Tonight the Cincinnati Reds hope to post their fifth consecutive win in game two of the current series versus the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York City. However the even bigger story may be that Joey Votto can tie the MLB record of 8 consecutive games with a home run. Game time is 7:10 Eastern.
Starting Pitchers
This game will feature a match up of of vintage lefthanders, Wade Miley for the Reds and Rich Hill for Mets.
Wade Miley
Wade Miley makes his 18th start of the season tonight for the Reds. Miley emerged as the unlikely foundation of the Reds rotation early in the season. He hasn’t looked back or fallen off all season long. His seasonal ERA/FIP comparison of 2.86/3.48 suggests perhaps Miley has been a tad on the good side of luck this year. However, just maybe a guy who has been around as long as Miley makes some of his own luck?
Miley comes at batters with a variety of pitch actions over a wide range of velocities. His intent is to disrupt the hitters’ timing. About half his pitches have been cut fastballs (85MPH) and another 25% of them changeups (82 MPH). He fills out his repertoire predominately with his 4 seam fastball (18%/ 90 MPH) and just enough curves and sliders (5% combined) to keep the batters guessing. And it works. In 2021, about 60% of balls put in play by hitters versus Miley have been grounders (~50%) or infield popups (~10%).
Rich Hill
Yes, Rich Hill starting tonight for the Mets is the same guy who has been rumored to be a Reds trade or free agent target time and again since probably 2005 or so. Hill, now 41 years old, was originally drafted by the Reds out of high school (1999/ 36th round). However, he chose to attend college versus signing with the them. As I count it, the Mets are Hill’s eighth MLB team. The Mets acquired Hill from Tampa Bay just a week ago to shore up their injury riddled rotation. Tonight will be his second start for them on the heels of 19 starts for Tampa this year.
Hill came up in 2005 as a fastball/curveball pitcher. That is what he remains today after 312 MLB appearances (184 starts). His fastball has never been much if any over 90MPH; and, it remains at 89MPH this year. He throws it about 50% of the time. Hill throws his curve about 36% of the time in the low 70’s MPH range. Hill fills out with a split finger fastball used as his changeup along with the occasional slider or cutter.
Pitching Tale of the Tape
| PITCHER | ERA | FIP | WHIP | HR/9 | BB% | K% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wade Miley | 2.86 | 3.48 | 1.24 | 0.67 | 7.3% | 19.1% |
| Rich Hill | 3.95 | 4.54 | 1.18 | 1.26 | 9.3% | 22.4% |
There’s not a lot to choose between these guys in the numbers aside from Miley keeping the ball in the yard at significantly better rate. It may be wise to keep in mind that the vast amount of Hill’s work this season has been in the DH league.
Bullpens
REDS
Mychal Givens has appeared on consecutive days and threw 21 pitches Friday. Amir Garrett threw 26 pitches Friday. Count them both as questionable to unavailable tonight. Michael Lorenzen threw just 8 pitches to complete an inning in his first appearance off the IL. The Reds might be cautious in how they use him tonight.
METS
Anthony Banda, Miguel Castro and Drew Smith look borderline for Mets tonight. Starter Rich Hill’s longevity in 2021 is right at 5.0 innings per start. Things could get dicey for the Mets if the Reds can get him out early.
Starting Lineups
| REDS | METS |
| 1. Jonathan India (2B) 2. Jesse Winker (LF) 3. Kyle Farmer (SS) 4. Joey Votto (1B) 5. Aristides Aquino (RF) 6. Eugenio Suarez (3B) 7. Tucker Barnhart (C) 8. Shogo Akiyama (CF) 9. Wade Miley (P) | 1. Jonathan Villar (3B) 2. Pete Alonso (1B) 3. Jeff McNeil (2B) 4. Javier Baez (SS) 5. James McCann (C) 6. Dominic Smith (LF) 7. Kevin Pillar (CF) 8. Brandon Drury (RF) 9. Rich Hill (P) |
Enjoy……
NINE homers in SEVEN games??
Take a minute and appreciate Joey Votto. ? pic.twitter.com/VeGgqbRxzg
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 31, 2021
How about this bit of ciphering by Redleg Nation’s Nick Kirby. The Reds are finishing out their seventh best month since 2003:
Reds best record by month since 2003:
July 2012: 19-7 (.731)
May 2013: 19-8 (.704)
August 2010: 19-8 (.704)
April 2006: 17-8 (.680)
September 2009: 18-9 (.667)
June 2014: 18-10 (.643)
July 2021: 16-9 (.640)
Sept 2020: 16-9 (.640)
August 2012: 19-11 (.633)
May 2010: 18-11 (.631)— ???? ????y (@Nicholaspkirby) July 31, 2021
Final July Thoughts
The calendar says today is the last day of July. Regardless of what happens tonight, the Reds have won 16 games in a month where they will have played 26. That’s better than a .600 pace for the month already assured. Since June 1, the Reds are 31-21 (.596). That’s two months, just short of a third of a season. This team is not a fluke.
With the schedule taking a turn to the Reds favor in the final third of the season, there is no reason the Reds cannot continue at or near this same winning pace. If the Reds finish out at at .600 over the final 2 months, they will be right at 90 wins for season. Will it be enough to get the Reds to the playoffs? Who knows? That’s why they play the games and we follow them. GO REDS!
Game Time: 7:10 EDT
Watch: BallySports Ohio / MLB.TV
Listen: 700WLW/ MLB.com
Data and stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and Fangraphs
Win 90 games and if that isnt enough …so be it. Ill take 90-72 every year
Go reds
90 wins would be sweet, especially knowing we didn’t go overboard on rentals and empty the farm system. So even if we don’t catch the Bernies and get that one-shot deal most likely on the West Coast, we can stand tall.
