The Reds were sending one of the best pitchers over the last two months to the mound and Cleveland was sending a rookie spot starter with an ERA nearing 8.00 to the mound in a match up that seemed prime for a Cincinnati win. They have to actually play the game, though, and Cleveland went off against Luis Castillo as they beat the Reds in a makeup of a postponed game from May.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (61-52) |
3 | 9 | 0 |
| Cleveland Guardians (55-55) |
9 | 11 | 1 |
| W: Garza (2-0) L: Castillo (6-11) |
|||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Jonathan India led off the game with a walk and he would score on a Joey Votto single to make it 1-0. Cincinnati would get a runner on in each of the next three innings but couldn’t get much going. It was 8-1 before they would get the offense going again, and it was India getting it done again. India led off the 5th with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Castellanos to cut into Cleveland’s lead.
Trailing 9-2 in the top of the 9th the Reds got a little bit of help from Cleveland as Eugenio Suárez led off with a grounder that third baseman José Ramírez threw away, placing Suárez on second. Tucker Barnhart would double later in the inning to make it a 9-3 game. That was all she wrote, though, as the Guardians held on for the win.
The Pitching
The incredible run that Luis Castillo had been on came to a painful end on Monday night in Cleveland. Over the previous 12 starts he allowed multiple earned runs in just four games and never more than three runs in any start in that span. Cleveland scored multiple runs in three of the four innings that Castillo threw in, and scored a single run in the other one as he was charged with eight runs in 3.1 innings while giving up seven hits, hitting a batter, and walking three more.
Jeff Hoffman threw 2.2 shutout innings of relief, and Lucas Sims pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves
Tuesday August 10, 7:20pm ET
Sonny Gray (4-6, 4.44 ERA) vs Drew Smyly (7-3, 4.50 ERA)
Castillo wasn’t his usual self tonight. Hopefully, he picks back up his next start.
Cy Young frontrunner Zack Wheeler pitched Sunday so that looks like @PHI gm2
Castillo is a nothing booger. Trade him in the winter for a ham sammich
Go back under your bridge troll
I’d ask for turkey sandwich
(Joke)
Or maybe one of each.
If it’s one of each then I’m sold.
If we’re placing orders here, I’ll take a double cheeseburger (mustard only) with fries. And a Coke, please.
(And I’ll keep Castillo. Everyone has a bad game once in while. He’s been pretty good the last couple months.)
Thanks Doug
You’re right. We have to play em. Have to think every game is very important and go for it. Time to start a new streak.
On to Atlanta
+100
If the Reds were going to have a game like tonight, an interleague game was when to do it. It is a loss yes; but only 1 loss with no further repercussions. The next six are almost like divisional games because both opponents are also Wild Card contenders. Reds need to file and forget everything about this one except how bad it feels compared to winning then go out and start a new winning streak tomorrow.
+1
We weren’t going to win out. Like others have posted, this is a good spot for a loss. On a side note, did win the “hit every inning” bet.
Dud type of game.
Usually have Issues at Cle ATL and Philly.
From Past decade at least it seems.
Hope can show up at ATL and Philly.
For sure a dud
For sure have to hold the nose and go on
The Reds looked flat tonight. They looked like Bob made them ride a bus to Cleveland. Lots of fellow Reds fans at the game. Still had fun.
As soon as the Guardindians switched to a RHP is when Moustakas should have taken over for E. Suárez the great. The fact that it didn’t take place tells me either 1) the foot is sore or 2) the manager continues to struggle with the stakes of what his team is dealing with
how did you ever get that team name by an auto speller/ sentence checker 😉
The mashup plays
Not sure flying to Cleveland today was the smartest idea. You have to wonder if it threw the team off their usual rhythm. Now they have to catch a flight after the game and arrive at their hotel in the wee hours of the morning. Makes for one incredibly long day and now you have to wonder if there will be a hangover effect tomorrow night.
I was wondering if they pinched pennies and flew today versus Sunday after the game. Guess the team can play its way out of the cellar but can’t play the cellar out of the organization.
“ but can’t play the cellar out of the organization.”
Ah, Preach
I would hope the decision wasn’t based on saving a little money.
David Bell said in the pregame that it was to give everyone one more night at home/family – almost serves as a day off with Sunday day game – and to avoid having to pack/repack for just one day. Highly doubtful it had anything to do with money.
Unless the CBA rules have changed in the last decade to 15 years or so when the Reds used to routinely fly on game day mornings at the start of many eastern road trips, they saved paying Sunday per diem to the players and one would guess also the rest of the travelling party. If they avoided checking into a hotel in Cleveland, they no doubt saved another big hunk there.
Like I said, Jim, I would HOPE that’s not the reason especially in a pennant race. If it is then that’s just nuts and counter productive to winning. Whatever the true reason was it obviously didn’t work/help.
