The Cincinnati Reds (19-21) will try to end their two-game losing skid tonight at 6:40 PM against the San Fransisco Giants (26-16). Tonight will be an uphill battle for the Reds. The Giants now have the best record in baseball, and their starting pitcher tonight has a 1.84 ERA. The Reds will have to win both of the final two games against the Giants to keep their current streak of six consecutive non-series losses alive.
Starting Pitchers
Wade Miley has had the full big league starting experience during the last road trip. He threw a no-hitter in Cleveland and then gave up 8 earned runs in Denver. The last start skewed his numbers quite a bit, but Miley has been everything the Reds could have hoped for so far in 2021. Miley has a career 3.60 ERA in 13 appearances (12 starts) against the Giants.
The Reds sure saved Kevin Gasuman‘s career. He had a 6.19 ERA when the Reds claimed him off waivers in August of 2019. Gausman is 15th in the MLB since August 8, 2019 in fWAR (3.5), and his 2.99 ERA and 2.90 FIP ranks 8th and 5th best in the MLB of any pitcher with 135+ IP.
The good news is that Gausman does have a career 11.09 ERA in 4 starts against the Reds. Gausman has also incredibly allowed 1 ER or less in every start this season except for one, April 13th against the Reds: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 2 HR.
Starting Lineup
San Francisco Giants
|
Cincinnati Reds
|
| Austin Slater – CF | Jesse Winker – LF |
| Buster Posey – C | Nick Castellanos – RF |
| Darin Ruf – 1B | Eugenio Suárez – 3B |
| Evan Longoria – 3B | Tyler Stephenson – 1B |
| Mike Yastrzemski – RF | Tucker Barnhart – C |
| Donovan Solano – 2B | Kyle Farmer – SS |
| Mauricio Dubón – SS | Shogo Akiyama – CF |
| Mike Tauchman | Jonathan India– 2B |
| Kevin Gausman – SP | Wade Miley – SP |
Tyler Stephenson and his career .830 OPS gets a start at first base tonight with Moustakas still out. It looks an off day for Tyler Naquin. He currently has a 5 game hit-streak and a .924 OPS over the last 8 games. It’s tough to take his bat out of the lineup, but it’s important to remember that has not played more than 89 games in a season since 2016.
News and Notes
Tony Santillan makes his case
Over at RedsMinorLeagues.com Doug takes a look at the start by Tony Santillan for Triple-A Louisville last night and the case he’s making to be called up to join the Reds rotation. He also looks at the hot start for Alfredo Rodriguez and his case to get the call up to play shortstop, and a pitcher down in Daytona out to a great start to his professional career.
Kevin Gausman’s turnaround began in Cincinnati
Only 1 pitcher in MLB has 2 pitches in the top 12 of Statcast's run values: Kevin Gausman – splitter & 4-seamer
Changes he's made trace back to his time in the Reds' bullpen in 2019. Tonight, he starts in CIN
What's made him so good this year for SF ??https://t.co/Hbm3mgklZc
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 19, 2021
Conclusion
Tonight’s match up doesn’t look great on paper for the Reds. Let’s hope the small sample of the Reds being the rare team to hit Gasuman turns into a trend. Go Reds!
OK, a bunch of you asked for it and now we’ll see how 1B manned by Stephenson plays out.
It’s not that hard. Tell him Wash! Its incredibly difficult!
The best part of that movie
Shogo is a lead off hitter Bell. What a moron.
Good article on ESPN about how the K is ruining baseball.
A little over 200 pitches over 100 mph recorded in 2008 when they first started tracking velocity. There’s been over 400 already this season and we’re barely halfway thru May. Another no-no last night. Ho-hum for the no-no.
White Sox Twins 2-1 today with 7 total hits. Something needs to be done pronto! I’m bored quite often and skip half/most of the game so guess what our younger generation/potential fans think of baseball.
Hope the Reds play warrants your excellent up.
