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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2011 > June > 17 > Entry
Two bad pitches and Reds lose to Jays
CINCINNATI — Fresh from a smash-bang west coast trip where they won five of seven and injected themselves right back into the National League Central skirmish, the Cincinnati Reds on Friday began a string of 15 straight interleague games.
It didn’t start with an on-key note. Despite an exciting inside the park home run by Drew Stubbs and a decent start by Mike Leake, the Reds fell to the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2.
And there is an interesting facet to those 15 games — they are against Toronto, the New York Yankees, Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Cleveland, in that order, three games each.
What is interesting is that the first 12 games are against four teams that train in Florida, meaning the Reds have not seen them at any point this year, except on the tube.
With that in mind, manager Dusty Baker said he hasn’t thought about the advantage the Reds will have in the first six games, all at home, where the designated hitter won’t be used.
“The hard part about dealing with these teams is we never get to see our opponents,” said Baker. “We didn’t even get to see ‘em in spring training. So we’ve done a lot of scouting and watching games on TV. And it’s very, very important what we get from our advance scout and what he gets from his friends to help us not to find out about somebody through trial and error.”
Here’s a hint — don’t give Jose Bautista (21 homers, 44 RBI) or Adam Lind (14 homers, 42 RBI) anything good to hit.
The Reds paid a heavy price Friday when they pitched to Bautista in the seventh with a runner on second and no outs while leading, 1-0.
Bautista doubled to left to tie it, then Lind crushed a 420-foot home run onto the grassy knoll beyond the center field wall for a two-run game-winning home run (make that 15 homers, 44 RBI).
THE PROBLEM is that Bautista and and Lind bat back-to- back, just like Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, and Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, and Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman.
“When you have a multi-homer situation, that makes it tough,” said Baker. “It is sort of pick your poision. You hold your breath whoever you are pitching to.”
That fateful inning started on a controversial note. Corey Patterson, the player Reds’ fans loved to hate when he was here, led off the seventh inning.
He squared around to bunt and pitcher Mike Leake hit him with a pitch, but it appeared Patterson left his bat across the plate in a bunt attempt, making no effort to pull it back.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too,” said Baker. “But the umpire (Jerry Meals) wouldn’t ask for help. That was the whole ball game right there, that quick three runs. If you went to the bathroom, you missed the whole game.”
Leake, who lamented only two pitches — the double to Bautista and the home run to Lind — said he didn’t mind hitting Patterson with the pitch, “Because it’s better than a walk. And I think he drew his bat back and didn’t try to bunt. But he isn’t a guy you want to put on base.”
Patterson stole second to put himself in position to score on Bautista’s double.
ON THE 5-2 trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Reds starting pitchers were 5-0 with a 1.63 ERA and three times didn’t allow an earned run. Over the previous 10 games they were 7-1 with a 1.91 ERA.
“That’s what we’ve been waiting on,” said Baker. “That’s the key to this game. The better your starting pitchers are, they better chance you have to win. You saw that stretch we went through — hoping to never return again — when it was tough to get our pitches through four or five innings. We just want them to get deep in games.”
And Leake was good Friday - for six scoreless innings. All three runs off him came in the seventh and three of the five hits he gave up came in the seventh. Leake made it 10 games out of the last 11 that a Reds starter pitched into the seventh inning, but there was little offensive support on this night.
HOMER BAILEY’S rehab start Thursday for Class AAA Louisville goes down as most forgettable in his diary.
In 4 1/3 innings against Toledo, he gave up three runs and 11 hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.
TORONTO BROADCASTER and former major-leaguer Buck Martinez stopped into Baker’s office before Friday’s game and Baker said, “Hey, homey. How are you? That’s my homey right there. How many home runs did you hit against us in that doubleheader, five or six? Damn you.”
Baker and Martinez are homeys because they both grew up in Sacramento. When Martinez was asked about the home runs, he smiled broadly.
