The Cincinnati Reds avoided losing their 100th game of the season on Tuesday night as they came from behind to beat the Chicago Cubs. With the game tied up in the bottom of the 9th inning the first strike thrown by a Cubs pitcher went for a walk-off double from Spencer Steer that scored Stuart Fairchild from first base.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs (73-88) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Reds (62-99) | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| W: Diaz (7-3) L: Hughes (2-3) |
|||
| Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread | |||
The Offense
Cincinnati put together back-to-back singles with one out in the 1st inning to threaten early, but a double play would end the inning. They wouldn’t have another runner reach second base until the 6th inning when Chuckie Robinson singled and moved to second when Jake Fraley walked. Kyle Farmer then walked to load the bases and gave the Reds an opportunity to not only tie the game up but to take the lead. The Reds couldn’t come through, though, as a strikeout and a pop up ended the inning with the home team trailing 1-0.
The Cubs extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the 7th inning. Cincinnati didn’t look like they were going to answer as the first two batters of the inning struck out, but then Jose Barrero worked a 2-out walk to extend the inning and Chuckie Robinson took the first pitch he saw and tied the game up with a 2-run homer into the right field seats.
The Reds went quietly in the 8th inning, and the Alexis Diaz kept the Cubs off of the board in the top of the 9th to keep the game tied up. Stuart Fairchild led off the bottom of the inning with a 4-pitch walk. The next pitch was to Spencer Steer and he crushed a double to the wall in dead center and Fairchild sped around the bases and scored rather easily with the relay throw never even getting to the infield dirt.
The Pitching
Luis Cessa was dominant for the Cincinnati Reds on the night outside of one pitch and that pitch went for the lone hit he gave up on the day. Willson Contreras hit a leadoff home run in the top of the 4th inning to put the Cubs up 1-0. Cessa would strike out four batters in 5.0 innings, but he didn’t return for the 6th inning despite having thrown just 61 pitches because he suffered a knee injury in the 5th.
Ian Gibaut took over for the Reds in the 6th and he tossed a hitless inning while striking out two batters. Fernando Cruz entered in the 7th and gave up a leadoff home run that extended the Cubs lead to 2-0. Buck Farmer was called upon for the 8th with the game now tied up, but a 2-out single led to Alexis Diaz entering for the final out to try and keep the game tied up and he did just that.
Alexis Diaz returned for the 9th inning and after a strikeout led things off he would hit Franmil Reyes with a pitch. The Cubs sent pinch-runner Zach McKinstry out to replace him and he would steal both second and third base, but he would be stranded there as a pop up would end the inning and give the Reds a chance to walk things off in the bottom of the inning. They did just that, avoiding loss #100 once again.
Notes Worth Noting
Jonathan India left the game early after fouling a ball off of his foot. As of now there has been no update provided.
Joey Votto was in the Bally Sports Ohio booth for the game, and in the 6th inning he said that if the Reds homered in the inning that he would buy a truck for the Toyota truck giveaway person even if it didn’t hit the sign. Chuckie Robinson just missed it, hitting the ball just foul down the right field line. Two innings later, with no truck on the line, Robinson homered. Poor dude who didn’t get a truck.
Wednesday’s game will be the final one of the season. Every game tomorrow with the exception of the first game of a doubleheader between Baltimore and Toronto will begin between 4:00 and 4:10pm ET, just in case you were looking for a whole lot of baseball to watch all at once.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds
Wednesday October 4th, 4:10pm ET
Adrian Sampson (4-5, 3.10 ERA) vs Graham Ashcraft (5-5, 4.52 ERA)
While he won’t win the ROY, I’d think Diaz gets a couple of votes.
Spencer “Steers” the Reds to a walk-off win, thus avoiding their 100th loss!
So it’s come down to this:
With one game left in the season, the Reds sit at 99 losses. One last win, and they escape the ignominy. One last loss, and they go down in history as one of the very few Reds teams to lose 100 games.
Which will it be? The answer will come,I e way or another …… Tomorrow.
dramatic music plays
this team deserves to lose 100 games. the 1982 team would demolish these guys
truth
Because they had Paul Householder
No because they had Bench, Concepcion, Driessen, Seaver and Soto
Alexis Díaz assured be the team wins leader with 7 because nobody else has 6 that will be pitching tomorrow… Ashcraft still could reach 6 wins since he is scheduled to start the season last game…
The Reds can’t score more than 3 runs since long time ago, it seems like they would have a threshold in runs than can put on the board , being no more than 3
We were on the road, so I was limited to listening. At one point I told my wife it looked like we’d hit the 100 loss mark tonight. But Chuckie had other plans. And then the 12-year-old draws the walk and Steer smashes that walk-off double. I just watched the dinger and the double now that I’m home. Maybe we can go out with a flourish after all. Catch you all tomorrow afternoon.
