Boxscore

Overshadowing the news that Corey Patterson miraculously walked again was Dusty Baker claiming his first young pitching victim for the Reds.

Sure, that’s probably not fair, but it’s bound to be mentioned given the number of DL trips that Baker oversaw during his pathetic Cubs career. Johnny Cueto was removed after the 3rd inning with triceps pain. Hopefully it’s not serious, but I would hope the Reds were cautious with him. There’s not much of the season left, and there’s no sensible reason to risk Cueto’s career for this year. Unfortunately, the Reds often have little sense, so I’m not putting it past them to come up with their own bizarre reason to rush Cueto back.

As for the game, it was ugly, unfocused, and undisciplined. You know, typical stuff for a club that Baker “manages.” The Reds committed 5 errors and blew the lead they’d somehow achieved in the 9th before ultimately losing on a homer that Mike Lincoln gave up in the 12th.

Check this podcast on View From the Bleachers to hear the Crack Technical Staff and I talk about the finer points of maintaining your baseball fandom when your team stinks.

As a side note, crazy high scoring in games involving the NLC last night:
Reds 8, Colorado 5
Cubs 5, Nationals 13 (The Cubs lost to the Nationals??)
Brewers 10, Pirates 4
Astros 0, Mets 3
Cardinals 18, Braves 3

That’s 45 runs for the NLC last night.

Boxscore

While watching a team as sucktastic as the Reds, one must search to find game events to take pleasure in. (And no, fantasizing about “manager” Dusty Baker being fired, as he has worked so hard on showing he deserves, doesn’t count.)

Today, I reached a new low. When I looked at the box score, my eyes lit up and I laughed. For the mighty, the ineffectual, the recipient of Dusty’s man-crush, Corey Patterson, had drawn a walk.

Let us lift our glasses in a toast to this unaccomplished “baseball player.” For he has achieved something remarkable, something that most players do dozens of times in a year. CPat just got his 12th walk. Along with his hit, he raised his Not Out Percentage to 23%. Well, done, CPat. Well, done.

Oh, the Reds lost. Zambrano was pitching for the Cubs. Was there any other possible outcome?

Boxscore

Imagine my surprise when I realized that Reds closer Francisco Cordero was not merely getting his work in. No, he was working for a bonafide save.

Now, I did see the Reds score both runs, thanks to “small ball,” the favorite scoring strategy of bad announcers everywhere. Yet when the 9th came, I glanced at the score, saw the 2 and the 1, and assumed the Cubs were winning. That’s what it’s come to after 9 years straight of following a sucky, losing team, I guess. I assume they’re losing, even when I saw them take the lead. Oh well, there’s always next time.

Bronson Arroyo was actually good, going 7 innings and allowing just the 1 run. Not sure how that happened. He also picked up his 11th win to move his personal record above .500.

Boxscore

It wasn’t that Manny Parra turned in an outstanding, dominant performance against the Astros, but it was good enough for a win, which is something he’ll take given his hard-luck performances of late.

Parra pitched 5 innings, allowing only 2 runs for his 10th win. But the Brewers offense was too much for the Astros to overcome, thanks to the middle of the Milwaukee lineup.

The Brewers gained a game on the Cubs, who surprisingly lost a game at Wrigley to the Reds, of all teams.