Last night sucked and it sucked in all ways at all times because even though the Cubs pitcher sucked the Reds sucked even worse at getting runners across and I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Except maybe for this one time when Marty read the third inning trivia question and Cowboy shouted out the answer before he even read the choices and Marty got exasperated and said “I don’t even care anymore” and told everyone that Cowboy was right. That was pretty funny.
This is what we’re reduced to now.
Starting Pitchers
| Name | IP | ERA | SO | WHIP | G |
| Sonny Gray (R) | 163.2 | 2.80 | 190 | 1.09 | 29 |
| Yu Darvish (R) | 163.1 | 3.97 | 204 | 1.11 | 29 |
Reds
Sonny Gray is pitching tonight so here’s everything you need to know:
The most recent episode of Miami Vice I watched was called “Florence Italy,” which I thought was going to find an excuse to send Crockett and Tubbs to Florence Italy, but apparently that wasn’t in the budget for NBC, not even for Miami Vice in 1986. I guess they blew it all on music rights and hairspray. All they had the money for was to cast a prostitute named “Florence Italy” and shove in about 27 minutes of stock footage of the Grand Prix of Miami, which I just right now discovered existed, much to my Top Gear/Grand Tour fan shame.
Also in this episode Crockett and Tubbs pose as their drug-dealing aliases, Burnett and Cooper, and make their way into a race car driver party as “potential sponsors,” which at first made me laugh very hard. They’re drug dealers and they want to get their name out to the general public? How’s that gonna work? They’re gonna have their headshots on the hood with a photo of a giant pile of snow?
But then I remembered this was Miami in the 80’s and instead of sending smoke and confetti into the air at the end of the race, the event planners probably shot off cannons of crack directly into the crowd. So I’m buying it.
Oh, and Sonny Gray’s ERA is now 2.80.
Stupid Cubs
I like my job so I’ve got nothing to say about Yu Darvish’s name. Nothing. At. All.
Bullpen
The Reds bullpen had to step in after the third inning, the best part of which was the aforementioned trivia question shenanigans, so that should tell you about what kind of shape the relief corps is in this evening.
In the 9th inning, the Reds did what they had done the entire game and loaded the bases without actually scoring, and made the Cubs add in another relief pitcher at the bottom of the night, which made me spitefully happy. So if you want occasion to sin by rejoicing in the misfortune of your enemies, the Reds will ironically help you out every now and then. Pass it on.
Starting Lineups
Reds
- Josh VanMeter (L) 2B
- Joey Votto (L) 1B
- Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
- Aristides Aquino (R) RF
- Tucker Barnhart (L) C
- Phillip Ervin (R) LF
- Brian O’Grady (L) CF
- Jose Peraza (R) SS
- Sonny Gray (R) P
Stupid Cubs
- Ben Zobrist (S) 2B
- Nicholas Castellanos (R) RF
- Kris Bryant (R) 3B
- Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
- Willson Contreras (R) 1B
- Victor Caratini (S) C
- Jason Heyward (L) CF
- Nico Hoerner (R) SS
- Yu Darvish (R) P
News and Notes
-Joey Votto is back in the lineup tonight after battling sickness… OF BEING TOO AWESOME AMIRITE??!?!
-Derek Dietrich took Trevor Bauer shopping and then decided that he needed to “accessorize.” Do not let Derek Dietrich accessorize you unless you want to look like you just fell right out of the audience of Hangin’ Tough Live, because he thinks it should involve fanny packs and Jordan Knight’s hat.
-Josh VanMeter left the game with the eventual and troubling explanation of “family illness.” Later he posted this:
— Josh VanMeter (@VanMeter15) September 17, 2019
Our very best wishes to Josh’s loved ones.
-Redleg Nation’s Jason Lindon is, sadly, stepping away from the site. He says farewell and shares his thoughts about the offseason today.
2020
Pro’s: They’ll have a shot with Gray, Castillo, and Bauer heading the rotation. Aquino should do some damage, but of course he’ll have up-n-downs as a young guy. Maybe JVM turns into vintage Daniel Murphy although I doubt it. Maybe Votto has one .900 ops season left in him but I doubt it.
Con’s: This is the same team that runs out Iglesias and Barnhart as a 5 hole hitter so they obviously have no idea wtheck they’re doing. They have a ton of arms, but alot of holes in the bullpen. They need an established arm or two and atleast one needs to be a lefty.
I’ll be back if I’m still in America, but Ukraine is calling:) I can still check in, but its 7 hours ahead
Once again Thom B. has no idea what he’s talking about. He just said Woodruff shut down SD tonite thru 5. They pulled him after 2 innings since he just came back
Aw thanks! But I’ll still be doing Baseball is Life through the offseason, and posting several times a week at blondechampagne.com 🙂
🙂 But do you feel better? That’s the important thing.
My guess is… poorly.
Take another guess.
3-0 with our best pitcher on the mound and we get Schwarber’d anyway. They’re without Baez and Rizzo. The Reds are without direction which is worse. Tucker batting 5th does what TB does. I’m out again. Good night
I hate to say it, but you just know how this game is going to turn out . . . another gut wrenching loss in a game they could have won . . . and the Reds hitters made to look like little leaguers by Darvish. Right now I’m waiting for the roof to cave in because the Reds for sure won’t score another run . . . the chance of holding a one run lead for the rest of the game is very small. Ugh!
ARREST THEM SONNY
I might want to re-think my previous . . .
Good job, Sonny
Votto absolutely sucks on basepaths. Might be worst baserunner in MLB by a WIDE margin – and getting worse ! – geeze .
I no doubt did watch you! Seeing my sister and me draped over the couch watching SBTB was always my mother’s cue to say “Oh, it’s the intellectual hour!”
The joys of having a Master’s holding teacher for a mama….
I don’t even remember what the actual footage of that looks like anymore because it’s been superimposed by the Dana Carvey SNL bit.
I’m not watching the game but saw Barnhart grounded to second and Votto was thrown out at home in non-force.
Say Votto didn’t run, was it a DP ball? Tucker isn’t exactly speedy. Players could help the guy out by hitting a ball out of the infield.
WINNER WINNER RON’S ROOST DINNER
How does the song go? Hey hey what do you say? The reds just beat the cubs today!!!
Eric, keep any and all political commentary off the site.
Seat, don’t call people trolls.