With help from Jonathan India’s bat, the Cincinnati Reds (77-72) won a close game in New York Friday to hold onto that final playoff spot. They’ll look to make it two in a row over the Mets (68-79) Saturday night at Citi Field. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. EDT.
Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
|
New York Mets |
| DH Jake Fraley | CF Brandon Nimmo |
| RF Nick Martini | C Francisco Alvarez |
| 2B Jonathan India | 1B Pete Alonso |
| CF TJ Friedl | SS Francisco Lindor |
| C Tyler Stephenson | 3B Ronny Mauricio |
| 1B Joey Votto | 2B Jeff McNeil |
| 3B Christian Encarncion-Strand | DH Mark Vientos |
| SS Elly De La Cruz | RF DJ Stewart |
| LF Will Benson | LF Tim Locastro |
Luke Maile was in the original lineup, but was scratched last minute with a left hand contusion.
Starting Pitchers
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | BB | K |
| Andrew Abbott | 99.0 | 3.64 | 1.22 | 39 | 107 |
| Tylor Megill | 107.1 | 5.03 | 1.64 | 53 | 90 |
| Links: Andrew Abbott’s Stats | Tylor Megill’s Stats |
|||||
Andrew Abbott
Andrew Abbott is coming off one of his worse starts of the season last Saturday against the Cardinals when he allowed six runs on four hits in just 4.0 innings. The rookie right-hander started his MLB career so well that anything less feels like a failure, but we have to remember that, minus a few starts at Triple-A, Abbott essentially jumped from Double-A to MLB this season. No matter how good the pitcher is, there are still learning curves in the big leagues. In August, he allowed 16 runs in 23.2 innings. His BAA (Batting Average Against) was above .300 and his BABIP was .388 last month. This month, in ten innings, he’s allowed seven runs, but his BAA is only .205, with a BABIP of .207.
Some have suggested that he’s just tired. He’s pitched 99.0 innings so far at the MLB level, plus 54.0 innings in the minors, in 2023. That means he’s thrown 153.0 innings this season, well above his previous high of 118.0 innings in 2021. Maybe there is something to this, but it hasn’t affected his velocity at all. He’s still throwing low-90s for his fastball and upper 80s for his off-speed pitches, and he’s been consistent there all season. He still relies heavily on his four-seam fastball, but will mix in a curve, slider and change up about evenly. Take the sinker with a grain of salt–Abbott has thrown it once all season.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 338 | 70 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 11% | 24% | .236 | .314 | .428 |
| LHH | 71 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4% | 35% | .177 | .211 | .279 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | 2-Seam | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 92.8 | 92.4 | 80.8 | 82.6 | 86.5 |
| Usage | 51% | .04% | 15% | 18% | 16% |
Tylor Megill
Twenty-eight year old right hander Tylor Megill hasn’t had a great season, with an ERA over 5.00 for most of it. However, in two starts in the month of September, Megill has allowed only three runs on seven hits in 10.1 innings. Two of those three runs came via home runs.
Megill’s splits are about even between right-handed batters and left-handed batters. While lefties are hitting almost .300 and walking 12 percent of the time against him, Megill does has a 22% strikeout rate against lefties. Megill throws mainly two pitches: his four-seam fastball and his slider. He does have above-average velocity on his fastball, which has topped out at 99 mph this season. His issue has been the walks, as he averages about 4.4 walks per nine innings.
Splits
| Split | PA | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB% | K% | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| RHH | 246 | 60 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 10% | 15% | .278 | .362 | .435 |
| LHH | 243 | 63 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 12% | 22% | .297 | .380 | .472 |
Pitch Usage
| 4-Seam | Split | Curve | Slider | Change | |
| Velo | 95.0 | 83.4 | 77.4 | 84.7 | 88.4 |
| Usage | 55% | .07% | 9% | 22% | 15% |
Details:
- Time: 7:10 p.m. EDT
- Place: Citi Field, Queens, NY
- Weather: 72 degrees, sunny, zero percent chance of rain
- TV: Bally Sports Ohio
- Radio: 700 WLW
News and Notes
Reds Playoff Odds
NL Wild Card Update
These are the standings as of this morning. It could look a little different after tonight, as the Giants and Rockies play a doubleheader and the Cubs and Diamondbacks battle it out.
