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

Dusty Baker returned to the world-class city that gave him the platform to display his vast managing incompetence to everyone not named Bob Castellini. And guess what? Baker’s still got it. He showed he hasn’t forgotten a thing about losing at Wrigley.

Johnny Cueto was good for the Reds, striking out 6 and allowing only 1 run in 7 innings. And that one run wasn’t exactly earned. Edwin Encarnación failed to look back a runner at third before throwing to first. Looks like EdE’s trying to work his way out of the infield.

As for the Cubs, Rich Harden started and was even better than Cueto. Of course, the Reds follow Baker’s “Swing First, Ask Where the Ball Was Later” approach that the Cubs have finally gotten rid of, so it really wasn’t that much work for Harden.

Boxscore

I haven’t checked in on the Cubs in a while, but strangely, I’m not surprised to see them continuing to win. They won their weekend series against the Marlins, capping it off yesterday with another great outing from Ryan Dempster.

Chicago has tons of great players, but the roster isn’t that different from last year. The one major addition, Kosuke Fukodome, is mired in a terrible slump and hasn’t even been playing every day lately. I guess that just goes to show you what a competent manager with an expectation of winning and the knowledge of how to do it can get you. Piniella has done a good job this year.

Of course, getting a career year out of Dempster doesn’t hurt, either. (8-run innings from your offense never hurt, either.) He pitched for 6 innings, allowing only 2 runs and striking out 10. The chants of “Dumpster! Dumpster!” are not being heard this year. Well, maybe in the playoffs.

As much as this season sucks for Reds fans, it’s got to suck even harder for the players. I mean, sure, they’re making the big bucks, but I can escape the games by going to work. For them, the games are the work. When I’m in the office, only a handful of people give me grief about how bad the team is; for them, all 10,000 people who bother to show up let them know about it. And if I really need my decent-team fix, I can just look at the Cubs, Brewers, or Cardinals, all of whom are within the scope of my blog and none of whom are rotten. All the Reds players can do is hope to be traded to Arizona.

In fact, what I actually do is get so busy doing other things, that I end up stocking up almost a month’s worth of content to cram into on podcast. Enjoy!

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Boxscore

Whoever had chosen the number 3 has won the “How many games before Chris Carpenter’s injured again sweepstakes.” Congratulations.

The Cubs pretty much ended the Cardinals season on ESPN for all the world not watching the Olympics to see. Chicago won the 3-game series and dropped St. Louis to a distant 3rd place. Yes, the Cardinals, who have defied the odds all season, are now 7 games back. They’re now closer to fourth place than first, and I’m afraid that they’re magical run is nearly done.

Not even the amazing Felipe Lopez can save them now.

Chicago was pretty much awesome. Sure they got blown out in the second game of the series, but that happens. The Cubs, as difficult as it is to believe, are a very good team managed by a crazy, but very good manager.

You know, the Reds had the opportunity to get Lou Piniella. I believe they stayed pat with Jerry Narron instead. Good call, Castellini.