“We both played American Legion ball and we had an All-Star series, North Sacramento against South Sacramento. He played for North Sacramento and they were from the inner city and thought they were pretty bad dudes and would tear us up,” said Martinez.
“We kicked their tails and I had a few home runs in the two games,” he said.
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By Jon
June 20, 2011 3:37 PM | Link to this
top 7th no outs runner at 2nd base. I get pitching to Bautista. He had not done much in the game (weak infield single) against Leake and you don’t want 2 on and no outs for Adam Lind. hindsight is 20/20 but anyways, after Bautista doubled, the Reds still up 1 run, decide to pitch to Adam Lind. I was at the game and told my friend they should walk Lind here. The guys behind Lind are hitting .248, .227, .250, and .181 on the season. They were a combined 1-14 for the game. Why pitch to Lind who at the time was hitting .341 coming into the game with 14 home runs, and was on fire coming into Cincinnati? Not to mention Lind is a lefty and hits .341 against righties, and the following four batters are all right handed. Also, Lefties hit .295 vs Leake, whereas righties hit .240. Still don’t understand why they pitched to Lind.
By Believe It
June 19, 2011 12:37 AM | Link to this
Jay Bruce wins player of the month in May and now has 1 HR and 4 RBI for the month of June so far. And the Reds are paying him how much for how long, based on what? Arroyo has an ERA of 5.23 and he’s getting paid how much? Seems like the Reds learned nothing from the bad contracts of the last decade. This game’s about results, not how much we like or dislike a player.
By StuttgartTim
June 18, 2011 6:58 PM | Link to this
Sorry folks, but I couldn’t disagree more that it’s not a big deal we lost because SL, and MIL lost too. If we lose when they lose and win when they win we end up in 3rd. That was a missed opportunity. The team that wins the close games will win the division.
By Mike in KY
June 18, 2011 4:16 PM | Link to this
@jim m: This is what I’m talking about. Brewers, Cards, Pirates, Mets, Braves…any other team loses, it’s a lack of talent or a failure of that talent to perform. Reds lose, it’s always poor coaching/managing. Every time. How about Reyes made a few good pitches? When he grounded out, it was on breaking or offspeed pitches that tail away from a left-handed batter…except maybe the two-seamer he got in the sixth. But maybe it is like you said, every batter would hit 1.000 if they were only coached properly. Fire Dusty.
By Mike-Cinci
June 18, 2011 3:22 PM | Link to this
jim m, do you watch how other teams play? The Reds are much more professional than most. Criticizing Votto for not going to LF is very unfair as the guy is always trying to hit the pitch where it is. Sometimes the pitcher deserves some credit for making the right pitches given his defense. Watching on TV and listening to amateur experts like Thom B. analyze hitting and pitching will dull our brains. I wish a manager or coach could just tell a player what to do and instant success would occur. If it was that easy we would have more than 15 players out of 168 position players in the NL hitting over .300. There are only 4 over .320. The hardest thing is sports is hitting a baseball. By the way who ever wins the NL Central, and I hope it is the Reds, will lose between 65 and 70 games. Last night the Reds, Cards, and Brewers all lost and I wonder how many stupid things the Brewers and Cards did. The Cardinals have lost 7 straight and have been stupid for a week. LaRussa must not be telling them to hit and pitch better.
By jim m
June 18, 2011 1:20 PM | Link to this
So if the whole infield is on the 1st base side of the field and they leave 3b to SS wide open and you have players still pulling the ball you have no problem with that Mike??.. Votto and Bruce have the same shift on them and outside pitches are being pulled.. Instead of being driven that way. I like Votto as a hitter, but last night two balls that he hit would have been basehits without the shift, so instead of pulling the ball to the same spot with the shift and getting out. why not half swing and drive the ball down 3rd baseline.. or even bunt. That makes the other team think twice about shifting around so much.. Just trying to show what the manager and coaches should be telling their players. isnt that the role of a coach? see a weakness of the opposition and tell the players? Heck, Baker could tell Berry to give a sign for that type of play. Thats what i would do if i’m the manager.. your goal is to win games and also teach players and get them focused to look for things like this. And with Stubbs not taking his bat of his shoulder for 3 straight strikes, how can that not effect a team? How can a coach say thats ok to do? I still think the Reds lead the league in taking 3rd strikes! that is ridiculous.