Imagine the media if the Reds win tomorrow. I can imagine Enquirer’s articles about Bell and the Reds really turning it around at season’s end and how much fans have to look forward to next year.
LDS, are you sure you’re one the right fan site? Just FYI, this one is for Cincinnati Reds fans. Maybe the website name confused you.
Not confused. A win tomorrow will get such a positive spin from the local media that it will be laughable. We’ve seen it before. Myself, like many here and elsewhere, aren’t expecting much from the 2023 Reds. The off season will be fun regardless of outcome. And who knows, maybe Krall will surprise us. Maybe Bob announces a sale on Thursday. Maybe if a frog had wings…
Wkuchad,
This is a group that discusses Cincinnati Reds baseball. People often express their opinions on these type of forums. Why does that bother you?
Not all of us, go all fangirl, to support an owner who is one the worst in sports.
Neither LDS or anyone else here have to apologize for their opinions or have their fan loyalty questioned by someone like you.
I don’t always agree with LDS, but I do respect his baseball knowledge and I find his insights more interesting than many others here.
If it makes you feel smug by making such a snarky remark, then by all means, continue to do so. But keep in mind, it says a lot more about you than it does about LDS.
There’s a difference between ‘discussing Reds baseball’ versus turning anything positive into a negative.
Most (it appears to me) one this site do not support ownership, including me. I’m tired of losing like everyone else.
But it gets old having a bucket of cold water thrown on every little positive, constantly. This is a fan site for fans of the Reds.
I don’t understand your smug comment, so I’ll leave that alone.
Thanks @V4L. @Wkuchad, it’s not negativity. It’s realism. A number of folks here think that once Moose and Votto’s contracts come off the books in 2024, the Reds will be a competitive team. What in Castellini’s tenure makes anyone believe that? Seventeen years of data seems rather conclusive. And if you notice, my comments were more about Cincinnati media than the Reds.
Hahaha. Plenty of ‘smugness’ and ‘snarkeyness’ to go around in this exchange. So let me add some more. Seems to me wkuchad has as much right to express his opinion as does LDS. I’m sure LDS is perfectly capable of defending himself without V4L’s ‘snarky’ help…I especially like V4L ‘snarkey’ sexist fangirl comment…not. Let’s just chalk it all up to a long frustrating season finally coming to close. Regardless of how the media or the organization spins it, lets hope for a win in the final game.
That “12 year old” appears to have the fastest base running wheels on the team 😉
Statcast flashed him at a 29 MPH sprint in Nick’s starting lineup display in tonight’s preview. I’m presuming that was on his own double Monday when he was already standing on 2nd as an observer as a quick strong throw came in.
what I liked most Jim is the aggressive lead Fairchild took. even against a left hander. he drew a throw. definitely was on Hughes’ mind.
Any word on Cessa?
He’ll be baaaaaack
It has been a rough couple of days (weeks) for Steer. Glad he had this moment Tuesday night to take him into the off season.
This said, I still prefer they err on the side of caution with him and start him at AAA for a couple of months in 2023 rather than force feed him on MLB pitching. The Reds have had enough Senzel and Barrero moments from highly rated prospects to last a while. When a guy is truly ready at MLB, it shines through like with T.Stephenson and India.
I dunno Jim – looking at all 3, the stats seem very similar – of course India and TySteve had the missing Covid year we don’t know about, but all three have excellent BB/K % thru several levels, and Steer had most of this year in AAA and did very well. He’s turning 25 later this year, so he’s had volume in numbers for several years. Unless there’s something very specific to work on, or he’s really laboring 6-8 weeks into next year, I expect he’s up for good. Doubt he gets to star level production, but league average production is good enough for this team for a year or two.
All the other prospects/acquisitions are at least 2 years younger, so, yes, they should take a 1/2 year or more in AAA unless they’re simply lights out in stats.
It is ironic that the Prasco experience during the COVID year turned out to be an incubator for Stephenson and India to jump AAA and come straight to MLB from lower down the development chain. Given the Reds history, it is hard to imagine either of the two would have pushed through the traditional system without spending at least half a season at AAA.
With the economics driven contraction of the minor leagues taking place, it would not be surprising if each MLB team ends up with only two traditional directly affiliated minor league teams.
One would be like Prasco with the bump end of the 40 man roster, the top prospects from what is now Classes AA and A+ and a limited number of 4A organizational depth players. The other would accommodate a merger of the remaining AA guys and more advanced A/A+ players.
In such a system, the surviving “independent league” teams from the recent MiLB contraction would be affiliated with MLB at the league level but individual MLB teams would not have direct full affiliations. However, as with Arizona Fall League, MLB teams would post players to these teams with each of the independent teams hosting signees from several MLB organizations.