Updated NL Wild Card standings after an eventful night of #SeptemberBaseball! pic.twitter.com/rnreqH8uhH
— MLB (@MLB) September 16, 2023
Today in Reds History
Tom Browning pitched a perfect game.
September 16, 1988: Tom Browning tosses the only perfect game in franchise history! #RedsVault pic.twitter.com/rS2ODwgh2b
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 16, 2023
Ok, gang — make no mistake, this is another do-what-is-necessary-to-win game. They all are now. Teams that rely on other teams to lose to get into the playoffs don’t usually have good results. My best bet is that Ian Gibaut and Alexis Diaz will both be on very short use parameters tonight, after 20-plus pitches each last night. Lucas Sims and Moll will probably be in the roles of late high-leverage innings.
Maybe Farmer as well.
I hope Sims got it out of his system last night.
You first line is correct. Just not sure why Bell won’t heed that basic advice.
I trust Moll a little more, although usually when Sims has had a stinker he comes back with a much better outing next time.
+10K. Those who await what falls their way most often get an earlier start on the off season
Let’s Go Abbott!!
When did Abbott switch to right handed pitching?
Anyone interested in taking a stab at exposing this lineup to me?
Benson, at least, seems reassuring.
I meant “explaining”…RLN auto fill is taking on a life of its own.
Beat it to death already.Time to battle the Mets.
Sorry, Big Fella, I missed the discussion in the other thread.
I’ll leave space for your next pearls of wisdom.
Huge game and why in the world is your most consistent hitter not starting?
That’s a great question, but unfortunately one that we will never know the answer to … like most nights with these goofy head scrathing lineups
+5,000
Hope we don’t end up needing Maile (he shouldn’t have started anyway). He’s dinged up and gassed. Difficult combination to deal with.
OK, burgers cooked and consumed. Flat-top all cleaned up and cooling. Looks like it’s time to Kick this Metropolitan Pig from Queens to Flushing!!!
Playoff hunt in 2023 … whodathunkit?
I’ll start with the Bally video and WLW audio overlay. If that isn’t close to sync, then it’s the Metro feed for me again tonight.
Oh the sacrifices we make to avoid certain TV announcers 😛
Hey Harry meant no harm.I can talk about the lineup all night long and was going to comment on Tom’s last comment in the other thread but it was obvious he was just trying to get all of us to move on.Again meant no harm and apologize if I offended you.
I stopped talking about it or even thinking about it. It just makes my brain hurt, especially on nights like this with the hottest hitter MIA.
“No good deed goes unpunished”
All good, Roger, thanks.
I don’t always drop back and check on the previous threads.
You’re right the conversations do stretch over between threads.
I’ll be sure to check in the future.
It’s all good among us regulars … and on days like today with a pre-game post, it’s bound to happen.
Luke Weaver is starting for the Yanks tonight and yes he has given up 2 runs so far in the first inning.
😀
Oh how the Evil Empire has fallen
Bravos appear to be on cruise control at the moment. Phish are pounding them.
Someone needs to tell Bell Martini is a bench player and nothing more.
And give him the chance to swap out for Bader?
Yep. Well over a pitch out of sync. Mets crew it is. Too bad as I really like the WLW team and prefer the game stats at the bottom rather than the upper corner.
Oh well … still first world problems, right?
Abbot got a degree from UVA in Biology in 3 years while playing college ball??? That’s pretty impressive.
Mets guys are talking about CES and the spacing of his name on their screens and his jersey 😀
OK, good. Now we can come from behind. That is our strength, especially on the road.
I’m sure it’s just my imagination, but it feels as if the Reds can have the bases loaded and nobody out for four or five consecutive innings and somehow not score a run, but if an opponent gets a runner on first via a walk it’s going to mean at least one run no matter what.
Also, I would like to know what it’s like to have runners on base in the first inning sometime again in my lifetime.
It does seem that is the case more often than not.
Lead all teams with 170 stolen bases, but only at an 80% success rate … interesting stat. You’d think these Metro announcer know something about baseball. 😮
Nice stroke. Nimmo got that back in very quickly.
Bad choice by their catcher … Mauricio wasn’t expecting that ball.
Green plates CES here.
Well, at least it wasn’t a whiff or a weak IF ground out.
I know nothing about the guy who made the throw toward 3B, but unless there was a missed sign at 3B, that’s the sort of play that leaves a person wondering what the heck was going on especially with it giving away a tying run.
