2 only to have the Yankees rally to tie the game. Former Red Aaron Boone sent the Yankees to the World Series with a solo home run in extra innings. For what it’s worth, in the 1978 A.L. East Playoff, Bucky Dent hit a three run homer to lead New York past Boston.

Didn’t Babe Ruth wear number 3 as a Yankee? Just sayin’! (Look, I don’t believe in curses; I believe in bad baseball.)

More on Bernie Carbo; in 1993 he founded the Diamond Club Ministry, “Telling the greatest story ever told through the greatest game ever played.” Check out his website www.berniecarbo.com. I’m going to try to attend his fantasy baseball camp in Mobile, Alabama in the future.

Speaking of the Deep South; memo to Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops, instead of railing against the Southeastern Conference football teams, try recruiting better players at Oklahoma so you could compete with the S.E.C.!

The double play Brandon Phillips turned last Friday against the Brewers may have been the greatest Reds double play since game 2 of the N.L.C.S. versus Pittsburgh, when Paul O’Neill gunned down the Pirates Andy Van Slyke trying to advance to third on a fly out by Barry Bonds, preserving a Reds slim one run lead. Reds won the game 2 – 1.

Useless trivia; the 1990 NLCS between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh was the only National League Championship Series in the 1990’s that did not feature the Atlanta Braves.

Great week, 6 – 0! Plus six consecutive road wins too! Let’s hope these streaks continue this weekend in Philly and next week in New York! Have a blessed week. Thank God for VACATIONS!!!!! (I’m taking off work from May 20 to 29!)

- Dan Howard

Video: Watch Aroldis Chapman throw mind-bending pitch

2013-05-16T16:39:00.002-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

We already knew Aroldis Chapman was filthy on the mound.

However, the final pitch he threw to Miami Marlins hitter Derek Dietrich Wednesday night was simply mind-bending, not to mention virtually unhittable.

Take another look as the Cuban Missile delivers an absolutely wicked slider that both boggles the mind and freezes the body of the poor rookie.

Whoa.

Video: Shin-Soo Choo talks about his big night in Miami

2013-05-16T07:48:00.000-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

The Reds and Shin-Soo Choo are rolling right now.

On Wednesday, Cincinnati extended their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 4-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. The offense was fueled by Choo, who pounded out two home runs, to go along with a two singles and three runs scored.

It marked the ninth multi-home run game of Choo's career and his second in 2013. The two bombs give him a total of nine for the campaign, which leads the team, and ties him for sixth in the league. Additionally, his batting average now stands at .322 while his on-base percentage currently sits at .465.

Check out the video clip above to hear what the Korean native has to say about his performance and about the why the Reds are playing lately.

Joey Votto is one of the 50 highest-paid athletes in sports

2013-05-15T17:24:00.000-04:00

It goes without question that Reds first basemen Joey Votto is one of the elite players in Major League Baseball. The Canadian native has already racked up a National League Most Valuable Player Award (2010), a Gold Glove Award (2011), and three straight trips to the All-Star Game (2010-2012). Furthermore, he is led the league in on-base percentage every year since 2010 and continues to be regarded as one of the most feared hitters in the modern game.

Naturally, Votto is also one of the highest paid players in MLB too. On April 2, 2012, the Reds and Votto shocked the baseball world when the two sides agreed on a historic contract extension worth $225 million over 10 years. The deal made Votto the richest player in franchise history and guaranteed that he would be averaging $22.5 million per year through the end of 2024.

As much money as that seems, how does Votto's salary compare to other athletes in other sports? Sports Illustrated got to the bottom of this question and compiled a list of the top 50 highest-earning athletes in American sports. SI published this list on Wednesday, and wouldn't you know it, Votto came in at No. 45.

According to SI, Votto is earning $19 million in salary this year, in addition to $250,000 in endorsements. Thus, giving him a grand total of $19.25 million for 2013.

The 29-year-old projects to be a mainstay in these rankings in the time to come. In 2016, Votto's salary is set to be at $20 million. In 2017, it increases to $22 million, before holding steady at $25 million from 2018 to 2023.

