Monthly Archives: May 2013

May 27, 2013

Pictures from Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Cubs

By
Zeldink
Posted at 10:32 pm

Team12345678910RHE
Cubs (19-30)00000013015101
Reds (31-19)0040000000451
W: Gregg (1-0) L: Hoover (0-4)

Boxscore

Panoramic shot from the sun deck

Panoramic shot from the sun deck.

The RHM crew headed out for its first Cincinnati Reds game of the season over Memorial Day weekend, catching the final game against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Johnny Cueto started the game, and I felt fairly confident that the Reds would both sweep the hapless Cubs and provide us with the 11 strikeouts for the free LaRosa’s pizzas. Sadly, neither of those things happened, thanks to a bullpen meltdown by the Reds.

Perhaps due to the fact that it was my first in-person game of the season, I went a little photo happy. The best of them are available below.

Posted in Chicago Cubs, Chris Hammond, Cincinnati Reds, Game Wrap, NL Central, Wheeling and Dealing.
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May 24, 2013

Joey Votto actually could give 110%

By
Zeldink
Posted at 11:25 am

Votto's a good looking guy

If Joey Votto puts his mind to it, he can accomplish anything.

One of my minor pet peeves is when people make a comment about devoting more than 100% to a certain task. Technically, that’s impossible. Sure, I understand what the person means: they’re devoting all of themselves to whatever it is they’re talking about.

A person has 100% to give to something at any given moment. Anything more than that is not something that a person is capable of.

Except for maybe Joey Votto. The more I read about him and his approach to the game of baseball, the more I think he could do anything he set his mind to, even breaking the laws of mathematics. I mean, just look at one of the finer points of Pete Rose’s that he’s taken to heart.

“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.”

It’s the epitome of never giving up an at-bat, no matter the situation. And it appears to be rubbing off on other Reds. Shin-Soo Choo is an obvious example. Choo has seen his on-base percentage explode so far this year compared to his career percentage. While that could still come down to earth, it may not, and Choo’s already crediting Votto for his smooth transition to the National League.

Choo has used Votto as a major resource in his acclimation to the National League. If he’s not picking Votto’s brain on the pitcher he’s about to face, he’s eyeballing Votto’s at-bats from the dugout or the basepaths for subtle tips on how to approach different situations.

Even Xavier Paul is getting in on the not making outs train. His on-base percentage is third on the team. As he said to John Fay, “To me, on-base percentage is lot more impressive than batting average.” Obviously, hits are a component of getting on base, but the growing realization among Reds players about the value of each out is refreshing to see. Hopefully, the manager will one day see that, as well.

All in all, Joey Votto is awesome. We all already knew that, except maybe for a certain micro-processing fart funnel. But it’s always nice to see stories outside of Cincinnati reflect that.

Posted in Cincinnati Reds, Human League, Joey Votto, NL Central.
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May 23, 2013

In brief: smoldering Reds to host Cubbies

By
Amanda
Posted at 4:47 pm

Last game
The Reds completed a 3-game sweep of the Mets yesterday, winning 7-4. Mat Latos pitched for the Reds. He put in 6.2 innings and allowed 4 runs (earned) on 8 hits and a walk. In the seventh, when the Mets scored their third and fourth runs, the Reds only had 4 runs of their own, so it was looking a little dicey, but these guys battled back and tacked on 3 more in the top of the ninth.

Normally, Brandon Phillips’ 2-for-4 with a walk and 2 RBI would be a pretty impressive night, but Joey Votto went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and a home run and 2 RBI. Zack Cozart went 4-for-5 with 2 RBI. This team can really turn it on sometimes.

Old Style at a Cubs gameNext game
The Cubs? Again??

Yes, it’s another three games with the Cubs in Cincinnati, starting tomorrow after a day off today. Bronson Arroyo (RHP 4-4, 3.28 ERA) will take on Scott Feldman (RHP, 4-3, 2.19 ERA). First pitch at 7:10 p.m.

The first geo-targeted email I’ve ever gotten from the Reds
I have complained that MLB doesn’t do a very good job in segmenting it’s marketing emails (and that’s still true, unless their “Congratulations! You earned a month’s subscription to our magazine!” is something special they crafted just for me) but I got an email from the Reds yesterday that seemed to know where I am.

And since I hadn’t heard about this camp before, even though it’s “back,” I thought I’d share it with any other readers in the greater Indianapolis area with kids who might enjoy it.