Mets booth explained it very well. LH hitter, high fastball, “perfect chance” though Friedl was already back. Mauricio didn’t have his head in that part of the game. Bad play all around.
Yeah let’s keep sitting CES. That’s brilliant.
And Marte. Keep Marte sitting as well. Because hot hitting streaks don’t mean anything.
Just simply amazing to me. Just simply amazing why you sit a guy who went what 4-5 lastnight?
Just eat the cookies and watch the game, Kevin 😀
Okay Mark, but I better get a steak.. 😛
Only T-bone and only when the Angus ones are on sale 😀
And ONLY over charcoal!!!
De La Cruz hit the ball hard I assume Said line out on Gameday
Relatively hard. It held up a bit and Nimmo is a very good CF’er.
If he’d hit it as hard as he did a couple months ago, it would have gone to the wall.
Is he pressing to much in your opinion? He seems to have cut down on strike outs. I do believe De La Cruz will have a good solid career. Right now though its is a struggle for him
Yep. I think he’s pressing a lot. It actually makes sense that HDTBell has sat him and moved him down the line-up, but the toll of this many MLB games is taking its toll as I see it. I think he’s mentally gassed trying to re-adjust after that blazing start.
Per Statcast, 97.3mph EV with .310 xBA for EDLC. It was in red on the Statcast chart which indicates a level of hard hit.
As Mark said, a top spinner that held up just like a top spin tennis shot.
Thanks Guys
Abbott may be done.
I’m assuming y’all read that Ohtani is shut down. Some kind of UCL procedure will most likely happen. I still wonder if he’ll pitch again and how big of a contract he’ll draw this offseason.
The official word on Ohtani is an oblique issue, out for the season. I’ve seen nothing new about his elbow situation.
Was just reading “he’ll focus on his elbow now” with the interpretation being either TJ surgery or an interior brace procedure.
Any insight on the “interior brace”? I am not sure I have heard of that one before.
Jim Walker – quick Google search seems to indicate it’s traditional TJ plus a fiber tape brace to help strengthen what was reattached.
Yeah just hoping he can get us 4 or 5 and keep us in the game.Dude is a gamer but he just is pretty much out of gas.
He’s way beyond the number of innings he’s ever pitched. And it seems he reverts to nibbling when in trouble.
I’m thinking he’ll be fine in 2024 and beyond, but that doesn’t give us what we need for this September push.
After the mishap for the Mets on the bad throw, the Mets broadcast showed Buck S. talking with their fielders, so that maybe it doesn’t happen again…you know….coaching.
Dare to dream.
Well, to be fair, it’s Buck Showalter. He’s got actual positive MLB Field Manager experience. We’ve got the #93 Field Manager in this league of 30.
Bell communicates all he needs to say with very subtle facial expressions and by momentarily changing the direction of his stare.
+50,000
That’s just FREAKING HILARIOUS!!!
“Jimmy, I especially liked that move where you scratched yourself for 10 minutes. If we pay you a little more, do you think you could be even more disgusting?”
The Reds seem to be extremely good at getting guys in from third base without anyone actually having to put the ball in play. It’s exciting, for sure, but once in a while I’d enjoy seeing an old fashioned RBI.
Wow , that double-play is a big lifeguard
Got to love us some Bike Helmets in a time of need
Somebody who knows … do our picked off at 1B count against our stolen base success rate? That would explain the 80% number.
Benson lookd a lot like a leadoff hitter should look. Takes pitches and reaches base. And that’s why you keep him at #9.
I forgot until Darling just said it. “Hard time leaving Spencer Steer on the bench.”
Can I get an amen on that one?
Amen
Amen. I suspect a lot of folks around the league are wondering why Steer and CES cannot play at the same time and nearly every day with the Reds being in a playoff chase.
No he didn’t.I wonder why he would say that?
India gets a steady diet of off speed pitches down and away.
Kudos to him for laying off.
Why didn’t Benson run? Great catcher popup time or something? We just stop running?
Friedl didn’t try either when he got on in the 2nd.
The Reds only steal if it’s Elly on first or if there are runners on first and third. Every other situation is “remain at first and wait for someone to knock you in.” That’s been the strategy for at least a couple months, it seems.
Just my opinion but the 2 players who Bell should not have in the line up are Votto and Martini in their place should be Marte and Steer.