A quick note about the rankings. The findings consist solely of salary, winnings, bonuses and endorsements. SI consulted players’ associations, tour records, online databases, agents and media reports. The endorsement estimates come from a stable of marketing executives, agents and other experts, including Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather claimed the top spot on the list, while NBA star LeBron James, and NFL quarterback Drew Brees rounded out the top three.

You can view the list in full here.

Injuries costing Reds, other MLB teams dearly this season

2013-05-14T09:59:00.001-04:00

The injury bug has certainly bitten the Reds in 2013.

Cincinnati currently has five major league players on its disabled list in the likes of Ryan Ludwick, Johnny Cueto, Manny Parra, Chris Heisey, and Nick Masset. The loss of Ludwick was a particularly untimely one as his crippling injury came in the very first game of the season.

However, the Reds have marched on without the services of their wounded anyway. And they are definitely not alone. Every other team in the league has been forced to deal with injuries to key players, too.

This got the folks at the New York Times wondering, how much does it cost teams to pay their injured players? For the Reds, that figure stands to be about $3,394 per hour, which equates to $81,456 per day, and approximately 13.5% of the team's total payroll.

Whoa.

As bad as that may seem, it pales in comparison to some other clubs around baseball. For example, the New York Yankees have 11 players on the disabled list, which comprises 44.1% of their massive payroll. A quick calculation reveals that they are spending $23,041 per hour on players unable to compete.

On the contrary, the San Francisco Giants, the reigning World Series champs, are spending just $226 per hour on their two injured players.

You can see the whole list here.

Video: Dan Patrick mistakes A.J. Burnett for Bronson Arroyo in awkward encounter

2013-05-13T22:28:00.003-04:00

Sportscaster Dan Patrick recently had an awkward encounter with Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett. And most of the blame can be attributed to the fact that Patrick mistook Burnett for Reds hurler Bronson Arroyo!

Patrick details the unusual circumstances of the encounter in the clip above.

In his defense, Arroyo and Burnett do share a few commonalities. Both pitchers are right-handed, both are 36-years-old, and both are about 6-foot-5.

However, the two are definitely not one in the same. Patrick hilariously learned that the hard way.

Via Eye on Baseball

Reds off day quotes and notes

2013-05-13T11:05:00.000-04:00

The Redlegs took care of business this weekend by sweeping the Brewers in a three-game series at Great American Ball Park. It was a great showing by Dusty Baker's club as they smothered Milwaukee with timely hitting, excellent defense, and good pitching. They will look to build on the positive momentum when they visit Miami beginning Tuesday night.

The Marlins are reeling (pardon the pun) right now as losers of five of their last six. If it wasn't for Houston (10-28), the Fish's 11-27 record would be the worst in baseball. So, as eager as the Reds are to get a crack at the league's doormat, they will have to get through Monday's off day first, which I'm sure is completely fine with them. Off days are more precious than gold for MLB teams this time of year.

In the meantime, enjoy some notes and quotes...

+ Entering Monday's games, the Reds held sole possession of second place in the division with a 22-16 record. They are two games back of the Cardinals for first place.

+ Cincinnati's 16 home victories are the most of any team in baseball. San Francisco is second with 15.

+ According to coolstandings.com, the Reds have a 48.8% chance of making the playoffs. I'm no mathematician, but I believe those odds are severely low.

+ If the playoffs began today, the Reds and Pirates would be included via the Wild Card, which would essentially give the National League Central three of the five postseason teams in the league. However, it's inevitable that Pittsburgh will eventually revert back to their losing ways (20 straight losing seasons).

+ No team in the league has produced more runs than the Reds (180).

+ Brandon Phillips is tied for the league lead in RBI (31).

+ Johnny Cueto is scheduled to make his second injury rehabilitation start Tuesday for Single-A Dayton. Cueto has been on the DL since April 15 with a strained muscle in his upper right arm.

+ Chris Heisey and Manny Parra are expected to start rehab assignments with Double-A Pensacola on Monday.

