| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (28-34) | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies (36-27) |
4 | 6 | 0 |
| W: Pivetta (4-1) L: Roark (4-5) |
|||
| FanGraphs Win Probability | Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Reds offense couldn’t get going beyond the first two hitters in the lineup and Nick Pivetta came to pitch as Cincinnati fell short on Saturday in Philadelphia.
The Offense
Nick Senzel led off the game with a double. And he was the last Red to have a hit in the game, leading off the 9th inning with a double. He scored on the first one, giving the Reds an early 1-0 lead. It was the only run the team would have on the day. Joey Votto had 2 hits, both singles. Josh VanMeter and Jose Peraza each went 1-3. That was it. No one else had a hit. No one walked for the Reds. And no one was hit by a pitch. The offense just didn’t have it going for them today, and even when they threatened, things didn’t work out. When Senzel scored in the 1st it came on a double play. In the 8th inning with 2 runners on a double play erased a runner and helped stall the inning.
The Pitching
Tanner Roark wasn’t at his best on the day. The Reds starter allowed 4 earned runs on the day. After being handed a 1-0 lead he quickly gave it up in the bottom of the 1st inning when the Phillies scored twice. Roark would get touched up for a single run in each of the 4th and 5th innings. His ERA jumped to 3.74 on the season.
The bullpen took over in the 6th inning with Matt Bowman taking the mound. He threw 2.0 hitless innings with a strikeout, holding the lead for the Phillies at 3 runs. Jared Hughes threw a perfect 8th inning with 2 strikeouts to give the Reds a shot at things in the 9th. He did his job. The offense didn’t on this day.
Notes Worth Noting
On this day in 1920 Edd Roush literally fell asleep during a game while playing the outfield. While the manager and umpire were discussing something on the infield, Roush laid down in the grass at his position. And fell asleep. Don’t ever let anyone tell you players don’t hustle or play hard like they used to.
Joey Votto has reached base in 22 of his last 23 games. In his last 13 games he’s hitting .393/.417/.500.
Matt Bowman has come up from Triple-A Louisville and pitched well this season. He’s only appeared in 7 games for the Reds thus far, but has only allowed 1 run in 7.2 innings – good for an ERA of 1.17.
Despite taking the loss on the day, Tanner Roark hit two “milestones”, so-to-speak. During the game he reached 1000 career innings pitched and racked up his 800th career strikeout.
The Reds have scored 11 runs in 6 games during June.
The Reds social media team made ONE tweet during the game. That has to be a record.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies
Sunday June 9th, 1:05PM ET
Sonny Gray (2-5, 3.54 ERA) vs Aaron Nola (6-1, 4.63 ERA)
Should be a one sentence recap. Reds are trash.
Thanks for the input.
So what should the immediate adjustments be? I my view Casali becomes the everyday catcher and Ervin is promoted and gets almost Senzel-like playing time for about 10 days. Barnhart has been given ample opportunity to better his numbers – it’s just not happening.
After an encouraging offseason, what a disappointment is this pathetic offense with one run and 6 hits. When the Reds are behind come the 8th. inning, I mark it a loss and go on to something else. After 62 games, I’ve only had to cross out the L twice.
Joey went 0-4 on June 6, snapping his 20-game on-base steak. So I don’t believe he’s reached base in 13 straight games.
Who’s the idiot now? *It me*
Thanks for the correction. Not sure how I missed that one on Baseball Reference…. plain as day, right in front of my face. I’ve updated the post and info.
No problem Doug. I’m a Votto fanboy (almost as much as Jason) so I was closely monitoring his on-base streak.
New manager didn’t help. It’s the front office. This winter’s talent acquisition was panic and terrible. Analytics hasn’t helped. Draft hasn’t helped. FRONT OFFICE IS THE PROBLEM.
The problem was the Reds weren’t “all-in” this winter. They simply wanted to avoid another losing season during the 150th anniversary celebration. Nearly all of the deals and signings the Reds made were one-year deals for players their teams were trying to get rid of (Puig, Kemp, Wood, Roark) or that no other teams wanted (Dietrich, Iglesias, Duke).
Gennett was one of those acquisitions that nobody else wanted. Seems to now be the player everyone thinks should be inked to multiple years.
I love the over reaction on this comment page. The front office nor management is the problem. This team just was never that good to begin with. The front office tried to do something and some things worked (pitching) and somethings haven’t (hitting). That’s called life. Everyone over reacting to a mediocre baseball team losing must have 100% of the things they do work in their own lives and are not use to the fact that something’s work, somethings do not. Also those over reacting must have really thought this team would be a championship team. That’s all I’ve got.