I would agree with that. I am a big Votto fan, however well as we see he isn’t helping. Marte and Steer are hot or warm LOL
+10,000
Even Ron Darling said that about Steer.
Or possibly Fraley should sit out because he can’t run, and appearances are he can’t really drive the ball either with his injured toe which will require surgery after the season.
Well now that’s just the crazy talking … or did your dog take over the keyboard?
@Mark, Have you seen Fraley’s numbers over the last week? His 14 day OPS is .667; his 7 day OPS is .250. His 14 day K Rate is .33%. His 7 day K Rate is 50%
He started with a burst and has hit a wall after a week or so just like #19 did earlier in the season. Bet $$$ against donuts it won’t get significantly better unless he sits at least several days.
‘
Jim, I agree
While I appreciate a ball player willing to play. He can’t field and certainly shouldn’t be lead off. I am guessing he can’t run as fast. Reds have better talent and I would take Senzel over Fraley right now.
Abbott has got to stop walking people with 2 outs – come on man throw strikes !!!!
Here we go again. Abbott must be mentally tired as well as physically tired because he keeps getting into 2 out nobody on trouble that starts with a walk which I believe bugged him during last start too.
Most of us would love to see our best players play every day down the stretch but its just not going to happen.Bell has scripted days off,egos to protect,injuries and trying to keep everybody happy to deal with and those things get in the way of the best playing.On a different note Weaver got through 4 innings and left with a lead of 4-3.His legacy lives on in the big city
I do believe one of the egos in question belongs to HDTBell. He knows things we don’t and nobody else does. Full Stop!! 😮
Stop Mark, you said it makes your head hurt 😀
This is ridiculous Abbott
Abbott running on fumes here. Got to get this batter before all Hades breaks loose on him.
Once again: every time a guy walks, no matter what the situation is, it feels like runs are inevitable.
It’s a miracle! I’ll have to try to remember this inning so I know it’s possible.
I know many have said they think Cowboy would make a fine pitching coach. I’m in that camp. But maybe he doesn’t want to work for HDTBell??
Nice way to bare down, Abbott. Too bad you’ve thrown so many pitches through 3 innings. Looks like another bullpen night.
My hunch is he doesn’t want to be a pitching coach. His current job probably requires about 3.5 hours per day on game days and zero hours on other days.
Oh yeah … I was just musing. I think you are dead right.
It does seem like he knows more about pitching (and hitting, for that matter) than anyone on the Reds’ staff.
If we have a long man then its time to use him.AA is toast.
What is this “long man” you speak of? I’m approaching 60 and have a distant memory of such a role, but nothing recent (and certainly not within the tenure of one HDTBell).
It truly is amazing though with all the starting pitching woe’s and or short starts and the load the bullpen has had to carry the Reds are still in the playoff chase.
That to me is good coaching especially the pitching coach.
It’s also a healthy dose of pixie dust that bullpen injuries haven’t been more rampant.
Oh gosh yes LOL
Deepest part of the park for CES!!!
Or nearly the deepest
CES sit because of Hunter Renfroe folks
Steer sitting as well. And Marte.
Tonight it’s for Joey.
CES needs to play. Period.
Hacking for a single. Now let’s hope he’s off to the races.
Votto is a distant 4th behind steer marte and CES at first base
+1,000
Mr CES is sending Mr Bell a big message tonight.
“Message returned … Mailbox is full … Contact your System Administrator”
So CES just crushes a huge HR after playing very little the last week fir no apparent rrason. Will he start playing again more now….or are we going to go back to Renfro?? Knowing Bell the way we do, what do you think the answer is? Unfortuntaley my guess is we’ll see him start again 3 or 4 games from now.
It will not change cause if Marte can set after 4-5 last night in a play off race what CES does tonight will not matter at all.
Lets hope not!! Although the pattern we have seen lately says you are correct.
I know I’m biased against Sadak, but I could really get to love hearing the Mets team call games. And I was recalling an earlier version of Darling in playoff games that seemed downright painful to listen to at times.
Top crew IMO.
Are we going to get 6-7 innings pitching out of any of these starters this month? Golly, we gave the cat an extra 5 days rest and this is what we get? Please. Or maybe the plan is to pitch him 130 pitches? Think we ought to go to a 3 man rotation with 10 relievers. We absolutely can not have an 8 man bullpen covering 5 innings 3-4 days in a row. Bell has worked some miracles to date but this current plan is not going to work.