+ "It was awesome. My mom and grandma were watching (on television). I'm sure they were pretty excited."
[Donald Lutz on hitting his first career homer Sunday]

+ "That was a big home run by big Lutz. His first home run, so we were just afraid to slap hands with him, because he's got some heavy hands."
[Baker on Lutz]

+ "Give the `W' to the offense. They deserve it. I felt all right. I didn't allow myself to have my best stuff. I was aggravated with myself. It was a poor performance."
[Mat Latos (4-0) on his start Saturday]

Five reasons why the Reds will be world champions by season's end

2013-05-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Prior to the 2013 Major League Baseball season, the Cincinnati Reds were widely considered one of the favorites to win the World Series. The reasons for believing so were plentiful.

The Reds were returning all of the major pieces from the 2012 team that captured the division crown and won the second-most games (97) in baseball. Only the Washington Nationals boasted more victories than Dusty Baker's club (98).

Now, the Reds continue to be heralded as a good bet to earn their third trip to the postseason in four years. And they might even lay claim to their sixth world title in franchise history before the season is over.

Here are five reasons to believe they are destined to win it all.

1) Easy schedule

A very good case could be made that Cincinnati has already navigated through the toughest part of their schedule. They have already played the likes of the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Nationals, each of whom made the postseason in 2012, 15 times this season. The Reds won't see any of those teams again until they host the Cardinals in June. Furthermore, they won't see the Nationals at all for the remainder of the regular season.

Beginning Friday, the Reds play 15 straight games against teams who currently sport a losing record. Additionally, 16 of their last 26 games of the season are set to be played at home. Most of those contests will come against teams with losing records, not including six of their last nine to be played against the Pirates, which is a franchise who hasn't had a winning season in over 20 years.

2) Dominating bullpen

In 2012, the Reds led the majors in bullpen earned run average at 2.65. They aren't currently leading in that category this season, but evidence suggests that they will be near the top come September.

Baker has one of the best closers in the modern game in Aroldis Chapman to go along with a formidable duo of Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall to serve as setup guys. Sam LeCure has proven to be one of the more underrated relievers in the league while J.J. Hoover, Alfredo Simon, and Logan Ondrusek are solid options as well.

3) Strong starting rotation

Although ace Johnny Cueto currently resides on the disabled list, the Reds still own one of the better starting rotations in the National League. Mat Latos continues to blossom into an elite starter the Reds hoped he would be when acquiring him in exchange for four players in December 2011. Meanwhile, Homer Bailey has finally come around as a reliable starter, and Bronson Arroyo continues to amaze despite his increasing age. This is not to mention rookie southpaw Tony Cingrani, whose meteoric rise through the farm system gave the team no choice but to call him up once Cueto hit the disabled list in mid-April.

4) Shin-Soo Choo

It may seem weird to devote an entire reason to just one player, but in order to understand, you have to realize how important Choo will be to the Reds moving forward this season. The Korean native has completely changed the outlook on Cincinnati's lineup since coming over in a trade this winter from the Cleveland Indians. In 2012, Reds leadoff hitters ranked dead last in average (.208) and on-base percentage (.254). Now, thanks to Choo, the Reds have done a complete a turn around and currently lead the league in both categories. This has allowed the Reds to score more runs because Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and others now have more chances to knock in base runners.
As long as Choo stays healthy, this positive trend for Cincinnati will continue.

5) Experience

There is no substitute for experience and the Reds have plenty of players who have it. Sure, only one player on its active roster has ever been part of a World Series champion team (Arroyo with the Boston Red in 2004), but virtually every player outside of Cingrani has been through at least one postseason before. Yes, a lot of these players have failed to advance beyond the first round. But the experience they gained by going through Cincinnati's early exits in 2010 and 2012 will prove very valuable in 2013. The team's excellent blend of youth and age should bode well come October.

Video: Brandon Phillips makes defensive play of the season

2013-05-11T07:45:00.001-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

Put your pencils down, folks.

The award for the best defensive play of the 2013 Major League Baseball season belongs to Reds Gold Glove second basemen Brandon Phillips. The spectacle occurred Friday night in front of a soggy home crowd at Great American Ball Park.

With the Reds clinging to a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun stepped to the plate with two runners on and one out against Reds reliever Sam LeCure. After working the count full, Braun chopped a ball over the head of LeCure and toward the direction of second base.

That is when Phillips turned the most magnificent double play fans are likely to see all year long. Watch as the sure-handed Phillips snares the grounder with his bare hand, tags second base with his knee, and then chucks an off-balance throw (from his knees) on to Joey Votto at first base to nip Braun and complete the twin killing.