I floated out a similar idea a month or so back on redsminorleagues.com . AAA should become a taxi squad, and the 40 man would become a 46 man. The 20 AAA “taxi squad” guys would play 7 inning games before, or after the MLB game, so you’d always have a day and night double header.
I would also allow more roster fluidity. That way a bullpen pitcher that wasn’t getting work could throw an inning in the AAA game. A hitter working on something, etc.
It would also give you the benefit of having your rehab guys with you. The young players would become accustomed to the MLB travel, as well as their future MLB teammates, and coaching staff. That should make transitions to the MLB a lot easier.
I would have 2 more levels the equivalent of A ball and AA ball. I would also bump up the signing age to 18, it’s crazy that the MLB signs 16 and 17 year old’s. It’s such a departure from the current model, that it has zero chance of happening, so it’s more of a thought exercise.
@MBS> I wonder if other orgs have had a similar experience with guys like Stephenson and India? If so that could help get the train rolling.
Just looking at the Reds, Fairchild also was at Prasco; and, he seems to be more prepared too.
On the other hand, Barero was force fed MLB pitching in 2020, and Senzel was pushed through the traditional experience ahead of the pandemic.
When push comes to shove the whole reason for the back half of the draft and rookie leagues (both now contracted) was to provide a development platform for the high numbers of pitching candidates required to eventually support the 50% MLB contingent that are pitchers.
Yes, there were some feel good stories of position guys who had fallen through the cracks and emerged. However those guys can still be uncovered playing in the Indy leagues the former rookie leagues have become. What MLB needs is a way to keep the pitching pipeline flowing.
I’m sure there were other teams that benefited. Indy ball would also increase like you said. I also think more guys would go to college, which would be better in the long run for 90% of them.
i think the question is going forward, Can the reds have success with players like Aquino, Fairchild, Barrero, Steer? Players that will hit in the high 100s/low 200s, not a ton of power but give you pretty good defense and speed. I feel we are headed into a dead ball era. Within the next 5 years or so the real good hitters will be retiring and there really doesn’t seem to be anybody to replace them. Then the reds can be competitive again. But until guys like Goldschmidt and Arenado retire can the reds stay somewhat competitive winning 2-1, 3-2 games? or will the win totals continue to dwindle? And is Bell the right guy to manage these type of players? It will be interesting to see.
Actually to not lose a 100 games would be big for me as a fan. Honestly with the injuries, trades and dismantling of the team prior to the season I was sure we would lose a 100 games. I’m not happy our ownership put us in this position but there were things I was happy to see. Lodolo and Greene make their debuts. Also I’m anxious to see some of the youngsters come up that we got in trades.
Looking forward to a Red’s win today to avoid the One Hundred and then to some needed changes in the offseason followed by spring training in February.
Outside the box thought: Sign Wilson Contreras as a FA this offseason. The Reds don’t have another C in their system after Stephenson that’s been worthy of a roster spot. So, use some of the money being saved to shore up the offense and catching position and add a middle of the order bat to the offense.
Against LH starting pitchers, both play, either at DH or 1B (to let Votto rest against lefties). With the DH both could play regularly but also not overload on catching duties.
This is an interesting thought. Would Contreras sign into such a situation? Would TS be a happy camper? It would solve the issue of finding a big bat corner OF. The Reds could then go with the F Troop in the OF, all of whom look like at least nominal league average offensive players until some of the rising prospects show they can push ahead of the Troopers.
Aside from the cash, the opportunity to work with Greene and Lodolo et al might help convince Contreras to come on down to Cincy,
Signing Contreras has about as much of a chance as Aaron Judge playing right field next year on opening day and Jacob Degrom Pitching. Resources have to be aligned. Bob shops at the Dollar General.
This is accurate about alignment 😉 However Minor, Pham, Castillo, Mahle and Naquin are all off the 2023 books to the total tune of just short of $35m with no major surge in arbitration salaries to eat into it.
We need to hold their feet to the fire and not just accept their narrative because they say it.
I love the idea, as long as it’s not too many years.
Both catchers will get plenty of playing time behind the plate. Let Contreras catch 70% of the games and DH the rest (except a few games off). Let Stephenson catch 30% of the games, play 1B against Lefty starters, and DH the rest.
This could be the perfect way to transition Stephenson to 1B post-Votto (if that’s the Reds’ plan).
Only 1 more game to avoid the 100 Loss plateau reached by the 1982 squad.
The 1982 squad managed that achievement with a collection of very bad players who played poorly. While the 2022 team was beset with injuries, lousy pitching, and midseason trades.
