If you want to discuss the game, feel free to do so in the comments section below.
My initial impression from the television broadcast is that Rick Peterson, the Mets pitching coach, has the makings of a great mullet.
Now, let’s see what Eric Milton can do in his first start. All I know is that Chris Welsh just compared him to Tom Browning in his first sentence.
7:11 p.m.: Rich Aurilia is back at shortstop. Not good news, Felipe Lopez fans.
7:13 p.m.: Nice play by Joe Randa on a screamer down the line off the bat of Carlos Beltran. But goodness, he has a candy arm.
7:14 p.m.: No ‘stache on Piazza? Looks strange.
Good first inning by Milton. He’s a soft tosser, but he mixed it up pretty well that inning and kept some good hitters off balance.
7:18 pm: Leadoff single by Jiminez. That’s important…gotta get hitters on base in front of the big boppers — Junior, Casey, Kearns, and Dunn.
7:20 pm: Base knock by Junior. Perhaps we’ll have some rare success against Tom Glavine tonight?
7:22 pm: Casey grounds into a double play. That won’t be the last time we see that.
7:27 pm: Back to back walks for Kearns and Dunn. It was amusing to watch Glavine pitch around Dunn. No offense to Randa, who had a great game on Monday, but I’d rather pitch to him, too.
7:29 pm: Joe Randa delivers again, taking a Glavine changeup into left field for a two-run single. He’s doing everything he can to endear himself to Cincinnatians. 2-0 Reds.
7:33 pm: I’ll say this now, and then I’ll quit harping on it. Rich Aurilia has no business wearing a Reds uniform this year.
7:39 pm: Well, Milton gives up the first of what is likely to be many home runs, to the Mets first baseman with the unpronounceable name. Get used to it.
7:54 pm: Another very nice play by Randa at third. Goodness, if he keeps this up, he might win me over.
7:55 pm: And another good play by Randa. Randa for President!
8:17 pm: Another homerun given up by Milton, this time to David Wright (who is going to be a very good player). This is not a recording.
8:29 pm: Glavine has settled down, and Milton hasn’t pitched very poorly. I always feel like Milton is on the verge of giving up a longball, though, and it’s going to be a long season if that feeling doesn’t go away soon. I won’t be able to stomach Milton’s starts.
On an optimistic note, the bases are now loaded for Ken Griffey.
8:31 pm: After taking a pitch that would have been a called third strike for Glavine ten years ago, Griffey laces a hard hit single to RF, scoring two runs.
Let me say this: when this team is batting, I enjoy watching them more than I have enjoyed watching the Reds hit in years. When we get Felipe Lopez and Edwin Encarnacion and Wily Mo Pena in the lineup full-time, it’s going to be even more fun.
8:33 pm: Single by Casey scores another run. 5-2, Reds are now three Milton HRs ahead.
8:35 pm: Bases are now loaded for Dunn, after a nice single by Kearns (who looks like a different hitter this year). The tension is mounting, as Willie Randolph pulls Glavine from the game in favor of Mike Matthews. Remember him?
8:36 pm: Oh well. Dunn gives it a ride, but it’s the third out of the inning.
8:52 pm: Eric Milton has laid down a couple of nice sacrifice bunts tonight. It’s not much, but it’s something in his favor.
8:59 pm: Well, that’s all for Milton tonight. He leaves with runners on second and third, one out. Matt Belisle comes in, and I’m looking forward to seeing him pitch.
9:05 pm: Wow. Nice job by Belisle to get out of the inning.
9:25 p.m.: Reds have stranded eleven so far. It’s nice to have guys on base.
This is an interesting part of the game, when the 2005 bullpen will be tested. Last year, this is the type of game that the pen would blow regularly, and on Monday, the new guys (Weathers and Mercker) did a pretty good impression of last year’s relievers.
9:36 pm: Belisle was shakier in the seventh, but allowed no runs and no hits. Nice first outing of the year for the youngster.
9:48 pm: Okay, here’s Kent Mercker for the eighth inning. Let’s hope he’s better than Monday.
At least Miley didn’t bring in David Weathers.
9:51 pm: …and Mercker walks the first batter.
That’s it for me. I’m going to go walk on the treadmill or something while I watch this game, to work off the nervousness brought on by this bullpen.
10:14 pm: A grand slam? Are you kidding me?
Joe. Randa. Is. The. Man.
10:29 pm: Despite a very shaky ninth by newcomer Ben Weber, the Reds pull another one out, 9-5.
Two and oh, still in first place. Only 160 games to go until the playoffs return to Cincinnati.
I think Casey is a great guy, but as a first baseman he’s Hal Morris all over again. Dunn is the future at first.
Wally, Dunn may be the future at first base, but it will be a dark, sad day if Sean Casey ever wears another uniform other then Cincinnati Red. I hope Sean can play his entire career for the Reds just like Johnny Bench and Barry Larkin. That’s probably unrealistic given the current state of baseball.As to your comments that Casey is “another Hal Morris” I think Sean is a much more consistent hitter then Morris. And Sean has more power to all fields. Where Morris was a slasher, Case is a gap hitter. Of course the value of Casey is what he brings to the room. The intangibles that will mean something in September if the Reds can get there in front….
I thought the same thing about Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and George Foster, but the day came when all of them showed up back here in another uniform. I didn’t like it, but it didn’t kill me.
Casey is like Morris in that both of them will get an occasional big hit, but more often than not they’ll ground into a DP in a key situation or fail to advance a runner, both of which Casey did in the last two games. Morris was much, MUCH worse, but neither of them deliver the kind of power that I’d like to see out of a first baseman. Being a good guy around town and in the clubhouse is a great trait, but unless Casey is about to string together several seasons like last year, I’d consider him trade bait. Moot point, because I don’t think there is a market for him.
Geez Bill, your tough. 2 games into the season and you already think Aurilla stinks?? Patience, Patience. I think Rich has put up enough numbers in his career to at least give him a week (sic). Let’s just bask in the glow of a 3-0 Reds team. This team just put up 22 runs without a home run from Griffey, Casey, Kearns or Aurilla. A good sign.. This should give Reds fans a lot of hope. The Reds have a much more balanced line-up. And like we saw today when you plug in Wily Mo and Ryan Freel in the line-up they contribute. Which gives you a better bench when Jimenez can pinch hit when he doesn’t start. Let’s give Rich Aurilla a little more time you’ll see…..