Phillips and Richardson have shown they aren’t not ready. Ashcraft is injured, Lodolo out for season and Stoudt, Kennedy, and Spiers aren’t exactly better than Abbott.
It is concerning indeed?
As most and self included have mentioned. The Reds needed to add starting pitching at trade deadline.
This is a votto issue folks
Votto needs to play because hes votto and the ripple effect is immense
Dh + first base +3b + steer plus corner of all compromised
There are no
Limits to the flexibility bell has to play votto
+10K x 10K
It’s a choice (or a series of choices). HDTBell certainly makes them. Votto himself has made a choice (contrary to his earlier “promises”). Even Bull Krall plays into the choices (by giving HDTBell certain toys to play with).
If this run goes down, it’s in large part to egos taking over, at least in September. Well, that and a dearth of pitching that has anything close to a fresh arm and can throw strikes.
Votto just sat two games in a row neither of which CES played. It’s a Bell issue.
This team just can’t get out of its own way. Elly reaches base, and all of a sudden Benson has NO patience, hitting into a double-play on the first pitch he sees? The baseball IQ on this team is really something — and not in a good way.
And of course the manager couldn’t be bothered to call for any kind of hit and run in that (or any other) situation, and won’t say a word to Benson about how stupid it was to not give Elly a chance to steal a base, because what would be the point of trying to get your players to make smart decisions.
How in the world are they in the playoff race. LOL
And J, I was being sarcastic with my comment. Lol
I’m thinking Benson should have been able to cut that off. Maybe not.
Regardless, Abbott’s night is over.
That ball finished right in Alvarez wheelhouse. It was really lucky for the Reds it launched low enough to stay in the park.
Can’t imagine why Abbott was allowed to give up that run. I guess because Bell just needed to try to save the bullpen from getting ONE more out today, because they need to save those six pitches for tomorrow’s game.
Well, it turned out the bullpen needed 7 pitches to get that last out. I stand corrected.
The ump didn’t call the pitch #4 as strike giving the chance to Mets can score a run and extending the inning getting out Abbott of the game…
Big whiff of Alonso there. Damage limited.
I hope this is the last game of the Martini as #2 hitter experiment… Even if he will homer in his next AB
The leadoff runner has reached base. Any chance the Reds do anything with that?
Reds are now officially a station-to-station team.
Chance to bust it open!!!
Bunt hit #17 for TJ!!! Pretty much textbook perfect.
Friedl best bunter in baseball since brett butler
Wow
But yet some want him to quit bunting.
Stink. Fish. POT!!!!
Great job Stephenson
You’d think he’s one guy you can trust to at least lift one for a Sac Fly. But not this time. Just rolled it over.
You would think.
If I’m not mistaken, the Reds have hit four sacrifice flies since the all-star break. It used to be possible to imagine two or three could be hit in a single game.
Stephenson is a double play machine
Yikes
Can’t be rolling over on a 2/0 pitch with bases loaded and 1 out.
The count belongs to the batter unless it gets to 2/2 in that situation which means the batter needs to be looking for a specific pitch in a specific spot and take everything else.
And Stephenson kills rally … terrible … dude rolls into double plays at the worst freaking times
Tell Bell his 2nd 5th and 6th batters are awful and while I thought he did a nice job last night, tonight he is at his normal awful.
Sitting Steer and Marte is just unbelievable in my book ….
The very thing Stephenson couldn’t do….he does. Double Play. And…..he was ahead in the count 2-0.
For those who still don’t understand why you might not want to let a guy swing at a 2-0 pitch even if it’s a strike, I ask you to rethink your positions. Hitting a baseball is hard. Even when you know what pitch is coming, it’s hard.
This lineup is really a work of art. You’ve got a leadoff guy who can’t run, a #2 guy who could be sent to the minors any day now, a cleanup hitter whose main strength is bunting, and a #5 hitter whose specialty is grounding into double plays. What could possibly go wrong?
The batter shouldn’t have to be told to automatically take in that situation. He should know to look for a specific pitch in a specific spot to drive and to take anything else. Stephen has been around long enough to know this, especially as a catcher.