So lste start due to Mets HOF ceremony
In other news…more Brewers out with the virus
They should not have broken Nick’s hand
Tatis to the IL as well
No Nimmo, Conforto or JD Davis…hmm. I’d be pissed if I’m a Mets fans. Course now that I’ve said that they’ll prolly route us.
Watching the pre-game show. The stats on India since he got moved to the top of the order are almost staggering. He’s ranking up there across the NL, not just rookies. He is some kind of special.
And to think we’ve got TySteve this year plus a few others coming on strong for 2022, this could be a fun time as Reds fans.
Looks like they suspended the Louiville game last night and are finishing it today. Pulled all the Reds Rehabbers (prob to start them tongiht) So Senzel, Moose and Blandino all got a hit and Blandino walked as well. Suarez days are numbered
One can only hope. I think he’s a candidate for change of scenery.
Did I miss something–why didn’t they start at 7:10?
mets having a ceremony!
Thanks.
Hey Mets, hold your dang ceremony at 6:30. Game time is 7:10–honor that.
A .173 hitter batting 6th and a .191 hitter with virtually no power batting 8th doesn’t exactly inspire confidence but let’s win anyway. 🙂
I’ll take the slap hitter in the 8 hole. As for Sir Strandsalot … we’ve had our say on this site more than a few times. Apparently the FO doesn’t read it (or ignores us).
Can’t believe they would ignore US!
Suarez hitting 429 against Hill with a HR. Limited at bats
What year?
Hill against 6-9 ought to be fun to watch.We just don’t have enough righties and with Tuck catching well it is what it is.We have played this way many times so yeah lets win anyway.
Well, they’ve showed up, so far
Oh the fans in Flushing are NOT happy with this challenge. Let’s see how it turns out. HBP would put India in the lead.
And he ran the count full to boot
Most of reds outfielders are left handed (3/5) with AA and Nick C. (hurt) being Right handed. Shogo, Naquin, or Winker (2 have to play) against the LHP Hill tonight. Hope we can get Hill out of the game early. Go Reds!
pretty sure the crowd thought India leaned in there.
Winker gave that a ride … just a little short.
Good job by Miley in the first.
8 pitch inning for Miley
Old Pitchers Proving why they are Old Pitchers tonight
Broadcast said before that K that Suarez is hitting .157 since the break with one HR if I heard them right. Yikes! Bring on Moose and Senzel fast please.
both should be in tonight’s bats lineup… they are close
I lie, they are not in tonight’s lineup…. off the bench then
Oh how I’d love the punisher to get going tonight, batting 5th and my man Farmer in the 3rd slot again tonight, keep it rolling brother! I won’t say anything that might jinx 19.
As soon as Moose and Senzel are good, get them in them in the lineup now! Sounding like a broken record, but Suarez hurting the Reds big time at the Plate!
And he is rewarded by moving up one spot in the batting order from 7th to 6th! More chances to be a rally killer!
Bell living in lala land when it comes to Suarez.
Aki flashing power there. haha We’ll take anything. It’s okay.
Hill kind of stumbled there. Classic swinging bunt.
Well, at least Shogo ruined the no-hitter there. good thing I picked the Under
We just can’t steal bases at all can we? Maybe should try more hit and runs.
Need to get into the Mets bullpen sooner than later! They are overworked and possibly worse than the Reds bullpen!
Sadak : “Bell has made a lot of great decisions this year “
Wow just wow
Is this dude even paying attention to this year ? He is lost in the broadcast booth ,
totally lost .
Which team has he been watching? Keep those checks coming!
Probably Castellini talking to his broadcast partner – talk up Bell so the fan base doesn’t desert when Bell gets a 5 year extension
Told you he’d suddenly get alot smarter though when he doesn’t have to pitch Brach, Osich, and Hendrix 4-5 times a week
Well, we all know he can’t say, “One of the few solid decisions by Bell was to put India at lead-off and keep him there.” Whether or not that’s what he’s thinking is anyone’s guess. Methinks he’s trying to keep this gig … far too often trying too hard IMO. But at least I haven’t heard him say my favorite pet peeve line of “caught the black” of late.
There 6 games over 500 with many injuries and virtually no bullpen for most of the season. Are you paying attention?
I am not much of a complainer about the lineups I know Tucker is Mileys personal catcher but tonight is a perfect pitcher for Stephenson
Yep. TySteve has shown he’s got a great eye and sense of timing. He’ll go with a pitch and get whatever comes. Kind of rare these days.
Wow the Mets have someone who can bunt, wish the Reds had a few that could.
And he hasn’t done it since he’s been with the Dodgers.
Guess once you learn to do it, you don’t forget how. Guess the Reds could teach that a little more.
Shogo? Can’t hit. Can’t steal. Everytime he goes the ball is waiting on him. Oh and he can’t throw either. Gotta love the .0001 tool guys for $7-8/mil a year
Long way to go but everything we did in the top half of the inning was just awful.
Once again – as an outfielder, Jess Winker would make a really good DH.
Some people have mentioned Mr Votto assuming the role of DH next season. I say the only glove Winker needs to use is a batting glove.
I’ll cut him minor slack here because the broken bat turned that into a flair hit. Still, don’t boot it.
What’s the usual protocol for Rehabbing players… I thought the idea would be to play them every day. Or are there rules that govern why none of the Rehabbers started tonight’s bats game
No rules that I’m aware of. Maybe they will sub in at some point?
Sometimes better to be lucky than good! Did Alonso really hit into a DP on a 3-0 count?
Yes. Yes he did.
Crooked number time!
Going to be up to the Punisher
I think it’s safe to say Farmer has turned out better than most, if not all, thought he would be.
I don’t think the Reds have roughed up soft-tossing lefties since Gomes, Rolen, BP, and Hernandez (catcher….think that was his name).