REDS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL CAMPS ARE BACK THIS SUMMER!
You can give your child a big-league camp experience of a lifetime by signing him/her up for a Reds Baseball and Softball Camp this summer. These camps provide kids with a week filled with fun and enjoyment along with top-level instruction to learn the right way to play the game. Whether your child is a beginner or advanced player, the Reds Camps are a great fit.

And don’t forget, since this is the Reds Camps, your son or daughter will have the added benefit of unique Reds experiences. A Reds coach will take part in the instruction during the camp week and every camp will feature a guest appearance by a current Reds player. Plus, all campers will take part in a VIP trip to get a behind-the-scenes look at Great American Ball Park, will receive a full Reds uniform and four Reds tickets to a reunion game where they’ll have the chance to take part in a pregame parade on the field.

Reds Baseball and Softball Camps are taking place in locations throughout Reds Country all summer long. Below is the location and dates for the camp closest to you:

INDIANAPOLIS AREA
June 17-21
Billericay Park
12690 Promise Rd., Fishers, IN 46038

Here is the website where you can register for the camp, if you’re so inclined.

What to say to sound smart at the water cooler
Joey Votto has an 11-game hitting streak going. Meanwhile, the Reds have won 10 of their last 12. Coincidence??

Posted in Daily Briefs.
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May 22, 2013

In brief: Former Red Affeldt overcomes homophobia

By
Zeldink
Posted at 10:25 am

Last game
Mike Leake, fresh off the worries of being demoted to the minors for some up-start rookie, dominated the New York Mets last night, shutting them out for 7 innings, while allowing only 3 hits. The offense used a game plan that I think should be repeated in the future and scored all the runs the team needed in the first. Sure some of it was due to the Mets pretending to be the Cubs, but the results still had the Reds up 3-0 before any Met ever picked up a bat.

Next game
The Reds have won the 3-game series against the Mets and are going for the sweep today. Despite it still being the Mets and the Reds sending out Mat Latos, the win will still be difficult. Yes, the Mets have one good starting pitcher who has almost 1/3 of the team’s wins in Matt Harvey. The Reds will see how good he is today at 1:10pm.

Jeremy Affeldt's memoirs: To Stir a Movement: Life, Justice, and Major League Baseball.

Jeremy Affeldt’s memoirs: To Stir a Movement: Life, Justice, and Major League Baseball.

Jeremy Affeldt no longer fears the gays
Jeremy Affeldt, a relief pitcher for the Reds in 2008, has released his memoirs in a book titled To Stir a Movement: Life, Justice, and Major League Baseball. In the book, Affeldt talks about overcoming his crippling fear or homosexuals.

“I didn’t leave my hotel room when we came to play the Giants or A’s. I didn’t want to go out or see anyone,” he said. “There was a profession of being wrong. I’ve come to that from a deep angle. I’ll probably get a lot of flak from the church for it, but I believe I’m right.”

It sounds like Affeldt didn’t like the person he was and actively sought out the Bay area when he become a free agent after his year with Cincinnati. In his time with the Giants–this is his fifth year with them–he’s overcome his phobia and now admits he was wrong to judge like he did before.

This is encouraging to hear from a baseball player. The response to the first openly gay NBA player was positive, and when a baseball player comes out, I’d love for it to not be a big deal. The progression of Affeldt’s judgmental conservative Christian beliefs to one of tolerance and acceptance is a good sign.

What to say to sound smart at the water cooler
With yesterday’s win, the Reds increased their road record to 12-12, the first time this season they’ve been at .500.

Posted in Cincinnati Reds, Daily Briefs, NL Central.
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May 21, 2013

An inside look at research at RHM

By
Amanda
Posted at 10:55 am

Today on Red Reporter the roundtable question is about Jay Bruce: will he always been an up-and-down kind of player, or is he figuring out a way to stay on the upswing for the long term?

I didn’t know the answer off the top of my head, so in a fit of desperation, I resorted to trying to actually learn something. This involved accessing two entirely different websites and leveraging an Excel spreadsheet. Oh Excel! You make counting so much easier!

Anyway, I was so proud of my science-ness that I wanted to share with you an inside peek at the method. Learn it well and maybe you’ll be able to use it someday. Maybe you’ll even improve on it, like finding a way to work in TWO beers.

You can tell it's highly scientific by the Comic Sans title.

You can tell it’s highly scientific by the Comic Sans title.

Posted in Random Ramblings.
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