The problem is, I’ll be TS will say that’s exactly what he did. He thought he got a good pitch to hit, and otherwise he wouldn’t have swung. There are two problems with this approach: one is that guys obviously don’t always recognize what the pitch is — which is why they swing at so many bad pitches even in hitter’s counts. The second is that even if someone tells you it’s going to be a fastball down the middle, and it actually is a fastball down the middle, it’s STILL hard to hit a baseball. We’ve seen non-pitchers get guys out by throwing 60 mph pitches down the middle. We’ve seen guys hit grounders to short in the home run derby when someone is trying to HELP them hit a home run.
You had a pitcher totally on the rocks. He was tired and having trouble throwing anything for a strike. You have to make him throw at least two strikes in that situation. If he gets to 2-1, you can still assume you’re getting a fastball, and can still afford to be selective. There’s just no good reason to swing at at anything in that situation until you have to.
It’s beyond baffling …
Leadoff walk by Duarte !!!! Unreal time and time and time again
No chance for Bike Helmets, but at least we got the lead runner.
Good conversation in the booth about the Ohtani situation. Both finding it very odd how he packed up and left “in the middle of the night” and what that says to the Halos.
Solid relief work from Duarte.
Pleasantly surprised by it. He can be sneakily good sometimes.
He certainly knew not to give in to Alonzo with 1B open and 2 outs.
I send him back to start the 6th with the bottom of the order due up.Need outs and if he can get any more then lets ride him.He is toast for tomorrow anyway.
As a long time fan I have lost some respect for Votto, remember he said he would not want to play if he could not contribute. My question is, How is he contributing?
Bottom line is, he’s not. Not really the way we need him to contribute. So now I have to question just how much ego is at play here. And I really hate to do that.
I got to sit behind home plate a few years back and Votto was on deck. There was a special needs teen boy across the aisle from me. Someone must have let Votto know or he saw the boy and worked his way over. The mom was able to get a pic of the boy with Votto – the boy ecstatic. Votto did it very discreetly and only those that were right there saw what he did. Of course, then stepped up to the plate and smoked a double.
So, yeah, I’m good with a guy battling a bum shoulder playing out his contract when he could be on the IL milking it.
Benson give ELLY a chance here to steal the base.
Will we see a PH’er here? If so, will it be one of the hotter hands?
Inquiring minds want to know 😛
Baffling. Just completely baffling.
Yep…
3 hard hit balls for Elly on his 2 singles.
Worked 2 walks last game.
I’ll call that baby steps in the right direction.
Yep and a walk can turn into him being at second base.
Yep. And that first out just hung up there even at almost 100mph. And Nimmo is a good fielder.
Ashcraft season ending surgery
Thanks. Remind me if you can please, did Lodolo have surgery for his similar issue but in the leg versus foot area?
Bell gave up on the inning by letting Benson bat vs the lefty.
I am not understanding the manage of bullpen by Bell… Moll in this inning against Alvarez and Alonso… wow
My fault, I was confused thinking the inning start batting Nimmo…
No problem Reds.
Of course you wouldn’t want to pinch hit for Benson. It’s only the 6th inning and everyone knows runs don’t matter until at least the 8th inning.
Bell’s modus operandi recently with the platoon switching has been not to switch if the Reds are ahead and usually not until later in the game when things are tied.
And as I type this Renfroe for Fraley in the 7th.
And he called back Steer and sent instead Senzel for Martini after Renfroe K’d
He has a very scientific formula.
What happened to the 2-hour games?
Or even 2.5 hour games. I heard overall stats say times are down, but not for our games.
Why Renfro and not Steer or Marte, Bell is a fool.
Moll just keeps Molling along.
Renfroe is pitiful and Bell continues to run him out there in the middle of playofff push – total nonsense
Definition of insanity is …
Bell would be getting just stat evidences from Renfroe to prove he should put back on waivers next week…
I don’t know which annoys me more — umpires who consistently call balls for strikes, or Reds players who refuse to protect the plate because they’re counting on umpires to get the calls right.
+5,000
What a catch by Steer coming into play LF cold!!!!
So a player with 2 hits on the night is replaced ?
This madness makes no freaking sense!!!
Can anybody believe he took Strand out, this is so sad.
Has to be because he thinks Senzel is his best defensive option at 3B; but, it is whacked to leave your 3rd best option in at 1B and instead take out your best bat of the night when that batter is one of the better 1B’s.
And now he pulls Votto for a runner with 2 outs. Crazy to think they thought it was that important to get Votto PA and ran the entire substitution rotation to do that.
Votto is a huge defensive liability among other things.
Yeah, but his offense … what about that contribution on a consistent basis?
