Blog Archives

July 19, 2012

Pictures from game 91

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.

The view from the cheap seats in left field. I’d recommend the cheap seats in right field, since the scoreboard is visible there.

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July 18, 2012

Aroldis Chapman’s day in court

Aroldis Chapman’s mug shot after getting arrested for driving with a suspended license.

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.

July 17, 2012

TLC to bring Pete Rose reality show to television

Pete Rose showing off his excellent taste in head-gear.

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.

July 16, 2012

Joey Votto on the disabled list! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

Joey Votto throws a grounder to second before the first night game of the season.

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.

July 15, 2012

Game 87: Cardinals 2, Reds 3

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Cardinals (46-42)0000002000281
Reds (49-38)00001100013101
W: LeCure (3-2) L: Marte (2-2)

Boxscore

Ryan Ludwick wins the battle against Victor Marte and the Cardinals to give the Reds the series win.

The Cincinnati Reds finally won a 1-run game, and they did it in dramatic, walk-off fashion, thanks to left-fielder Ryan Ludwick and his just-barely home run in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The journey to that exciting ending was entertaining, too. Mike Leake started and did very well, shutting out the Cardinals for the first six innings of the game. The offense had given the team the lead, too, with Jay Bruce doubling in Brandon Phillips in the 5th inning to plate the first run. Then in the next inning, Scott Rolen singled to start the inning, moved to third thanks to a single from Devin Mesoraco and a sacrifice by Mike Leake, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Zack Cozart.

When Leake went back out for the 7th, though he was suddenly not as effective. He was unable to retire anyone, giving up a solo home run to Yadier Molina and a couple other hits. Sean Marshall relieved him, but couldn’t keep the Cardinals from tying the game thanks to a safety-squeeze bunt from Rafael Furcal. Leake’s final line: 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts. His 5th straight quality start.

From then on, the bullpen pitched scoreless baseball. Lodan Ondrusek, Bill Bray, Aroldis Chapman, and Sam LeCure combined for 3 shutout innings, sending the game to extras and giving the offense enough time to come back. Ludwick provided that with a solo home run on the 9th pitch of his at-bat against Victor Marte to lead off the 10th inning.

The win returns the Reds to 11 games over .500 and keeps them tied for first place with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who beat the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday.

Today, the Reds will be nationally televised again, as a part of ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Jake Westbrook will start for the Cardinals, while the Reds will send out Homer Bailey to start in place of Johnny Cueto, who has a blister on his right finger. The Reds will be going for the sweep at 8:00pm EDT.