Ramon Hernandez!
Rally Killer time!
Atta boy Geno!! Got all of that one
If you really have to hit .170, make those few hits count.
AA walks when Suarez is hitting behind him. Surprise. haha
I’ll take that!
Rich Hill knew it instantly
Calling Suarez a Rally Killer worked! You’re welcome!
Great job! Man you’re good. 🙂
All right! He got one! We’ll take it. hahaha
WOW…. Just WOW right after even Sadak called him out
Suarez comes through for a change. Nice to see. Reds up 3-1.
Tough season for Suarez.
We all know it.
But Big HR baby.
Good Job Geno.
That would NOT be the way I’d want to see TySteve come into this game.
Akiyama Has had enough of your insults lol
Just may have been the biggest hit of the year.Great for him and the team.
All Right! Our two interstate hitters coming through this inning. 🙂
At best, we get another run or 2 here. At worst, we turn over the line up again.
That’s 2 Reds hit by pitches! Will we ever retaliate?
OK India plainly leaned into his HBP and the reds knew it in the Dugout. I give Hill a little credit cause he was straight off the mound apologizing right after it happened.
I didn’t see him lean in. Looked like it clipped him as it curved around his back leg.
The Tucker hit just got away from Hill.
If it’s not strike zone, it’s a hbp.
Didn’t see the play, but with two outs and a pitcher up, why is Barnhart not being sent home on Shogo’s double?
And that’s why he should have been going on contact and trying for home on Shogo’s double, unless he feel or they tried throwing Barnhart out at third and it was really a single that they scored a double for Shogo, I’m lost.
Mets CF cut the ball off. Would have been close play.
Barnhart is the slowest on the team even more than Winker or Votto.
No its a legit double, but the ball was already in when Tucker got to third. If house sent him. Miley would be leading off next inning
Yep. That’s what I saw as well BoR
Happy for Geno. Hopefully he will go on a tear now. I think he has had the Yips.
Hope you’re right! Most of us have been hoping for a breakout moment!
Akiyama doubles and Suarez homers instead of killing a rally. What alternate reality is this?
Well Rich Hill is throwing Japanese league velocity. Shogo is used to 88-89 and breaking balls half the time.
What is more surprising – Votto being 0-2, or Shogo being 2-2??
shogo is halfway to the cycle
Baez swinging out of his shoes
Sit down
Welsh was criticizing Suarez’s swing for the first time that I can remember…..felt like he might do something. He does make his few smashs count atleast. That HR in Chicago ended up being the game winning rbi. Won one of the Cubs games in gabp when we swept them. Had that monster off Hader of course. The problem is he never gets hot? Maybe 2-3 decent games then nothing for 3-4 weeks and I mean NOTHING
This might be hard to believe, but Geno is only 2 RBI off the team lead. And I believe he is tied for team lead for HRs now.
If there is such a thing as a “loud .170,” Geno’s doing it.
Joey and Winker tied for team lead with 21 apiece.
SO Shogo is on a 4-day hitting streak, Suarez is on a three game…. picked a moment to get going
Shogo 0-3 yesterday. Sorry
your right… my bad
Farmer just keeps on going. Amazing.
2 inches from 5-1, but I think Hill is near the end. Joey should have a shot!
Farmer Baby.
Man sure is on a roll.
Mayb he is our Turner.
We traded years back.
Get on hott streak.
Just thought been having.
4-6 inches out of the zone. Unforgiveable. If the CBA doesn’t address this, the players can’t complain anymore.
Then you will have issues with the Players union v the umpire union who both use different agreements. I don’t think they CAN address this through the CBA
Probably right. And MLB has zero spine despite umpires supposedly reviewing their work regularly. The complete lack of accountability galls me. The game is NOT about them in any way. They are equipment. Heck, when a ball hits them that isn’t foul, it isn’t dead. My old ASA umpire instructors told us “umpires are just like dirt”.
Farmer continues to impress.
.927 ops vs lefties coming in. He needs to be in there somewhere vs lefties every time! No more utility guy….atleast platoon player/defensive replacement
So is RLN pro or against the glove shaped Bullpen Cart? like they have in Tokyo
Against
Ok Wade – you’ve got a lead.
Clamp down on this thing like a pitbull on a pork chop! Give us 8 strong innings tonight!
Wades pitch count and results so far make me think 8th inning is possible here
I was wrong wrong wrong on Miley. I never liked the signing. Felt like the veteran with “grit” that the front office (and only the Reds front office) loves so much.
He’s been like classic Dallas Keuchel or Mark Beuhrle this year! Unbelievable!
I am right there in that boat with you, Indy. I thought the signing was a waste of resources. And let’s be honest – he didn’t show anything last year.
But he has been rock-solid this season. He keeps the ball on the ground (I.e. away from our outfielders) And he takes the ball deep into the game more often than not.
Bullpen usually has an easier night when Miley starts.
I certainly hope they bring him back next season.
He’s under contract for $10/mil next year
Mets are a playoff team
Are you sure? I guess so, but they suck without DeGrom. The NL east is just that bad
Winker misread that a bit, but it also died.
Nice play by Farmer to erase the man in scoring position.
Wade miley pick off
The guy just competes
Saved a run too in retrospect.
I’d say Jesse made up for his misread on that catch.
I normally don’t say this, but I’d say it’s time to plunk the Punk here
Good catch by Winker.
I really don’t like Baez
I don’t like Baez. I view him in the same category as the Neck Tattoo. I really don’t like when he does that.
He’s a good player though. And a team won’t go thru the motions with a guy like Baez on your team. Plus he’s good defensively. He should’ve got suspended though
Dumb pitch by Wade though. 1-2 on Baez….just nibble away and he’ll swing at something before you walk him
Yep. Bit of a cement mixer. Can’t give him that kind of shot.