Stephenson should never bat 5th, need a catcher bad.
He seemed to be getting his stroke back (finally after a year) and then HDTBell kept jerking him around with the every other day crap.
What catchers hit better, and are they available?
He just had a bunch of key hits over the last week.
one 0’fer and now you want him gone?
Diaz now
And now we have the pinch-switching stuff going on. I have to believe this moves Steer back to 1B for the rest of the game.
Agree, that’s what I tagged onto the thread above. The entire substitution rotation apparently was to get Votto that PA knowing he would run for him if he reached.
Need this one tonight. Stupid Cubs are currently up against the Snakes. Giants could lose two though.
That works. A little havoc goes a long way.
Benson striking out way too much again , way too much ….
He’s just trying to fit in.
He’s batting .389 with a 1.310 OPS over his last seven games. So…
5Ks for Benson in his last 4 games prior to tonight (50% K Rate) but amazingly a 1.000 OPS for the same span because his BA was .300 with a double and HR to pump up his SLG %.
Maybe we should bench him.
9 LOBs
Do we get Cruz for another inning?
Cue Howard Jones …
You can look at the menu, but you just can’t eat
You can feel the cushions, but you can’t have a seat
You can dip your foot in the pool, but you can’t have a swim
You can feel the punishment, but you can’t commit the sin
“Things can only bet better?”
get
Not pinch hitting for Benson in the 6th inning was clearly an ingenious strategy to get him up in the 8th inning with the bases loaded. It just didn’t work out.
A lot of lost chances to pad the lead… Hope this won’t haunt… please God
This is bordering on incompetence and infuriating. We hav a (susposedly knowledgeable) GM saying we won’t need to limit Abbott’s and Ashcraft’s innings in September. Oh yeah? What were Abbott’s last 2 starts and extra 5 days rest all about? He is not maxed out? And then to count on 2 guys (Greene and Lodolo) who are coming off long term injuries? And while we don’t need starting pitching, we are rolling out AAA wannabes in Weaver, Spiers, Richardson, Phillips, Kennedy, etc. Gosh, just think where we would be in the standings if we had traded for a couple mid level prospects for a couple 4.50 ERA #4 starters? What is our record in games started in August and September by the above guys? Probably 4-5 games under 500. Just infuriating to have all these guys …..Stoudt, Hopkins, Richardson, Barerro, etc. in waiting …and watch the likes of Kennedy and Spiers (and recently Abbott) give us 3 solid innings with only 4 runs. You would think there would have been some type of fallback plan just in case you misread the tea leaves.
My understanding is that Krall put in claims on pitchers but we got beat to the punch on those that might have been worthwhile. Doesn’t excuse anything, especially not waiting until the waiver “lottery”.
I’m with you in this frustration. You have to wonder if Gibault’s arm is going to fall off at some point. And even if we had a “long man” you can’t use him multiple days in a row.
Something’s got to give, but let’s hope it doesn’t until sometime in October. Late October if possible.
Positive thought here … this is probably our best defensive OF possible of any roster combinations.
And we’re down to needing 3 measly outs.
Agree but who will serve for the set?
I don’t think Benson qualifies.
Who on the current roster is better defensively? Asking honestly.
3 outs away folks
I just saw that Derek Law is the man being chosen by our esteemed leader to close this out…and I’m officially terrified.
I can think of almost anybody else in the bullpen I would rather have trying to close this out than him
Regardless of this inning, who do you throw in the 9th to nail this down? Law is warming up … which just adds to the baffling factors.
Law is warming for the 9th.
Law warming up Oh no, leave Cruse in.
Better not see Derrick law pitch this 9th
inning !!!
Snakes have evened the score with the Stupid Cubs. Opportunities to climb the steps abound. Even if run production doesn’t.
Ump is calling a postseason strike zone. Did it with the Metz in B8 also. Don’t argue with him and lose it for the Reds in B9.
Listening to Sadak is like listening to
fingernails on a chalkboard …
I’m riding out the series on the Mets feed. Much calmer voices and simpler vocabulary.
+1000000000000000000000
And we’re rolling the dice with Law … everybody buckle up. 5-point harness is recommended.
Brings out the absolute worst option he has in the bullpen to close game …..
Can’t believe they are actually sending on Law here.
It’s just hard to Fathom that Bell picked Law to close this out…hope it works out
Mets’ fans pulling for a first batter walk and a tater to Nimmo.