Suarez batting third. He will be leading off before long.
Madness, I know.
If Shogo is in there, he probably should be batting leadoff, and drop Winker and Castellanos down to 2 and 3 . Suarez at 3 is really an issue, with his current “streak”. I know they are a little short handed, but with Suarez at 3, and Barnhart at 5, the lineup will not scare any MLB pitcher, and it really does not get better, he farther down one goes. Moose as been out long enough to ILed, the depth issue has really shown its ugly head.
Moose? He comes back and that forces Suarez to SS when Votto comes back. Just stick him at 1B and worry about it when the time comes.
I think Bell is trying to get Winker hotter. He had that 0 for6 game, then a day off. I think he’s been leading off since then. However I agree Shogo has the potential to be a table setter
Honestly, if/when we get healthy, I wish they’d just play Farmer every day at SS or bring one of the young guys up from the minors to do it. Suarez to 3rd. Moose to 2nd. And forget about it.
I don’t know. I think I’d rather take my chances with Senzel, Rodriguez, India, & Stephenson over Suarez, Farmer, Moose, and Votto. Fewer HRs but fewer strikeouts, better hitting, and far better defense.
Is it just me or did the Reds make a mistake not putting Moose on the IL. They knew they’d probably be without Garrett for several games, and had an injured Senzel. Playing undermanned for a prolonged period is a bad idea.
Not sure they have any infielders in AAA that are on the 40 player roster
Schrock
The Reds make a mistake? Come on man, that’s crazy talk. Free up the roster space and go for it.
Gausman is another guy that I threw out there 3-4 years ago that the Reds should consider trying to acquire. I saw him hit 99 for the O’s one day back then and figured he might blossom if he got out of Camden Yards/AL East. We ended up getting him cheap and let him go? I don’t get it? You keep Romano in the organization and Cody Reed and the other scrubs, but let Gausman walk?
Yeah lets move Suarez up in the lineup. Thats the plan for .160 hitters now! Just pitch around Wink/Nick C. and could be another ho-hum no-no
Another David Bell mystery. With about 7 weeks left in the season, they picked up Gausman off waivers and he was pretty expensive at that time. His whole career was as a starter but Bell put him in relief and thus his record was mediocre. It defies logic why the Reds spent $2-3 million to misuse a player for 7 weeks when we weren’t in contention but this idiotic move certainly worked to Kevin’s advantage.
Watching this Reds team is like watching your favorite NASCAR driver leave the pits after the pit crew forgot to tighten the lug nuts! Just waiting for the wheels to fall off!
That offspeed pitch from Gausman looks unhittable so far.
Confirmed.
No hits thru 3.
And 5
How appropriate that all former Reds (VanMeter, Desclafani, Cueto, Gausman) having their way with their former team.
And don’t forget Casali and Alex Wood. Is it more than coincidental that the same team we got David Bell from maneuvered to get 4 or 5 players that the David Bell Reds let go and made them into better players?
OK, is it just me or does Geno look way better at 3B since his SS work over the past weeks? If so, what happens to Moose when he’s healthy and Votto comes back?
Agreed, Suarez looks much more comfortable at third.
Geno DOES always look better @ 3B. That’s where he should stay unless he somehow fills in @ 1B from time to time. Of course Moose @ 2B, Votto @ 1B, Hopefully Suarez stays as 3B. If the Reds aren’t going to try India @ SS or Senzel for that matter then bring up Alfrod if Farmer doesn’t hit. NO MORE SUAREZ @ SS.
I love Winker, but if he had busted out of the batter’s box rather than conceding the play, he might have beat that out.
I was thinking the same
Was scheduled to be at game tonight, now glad I canceled, hate to drive from Illinois to see reds get no hit
Well, say this for the Giants – they execute their pitches and they catch the ball. We have (in my pathetic estimation) significantly more baseball talent… but we walk the whole world and can’t catch the ball, ever, under any circumstances.