Paying fans have a right to expect the Front Office to finally get it right. Don’t they? It’s been years of futility. The FO doesn’t know talent. To gloss over this continual failure is timid. It’s not the end of the world, of course. But, to expect better is right on target.
Look I expect better too but not only from the front office but the players themselves who seem to never get the blame for anything. Puig hitting .210, for example, is something the front office couldn’t of seen happening. I don’t like the teams in last place but I tend to like to place the blame on the players more than anyone. When we lose it’s the other team performing better than our team.
How many examples of small to middle market teams can you cite who went from worst to first in one year by going all in? Very few I would surmise. If you have unrealistic expectations there is a good chance they won’t be met.
“The front office nor management is the problem. This team just was never that good to begin with”
Who do you think is responsible for putting this team together? Their draft picks are terrible. Senzel, Winker, Garrett, Mahle, and Lorenzen are it for the last 3-4 years. Thats it? Winker is already 26 and not that good. Garrett and Lorenzen are relievers. Mahle is maybe a #3 at best. Nobody on the farm can help next year? Trammell is at .260 or something at AA. How are they going to get out of last place? You tell me? Over reacting? Maybe, but fan is short for fanatic…as in fanatical! I grew up with the BRM as a kid. The 80s with Eric Davis and Barry Larkin which culminated with 1990! Anyone that loves the Reds hates to see them in last place every year with literally no end in sight.
Doug mentioned $60 mil coming off the books. So what? They need Scooter….as in NEED Scooter! They probably have to pay Iggy the SS too. They can’t count H&H out of the pen. Just way too many holes? They’re a small market team that can’t pay/attract top FAs? 4th is their ceiling next year. There will be no Twins type of turnaround. Not even a White Sox version of return to respectability and thats sad.
Nobody expected a championship, but is 3-4 games out of the last wildcard on August 1st to much to ask? Evidently it is.
Look I’m sick of last place too but where’s the blame on the players? Who’s fault is it Winker hasn’t been good? Baseball has always been a crapshoot when drafting players we can’t help that some players work out well and some not as well. I’m not saying the front office is totally innocent in the last place finishes. They’ve allowed certain players to become comfortable and allow them to play when hitting at a low rate (I.E. Barnhart this year). I believe the players have a responsibility too, though, to try to perform. The front office and management are not puppet masters, the players themselves play on the field and they over perform, perform, or underperform and this year they are underperforming. No one seen Puig hitting .210 for example.
As for the Twins type turn around no one can say whether it will happen or not. I would like to believe that soon we will see winning baseball again and I hope it’s sooner than later!
I’m the same, I had high hopes for this team. I still believe we can get on a run foolish as I am. I just hate people blame the wrong people for it. The players that are underperforming should get the majority of the blame. Can’t get everything right 100% of the time.
Sliotar: the A’s are a nice young team with talent but they only average 19,000 a game. There are always many empty seats. Remember, two teams in one area and the Giants are the main attraction. The Giants used to be the toughest ticket in town but no more. Yes, they average 32,600 but many empty seats now.
Well they aren’t the problem when it comes to player performance. Who do you want on the field? We all want the best players on the team but there are 29 other teams out there who all want the best players too and last I checked a lot of them are willing to pay more than the Reds. So that means we’ve got to depend on trades and drafts. The front office has drafted very good players but drafts are a gamble. Some have worked most haven’t as to why the Reds are where they are. They’ve tried to trade but did anyone think Wood would be on the IL and Puig would not be able to hit a fastball? And then management isn’t to blame for the mistakes players make on the field. I don’t see David Bell or Turner Ward dropping short fly balls or striking out. So the responsibility is on the players for the performance on the field. As stated in another comment, though, the front office is to blame for the tone of the team not being one that we win or you get replaced so players have gotten comfortable. It’s like if you go to work, you don’t do your job correctly and the manager over you gets in trouble for it. That’s not real life so why do we give players a free pass?
I hate they have lost 90+ games too but no payroll and having to depend on trades and drafts is rough. Drafts, as we have seen a lot in the past, are crapshoots and trades sometimes don’t work.
I know that the whole offensive anemia has been systemic throughout the team (Geno & Iglesias an exception) so to focus on one individual is foolhardy. Yet, I will play the fool, but Votto is the bigger disappointment. Yes, his hitting has warmed up since the beginning of the season, but it does not seem that it has been consequential. He has I believe just a 0.5 WAR. Very little run production from a traditional statistical model. From those of you who are more knowledgeable in advanced analytics, what do those numbers say about Votto’s true performance? I love Votto so I am looking for somebody to tell me that he is not on a steep decline yet.
He’s warming up so lets see? Joey’s been better defensively this year. Seems a little more agile in that phase of the game so maybe his bat will come around? If he can finish up around .800 ops then maybe next year could be better?