It’s telling how many players were used, and how infrequently the players played between the 2 teams
1982: 5 pitchers started 20 or more games
2022: Only 1 pitcher started 20 or more games
1982: 9 pitchers started a game
2022: 17 pitchers started a game
1982: 14 total pitchers used
2022: 38 total pitchers used
1982: All 8 starting position players played at least 113 games
2022: Only 1 position player played at least 113 games (Farmer)
1982: All 8 starting position players had at least 400 plate appearances
2002: Only 3 position players had at least 400 plate appearances (Farmer, India, Senzel)
I am not sure I agree with the general assessment that the 1982 team was a group of “very bad” players who played poorly. Bench (age 34), Concepcion (34), Driessen (30), and Cesar Cedeño (31) were all regulars on that squad. All of them except Bench topped 500 PAs. Bench weighed in at 439. All 4 of these guys had a nominal or better league average OPS+ (Bench 98, Concepcion 97, Cedeño 110, Driessen 119). Eddie Milner had his career year with a 99 OPS+.
I think the issue was there was absolutely no bench behind the aging stars and the pitching except for Mario Soto was absolutely terrible (including a 37 year old Seaver).
A major disappointment in 1982 was the Senzel de jour, Paul Householder (age 23) who got 456 PAs and turned a 64 OPS+.
Even with the pitching. if Householder and a couple of subs had OPS+ even in 85 to 90 range, the 1981 team would have probably been a low average range team instead of an historically bad team,
oops?>>>>> ” the 1981 team” should of course be the 1982 team
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1982.shtml Duane Walker, Larry Biittner (Reds first FA signing ever), Wayne Krenchicki, and Mike Vail were decent bench players in 1982. Each had between 20 and 30 RBI.
The main problem in 1982 was that Bench and Seaver (the Reds two best players) had poor years that season.
The pitching staff was decent except for Seaver.
The 1983 team had mostly the same players (Seaver was one) but finished 74-88.
Biittner (age 36) had a strong season (117 OPS+) but only 208 PAs. Both he and Driessen could only reasonably play 1B and there was no DH. They did use him some in the OF (31 games) but most of his appearances (55 games were as a PH).
Walker had a 73 OPS+ in 275 PAs. That is part of the problem for me.
Krenchicki at 90 OPS+ in 205 PAs I’d rate as neutral for a bench player.
Bench at 98 OPS+ in his age 34 season is hardly a disaster, His power was gone (.396 slg) but he still had an OBP of .320
Along with Householder, Alex Trevino was also an issue, 400 PAs with a 75 OPS+
IMO 5 regulars with 97 or higher OPS+, one of them at 110 and another at 119 are not indicative of a historically bad team. Yes, one of them (Bench) was 25% below his career average OPS at age 34 but he was still nominal league average at 98.
Two players with 400+ PAs each and OPS+ of 64 (Householder) and 75 (Trevino) are.
Obviously, for their careers, guys like Bench, Concepcion & Seaver were great. But for that season, there was a lot of poor play leading to an awful record.
Seaver had the worst season of his career, with his highest ERA+
Bench had his lowest OPS+ since his rookie year, and down over 40 points from the year prior.
And only 2 of the regulars had an OPS+ of 100 or more (Driessen and Cedeno)
Now, watch the Pirates go win the #1 pick.
I suspect other than maybe hearing Zinter is not being brought back, I don’t expect much news from the Reds until after the World Series. November should be a busy month through. GM meetings in Early NOvember were where Krall was before the media and issued his famous aligning resources quote. 40 man roster should be finalized mid-November and then the return of RedsFest in early December.
Local radio was pontificating on what and how the Reds could even market RedsFest and how problematic it is for the Reds with on-field performance and PC’s quotes from Opening Day still simmering in the minds of Reds fans. Reds only had 1.4 million-ish in attendance this year. Thats the lowest in the GABP era and stunningly, nearly 1 million less than 2003- the year it opened. The Reds have lost nearly 1 million fans in 20 years. Despite that, the Reds still out-gained the Guardians in attendance, a 90 win team and playoff team. That doesnt bode well for the Reds budget anytime soon or the long term forecast for baseball in the small to mid-markets as baseball demographics continue to change.
The whole financial mess with Sinclair/ Bally doesn’t help either on the money or market penetration for their TV telecasts. Hopefully, the consortium of MLB/NBA/NHL is going to get control of all those rights and push ahead with direct to the consumer streaming with no local blackouts at a good monthly or annual rate for those who watch one of the teams year round.
I may be missing something or gone whacky but if the leagues totally controlled streaming, why would they want to make any more money with the subscription fees than enough to cover production/ distribution costs ? Shouldn’t they want to be nearly as ubiquitous to access as over the air TV so they can hike the ad rates and make their real money from them? For decades that was the model for print media/ magazines
How much of Votto’s contract do you think Bally would pick up of Votto’s contract to make him a full-time announcer next year. If he can come back to 80% which would be about as much as possible with his significant injury and age and the fact his contract is up and that he will not be around the next time the team will be competitive it might be prudent to save a little money and move forward.