Let us not forget Votto for making a nice snag himself over at first base, but Phillips is definitely the guy who made this whole play possible. Hats off to Phillips for coming up with the timely play, just as he has done countless times in his career with Cincinnati.

Then, Phillips proceeded to hammer a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning, which turned out to be the game-winning run. Not a bad night for @DatDudeBP, eh?

The Reds won the series opener, 4-3, over the Brewers.

Random observations from week six

2013-05-10T15:00:00.002-04:00

by: Dan Howard

Staff Writer

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. - Proverbs 31:10 (KJV).

Happy Mother’s Day!

I ask all you readers to please pray for Cindy Ward, wife of Tomahawk (KY) Missionary Baptist Church pastor Dr. Jack Ward. As of May 9, 2013 she is at King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland KY., awaiting transfer to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington KY. Cindy is battling a bone infection. The Ward family sincerely appreciates and desires your prayers.

Some fatherly advice to recently suspended Reds prospect Daniel Tuttle. Son, get your head out of your butt. This is your third, count them, third time to be suspended by Major League Baseball. Do those “substances” mean that much to you that you are willing to throw away a job that most boys, and this 49 year old man, would gladly trade their “Nine to Fiver” for? There are a lot of orphaned children here in the Appalachians whose parents thought more of their “illegal substances” than their kids. You need help, get some help or a few years from now there will be a headstone with your name carved on it. If you need someone to talk to, send me a private message at my Twitter account @DaHermit16 and I’ll get back to you.

AARRGGHH! How I hate losing to the Braves. (Feels almost as bad as those rare occasions when the Ohio State football team loses to Michigan.)

It’s great that Toronto’s J.A. Happ was released from the hospital on Wednesday. That was a very scary situation. Baseball really needs to do more to protect the pitchers.

Major League Baseball also needs to look into protecting the Cubs Darwin Barney….from himself. Hustling is one thing, I love watching players who hustle, but going face first into a bullpen bench is another.

I wonder if I could auction off the bandage I used after cutting myself trying to spell Jeff Samardzija’s name.

Gotta love Microsoft Word, you know how it does if it thinks you’ve misspelled a word; you get a line under the word in question with suggested corrections. With Samardzija, Microsoft Word crashed.

Do you think the folks in Denver and Chicago are buying into the theory of Global Warming?

Why does a 5 win road trip sound more encouraging than an 8 win home stand? Unfortunately the Reds went 2 – 5 on the road against teams not named the Chicago Cubs.

From the “I saw it but I still don’t believe it” category; I saw Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol actually get somebody out Tuesday night against St. Louis. The game was on television, so it had to be true.

From the “Did I just hear that” department; during last Friday’s Reds/Cubs game I heard a mascara commercial on the Cubs Radio Network. Yes, mascara. (I wonder if they have my color.)

I will say this about the Cubs Radio Network; they do have some great intro/outro music between innings.

No matter how many home runs he gives up, I’ll take J.J. Hoover over Juan Francisco anytime.

Speaking of Tuesday night, admit it how many of you, including myself, thought there was no way that Devin Mesoraco was going to take Craig Kimbrel deep.

Useless Trivia; Did you know the Reds George Foster and Johnny Bench teamed up to hit back to back ninth inning home runs to tie Game 3 of the 1976 NLCS against Philadelphia. The Reds won the pennant later in the inning on an infield single to first base by Ken Griffey Sr. scoring Dave Concepcion.

More Useless Trivia; Playing first base for the Phillies when Griffey got the pennant winning infield single was former Reds outfielder Bobby Tolan.

Memo to Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier, I think pitchers have figured out how to pitch to both of you. The adjusting is up to you.

Todd Frazier does have great walk up music. I enjoy Frank Sinatra’s music. I love Joey Votto’s selection of “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones. If I played, my walk up song would either be “Dangerous” by DecembeRadio, or “Jesus Freak” by d.c.Talk. (Look ‘em up, I think you’ll see why.)

Hey Logan Ondrusek ! Marilyn Manson? Really?

I have only been to one concert in my life; the Beach Boys came to the Huntington W.V. Civic Center way back in 1984. They’ll be performing at Great American Ballpark after the game on May 26. Believe me, you’ll love the show.