By Mike in KY
June 18, 2011 1:19 PM | Link to this
@jim m and jeff: Bruce did attempt to bunt against the shift when he led off the seventh inning, unfortunately he pushed it foul. I would never ask Bruce or Votto to attempt the bunt more than once in an AB. You simply can’t take the bat out of their hands. They’re just as likely to hit it into the teeth of the shift as they are to hit it over the shift and into the moon deck. To assert that the players don’t see this is flat out wrong. I would trust Joey Votto’s instincts at the plate more than I would any fan and just about any manager or coach.
By Mike-Cinci
June 18, 2011 12:11 PM | Link to this
Rather than blame Baker or Jacoby how about blaming the player for striking out. Votto hits the ball to left field more than any player I have seen in a long time. When we start finding fault with Votto’s hitting we are grasping at straws. When did it become easy to hit 98 mph fast balls and 92 mph sliders? Votto has a .451 on base percentage…that’s impressive.The guy has been on base in 67 of 70 games and has developed into one of the best players in baseball. It is hard to believe any baseball fan would find fault with Votto’s play.
By jeff
June 18, 2011 10:23 AM | Link to this
Last night was just a good game. That play by Phillips may have been on of his best. To make that throw is unthinkable. Good to see Rolen hitting a little bit. I would like to make a suggestion. I think they need to move Bruce back down to 5th or 6th. I love Bruce but he is a hot and cold player. This appears to be a Cold time and teams can tell this. He will come out of it but I would move him down a bit. Move Rolly back to the 4 spot for the time being. Baker is a “feel” manager he need to feel this. Then when Bruce heats up again you move him back. I agree with the bunting. A couple of easy bunts would be easy hits for these guys. it amazes me they don’t try it
By gom
June 18, 2011 8:00 AM | Link to this
I read comments by KIA and jim m and I’m amazed how simple baseball is to these guys. They see things that no one else does and are more than happy to share. Amazing analysis!
By jim m
June 18, 2011 7:07 AM | Link to this
What botherd me alot last night was watching Drew Stubbs take 3 straight strikes and not even attempt to swing the bat!! The first one was a pitch that was up in the strike zone out over the plate that he has hit before in the right field seats!! It frustrates me becuse i feel JaCoby never seems to have our players go up with a plan. ALSO when i saw the view of the shift on Votto and Bruce and how WIDE OPEN between 3rd and SS was to hit an outside pitch easily down the 3rd base line(Or even bunt), it really ticks me off that Baker nor the other coaches will suggest that prior to them coming up to bat. Just think, if they attempted this, MAYBE the other team doesnt swing around as much and opening another spot to hit the ball when they drive the ball to RF.. another chance to get a Win, is wasted and its not early.. Plus they need to eiher trade for a SS or give Cozart a chance.. its ridiculous!! also Michael Cuddyer says he would accept a trade from the Twins, at least he would be a upgrade in LF!!
By DD
June 18, 2011 7:05 AM | Link to this
We just got beat yesterday. Not much else to say. Good pitching performance by both starters. Like Mike said, no harm though.
By Mike in KY
June 18, 2011 5:45 AM | Link to this
The silver lining in yesterday is that the Cardinals, Brewers and Pirates all dropped games last night as well, so nothing was lost save an opportunity. Get ‘em tomorrow.
By Randy
June 18, 2011 4:07 AM | Link to this
Correction: It should be Alonso. See, that’s why the Reds need to bring him up. Then I can learn how to spell his name correctly.
By Randy
June 18, 2011 3:53 AM | Link to this
The Reds will have nine games to use the DH. Seems like a good time to bring Alonzo up and get a look at him against major league pitching. However, I’m sure Dusty has a better idea.