Not out of the question.
It’s a Tommy Boy sighting!!!!
I think Bell is trying to see if he can set a major league record for the most bad managerial decisions made in a victory.
But he’s on everybody’s short list for NL Manager of the Year.
He just keeps breaking his own records in that regard
How in the world can your plan be to have Derek Law close the game when every other pitcher in the bullpen would be a better option…. literally every other pitcher.
Don’t like it. Cruz only at 17 pitches, but 1 down
Are Farmer and Sims on the side of a milk carton?
Pitched last night, I believe.
Probably holding them for tomorrow. I willing to lose here with Law if it breaks that way,
Remember Wild Thing it can happen again.
Well that was a nice 0-2 cement mixer… lucky that one didn’t leave the yard
Well the big guy shortened his swing to poke it for the hit versus going for broke and maybe K’ing
Schnikey
0-2 pitch base hit —
Thigh high. Can’t do that even to Tommy Boy.
And with an umpire who’s been consistently calling balls strikes.
Darling said the same thing.
And it comes to this … a rookie catcher hitting in the low .200’s
How is that a ball after all the other calls tonight?
Sure, walk this guy and then take on Alonzo.
I already put the BP machine away for the night. I did NOT need this drama.
And Bell has nobody ready in pen … you have got to be kidding
So Cruz’s limit is 17 pitches with 6 up 6 down, but Law? Unlimited
Bad feeling.
Thank you Lord!!!!!!!
Oh yee of little faith
Wow! I’ll take it.
Miracle ! Big win !
Reds win so Bell must be a genius….
Cheezits, what a night.
Could it be that DB is doing something right, especially with the bullpen?
Wow….Law survives.
Awesome win!
Miracle against the Mets and despite ourselves. Law bows his back and gets Alonso.
Go Snakes! Beat the Stupid Cubs again!
Neither result in Phoenix is bad for the Reds; but I think I prefer being a game clear of the Snakes versus tied with them and 0.5 games behind the Cubs even though the Reds hold the 2 team tiebreaker on both.
I’m rooting for the Cubs to lose because 1) They are the Cubs and (2) pulling the Cubs back with the pack it means the Reds are 1 of 4 teams vying for 2 play-off Spots instead of just 1 WC spot. I that benefits the Reds.
Avoiding the Brewers is what I’m shooing for.
Looked like he got it in on Alonso’s hands when he was probably looking away.
Bottom line is that it worked and we probably won’t see Law tomorrow regardless. It’s all good in the end.
Just win, baby, win!!
He did it! Bell has set a new major league record for the most bad managerial decisions in a victory!
This was a really impressive win. Reds beat the Mets, the home plate umpire, AND their own manager. Well done!
+50,000 😀 😛 😉
Duarte racking up the Ws of late.
Got the 1 run win and didn’t have to use Sims, Farmer or Diaz. Going for the sweep tomorrow.
Wild Thing and now the Lawman.Whats not to like?
Wow, well that worked well. Whew… Farmer and Sims unavailable tonight I assume.
Law got it done as did the bullpen. 9 hits from starting lineup.
Players play for sure with this team. LOL
I don’t really think this game could finish 3-2… wow… Yes it’s a miracle…this should mean something good for the Reds!
78 wins and counting.
Series win over the Mets with one to play.
Winning record in September. Who still thinks they are chokers.
Fabulous BP effort, saves Abbott’s arm for another start!
Keep up the good play guys, one game at a time.
You need to rephrase your question:
“Who thinks they are still chokers?
Not me.
Since Bell PH Renfroe and Bader also got time does that mean we won’t see them against Quintana tomorrow? Please?
Also saved Gibaut!
That was shakey looking even on GameDay!
Law Law!
Got the Swiffer ready again for the sweep tomorrow!
Really just have to marvel at the way the Reds managed to score those three runs. They got a hit from Friedl to lead off the second, who made no attempt to steal, but was able to get to third on a two out single by CES and then score on an absolutely absurd throwing error by the catcher that had no chance whatsoever of getting anyone out. Then they scored two more runs on a walk to Votto and a home run by CES. That’s it. And they win, of course, because why wouldn’t they?
Thanks for the fill in info.
Bases loaded just scare our hitter to death.
I hope CES doesn’t sit tomorrow.
Joe Boyle gets the start tomorrow for the A’s.