I expect to see Corky Miller managing a big league club in a few years.

Wednesday night, I really thought that Bob Melvin was literally going to kill the umpire.

Yes, that was former Red Adam Rosales (2008 – 2009) who hit the home run, uh, double Wednesday night versus the Indians.

I know where all the analog television sets went to (you remember those, they’re the ones with the giant picture tube in them). Major League Baseball uses them for instant replays.

Guess where in the A.L. East the Toronto Blue Jays are at.

Are the NBA Playoffs over yet?

I think it’s safe to say that the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens don’t like each other.

“Did I Just Hear That” Part 2; A couple of years ago, while driving home from work, I tuned to a local radio station. The song playing was Ricky Skaggs cover of Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s Cradle”. I’m not usually a fan of cover songs but I have to admit Ricky Skaggs version was real good. The song ended and the disc jockey boldly proclaimed “That was Ricky Skaggs with Cat’s Cradle, now here’s War Pigs by Black Sabbath.” I think the program director got fired that day. That’s one of the many reasons why I currently have XM Radio.

Have a blessed week. GO REDS!

- Dan Howard

Series notes versus Brewers and more

2013-05-10T09:24:00.002-04:00

The Reds will aim for a winning homestand this weekend when they welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to town. But to do so they will have to sweep the three-game set after dropping two out of the first three games of this homestand to the Atlanta Braves. Easier said than done, right?

Friday's affair will pit surging rookie Tony Cingrani against Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo. It figures to be a pitcher's duel if the weather can cooperate because the Cincinnati area is expecting some thunderstorms this evening. Let's hope we can get this contest in before the heavens open up.

In the meantime, enjoy some notes and quotes...

+ The Brewers are absolutely struggling lately. They have lost six of their past seven games albeit to the likes of Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Texas.

+ Cincinnati has the most home wins (13) of any team in the majors. Conversely, Milwaukee's five road wins are tied for the fewest in the league with the Mets and Marlins.

+ The Reds enter the weekend with sole possession of second place in the division standings. They trail St. Louis by three full games. Meanwhile, the Brewers are fourth and reside five and a half games back.

+ Cincy won the 2012 season series, 9-6, including a 7-2 mark at home.

+ Milwaukee's team ERA of 4.50 ranks dead last in the league.

+ This series will feature four of the top six National League players in regards to on-base percentage. Shin-Soo Choo (.453) leads the league, followed by Joey Votto (.451) in second, Carlos Gomez (.431) is fourth, and Ryan Braun (.413) is sixth.

+ Brandon Phillips is only one RBI off the National League lead. He has 29 RBI. Arizona's Paul Goldschimdt is currently sitting with 30.

+ Johnny Cueto threw 50 pitches (37 strikes) in a three inning outing for Single-A Dayton Thursday night. It was his first rehab start since going on the disabled list on April 15. He is expected to make an 80-pitch rehab start next Tuesday.

+ Reds minor league pitcher Daniel Tuttle has been suspended 100 games for a third violation of the league's drug abuse program.

+ Here is a nice story written by Mark Sheldon about Sam LeCure and the bond he shares with his mother. Remember, Mother's Day is on Sunday.

+ Will Mike Leake be the odd man out once Cueto returns to the rotation? It sure seems that way. Thus, the Reds may be looking to trade the young right-hander. Could the Phillies be a fit? [Yahoo! Sports]

Quotes...

+ "It's always fun when you see a team for the first time, like the Reds. They have a little different lineup than last year, so we'll see how it plays out."
[Gallardo on facing the Reds]

+ "It didn't work. I'm not going to make alibis or whatever when it doesn't work. It's not always going to work."
[Dusty Baker on leaving Mike Leake in to hit Thursday]

+ "It's one of those situations where you're supposed to get the pitcher out, but he's a good-hitting pitcher, so you don't want to leave anything over the plate. I was surprised [they let him hit]. We thought maybe they were trying to do something, but they left him in. That's how much confidence they have in him hitting."
[Braves starter Mike Minor on decision to let Leake hit]

Reds minor league pitcher suspended 100 games for third violation

2013-05-09T19:45:00.001-04:00

Reds minor league pitcher Daniel Tuttle has been suspended for 100 games after violating the league's substance abuse program for the third time.

