Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Brewers (44-48)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	1
Reds (53-40)	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	-	3	8	0

Boxscore

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the Cincinnati Reds had a good start. And this one from Homer Bailey was great.

For the third time in his last 4 outings, Bailey went 8 innings. He dominated the Milwaukee Brewers of that time, allowing just 6 hits, walking none, and striking out a career-high 10. In short, it was an amazing performance. And it’s one that’s becoming more and more customary from Bailey.

So far in 2012, Bailey is turning in the best year of his career. He has his lowest ERA at 3.74 (and highest ERA+ of his career at 112). He’s got his lowest WHIP at 1.271, and is approaching career highs in games started, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Wins aren’t the best measure of a starter, but with the win last night, Bailey did tie his career-high of 9 wins. Oh, and did I mention he’s just 26 years old?

Despite how long it feels like Bailey’s been with the Reds, he’s still young. And more and more, it’s looking like the year he really puts things together. He’s come a long way from looking like Keanu Reeves’ grandmother.

Of course, Bailey couldn’t win the game by himself. The offense had to score some runs. All 3 of the Reds’ run came from solo shots. Zack Cozart hit his 10th, Jay Bruce hit his 19th, and Scott Rolen hit his 4th.

Bruce broke a bad 0-19 slump with a 2-3 game. With Joey Votto out, this would be an awesome time for Bruce to go on one of his patented Player-of-the Week tears. And Rolen was playing with more energy than I’ve seen all year. He went 2-3, as well. The fastball he hit for his homer was hit with more authority than I’ve seen him swing with since 2010. If Bruce, Rolen, and Brandon Phillips–the hero of the previous game–can keep stepping up, this stretch without Votto could turn into a big positive for the team.

The win keeps the Reds in first place, 1/2 game ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds look to increase that lead when they play their second game against the Brewers tonight. Bronson Arroyo will start against Yavani Gallardo. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm EDT.

As RHM detailed in the game wrap for game 91 for the Cincinnati Reds, Mat Latos and the Reds did not do well.

It was Jay Bruce bobblehead night, which our son really wanted, so we headed out after work. Hearing the gates had opened early because of the thunderstorm that passed through made us a little nervous that they might run out since we were still an hour away, but we shouldn’t have. This giveaway was not nearly enough of a draw to make that happen.

Continue Reading »

Fresh off a one-out save that many feel was a waste, Cincinnati Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman will be appearing in court today regarding his speeding charge from last May.

Chapman was charged with going 93 miles-per hour in a 65 miles-per-hour area on Interstate 71.

Chapman, who holds the current record for the fastest pitch speed in Major League Baseball at 105.1 mph, is scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. before Magistrate Donald Breckenridge in Grove City Mayor’s Court, a court employee said this morning.

The original hearing date, scheduled for June 6, was postponed until today from a request from Chapman’s lawyer. Considering his suspended license, hopefully, Chapman is driven to the hearing.

Entertainment Weekly reported today that TLC has ordered 17 episodes of a Pete Rose reality show.

All Cincinnati Reds–and most baseball–fans know of Rose as the one-time baseball star who bet on baseball and then was banned from baseball when he got caught. The banning, of course, kept him out of the Hall of Fame, despite his holding the all-time hits record.

So what will TLC be showing?

With a working title of Pete Rose and Kiana Kim Family Project, the show will follow the 71-year-old Rose and his thirtysomething model fiancée Kiana Kim (who has posed for Playboy) through their daily lives as they try to blend their families.

That title’s quite a mouthful. I’m betting that changes before it airs.

I remember seeing Rose with a picture of his Playboy model girlfriend a few years ago. I’m surprised they’re still together.

“We’re not a traditional family,” says Kim. “We are a total modern-day family, mixing the cultures, the ages, the different backgrounds together. I didn’t even know who Pete Rose was when I first met him. It’s kind of a crazy story, but at the core of every family is love and it’s what TLC wants to show.” Quips Rose: “We’re just a normal family with 4,200 hits.”

Technically, it’s 4,258, if you count Pete Rose, Jr.’s contribution.

There is one quote from Rose that strikes me as a little sad.

I’m not in the Hall of Fame because I screwed up. It’s not Bud’s fault. It’s not [former commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti’s] fault. It’s not Mike Schmidt’s fault or Johnny Bench’s fault. I’m the one who screwed up. And if I’m ever given a second chance, all I can tell you is: I won’t need a third.”

Granted, Rose has always had a streak of saying whatever he thinks has the best chance of getting him that second chance, but at 71, it’s starting to feel like he’s getting more desperate. I’m not sure that a reality show is part of the path to that second chance, but Rose still has to make a living.

And in case you were worried about the show being tasteless, like Hugh Hefner’s The Girls Next Door, let Rose calm your fears: “It’s not going to be classless — like it seems like a lot of reality shows aren’t really reality, but our reality show is going to be funny, entertaining, and real.” That’s what I think of when I hear Rose’s name: classy.

Twitter was a powder-keg as tonight’s game started with the rumor that Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto was going to have knee surgery and miss a couple weeks. It took a while, but the Reds did confirm that rumor, only it’s a little worse. He’s going to miss 3-4 weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery tomorrow to repair torn meniscus in his left knee.

John Fay reports:

From general manager Walt Jocketty: “Joey Votto met with the medical staff this evening and has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He is going to have arthroscopic surgery tomorrow and should miss 3-4 weeks. Joey is very comfortable with the decision and is eager to return to the lineup.”

From Votto: “It is in my best interest and in the best interest of the team to do it now so that I can be healthy during the last two months of the pennant race.”

Votto injured the knee during a rough slide into third base in San Francisco on June 29 and missed a few games. Since his return, he’s struggled since then, going 8-31 (.258).

The timing on this feels strange to me. Why, if his knee bothered him that much, did he go to the All Star game? Those 4 days would’ve made him that much closer to recovering from the surgery. It’s kind of mystifying right now and doesn’t make the Reds’ medical staff look competent.

As for the team, they’ll finally find out how to score without Votto, assuming they want to continue winning. It’s going to be astruggle to keep that first place lead over the next month, but it will open room for Todd Frazier to play on a more regular basis. And for Scott Rolen to show he does have something left in the tank. Oh, and for general manager Walt Jocketty to make a trade or two.