I didn’t like the punk Baez when he was a Cub! Like him even less as a Met!
+100
Either miss inside or go soft away to Baez. Just a mistake by Miley.
#1 rule in the manual .
Or hit him in the back. That’s an option for a guy like Baez.
+100
Call me crazy, but when AG is posing & chirping out there after he Ks someone, with a 7 era, then I’m challenging him too. I like Baez’s passion!
There’s a difference between passion and poor sportsmanship.
I include Garrett in that also
AG shouldn’t have done what he did period. I don’t excuse him in any way. The suspension was way too long, but he acted like an idiot.
I know Baez is talented. That’s why the Mets wanted him. But his antics go beyond “passion” in my book. Fines aren’t enough. He should have sat for what he pulled. And I’m not just talking that last little stunt either.
I’ve never seen anyone talking bovine droppings coming to the plate before either with that AG walk-off. Thats my kind of crazy when the dude throws 97 and you’re talking smack coming up to the plate. Bases were loaded, but AG is crazy too. It looked like a UFC fighter walking into the cage
We are agreed on AG, Indy. If you can’t back it up at all, don’t even try it.
The Reds swept the Cubs in gabp and AG got a doubleplay for a save in one of those. I think he was talking smack. Guys remember. I doubt Baez does that if HH was pitching. Thats just me though. I got in alot of fights when I was young.
Need to see the best of Miley and have somebody warmed up and ready. Lorenzen might be my pick since he had a cakewalk last night. Switch to a RHP and add what, 12-15 mph?
yes at least we have options now
Brach warming up…
Yeah … figures. Bell knows something we don’t, right?
I just don’t get it. Brach should be hanging on to a roster spot by a thread but instead, he is looked at as a key part of the bullpen no matter how many times he fails. He must be one of the nice guys that Bell likes and doesn’t want to replace?
Does Miley come out for the Eigth
Chopping Brach-oli…….any Dana Carvey fans?
Ohhh SWEET!!!
+500 for that one …
“There’s a lady I know … if I didn’t know her … she’d be the lady … I didn’t know …”
Into the 6th for L’ville and none of the rehabbers have made an appearance yet.
Farmer’s unreal run is sitting in the shadow of Joey. It’s been fun to watch him do it. Got to root for the guy.
Danby Swanson 2run dinger on Woodruff’s 1o1st pitch ATL 3 Milw 1 !
Oh.So.Close!!!
Amost! 🙂
We don’t need no stinkin Brach sightings!! You have Lorenzen, Cessa, and HH
Looked up HH stats though the other night. Since 2019, 95 innings, 25 Hrs. Bell needs to move atleast 3 guys ahead of him when we get healthy
Man so close Votto.
Smoked it though.
Incredible run even if it ends right here. Elite company. And the 9 in 7 days as the oldest to do that stands out.
Incredibly so close
omg….that hurts
Who else got goosebumps as it headed the the wall?
Me … me … me
You telling me AA wouldn’t at least have given us a chance for something? A long fly ball, maybe?
Naquin…non-competitive there
Turning more and more sour on Naqiun, that hurt.
Are you kidding me….
Little league baserunning strikes again at the worst time
Need run here.
If not have bad feeling
Ball 2 … down on strikes (SMH)
yea that was a good take by suarez. cant fault him for the umps being bad
Can fault him on a LOT of things, but not that one. He finally lays off one and gets rung up.
Bad move to hit him for AA. Yea, I know – AA strikes out a bunch. But so does Naquin.
And AA is a much better defender. Which often comes in handy in close games.
AA hits fastballs, and that’s what Lugo was throwing
haha Bell just wears us out some times.
I’m thinking Sadak is right. We’ll see TySteve up next.
Can’t even get a productive out, first and third, nobody out, unreal!
I was ok with Naquin but we just have to put the ball in play.So many times we just don’t even compete.The defense doesn’t even have to make a play.
Yeah I don’t pinch-hit for AA. He just picked up 2 sac flies in like the last 3-4 games including last night. If I did pinch hit then it would be Stephenson. He’s hard to defend with the way he sprays the ball around. Pinch-hit with nobody out instead of 2?
Eugenio tossed.
TOOTBLAN!!!
We just don’t run bases well.
That was really ugly.
First and third, no out, in a close game, and we can’t push across even one run.
That’s a good way to lose a close game. Certainly added pressure on the bullpen.
So we do what we do instead. More baserunning nonsense. I have a bad feeling. It gives the other team momentum when you blow opportunities like that. Just like they did with bases loaded/nobody out in the 1st last night
That Inn Hurt badly.
Be surprised pull this one out.
Hope wrong.
This game can’t end well after that 8th inning display
Freeman lollipopped the ball !!!! Throw the freaking ball man !!!!!!!
Alright. 6 outs to go. Suarez glove is gone now. This means probably Freeman, as the pitcher’s spot is coming up and you want to save Schrock for the Pinch hit
I have no idea what the line is for a balk from lefties but watching that live I immediately said: “balk”. That just looked all kinds of weird.
Come on Mikey. Get it done.
Stupid to pinch hit with Naquin…has Bell seen how bad he’s been going since his 5 hit game….apparently not….all you have to do is throw him high fastballs & he swings right thru them
Obviously there are certain players Bell will give every chance to and others, like AA, he’ll use any excuse to take him out more often than not.
It gets harder to defend Bell with each passing day. That inning was over managed. And hire a freaking base running coach because obviously no one on the team knows how.
Lol, yes so hard to “defend” Bell.
Extremely but then you and I generally disagree. For instance, I’m not a fan of Mr. Gopher Ball coming in for the 9th in a close game
I hope we win but the truth is that was just an awful way to make 3 outs with runners on first and third and nobody out.That is like saying we aren’t interested in winning so here take it.