Tuttle was previously suspended 50 games for a second violation which occurred in July 2011.

The right-hander currently resides on the disabled list and has been there since April 4.

Here is the short release from MLB:

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Cincinnati Reds Minor League right-handed pitcher Daniel Tuttle has received a 100-game suspension without pay after a third violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for a drug of abuse.

The suspension of Tuttle, who is currently on the roster of the Single-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League, is effective immediately.

Tuttle was taken by the Reds in the fifth round of the 2009 amateur draft out of Randleman High School (NC). He went 1-3 with a 5.08 ERA in eight starts for Single-A Dayton in 2012.

He owns a 14-12 record and 4.13 ERA in 46 career games in the minors.

A huge collection of Reds quotes and notes

2013-05-08T16:55:00.000-04:00

So, less than a day removed from notching a thrilling walk-off win, the Reds couldn't exactly capitalize by taking advantage of the momentum in the series finale. Cincinnati fell to the Atlanta Braves, 7-2, Wednesday afternoon as former Red Juan Francisco blasted a grand slam, Dan Uggla homered twice, and shortstop Andrelton Simmons continued to terrorize the Redlegs by churning out four hits (all singles).

Dusty Baker and crew will enjoy an off day Thursday before welcoming division rival Milwaukee for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday night. Southpaw Tony Cingrani will get the starting nod for the Reds opposite Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo.

Until then, delve into a massive collection of quotes and notes:

+ Fun fact: Before Tuesday, the last time the Reds hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win was August 27, 1977 when Dan Driessen tied a game and Johnny Bench hit a walk-off homer against the Phillies. [ESPN]

+ Tuesday's walk-off win marked the 1,600th in Dusty Baker's managerial career. Baker called it one of the most exciting wins in his career, too.

+ Johnny Cueto is expected to throw a second bullpen session on Thursday. If all goes well, a rehab start would likely be the next step on his recovery from a strained lat muscle. Cueto has been on the disabled list since mid-April because of the ailment.

+ In case you missed it, Reds longtime broadcaster Marty Brennaman forgot to say his signature "And this one belongs to the Reds" line immediately following the game because he got so caught up with the excitement of Tuesday night's finish. "In 40 years, I've done it probably a dozen times where I've forgotten because of a game like that," Brennaman said.

+ There are still plenty of tickets available for this weekend's home series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Check out StubHub for some great deals on tickets, folks.

+ Here is an overview of the good, bad, and ugly about Great American Ball Park. It may not be the fanciest stadium in Major League Baseball, but it's still home to the Reds.

+ The Reds are suing JS Gold & Coin for failure to pay for two diamond seats for the 2013 season. According to the suit, the company allegedly owes $26,273.50 in related costs.

+ Remember ex-Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano? Of course you do. Well, the maligned right-hander is vying to make a comeback to the major leagues. But his journey back will reportedly begin with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League after signing with them Wednesday.

+ "I stayed on it and went the other way. I knew I squared it up. I wasn't sure it was a homer. I was hoping. I wasn't sure. I was watching him, watching him, watching him and then once [B.J. Upton] looked up, it was a pretty good feeling."
[Devin Mesoraco on game-tying home run Tuesday]

+ "That was incredible. Choo has been so good for us. It's crazy how good he is playing and how good of a player that guy is. It's fun. He never gives away an at-bat. You always know that, with him up there, we're going to have a chance to get something going."
[Mesoraco on Shin-Soo Choo's game-winning blast]

+ "It was a fastball exactly where he wanted it, that's what it was. And the game's over and you come back tomorrow."
[Braves closer Craig Kimbrel on the pitch to Choo]

+ "You look back upon that game and who knows? They might have been the [difference for the] pennant winner or might have been the game that gives us home-field advantage against these guys. Those guys will be somewhere around the top when the smoke clears. That was a big game for us."
[Baker on impact of walk-off win]

Video: Devin Mesoraco, Shin-Soo Choo smack back-to-back home runs to send Reds to walk-off win

2013-05-08T06:30:00.000-04:00

Your browser does not support iframes.

