Every game Johnny Cueto has taken the mound the past couple weeks has been accompanied with a sense of dread that we might be watching his final start in a Cincinnati uniform. As a Reds fan, you want to savor the last, glorious dance with Johnny Cueto. It makes me think of the farewell concert (and film) by The Band called The Last Waltz.
The Band played a song, written by Robbie Robertson, titled “The Weight” with the refrain you can put the load right on me. This afternoon, Johnny Cueto was asked – once again – to put the load right on his twisting back. On this day, Cueto couldn’t carry it on his own, although it was far from his best day. The Reds lost primarily due to poor hitting, lousy relief pitching and shabby defense, things outside the starting pitcher’s control.
Johnny Cueto’s emergence as one of the top pitchers in baseball has been a genuine revelation. The Book of Revelation is also the name of the last chapter in The Bible. If this game is indeed the final chapter in Cueto’s tenure with the Reds, in too many ways it’s fitting. (A clichéd reference to a dumpster fire wouldn’t be fair to dumpster fires.)
National baseball writers have reported the past couple weeks that the Reds have so far been reluctant to engage in trade talks, in part due to uncertainty (in the eyes of Bob Castellini) about the Reds postseason prospects.
Let me say loud and clear again: It’s time to look toward 2016 and beyond.
If the last two embarrassing losses in Miami aren’t enough to put an exclamation point on that statement – one that even a never-say-die owner can recognize – I don’t know what else could.
Reds 1, Marlins 8 | FanGraphs | The Band at Woodstock
The Reds jumped on Marlin starter Dan Haren for a run in the first inning. Brandon Phillips began with a double down the right-field line. After Joey Votto was hit by a pitch, Todd Frazier singled in Phillips. End of meaningful offense.
Jay Bruce doubled in the third inning, giving him 200 for his Reds career. He’ll likely pass George Foster and Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Ernie Lombardi in that category before the end of the season.
If you’ve fallen in love with Eugenio Suarez, I’d tap the brakes on that.