I’m blacked out from the game on MLB.tv. What happened with Suarez getting tossed? And did Farmer actually try a straight steal of home?
Apparently, he was arguing during the pitcher change.
No Votto was picked off and Farmer just went for it.
Thanks. Can’t believe they had first and third and none out and didn’t score. Except Bell insists on batting Suarez fifth and then pinch hitting with a slumping Naquin. Sheesh.
no, Joey drew a throw and then tried to get caught in a 1B 2B pickle to give farmer enough time to get home. Mets weren’t fooled and got farmer at home. Votto would have been picked off otherwise.
Good job by Votto there. Tough catch.
If I was going to get thrown out arguing balls and strikes, I’d play it up big time. Go downstairs and print the replay of strike box and how bad it was….and bring it out to the ump to show him the miss.
All this if there would be no retaliation by the ump in future ABs of course.
3 outs away
Mikey! You did it! Good job!
Lorenzen looks sharp in these first two appearances.
Michael Lorenzen, we have missed you! Looking filthy.
Need to add on here.
OK, we get a run, then bean Baez, and lets get this fight on
Hembree warming up…
Interesting to me no Cessa sighting last night or tonight.
I have a theory. Cessa was a Yankee whose NL rival was… the Mets…. so they have seen him before. Most of our other pitchers they have not seen in 2 years
I’d leave Lorenzen in or use Cessa. Cessa is allowing only .158 vs lefties and they’re LRRL. HH is the 3rd best option imo, but mlb managers have to have their guys feel comfortable in their roles blah blah blah. Its not just Bell that does that
Neither Ty nor India have the look nor eye of a rookie. Amazing.
How can you have a guy with zero power like Shogo and from the left side….that never bunts? Ever?
Rockies up 4-2 on SD!! Milw losing too. Lets Go!!!
Moose and Senzel cant’ get back fast enough if Freeman is one of the options off the bench.
Freeman has ZERO business on this roster – ZERO
Agree completely. And I have hope he will be gone soon with the news that Senzel is getting reps at SS during rehab assignment.
Man. India has a good eye.
Cessa only 4 career saves, but he’s never blown one. I have a bad feeling about HH. Its hot and he gives up HRs
HH was on baseballs scrap heap and Cessa wasn’t
Oh well. Gotta stop em here and WIN.
I don’t have a good feeling about this…I wish it wasn’t Hembree coming in.
Not too long ago at all he was the very best we had. lol
That Jim Day report about the kid who flipped off Winker and got a signed ball in return was great.
OK Heath. Need to knuckle down here and get the save.
Cessa holds lefties to .158. I honestly don’t think Bell even looks at numbers much
C’mon Hembree
Walks haunt. Don’t we know that by now?
If HH blows this I think the ROle of closer is open again.
Come on HH. Get it done.
Here comes another walkoff. HH numbers…Bell doesn’t care. HH era is 4.60 Bell doesn’t care. I’d drive a Chevy if thats all I had, but if someone gives me a Lincoln then I’ll drive that instead. C’mon?
Hey. Don’t be dishin Chevys. 🙂
I drive a 2011 Lincoln MKZ. I recommend them like Matthew Mcwhateverhisnameis
Bell cares. He has a bet to cover. That or he is incompetent. He makes the same type of moves repeatedly.
HH is trouble….Doolittle is up….seriously!
Pathetic Hembree
Doolittle warming up? Yeah, that’s a plan.
And all the low and away comes back to bite hard.
Lorenzen’s stuff is insane right now and he can go 2 innings easily. Idk? I think Bell is generally ok til you get to managing the pen
He’s the worst when he’s Tinker Bell with the pen
Like Naquin for AA okay? I don’t think so.
Hembree shrinking before our eyes.
Thank you Baez for being stupid.
+100
Baez aggressiveness fails him there.
+100
Good job Mets. Keep helping us. Please.
If He gets McCann I think they walk Smith to get to Pillar
The only time I’d ever root for extra innings with the lead
Lucky day. Maybe this is a destiny call for Votto and history
Where did that miss
COME ON!!!
Thank you, James. You may sit now.
Hanging breaking ball !!!STUPID PITCH !!!!!
HH got squeezed on that one. Come on. Get it done. Yesss. Two gone!
Struck him out twice !!! Sick of these umps !they suck !!! Bring in the robots ‘nn
And we get Doolittle against Dom Smith and his inverted splits.
I can’t believe this move,hopefully it works.
WHAT HH is not his best but D. Smiths’ stats are inverted. WHAT IS BELL DOING
Doolittle? Now? Oh my. Please prove me wrong.
I may have been hasty on my observation of HH 🙂
Did Bell just take out his “closer” for Sean “Inherited Runners Score Everytime” Doolittle?
Got bad feeling about this.
Plz prove me wrong Doolittle
Want to avoid a DFA, Sean? Get this guy out. Simple as that.
Come Doeey. Get it done. Strike one. Now 0-2 woo hoo.
At least he’s going at Smith instead of nibbling.
Doolittle throwing 98 now??????
Drop the hammer on him. He’ll chase it.
My shocked face that Doolittle let another inherited runner score.
Boo Hate when my feelings are right.
All that high heat and then a cookie. K-R-A-P on a cracker!!
19 inherited runners this year and 12 have scored. That is not what you need from a bullpen arm.
And there you go. Bell gives away another game. Sure glad they signed those new relievers
He just can’t help himself – pitiful man just pitiful
It’s Hernandez & Hughes all over again. Keep running them out there until the FO cuts them.
SMH! Good play by Aki to go to 2nd keeping the runner at 1st instead of trying for home.