I’ve flown from Cincinnati to Cleveland. It’s basically no different than a short car ride from the suburbs to downtown. I think people are making way too much of them choosing to travel on gameday instead of settling into a hotel the night before.
Stadium by bus down to CVG, hop on the plane, fly to CLE, hop on busses again to the stadium vs a short bus ride from the hotel after the overnight
Interesting how you add all the little things on the flying side of the equation but don’t mention all the little things that have to be done to fly in for one night, settle into a hotel, pack up in the morning, get everything ready again to fly out that night after the game, etc… Far more hassle to fly Sunday night and check into a hotel than just spend a couple hours traveling the morning of an evening game.
That’s even what David Bell said – it just made more sense to not unpack and repack for the trip since it’s such a short flight.
That would be their same normal routine flying in that’s being deviated from. Clubbhouse staff do most of the packing and unpacking. The only difference here is they went to Cleveland first before going on to ATL from CVG, the same as if they left the stadium for CLE airport. They didn’t make any ‘separate trip’ to CLE back to CVG
Same departure from CVG or CLE … to ATL
The clubbies may pack the team equipment. They aren’t packing and unpacking the guys stuff at the hotel. And some of the stuff is going with them from the hotel to the ballpark back to the hotel, too. Not everything is just left in the hotel or clubhouse.
So i’m curious Doug, they did fly from CLE to ATL, right? The CBA actually dictates direct flights
I mean I don’t know for sure….. but there’s no way they took some other mode of transportation from Cleveland to Atlanta. Even Triple-A teams would get on a plane for traveling that far.
This won’t be a problem when we have robots for players …. 😉
The point i was trying to make was a typical ride to play any road game (in contrast) would be a short hop charter bus direct to the stadium from the hotel (and back, after) each game of a series (except possibly the last) … and that this trip abnormally entailed a lot more time to directly go play (GABP to the game, as there was no hotel stop in Cleveland) and therefore lots more time plus steps getting off and on what amounted to 3 separate ‘buses’ (one in air) … and that their first ‘hotel’ stop here postgame was to be checking in at Atlanta, after a perhaps more normal postgame getaway departure from ballpark to the CLE airport to fly out
I would also expect that on some if not most or all getaway days that the departure from the hotel would be usually completed as they left for the game all checked out and then the return trip from the stadium would be direct to the airport with the clubbies handling the luggage/equipment transfers. The players are going to be as little mentally and physically distracted/challenged on the way into play any game as possible
And not that the clubhouse guys packed up for the players personal stuff, but they were more loading/handling their personally packed luggage (which in this case would most likely have gone directly from CVG to ATL when they first transferred there and been waiting for them in ATL
Castillo was done after three innings, I was surprised to see Bell let him for the 4th when the game went out of reach with 3 more runs.
Cost us 3 runs. You can still fight down 5-1, but 8-1 and mentally its “Lets get this over with and get out of here”. I was watching the Indians broadcast and they were surprised he was left in. Why do you carry 14 pitchers if you’re going to let 1 guy end the game? Sometimes guys have to take one for the team if the pen is taxed, etc, but this was far from that.
I turned the game off at 5-1. I expect that Bell is very leery of having the pen throw too many innings: it’s better than it was, but still not stellar, and with no days off for awhile and critical games against good teams upcoming, leaving Castillo in for a batter or two in hopes that he’d right the ship is defensible.
Pitch count was at 6o to start the 4th inning … 11 pitches and 3 runs later JC was outta there
Too many late flights and a game the next day could make for a rough week on the road.
This was a blow out loss and there’s not a lot to say elsewhere Castillo struggled but I think his last hitter he would face should be Rosario so dealing with Ramírez was too much… it seems Bell likes to carry the starter to this point, remember Gray charged with 8 earn runs in 3 plus innings in one of his last appearances…
Castillo’s ERA and BA-against with our two catchers:
Stephenson: 2.18/.208
Barnhart: 6.13/.297
That’s a fascinating stat. I wouldn’t have guessed it. But if true, seems something that absolutely must be considered in his starts going forward.
Doug had some stats in the leadup piece for this game. 1.91 era since early June and over 6 April & May
How many innings with each, DocProc?
Dates too as to whether TB had some sort of exclusivity arrangement early on before JC corrected
61 with Barnhart and 66 with TySteve. In other words, plenty of sample to show this is a trend.
Castillo has been a tale of 2 seasons, early and later
If I remember correctly, Castillo seemed to through to Casali regularly before this year. Almost as if they were paired up. Maybe he prefers to through to RH catchers.
Article partly discussing JC being noticeably different with different catchers and related topics: http://redscontentplus.com/2021/05/the-impact-of-reds-catchers-on-pitching-success/
Barnhart bats left, throws right … if you were being serious lol
True left handed catchers such as Ernie Lombardi are a rarity
Well no he wasn’t… the last lefty throwing catcher in MLB was in 1895 https://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleft2.htm
Baseball reference doesn’t agree that Ernie Lombardi was a left hand thrower. It says he was a right thrower and hitter. Fangraphs agrees with BBRef, Maybe somebody else with a similar name?