Will Clark’s 2000 season at 36 put up a .964 ops, but never played again. I saw Will Clark in person many times in Texas. Not a physical speciman….played in the steroid era but I would say will full confidence that he was clean
Fred McGriff put up a .930 ops at age 37. Clean as far as I know?
Joey will be 36 at the end of the season. Decent chance he could rebound to high .800s ops next year, but probably a 70% chance he doesn’t. The ball just doesn’t jump off the bat like it used to. All the Reds can do is hope for the best. They need him to rebound for a few years to have a chance.
He’s indeed since 2017. It’s time to make a change, as he won’t get any better at his age. O’Grady is literally destroying the ball in AAA with +1000 OPS playing everyday. Barnhart, Puig and Peraza shall also be replaced.
Van Meter was destroying the ball in AAA also. What has that translated to?
Like most, I miss the good old days when who played was based on who played the best. Those days are long gone. No more Lou Gehrig filling in for Wally Pipp and never giving up the position. Now its all based on who has the contract.
I can’t look at 1975-6 or the 1980s and judge what is happening now on the basis of the way things were. It is a totally different game played under totally different conditions and parameters.
He’s indeed since 2017. It’s time to make a change, as he won’t get any better at his age. O’Grady is literally destroying the ball in AAA with +1000 OPS playing everyday. Barnhart, Puig and Peraza shall also be replaced.
Puig has been a major disappointment. Bring up Ervin and give someone else a shot. The anemic offense has been going on all year. Casali needs to be playing much more. Absolutely no energy from this team. Winker has regressed not to mention Peraza.
You got it right the organisation as a whole needs to change for us to succeed again. That I do blame ownership and front office for. What I don’t blame them for is underperforming players
Stick to your guns, Josh. Even if you are wrong. The players are playing at the level they are able. Not many are any good.
There are a good amount of players on this team that are underperforming. Puig, Votto, Barnhart, Suarez, Peraza are all playing behind the numbers on the back of their baseball cards.
Also as for my guns I am sticking to em, I feel that the players on this team can be playing better than they are. At the same time my original post did not clear the front office of all blame just of the blame of what the players are doing. Every fan wants their team to be the best, I’m no different. This team cannot just go out and get the best players whenever they want though so the front office has to make moves and draft. As I said in the original post, somethings work out and somethings do not. The front office does have some blame, though, for not setting a tone that we are not going to accept mediocrity. They are at fault for that. I do not blame the front office for losing today’s game, or yesterday’s game or going 1-5 in the last 6. That’s on the players and how they are underperforming.
They’ve become the Pirates.
Genius. Spot on.
I agree here. I have been waiting for Scooter and Wood. But I just don’t see Scooter contributing for a month or so and Wood, never. I think the Reds need to start unloading the free-agents-to-be and get a head start on next years debacle.
For the life of me, I can not figure out why Ervin is still in the Minors. They have consistently shortchanged him every step of the way.
Your comment is right on regarding Ervin. A strange situation which seems to me like somebody in the FO has labeled him a AAA player so that he’s never received a real chance in the Bigs to succeed with the inevitable ups and downs that come with it.
The Reds? Lollll. Draft Ervin in the 1st round and never give him a shot. Draft Alex Blandino in the 1st round and his ceiling is a utility player. What other team does that? 1st rounders in baseball aren’t like the NFL or NBA obviously, but if you want to have a winning organization then you better produce atleast 1 star and 1 regular bat in the lineup/starting pitcher every 5 years. Big markets can just use their minor league system as trade bait, but the Reds need to consistently develop help at the big league level. Instead they’re misguided at every level? Trammell is hitting .236 at AA and he’s the #1 prospect? Fire them all and start over.
The offense is back to struggling, and that’s the lion’s share of why they’ve fallen back to 7 games under .500. That’s frustrating. On the other hand, despite offensive struggles, they have played exactly .500 baseball since a 1-8 start. I don’t expect much from Peraza or Barnhart. I’d like to see Casali getting a lot more starts, and Peraza starting every day – in Louisville. That would be a small boost to the offense. But the rest is a bit of a crap shoot. I don’t know if Puig will start to hit, or if the league has figured him out. But I absolutely expect Suarez and Winker to hit, Votto to continue his resurgence, Senzel to continue to contribute from the leadoff spot, and either Dietrich or Gennett to add value at second base. I honestly expect the Reds to win as many games as they lose this year. Will that earn a wildcard spot? No. Is it a big step forward? Yes. So no, it hasn’t happened yet and it may not. But it has happened for the last 54 games (that number may be slightly off) and that’s despite an offense that has not hit the way the back of the baseball cards say it will. If you’re so miserable watching Reds games, go outside, play with your kids, take a walk, read a book. Better yet – do all that and root for the Reds too. I will.