| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Reds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 2 |
| D-backs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
A scoreless game through seven innings became a laugher when the Cincinnati Reds (45-45) scored nine runs in the top of the eighth to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks (43-46) by a 9-2 score at Chase Field in Phoenix.
That was the result today as Strat-O-Matic games of Glen Head, N.Y., continued its announced plan to simulate the entire 2020 Major League Baseball season on a day-by-day basis for as long as actual game play is on hold.
Help set the lineup, batting order for the simulated Reds:
Have you ever dreamed of your opportunity to “manage” the Reds? Now is your chance. Learn more below!
The sim Reds saved their Fourth of July fireworks until their eighth at-bat. Arizona starter and loser Madison Bumgarner, who had limited Cincinnati to four hits through seventh innings, had the wheels fall off. Nick Senzel led off the inning pinch-hitting for starter and winner Trevor Bauer by drawing a walk. Shogo Akiyama grounded back to Bumgarner, who threw it away at first base to move Senzel to third and Akiyama to second. Joey Votto doubled them both home to give the sim Reds a 2-0 lead, which was the end of the line for Bumgarner.
Cincinnati then unloaded on the Arizona bullpen. Junior Guerra immediately surrendered a run-scoring double to Eugenio Suarez, later a run-scoring double to Phillip Ervin, then departed with the bases loaded. Steady Freddy Galvis greeted reliever Merrill Kelly with a grand slam homer, and Akiyama rounded out the scoring with a solo shot.
Bauer had his best stuff on this day. In his seven innings, he allowed only one hit while striking out 10 and walking none. Bauer lost his no-hit bid when Starling Marte singled with one out in the sixth inning. His nine wins top the sim Reds staff.
“Everything felt great,” Strat-O-Matic quoted Bauer as saying. “I had a good fastball. I felt I could throw it by everybody tonight.”
Lucas Sims was roughed up a bit in relief, but a nine-run lead meant there were no worries for winning Redleg Nation commenter/manager Melvin, who recorded his third straight victory.
Curt Casali reached base four times on two hits and two walks. He scored immediately ahead of Galvis on the grand slam.
The victory pulled the sim Reds within one game of the Cubs and Cardinals, who are tied for second. The first-place Brewers defeated St. Louis, and the Cubs fell to Tampa Bay. Cincinnati remains four games behind first-place Milwaukee.
Here is the sim Reds box score, as provided by Strat-O-Matic:
A-Pinch Hit For Bauer In 8th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Kelly In 8th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Bradley In 9th Inning
Standings following the July 4 games:
| NL Central | WON | LOST | PCT | GB |
| Brewers | 48 | 40 | .545 | 0.0 |
| Cubs | 46 | 44 | .511 | 3.0 |
| Cardinals | 46 | 44 | .511 | 3.0 |
| Reds | 45 | 45 | .500 | 4.0 |
| Pirates | 35 | 53 | .398 | 13.0 |
The 2020 schedule has the Reds again at Chase Field in Phoenix Sunday going for the sweep of the three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Anthony DeSclafani pitches for the sim Reds, while left-hander Robbie Ray will start for the D-backs.
Help set the lineup, batting order for the simulated Reds:
Have you ever dreamed of your opportunity to “manage” the Reds? Now is your chance.
Strat-O-Matic has agreed to allow Redleg Nation to submit the Cincinnati Reds’ lineups for each day’s simulated game. We want all of our readers who want to participate to get involved.
Here is how it will work:
- In each wrap up of that day’s simulated game, Redleg Nation will post the opposing starting pitcher for the next game. You will know who the pitcher is and whether he is left-handed or right-handed, and you can use that information in creating a lineup for the next game, and submitting it in the comments below. “Splits” such as performance vs. left-handers or right-handers are replicated in the Strat-O-Matic game algorithm, and therefore should be considered.
- We will accept lineups from every reader who wants to submit one. The lineup that will be submitted to Strat-O-Matic each day will be the one that receives the most positive replies (in effect, “yes” votes) from readers other than the submitter. In case of ties:
- First tiebreaker: Lineup submitted by the reader who has had the fewest number of opportunities as a “manager.”
