Last Game
The Reds split the series with the Braves by losing the game they should have won yesterday. Cueto only lasted four innings and the offense only came up with two runs. I turned off Adventure Time for this??

Next Game
Headed to New York to give the 20-16 Mets a visit. Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11 ERA) will face off against Johan Santana (1-2, 2.92 ERA). Maybe I’ll make plans to go to a movie rather than suffer through this one.

The Bat is Still the Most Interesting Thing in Reds Land
Remember when we said that the bat that Joey Votto used to hit those two-regular-home-runs-plus-one-walk-off-grand-slam was headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown? Well, not yet. He wants to keep using it for a while first, seeing as it’s such a quality piece of lumber.

Look! I journalismed!

(Not to be down on John Fay for reporting this: not only has this story been a huge traffic source, but it’s hard to find stuff to say about this team every day, and it’s only May.)

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
In the teams’ history, the Reds are 302-259 against the Mets. However, they were only 2-5 in against them last season.

Last Game
The Reds took the first game of the two-game series against the Atlanta Braves. Homer Bailey pitched, Chris Heisey and Brandon Phillips got RBI, and the Reds won 3-1.

Next Game
The Reds finish the short series against the Braves tonight at 7:10 p.m. Normally I wouldn’t be too optimistic about such a game, but it’s Johnny Cueto and his 4-0 record and his 1.12 ERA going out there. The question is whether the offense can find the button (as in George Grande’s saying, “he hit that one on the button”) against Tim Hudson.

Still Talking about Votto’s 3-Homer Game
When Joey Votto hit three home runs against the Nationals this week, it was the second time he’d hit three home runs in the same game. That made him the fifth player in Reds’ history to have more than one three-homer game. The other four were Johnny Bench (3 times), Gus Bell (twice), Eric Davis (twice) and Aaron Boone (twice). Not bad company.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
Johnny Cueto has not allowed a run in his last 16 innings.

Last Game
The Reds salvaged a single game from the series with the Nationals by winning yesterday in walk-off fashion. Since it was a grand slam that put it away, the final score of 6-9 makes it sound like the Reds looked a whole lot better than they really did. Even so, it couldn’t have been a bit more exciting than it was.

Next Game
The Reds (17-16) go to visit the NLE-leading Atlanta Braves (23-13). Didn’t they just face the NLE-leading team? Why, yes they did, but yesterday’s win knocked the Nats a half game behind the Braves, who just swept the Cardinals in a 3-game series. Atlanta scored 23 runs in that series, but at least they allowed 13, so I’m sure the Reds’ notoriously potential-fulfilling offense will get a run or two before it’s over.

Homer Bailey (1-3, 4.93 ERA) takes on Randall Delgado (2-3, 4.54 ERA) at 7:10 p.m.

A Smarter Guy Would Have Intentionally Blown the Save
The National League has a healthy respect for Joey Votto, as evidenced by his league-leading 31 walks. When Votto came up in the bottom of the ninth, the team was down by one with two outs and the bases loaded, setting up the most dramatic situation possible:

• An out ends the game in a loss.
• A walk ties it up.
• A hit at least ties it and probably wins it.

At the time, the Nationals thought they were doing the right thing to pitch to the man, but in retrospect, they should have walked him–take your chances with Phillips, go into extras, and shut it down before Votto comes up again.

I predict that at some point this season, a team will make this very decision: blow the save with a walk rather than give the Most Dangerous Player anything to hit with the game on the line. Hopefully Bruce is batting clean-up by then.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
The Reds are 10-1 in the last game of a series and 6-0 on Sundays. They are 5-6 in the first game of a series.

Last Game
The Reds were off yesterday, but on Wednesday they took yet another series by defeating the Brewers 2-1. The Reds have won or tied their last six series.

Next Game
The Reds open a home series against the NLE-leading Nationals and their 19-12 record tonight at 7:10 p.m. Mike Leake (RHP 0-4, 5.97 ERA) takes the mound against Gio Gonzalez (LHP 3-1, 1.72 ERA).

He’ll really be something in 2017
Tonight the Reds will face Bryce Harper, the Nationals’ 19-year old outfielder, for the first time. This guy inspires vomit-inducing levels of praise from Real Baseball Men, and I feel like I’m missing something. .263/.370/.421 is pretty good for a fifth-year senior, but doesn’t seem like enough for Cole Hamels to get himself all suspended over.

On the other hand, who am I to question the wisdom of Jim Bowden?

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
With the Reds’ last win, Dusty Baker got his 1500th win as a major league manager.

Last Game
The Milwaukee Brewers evened the series against the Cincinnati Reds at a game apiece, winning 8-3, thanks to Homer Bailey’s inability to finish off batters with two strikes. Bailey lasted just 3 2/3 innings, but allowed 6 runs. The game also saw the end of the scoreless innings streak by the Reds’ bullpen. For the offense, Jay Bruce extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his 10th home run, a 2-run shot. Scott Rolen drove in the Reds other run.

Next Game
The Reds will go for the series win against the Brewers this afternoon at 1:10pm EDT. And they’ve got an excellent shot, since they’ll be sending out their best starter, Johnny Cueto. Zach Greinke will go for the Brewers.

A New Leadoff Hitter in Town
Zack Cozart has been the leadoff hitter for the Reds for 14 games now, and he’s feeling more comfortable in the role.

After starting out slow, Cozart has taken off. After last night, he has a 6-game hitting streak. During that streak, he’s 8-for-23 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI. In his first 8 games at leadoff, he went 5-for-34.

“Guys aren’t pitching me that much different than they were in the 2 hole,” he said. “But it’s an adjustment. You go up your first at-bat and you’re trying to see some pitches for the guys behind you. A lot of these pitchers I’ve never faced, so I’m going up trying to learn how they’re going to throw me. It’s been a little adjustment. I feel comfortable.

“But before the last four or five games I wasn’t getting any hits.”

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
Should the Reds manage to win today, it will be manager Dusty Baker’s 1,500th as a major league manager. His record is currently 1499-1380.