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lombaer01.shtml
The last line was just a little cheeky, although, to be honest, I hadn’t really thought much about what hand Barnhart throws with.
That list says olde school Homer Hillebrand in 19o5
and then next:
Dale Long 1958
Mike Squires 198o
Benny Distefano 1989
Not that long ago Castillo mentioned that at the beginning of the season the pitching coaches wanted him to throw up in the zone more, and he was getting shelled. He went back to staying low in the zone and enjoyed the return of success.
With this in mind, I wonder if Barney calls for more FB up? If so, I suppose Castillo could just shake him off, however
Since the game was rescheduled from May when Castillo was bad… he pitched like it was still played in May… Next start he’ll be fine as it will be a game scheduled in August when he’s good.
How much wet & sloppy conditions a factor to grip and footing? Improper shoes, perhaps?
Castillo wasnt on his game but it’s not like the offense was either or defense behind him. It was just one of those games. Should have been an off day and I’m sure nobody wanted to be there and wanted to get to Atlanta to settle in for 3. Milwaukee got rained out and now has to play 2 today. Maybe that works in the Reds favor. Since 1961 there have been 4665 doubleheaders. 2374 have been sweeps (50.89%). The visiting team however has only swept 956 times at a (20.49%) . So here is hoping the Reds can win today and let the law of averages take over for the Brewers/Cubs.
The 7 inning split double headers these days may work in Milwaukee’s favor with their pitching staff
If I remember 1 left handed catcher but, for only an inning or 2 was 1st baseman Dale Long. Also remember George Crowe, a left handed 1st baseman playing 2nd base with a 1st baseman glove for 1 play.
Yeah I was researching handedness at all positions ia couple of weeks back … I’m not sure how The Schnozz got himself improperly wedged in there lol
Super important game tonight for the Redlegs!!! If they win and Brewers lose both games (not likely though) Reds would be 4 back.
Interesting article where he talks about hitting from both sides and why he gave up hitting righty. Talks about dominant eye and lefty being his natural hitting side but never states if he’s actually right or lefthanded: https://redlegnation.com/2019/09/26/reds-catcher-tucker-barnhart-may-give-up-switch-hitting/
A number of good fielders who throw right are actually left dominant which I would guess is why it is not uncommon to see right throwers who bat left. But it doesn’t seem to cut both ways. Hardly ever see a left thrower bat right.
I don’t know if it still goes on; but, there were countless generations of folks who favored left handedness who were trained from the crib to be right-hand dominant, especially for writing; and, if their dads and uncles were baseball players, many were similarly force fed to throw right.
As a firearms instructor I have studied a lot about eye and hand dominance. The interesting thing is that there is zero connection between the two. Lefthanded people are just as likely to be right eye dominate as right handed people, and vice versa. So it makes sense that many people will naturally bat opposite of the hand they throw with.
@Luke
I had some retina issues in my right eye starting about a decade ago now. Apparently, it was my dominant eye but my left one started taking over. I eventually had laser surgery; and, now my right eye is stabilized but doesn’t see the same as my left (think of 2 computer monitors sided by showing the image at a slightly different resolution).
My eyes now “battle” for dominance; but, I need the left to be dominant because it is more accurate. Docs have told me on days when the right dominance is an issue. to periodically block it in hopes the left will take over and maintain dominance. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn’t.
2B/SS/3B/C throws to the other infield positions are advantaged toward RH throwers. All kinds of other advantages for LHers: https://www.livescience.com/2665-baseball-rigged-lefties.html
You’d think such a good catcher throwing out basestealers would have natural right arm/hand dominance … or maybe ambidextrousness at least
I’ll imagine you sitting there with a pirate eyepatch … aarrrrrrr
Adames just homered. Only Tatis has a higher ops at SS since Milw got him. What a shame we couldn’t have done something, but its rare when Tampa makes a mistake.
I was reading something on Fangraphs last night how the Reds were sniffing around Adames this past offseason
A ‘WAR-killers’ feature highlighting Saurez among other at both SS and 3B and speculating what was could be wrong with him (might be worth trying another procedure on the shoulder and/or specific swing plane adjustments, there’s a separate hot link with the article) and how he had been at that time offensively slightly better offensively cumulatively at SS than at 3B. It looks to me that his horrid neg-WAR shortstop defense contributes greatly to his current overall -2.3 WAR number such that a strictly 3B Saurez is not actually quite to that same low level of a neg-WAR player
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-2021-replacement-level-killers-shortstop-and-third-base/
Also just how well-positioned Miley (5.4) then Mahle (3.7) & Antone (2.3) were on this list (may need to sort, clicking the top of the WAR column header plus for both Seasonal and Pitching sorts, above
https://www.espn.com/mlb/war/leaders/_/type/pitching/year/2021