- Second tiebreaker: Lineup submitted earliest in the comment thread. (So get your lineup in “early” each day.)
- What is “early?” Redleg Nation posts these articles daily between 5 and 6 p.m. Eastern time. Strat-O-Matic’s deadline for us to submit a lineup for the next day’s game is midnight. On most days, we’ll do this before “bedtime,” which is typically between 10:30 and 11 Eastern time.
Batting and pitching player stats by team
Since Melvin was the victorious Redleg Nation commenter/manager today, he has priority for Sunday’s lineup. Have fun with this! If you have any questions, please post them in the comment string below. Here are the “managerial records” of our Redleg Nation participants to date:
| Commenter/ “Manager” |
WON | LOST | PCT |
| Peter Onte | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| Jon Davis | 9 | 5 | .643 |
| BK | 9 | 6 | .600 |
| James Owens | 3 | 2 | .600 |
| Gonzo Reds | 6 | 5 | .545 |
| Redsfan4life | 5 | 5 | .500 |
| Melvin | 4 | 4 | .500 |
| RedsEuphoria | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Tomn | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Doug Gray | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Don | 2 | 5 | .286 |
| AirborneJayJay | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Jeff | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| VaRedsFan | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Mark Moore | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Tom Mitsoff | 0 | 2 | .000 |
About Strat-O-Matic
Strat-O-Matic has been in the sports simulation business since the 1960s. A USA Today article contained this explanation:
Strat-O-Matic and other baseball simulations use statistics from the previous season to create “cards” for each player on a roster. The team managers select the batting order and the starting pitcher. From there, a series of dice rolls and calculations determines the outcome of each at-bat.
Strat-O, as it’s known to longtime players, first gained its immense popularity as a board game. The company has since expanded to a downloadable Windows version and one that’s played online. A few years ago, it introduced Baseball Daily – a new iteration that combined the player cards from the previous season with statistics from the real season being played at the same time.
Unlike many video games, the Strat-O-Matic results are based on algorithms that account for players’ performance based on statistics that their statistical experts project for each player in the 2020 season. It’s not a game played with a joystick that relies more on the skill of the person with the video game controller in his or her hand.
The simulation software will keep comprehensive statistics for all teams for the season, so we’ll be able to track year-to-date leaders in many statistical categories. Our current plan is to provide statistical leader summaries here at Redleg Nation each Sunday. You can follow the season at Strat-O-Matic.com, where they plan to post the results from each day’s schedule at 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Current Roster
(* = player has NO options)
(+ = LHP or LHB)
(^ = Switch Hitter)
Our current 26 man roster is:
C – *+Barnhart, *Casali
IF – *+Votto, *+Moustakas, *Suarez, *^Galvis, Rodriguez
OF – +Akiyama, Lorenzen(18), *Ervin, *Castellanos, +Payton, +Winker, Senzel
SP – *Bauer, *Desclafani, *Gray, *+Miley, Castillo
RP – *+Reed, Iglesias, *+Garrett, *Sims, *Strop, *R. Stephenson, Lorenzen, Kuhnel
Guys on the 40 man roster not on active roster
C – Stephenson, Farmer
IF – Garcia, +Vanmeter, Blandino
OF – Aquino, +Jankowski, *+Schebler
SP – Mahle, Santillan, DeLeon, Antone
RP – Bowman, Hendrix, Shafer, +Smith
Finally here is a list of relevant non 40 man players
C – Chris Okey
IF – India, Davidson, Colon
OF – +Friedl, +Powell, Barnes, Fairchild, +Hannah, +Siani
SP – +Lodolo, Greene, Gutierrez, +Naughton, +Raley, Solomon, Lillie, +Sanmartin
RP – Thornburg, +Biddle, Romano, +Finnegan, Carpenter, Alaniz, Powers
Yahoo! Bauer came through and most everyone else did too! Three in a row! Let’s GO! One game back of the Cards and Cubs which we need to pass before we go after those Brews. Votto is “Votto”. Two more hits and not just singles. Hitting .412 since IL and total .287/.398 OBP. Good news for all those who thought he forgot how to hit LH pitching. He’s back. Ervin and Moose contributed after our discussion yesterday, and at least for one game, Galvis batting 8th paid off big time.