Have you not watched him? He can’t throw. It didn’t matter anyway there
My bad…read it wrong
Thats the problem with Doolittle. He’s never had good breaking stuff. Should’ve kept trying to paint the corners. Oh well. Lets get Joey another at-bat
Yeah. That was NOT what I meant by “drop the hammer” … he tossed a cookie and Smith went with it (which is what he does).
Why trade for improvements, if you are not using them, where there was failure before?
Don’t you know? It was his turn to pitch. By the way, who’s turn is it to bring juice and snacks tomorrow?
NIce Velo but not what we needed, however on the bright side Votto now gets another opportunity at history
Boy, sure wish the Reds had gone out and acquired some bullpen help for literally this exact situation….
Instead we get to see Doolittle blow it again.
Can’t hide David Bell …
He CAN’T keep himself out of making moves. One way or another he has to be in the limelight. Disgusting.
Okay. Time for Votto and another HR? 🙂
Why are we watching the same pitchers blow games that did the same thing before we acquired 3 pitchers & had another one come off the DL????
Because Tinker Bell’s rules dictate everything. Especially where the over-managing of the BP is concerned.
Krall “We’re gonna get you some bullpen help. We’ve got a couple of really good late inning guys for you.”
Bell “Nah, I’m good with my guys who have failed me over and over. We get along great.”
A very sad +1,000
Givens used up and Doolittle has been better then Wilson, but where is Cessa?
Somehow Doolittle keeps surviving while everyone around him gets sent down or DFA’d.
Maybe Joey can do it this inning!
ALanta and Colorado both coming through. We Need this game
There is zero reason why Doolittle should have been in for that situation. It is inexcusable. Another failure by Bell.
Just can’t defend that decision even if it worked and it didn’t.Bell just does not belong as manager of this team.He just doesn’t and its so obvious.Reds didn’t deserve to win after that fiasco in the 8th and Bell made sure of that.
I will never understand Bell and his over coaching. He hurts this team so bad it is hard to believe.
I’d say steal 3rd but McCann is nearly invincible.
No, this is going to help Bell in the long run. Doolittle blew it so now it’s going to be easier to get rid of him when Sims gets back IMO.
Who does that leave as a LHP in the BP?
Wilson and AG unfortunately.
Should have put in that Justin Wilson to face left hand hitter…you know Doolittle is NOT reliable…even against left hand hitters!
Smith crushes lefties. He’s hitting almost .330 on the year with an .841 OPS. A lefty should have not even been considered…especially when you don’t have any dominant ones.
We’d BETTER get this run home one way or another.
Alright Farmer, even up the middle DP gets a run
Time for Farmer to show some more grit …
Clutch grit at that
1st and 3rd and no outs. Been here before.
PUT..The BALL..IN PLay
Perhaps the baseball gods arranged all this to smile on Joey Votto one more time. Just maybe.
They aren’t streaming for the exits tonight
Good lord, this is the dude I remember from Seattle! Yikes!
Diaz. Out of his body right now.
Because DaveCT is soon to be PNWDave has see this cat in Seattle, look out!
Bell is going to always do stuff like that and it will only work if you give him a star roster.So regardless of who he puts in they stand a good chance of getting it done.HH has been the closer and I ride him until somebody else takes the job away and they may but you just said to him thanks for what you have done but I don’t believe in you now in this point in time.Just awful and I mean just awful.
Votto swung at a bad pitch. Hardly EVER happens.
Seeing Cessa warming up makes my blood boil.
Naquin looks over matched big time. Come on buddy. Get it done.
Right at him
Reds & Bell deserve to lose this game
The Reds players do not. The Org does for being stupid
Once again dumb-ass David Bell pretends he’s a tactician by pulling a guy who has just gotten two strikeouts.
Of course it back fires and the starter AGAIN loses a victory, and he places the team in jeopardy of losing.
Bell has to go.
HH allows .560 ops vs righties & .839 vs lefties. I can see that, but Cessa is better then both of them imo and Smith kills lefties for some reason. Lets see if he can get out of this?
0-2 and Doolittle throwing 98. 1 adjective strike away! Feels like everytime we lose its blowing a late lead and those really hurt. Rather get beat 10-1
Maybe they’ll get it, but the energy from the crowd is electric
I don’t see how the Bell apologists will have too much to say about taking out HH after he strikes out two—pulling himself up by the bootstraps.
Absolutely maddening
I’m a Bell apologist, and I absolutely hated the Doolittle move.
Reds just can’t overcome their own manager every night.We play tomorrow.
Poop. Gotta hold em.
Just cannot continue to lose game like this.
Afraid is going to co tongue to happen long as MR. clueless still managing
Can’t get out of his own way
Will continue …
I get givins being unavailable. I get Maybe they saw something with HH being Gassed. But the Doolittle move was absolute stupidity. Doesn’t matter Doolittle is not surviving the great Reliever purge of August 2021
HH settles down, has two outs and Bell brings in Doolittle to play the handiness game.
Against a guy with reverse splits. Just an indefensible move.
He could have just let Lorenzen go another inning and see how it developed. But no, that’s too risky. Though in Doolittle’s case, have you ever known a player so aptly named?
Twice you have 3rd base & nobody out & you can’t score…..do you want to make the playoffs?
WOW! How great was that inning? How GREAT is it to be be playing meaningful ball? Too mich fun!
How do you put in a guy with an 11plus era.
Wow. Our outfield defense is really good now. If the ball is hit to the wall maybe Winker and Aki can play cut off for each other to get the ball in.
Aquino and/or Naquin injured? Did I hear that correctly?
Hopefully, this is Doolittle’s final appearance in a Red’s uni.
You fight and scratch and claw and just have so many chance to add on and don’t and you get down to 1 out to go and your manager says let me lose this game for us because well I can.
He done it to himself with help from Bell. He needs to start packing!