Miley & Gausman about even on pitch count and Miley hasn’t walked anyone yet. Except for the last start where Bell let him get rocked, he’s looked pretty good this year. Shame he can’t pick up a win or two.
Reds offense is not an issue.
What offense is that? They don’t play the Pirates everyday. I’d still like to know what has changed since the first couple of weeks. They could hit then and now they can’t and it wasn’t only the Pirates.
Tonight so far it is. 😉
And welcome to the May 19th edition of David Bell over-managing when he actually has a pitcher performing relatively well vs. the rest of our lot.
Anybody else think this ensures we see an onslaught of runs from the Giants?
Good pitching change by Bell, IMO. Reds will be lucky to score one run against Gausman — can’t let the Giants get any more.
I agree but its sad when we don’t expect the Reds to score.Gausman is good but its more about us being bad right now.
Are all the HP umpires incompetent now? I mean, is that a pre-requisite for the job?
Two of the three strikes to Farmer were not strikes.
So I noticed … especially that last one. It’s way past time …
OK, young Mr. India … time to show us you are learning.
Nuts!!
India battled and lost on pitch number 8.I don’t watch the games but with a lead off double Farmer has to get him to third some how and some way.
He had 95 mph just below middle quadrant and missed it. That ball has to be put in play.
The ump totally hosed him on both sides of the plate.
Let’s just assume the HP umps in any game are hosing the calls, shall we? Then we can be pleasantly surprised when one of them actually calls a decent game.
Reds offense is fine!
More like offensive!
I saw the article on Bleacher report today rating the Reds at #5. That’s the problem with looking at aggregate numbers that are distorted by exception output against one team. They are supposedly #1 with RISP. If so, what would that look like if Suarez struck out less frequently? Offensively, lineup construction needs work. Suarez playing every game and in the 3/4 slot makes no sense “analytically”.
This just in.
Nick lodolo and Hunter Greene are dueling. Check out Lodolo in Chattanooga.
I’d really like to go see one of them pitch. My daughter lives about 90 minutes from Chattanooga. I think we may need to schedule a mini-vacay.
Im looking into it as well
Road trip
And depending on the timing, we’d catch a Rome Braves (High-A) game as well. DD got a job on the promotions staff there. First game for her is Saturday evening.
You may need to book that trip fast. I can see both getting a promotion soon.
Jumbo Diaz firing missiles
Feliz has been impressive in his small sample size.
Why Fulmer?
Great question.
I guess Bell already conceded the loss.
Fulmer should be a long reliever mop up duty. This is not a good spot for him.
DFA is his spot. Let’s get Santillan and Gutierrez up here. Promote Greene and Lodolo to AAA
I agree on that.
It’s the Bell way. Doesn’t even try to win.
If winker were 2-4 with a double and Castellanos 1-3 with homer and Bb
This game is an easy win.
They are losing 1-0 because lots of offensive players not getting the job done
1 run game not close enough for Antone?
Buster posey based loaded gabp?
Another idiotic Bell move. Let’s not use Antone, one of the best relievers in baseball, with the bases loaded and Posey batting…
Kind of the same thing happened in the playoffs several years back when Baker wouldn’t use Chapman. The bases were loaded and Posey hitting in the middle of the game. You probably recall he did do some hitting…Grand Slam. Deciding game. Reds swept….@ home.
David Bell again shows why Reds won’t win Jack Squat with him at the helm . Most clueless manager in MLB – BY A LONGSHOT !!!!!!! 1 run game and he leaves Fulmer in to IMPLODE – just inexcusable !!
Yep.
I think my laptop is overheating now … yeah … that’s why I’ve got to close that window and stop watching. It’s not a Clete … not really.
Bell? He brings Sims into the 5th inning so I’m thinking he’s in to win it tonite! So he puts Fulmer in a 1 run game when Antone was up earlier (I think?). I don’t get it?