Good job Melvin. Guess since we’re facing a lefty we almost have to get Lorenzen in there since he’s so close to 20. Senzel got the rally started so perhaps he earned a start at 2B.
Okay gentlemen. I want you to help me manage the next game like it was the 7th game of the World Series. Only difference will be we don’t have our other starters available out of the pen. Projected lineup for debate:
Akiyama CF
Votto 1B
Suarez 3B
Castellanos RF
Ervin LF
Moose 2B
Casali C
Galvis SS
Disco P
Looks Good Melvin.
One thing I’ve noticed from managing is that both times I rolled a lineup over it did nothing the next time out. I’d make some changes myself but certainly your call.
Thanks
With that being said I almost have to suggest a lineup to pick and choose from or ignore as is your right. LOL I also am keeping in mind BK’s stats showing righties well out perform lefties against Ray…
Lorenzen-CF (18 going for 19 – and don’t want Aki to be injured again)
Votto-1B (lefty but he’s on fire and his career history is he hits lefties)
Ervin-LF (crushes lefties no brainer)
Suarez-3B (our HR leader against Ray is a HR party waiting to happen)
Castellanos-RF (0-5 today but another power hitter opp side ag Ray)
Casali (platoon call)
Rodriguez (giving Galvis a break esp with Senzel to play in 9 hole)
P
Senzel-2B (earned a start and give the lefty Moose a seat)
Nice job on the streak Melvin hope you have many more in the tank. I would play Lorenzen, since he is so close to 2 way status, and Senzel. That is just my gut feeling on it but just slightly so just my 2 cents. Go get the Sweep!
Thanks
Happy 4th of July gentlemen! May everyone enjoy themselves celebrating the birth of the greatest country on earth. God Bless America – Let Freedom Ring!
Love that attitude.
Great pitching by Bauer and great for team to get so many hits in a row.
Sim Reds did not face Ray in the Sim.
Real Reds Lifetime vs Robbie Ray
Casili 1-4
Ervin 1-4
Galvis 9-23,2BB
Suarez 3-8,2B,HR
Votto 1-8,2BB
Mouse 0-2
Barnhardt 1-4 (2015&2016-Switch hitting)
Ray’s 2019 splits are heavy favorites to use Right Handed Batters
I think the only change from Today’s lineup may be Senzel or Mouse.
Mouse was 1-3,2B vs Baumgarner today.
I would think stay with Mouse run the same players out for Sunday to complete the Sweep.
Looks like that is what you are doing and it is the right lineup.
Have the Sim Reds finish the 7 game road trip 4-3 winning 5 in a row.
Thanks.
need a strong pitching performance from Disco. Hopefully like Bauer had today.
Looking at the win/loss streaks for the Sim Reds.
This is the 5th, 3 game winning streak. This is the one which is needed to make the 1st 4 game winning streak.
There has been four 3 game and two 4 game loosing steaks for the Sim Reds.
These Sim Reds needs this 4th win in a row so that they are above 500 as they go home with an off day on Monday.
The Sim Reds play 7 of the last 10 before the real baseball season starts.
Indians -2
Pirates – 3
@Cubs for 3
Mets -2
(real baseball starts on the 23rd)
Amended Lineup
Akiyama CF
Votto 1B
Suarez 3B
Ervin LF
Castellanos RF
Moose 2B
Galvis SS
Casali C
Disco P
Thanks Gonzo and BK…and everyone. You are all great coahes.
Discussion is still open if you’d like to add something.
I’d like to add something… baseball hot dogs and apple pie… happy 4th!
happy 4th all. I got some baseball fix today watching the Reds workout live stream on Twitter today.
Casteallanos looks like a monster at the plate in his BP.
You stole what I was going to say. 🙂 That’s from a Chevy commercial. It goes, “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.” 🙂
America, sweet beautiful America, God shed His grace on thee. May He continue to do so. 🙂
I have Melvin’s amended lineup. Go for the sweep!
Okay fellow coaches. Let’s win the rest….one game at a time.