Oh! NOW we see Cessa!
So he is available today—so there goes that excuse
If i had any hair left I’d pull it out. These are the games the manger can win or lose, fans
Can someone let David Bell know he’s in a division race?
The guy swung at a ball. No fault of Cessa
That hurt.
Gift wrapped by David Bell
Good night all. Very frustrating to watch this slip away courtesy of David Tinker Bell and our inability to score a guy from 3B with nobody out.
I can’t wait to see the mental gymnastics the Bell fan club comes up for this one.
I’m eager to hear the spin doctoring. It’s entertaining
Bell manager of the year. Lol
Always liked Brandon Drury.
IDK…easy to pile on Bell, but HH is weaker vs lefties. The thing is Lorenzen was completely dominant 2 nights in a row. They haven’t got a ball out of the infield on him.
Let him go!!!
You dont bring in Doolittle. An idiot can figure that out.
Another thing Doolittle should know by now. Get beat with your best stuff. If you want to show him a breaking ball then thats fine, but don’t get beat with it? He knows better. He’s 35 years old. Thats on Doolittle…not Bell.
I’ll keep piling on him Indy …. I got you covered
HE KNOWS NOT HOW TO MANAGE A BULLPEN PERIOD ! NEVER HAS NEVER WILL !
>>>The thing is Lorenzen was completely dominant 2 nights in a row. They haven’t got a ball out of the infield on him.
Let him go!!!
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But Bell likes to pitch 27 pitchers per game. Take out great pitchers just to put in bums. That’s his modus operandi. He thinks the more pitchers he puts in a game, the better chance we have to win. Either that, or he tries to lose games. I’m actually afraid it’s the latter. No one could make that many dumb moves unless he’s trying to lose games.
Well the damage will be minor. The Brewers finally lost. The Padres will lose. Must take the series tomorrow. Meanwhile, a lot of reds gather dust on the pine in IOWA CITY supposedly Rehabbing.
When they need to make up 7 games every loss is damage.
Every game that they can win should not be managed like it’s a long season. It’s a long season—and then you go home if you don’t make the playoffs. So what’s the point of that logic at this point in the season
I agree there was damage… if you notice I said the damage was minor
I sure hope so.
Games like this just make me angry. But time to release it now lol
How can anybody defend Bell tonight. This team will never win with Bell as manger, he is horrible.
I hope nobody tries!
A golden chance to gain on both the padres and brewers. Putting dolittle in the game? Why?
WOW!!! Bell gave Mets this game was not very smart to have Doolittle come against smith at all. He manage games like this question why he still here. Doolittle needs to go or send down since he has options on his contract I think. I’m so disappointed I feel bad for wade Miley how well he pitched for us tonight. Man this sucks bc braves won n we would been within 6 games n padres r losing I’m so mad rn
Talking about catching the Brewers today.
“I think we just might be able to but we’ll have to put the pedal to the metal to do it and not mess around in any way in any game. Go all out to win….. every game. We’ll see what Mr. Bell does.”
Well, we did…. Just plain STUPID!!
This loss is on BELL!
Like most of our losses. His bonehead moves. Oh well.
Thought we were done with these gut wrenching bullpen, kick in the butt losses….but I guess not
2 dumb 2 strike pitches beat us. Miley 2 strike cookie to Baez who refuses to walk (1-2 pitch I think) and then Doolittle w/his best fb of the year and he gets beat on offspeed which has never been good for him.
Gave it away. Plus the guys on 3rd/nobody out. Squeeze one in or something
Hembree lost the game by WALKING the first batter he faced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no use for a reliever who comes in afraid to throw a strike,..one that nibbles around until he walks the first batter (this after the ump gave him one strike). He was 1 and 2,..then he gets afraid to throw a strike. Walks the tying run. I blame Hembree. Reds need relievers who are not afraid to throw strikes. Most close games we’ve lost this year was because of walks,..including this one. Nibblers!!!! Wussies!!!!! Course we’ve always got to win in spite of Bell. Lorenzen should have pitched the 8th and 9th. Oh well. Reds have way too much talent to have the record they have. A good manager would have this team in first place. Bell has lost 20 games this year by simply making bonehead moves night after night.
Padres losing. Milwaukee already has. Tonight would have pulled to within 3 of the WC. And Bell once again throws it away. If the Reds FO was actually serious about competing, Bell would be unemployed. Wonder how much influence he had on no additional trade activity.
Most of us were happy at the deadline because the Reds had acquired enough good pitchers that we wouldn’t have to see Indy ball level pitchers (Brach, Doolittle, Osich) anymore. Instead, Bell just keeps throwing them out there.
Lost opportunity for sure but the Brewers lost and SD is down 3 in the 7th inning.
Don’t get discouraged folks. We are finally in a pennant race. It feels pretty good to be playing meaningful games.
As General Grant said after losing his first battle at Shilo “Lick ‘em tomorrow”.
Not discouraged
Angry
Unnecessary loss
There is no way you pitch to Dom Smith there, you walk him and deal with next guy. Another brutal loss. This game was gift wrapped by the Mets on a silver platter and the Reds as usual can’t push that one run needed late across the plate with a runner on third and nobody out.
Jessie Winker continues with his awful jumps on balls right in front of him, letting two more drop just tonight that would have been caught by an average defender.
He was too busy exchanging balls for banners with Mets fans out there tonight, what a clown.
Apparently the concept of ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ is alien to David Bell.
His rigid adherence to one inning per reliever is going to doom this team.
Lorenzen is strong so . . . pull him. Hembree finds his sea legs so . . . pull him.
Bell makes monstrously bad moves AND he wears out the bullpen needlessly . . .