In case you went to bed early Tuesday night, and neglected to watch the Reds-Braves game until the final out, you missed one heck of a finish at Great American Ball Park.

Cincinnati essentially snatched victory from the jaws of defeat after overcoming a deficit against arguably the best closer in baseball in Craig Kimbrel. The Reds trailed 4-3 entering the bottom half of the ninth inning and the prospects of a comeback against the likes of the hard-throwing Kimbrel looked bleak.

However, the Reds have a knack for the theatrics, and proceeded to send the crowd home happy by smacking back-to-back home runs to win the game.

It all began when Devin Mesoraco delivered a clutch, pinch hit solo home run to center field off a 3-2 pitch from Kimbrel with two outs. It marked the first of the season for the young backstop and tied the game at four a piece.

One batter later, Shin-Soo Choo picked a great time to deliver his team high seventh home run of 2013, a majestic drive that sailed over the left center field wall to give the Reds a dramatic, walk-off win. It marked the second career game-ending blast for the Korean native and his second of the game overall.

Video: More on honorary bat boy Ted Kremer and his inspiring story

2013-05-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

Video: Inside Teddy Kremer's magical day

One of the best baseball moments of the season was delivered to us by Reds honorary bat boy Ted Kremer, a lifelong fan who has Down syndrome, and third basemen Todd Frazier.

On April 18, per the request of Ted, Frazier blasted a two-run homer in Cincinnati's route of the Marlins at Great American Ball Park. Frazier was greeted at the plate by an elated Ted, who exchanged high fives with anyone willing to exchange one with him, as well as giving Frazier a giant bear hug once the two were back in the dugout. Pictures of this iconic moment are sure to be treasured forever.

That night wasn't the first time Ted had served as the team's bat boy, though. Ted also served in that capacity during the 2012 season, too. It's safe to say those experiences impacted Ted's life just as much as they did the players he came in contact with.

Check out the above video for more on this heart-warming story.

A mixed bag of Reds quotes and notes

2013-05-07T07:08:00.002-04:00

+ If you had to take a straw poll about who the MVP of this Reds squad is through the first six weeks of the season, Shin-Soo Choo would have to be at the top of the list. The 30-year-old has been all that and a bag of chips since joining the organization. Anna McDonald has a nice little piece on him over at ESPN.com that I recommend for you all to read.

+ Johnny Cueto is making progress. He threw a 25-pitch bullpen session before Monday's game against the Braves. He still needs one more injury-free session before he can make a rehab start, writes C. Trent Rosecrans. Cueto has been on the disabled list with a strained lat muscle since mid-April.

+ The Mat Latos trade promises to be one which is reviewed constantly while he is playing for the Reds. After all, Cincinnati did give up four pretty solid players to acquire the right-hander. MLBTR.com recently provided a nice overview of how the deal has panned out so far for both the Padres and Reds. I think it is a relatively fair assessment.

+ On Sunday, Donald Lutz became the first German to ever record a hit in an MLB game when he lashed a single into center field in the seventh inning. Lutz also recorded his first ever run scored, run batted in, and stolen base in the Reds victory.

+ Alfredo Simon had a dominating outing Monday night. He struck out every batter he faced. The last Reds pitcher to fan six in a row was Aaron Harang in 2008.

+ Remember honorary bat boy Teddy Kremer? He and Todd Frazier presented us with one of the best moments of the season when he embraced Frazier after hitting a home run. Check out this video by FOX Sports to learn more about Kremer's awesome story.

Quotes....

+ "They have a really powerful lineup with a lot of threats, which makes you be a little more nitpicky. You end up throwing a lot more pitches than you normally would. You'd think the only guy you don't worry about hitting home runs is the eighth guy (Simmons), and he ends up taking me deep."
[Bronson Arroyo on Andrelton Simmons]

+ "He's only going to get, I think, better once he knows the league. Right now he's going on video and word of mouth from people until he forms his own book so to speak."
[Dusty Baker on Choo]

+ "The regular fan tomorrow is going to get up and read the paper and go, 'The Braves won by three, Kimbrel got the save and Simmons hit a few homers. But we got into some serious trouble. When you're facing Votto in the ninth in this ballpark with two people on and a two-run lead, it's hard. But we did well. We kept adding on and adding on, and you've got to do that because they have a history in this ballpark of coming back."
[Fredi Gonzalez on Monday's 7-4 win over the Reds]

Reds eat better in the sky than you do on the ground

2013-05-06T19:52:00.003-04:00

We all know life as a major league baseball player has its times of ups and downs.