Thats 2-10 against SF & Arizona. I give up.
Antone warmed twice tonight.
Not a smart organization
Bell’s tinkering finally paid off, for the Giants!
A rested Antone sits in a 1-0 game for Fulmer.
Once Fulmer loaded the bases and couldn’t find the strike zone , he should have been pulled. Dont understand why he was in the game in the first place in a 1-0 game.
A winnable game, now isn’t. This is on Bell – again. The FO needs to man up and replace him regardless of the family connection. A complete disregard for the Reds fan base.
I believe Bell’s contract is up this season. Will he be replaced? I doubt it. The extension will be based on the fact he took the Reds to the playoffs last season.
Fulmer instead of Antone is inexcusable….maybe Antone said he only wants to pitch in save situations…smh
Bell has ZERO feel for the game – ZERO . And of course 2 men on 0 out !!!! What a complete failure as a manager – complete and epic failure !!!!!
Does Sadak not realize he’s broadcasting to Baseball fans, many are superstitious. Talking about it, is irksome.
Did we just catch a major break?
Nope …
Our luck, we’ll score 2 runs and the game will end.
Bad call! Suarez was safe!
Just can’t win if you don’t score.Bell not using Antone in the 9th to keep it close makes no sense.Almost like he conceded but anything could happen down 1 run.
Robbed … completely clueless behind the plate. Right on top of it but still can’t call it correctly. I give up.
Winker walked when he was clearly struck out…..payback i guess.
Well Winker did take a 2-2 pitch right down the middle and he missed that too.
Fulmer 23.2 ip coming in with Antone at 21.2. Why would you want Fulmer there? Thats insane! I try to cut Bell some slack, but thats inexecusable. Bryan Price and Bell are both well spoken & intelligent guys with alot of experience in the game, but low baseball IQs for some ungodly reason?
There’s a reason the Giants are in first place in their Division! Their batters have plate discipline, their pitchers minimize walks and their fielders catch the ball.
Nope you won’t win with 0 runs – still doesn’t mask the fact that Bell is an awful , inept manager . Unbelievable how this
organization can’t see this. Bizarre in game decisions continue on …
I suspect they see it. They just don’t care. He’s family, an insider. Winning hasn’t mattered in the Castellini era, only 4 winning seasons in 16 and that’s giving credit for last year. Sorry, not a serious ownership group. I’m sure old Bob has received a good ROI but he’s built little in terms of a successful franchise.
I agree but I try not to think about it.Thats just hard for any baseball fan approaching 70 to swallow.Baseball is just sacred ground and not caring if you win or lose is just not American.Reds fans deserve better as does the City and the states of Ohio,Indiana,Kentucky and West Virginia.
Agree. 66 myself. Thought paying attention again in retirement would be fun. Boy was I dreaming.
At least Tyler Stephenson at first base is now a thing.
I just don’t understand Suarez continuing to bat 3rd.
One final comment for the night! Bell is clueless when it comes to “handling” relief pitchers!
This season as far as playoffs and even being a .500 team is on life support. Still too many holes in the offense especially with Suarez. It will be interesting to see who will get traded at the deadline.
When Bell brought Sims in to try and keep it close I felt he made the right move.I was a little concerned when Feliz came in but I would have bet the house Antone was coming in to pitch the ninth once it was still 1-0.Now I don’t know why he didn’t and we still didn’t score but I can’t imagine him giving up when it appeared he was going to do everything he could to keep it at 1 run.I run him down more then most for his little league style of everybody gets to play and moving players all over the diamond but I can’ t even fathom why he didn’t bring in Antone.I am hearing he was warming up twice so unless something happened that we don’t know about then what happened.
This loss, like so many since Bell was hired as the Reds manager, falls on him! He saw Fulmer was clearly struggling in the 9th in a close game and had TJ available. Not to use TJ was inexcusable!
David Bell… I won’t add to what is obvious.