With Stroman going tomorrow Bell should have been putting his best bet forward. I think doing literally anything else besides putting Doolittle in was fine. Put in Cessa. Put in Wilson. Garrett and Givens probably were for sure not coming in. Hell, Brach would have been a better idea than Doolittle with Smith’s splits. Leaving in Hembree was also fine, but you decided to go to the guy who is plain awful at leaving runners stranded? Blows my mind.
Everybody piling on Bell. I get it, but nobody wants to be bothered to look up numbers
HH .839 ops vs lefties, .560 ops vs righties
Doolittle 2.84 era in July, 6.1 innings 4 hits. Throwing 97-98 mph
I would’ve stuck with Lorenzen, but I’m the leader of the ML fan club.
Lets see what happens tomorrow.
Dom Smith vs LP .326 BA, .461 SLG
Dom Smith vs RP .223 BA, .366 SLG
Just another stat.
Yeah…actually BatsLeftThrowsRight brought up a good point I completely forgot for some reason. Just int walk Smith and then have HH with his .560 ops vs righties against Kevin .216 Pillar. Bell def struggles with the bullpen. I think he’s good emotionally with the team and they play hard, but thats not his thing.
IDK who the Mets had on the bench for Pillar, but then you have the option for Doolittle if they put in a lefty. A lefty that won’t hit lefties great like Smith does
When you can’t handle pressure, like in clutch in game decisions you fall back on what seems to be safe in rightie/leftie matchups. If Bell can’t plan it out, he can’t handle it. He wants to be buddy buddy with everyone and Doolittle hasn’t pitched in a while soooo……..
I’ll help you with the numbers.
Smith against RHP .223 Avg/.664 OPS
Smith against LHP .326 Avg/.841 OPS
Factor that with Doolittle being dreadful with runners on base (19 inherited/12 scored)
😐 am I chopped liver to you.
I guess I feel like I’m forced into defending Bell because guys like LDS give him ZERO credit for anything. So if we go 90-72
then Bell was STUPID 162 times, but got lucky 90 times.
I would give him a grade of C or C-, but he’s better then Price was. He moved Farmer up to 3rd. He moved India to leadoff. He dropped Geno down. He moved Stephenson up when Joey was hurt. He’s not afraid to mix things up.
With Dusty it was Edgar Renteria or Corey Patterson and it wasn’t changing. Same old same old every day without question
This is enough for me that if i’m Bell’s boss, I tell him that I’ll expect his resignation on my desk in the morning.
Hey but Bell believes in the players.
Doolittle got 19 of 23 hitters out this month. Had the guy 0-2 and was throwing 98. Bell isn’t getting fired. Again not what I would’ve done, but Doolittle screwed up. It wasn’t like earlier when he just getting his clock cleaned with 92 mph garbage
Farmer was kinda forced to hit 3rd. No one else was stepping up, so he just put him there. Stephenson hitting up in the lineup was the obvious move, shouldn’t have taken to much thought. Suarez moving down has taken way to long and still should probably move to 8th. When you’re up 6-1 like last night, you don’t have to be smart to win the game. It’s close games like these where you’re up 4-3 in the 8th and 9th where you actually have to manage and that’s where Bell struggles. But with that being said, yet again the offense struggled with less than 2 outs and runner on first at least twice to night. I’m not going to go to hard on Farmer and Votto in the 9th. Votto was kinda forced to swing with Naquin behind him who has been awful in spots like that. The 8th inning was the bad one tho. Yet again Naquin striking out against a mediocre righty, Suarez probably should have gotten pinched hit for with Shrock to try and put the ball in play. Then the Votto baserunning blunder with 2 outs is just whatever at that point.
meant runner on 3rd.
Price had no chance of winning with the pitching he had and Billy Hamilton leading off. He was the first one to try Billy batting 9th. Price would have LOVED to have the roster David Bell has had since being here.
IRM, you are a bit mercurial. Some days you laud Bell. Others you want to string him up by his thumbs. Yes, I’m consistently anti-Bell. I look at things from a corporate perspective. Bell says he loves the team and has what he needs. I ask why aren’t you winning? In the real world, we fire managers that claim to have the staff they need but don’t produce results. Baseball is more of an old boys club, nepotism anyone?
Doolittle didn’t give up an earned run tonight. Silly to use his ERA to defend him or Bell. Need to look at inherited runners scored.
19 of 23 did you miss that? 6.1 ip and 4 hits. Could’ve been doubleplays in there, but thats 4 of 23 otherwise (.174)
Free passes!!! Do you know how many games we’ve lost this year, when the winning run was only on base because he was walked? Almost every loss has been because we have pitchers that are afraid to throw strikes when the game is tight. Nibblers!!!! Wussies!!!! I’m screaming at the TV,..”Throw strikes. Throw strikes!!!” And they immediately walk the winning run to start the inning. Actually tonight Hembree walked the tying run, after being ahead in the count 1 and 2. Then he started nibbling. Makes me mad as a hatter. Most losses in our close games are because of walks. I rest my case.
I’m not even sure if Hembree threw a strike that entire inning besides the one that was called a ball on Mccan.
Exactly what I said to my wife. And normally that’s what I like about Hembree. He normally is the only one who comes on throwing strikes. I guess all the others have rubbed off on him.
I just can’t defend a manager that makes as many stupid moves as Bell has made this year . Yes , players have to execute.
However , his decision making process rarely gives the Reds the absolute best opportunity to win ballgames . It leaves a whole lot to be desired . Never maximizes his chances to win games in my opinion .
However , I have been a Reds fan all my life and will ALWAYS continue to root for them to win . I do not think I will ever change my stance that David Bell is the right manager for this organization .
Is NOT the right manager for this organization !
He might be the right manager for the reds, but bringing Dolittle into that situation was STUPID! I’m one of the few here that have supported Bell, but that was not one of his finer moments.