Sure, the pay, the fame, and winters "off" are nice perks. But the grueling time away from home, constant scrutiny from the media, and the obvious pressures of performing well on the field, among other things, can be very trying, too.

Well, one area Reds players have no reason to complain about is the food offered by the team while flying. On Sunday, Dallas Latos, wife of stud pitcher Mat Latos, tweeted out a picture of the in-flight menu as the team was traveling home from Chicago on their charter plane. Let's just say the spread has something to offer for even the pickiest of eaters.

“@meganash3: @dallaslatos no pic of in-flight menu?!” Only for you. twitter.com/DallasLatos/st…
— Dallas Latos(@DallasLatos) May 6, 2013

The menu is conveniently broken up into four sections. First, you have the "Pre-Departure Snacks" for the poor souls who cannot extinguish their hunger before liftoff. Options for this category include personal pizzas, sushi rolls, fruit cups, and my personal favorite, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Wait, isn't PB&J meant to be a lunch option?

Anyways, next up on the menu is "Dinner Selections," which includes such specialties as fried shrimp with macaroni and cheese, chicken stir fry, baked lasagna, a fancy salad with beef fillet on top, or a good old fashioned cheeseburger. Oh, the possibilities.

Once dinner is served, passengers can then tickle their sweet tooth with a variety of snacks and desserts. Ice cream bars and sandwiches, caramel popcorn, and spearmint gum are just a few of the delectable treats to munch on while waiting for the steel bird to land.

Let us not forget about something to wash it all down with, though. Folks on board have plenty to choose from as far as the drink department is concerned. Perhaps the most interesting choice on the menu is Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix.

So, how long was this epic assortment of food available to the team? Empirical evidence suggests that the entire flight took around an hour to successfully complete.

I can certainly think of far worse ways to spend an hour. Can't you?

Via For the Win

Topps selling miniature figures of big league stars

2013-05-06T07:55:00.004-04:00

Behold, a thee-inch vinyl figure of Reds superstar Joey Votto (and Mets superstar David Wright). Topps has decided to make 28 of the "Big League Minis" for fans to collect. The caricatures are reportedly selling for $6.99 a piece at places such as Dick's Sporting Goods.

Unfortunately, not every MLB team is represented by one of these miniature figures. The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Detroit Tigers boast three. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals, and Philadelphia Phillies boast two.

Here is a look at all 28 of them:

They don't bobble, and they aren't squeezable, but aren't they just the coolest things ever?

Via Big League Stew

Donald Lutz has huge day of firsts

2013-05-05T18:02:00.004-04:00

Cinco de Mayo was a rather memorable day for Reds rookie Donald Lutz. I guess you could say it was a day of "firsts" for the German native.

Lutz entered Sunday's game hitless in six career at-bats, but that all changed in the top of the seventh when he recorded his first big league hit with a lead-off single off Cubs pitcher Shawn Camp. Lutz would later come around to score his first big league run when Joey Votto notched a double.

One inning later, the left-handed slugger was at it again at the dish. This time Lutz tallied his first career run batted in when he knocked in Todd Frazier thanks to a fielder's choice. That made it 7-4 in favor of Cincinnati.

Fast forward two batters later and Lutz was getting his name in the box score yet again. With Zack Cozart at the plate, and Jack Hannahan leading off third, Lutz flashed the wheels by successfully swiping second base without even a throw. For the record, Lutz has stolen all of 31 bases in six seasons in the minor leagues, which for him spans nearly 400 games.

So to recap, Lutz woke up this morning in Chicago as a guy who had never recorded a base hit, stolen base, run batted in, or run scored in the major leagues. By nightfall, the youngster had one of each to his credit to help the Reds complete a three-game sweep of the Cubs.

One last thing to note about Lutz's performance is that he didn't even start the game. Dusty Baker inserted him into the lineup in the sixth inning as part of a double-switch involving Mat Latos, Xavier Paul, and Sam LeCure.