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 > 2012 > June > 02 > Entry
Reds: The good, bad and ugly
UNSOLICITED OBSERVTIONS from The Man Cave while watching the Cincinnati Bengals whip the Houston Texans — well, it looked that way early in the Cincinnati Reds-Houston Astros runfest in Minute Made Park Saturday night.
IT WAS THE Good, the Bad and ugly Saturday night in Minute Maid Park, where they played for hours, not minutes.
The ugly is easy. The entire game was uglier than a homely pug.
The good? The Cincinnati Reds, despite their worst efforts, beat the Houston Astros, 12-9, scoring the most runs they’ve scored in a game this year.
The bad? Real bad. His name is Mat Latos and his pitching Saturday night was so subpar it gives subpar a bad name.
He was given an 8-2 lead and couldn’t hold it. He couldn’t get out of the fourth inning and left after 3 1/3, giving up seven runs and seven hits and the entire Cincinnati dugout acid indigestion.
Concern? Yes, we have a few — more than a few when one harkens back to the fact the Reds gave up four players for him — a former All-Star pitcher in Edinson Volquez and three top-shelf prospects in Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger.
Can commissioner Bud Selig negate this trade by saying it was not in the best interests of the Cincinnati Reds, LLD.
So far, trading one of those guys for Latos is a mismatch.
AND THERE WAS The Real Good, the savior — Joey Votto. He had four hits, including a two-run homer. He treats Minute Park like his personal playpen. He is 41 for 83 in Minute Maid with six homers and 15 doubles.
The Reds whacked four home runs, the two-run shot by Votto, a three-run blast by Drew Stubbs and solo rips by Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick.
The Astros scored seven runs in the fourth inning, turning the 8-2 deficit into a 9-8 Houston lead.
It lasted only until Ludwick came to bat to lead off the fifth when he drilled his home run to tie it, 9-9.
The Reds had two outs and nobody on in the sixth when Votto singled and Brandon Phillips dropped a run-scoring double into shallow right field for a 10-9 lead.
A two-run eighth inning gave the Reds a comfort zone, a two-run bases-loaded single to right by Phillips after the Astros thought they did a wise thing by intentionally walking Votto.
THEY DIDN’T walk Votto Friday night with a runner on second and first base open and he drove home a run that turned a 3-1 lead into 4-1.
The Astros still hadn’t learned that lesson early Saturday. First base was open with a runner on second when Votto came up for the third time and again he singled home a run.
WHEN THE GAME reached the ninth inning and the Reds had a three-run lead, the game was over and they couldput it in the books, because it was Sir Aroldis Chapman time.
On Friday he struck out the side with 12 straight fastballs and the Astros didn’t even foul off a pitch.
He had to work a little harder Saturday, but not much. He again struck out the side, but he issued a two-out walk.
So his earned run average remains at 0.00 after 23 appearances. And he has struck out at least one batter in all 23. The record. Bruce Sutter struck out at least one batter in 39 straight appearances in 1977, but Sutter regularly pitched more than one inning. As a closer, Chapman appears in one inning.
And get this one. Of the last 29 batters he faced, Chapman retired 27 (two walks), the equivalent of a no-hitter.
He defies description.
THE ST. LOUIS Cardials, who were no-hit Friday by Johan Santana, got shut out by the New York Mets Saturday — 18 straight scorless innings for the fast-retreating Cardinals against the Mets.
So the Reds lead in the NL Central is now 3 ½ games and growing faster than weeds in an unmowed yard.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Post your comment |
Tweet
Comments
By jim t
June 4, 2012 4:21 PM | Link to this
Enjoying the job Dusty is doing with this team. I mean many or a few psoting as many come on daily pointing out this teams diffiencies yet Dusty still has the team in first place.
By FIRE BAKER
June 3, 2012 8:44 PM | Link to this
Can we get over Stubbs two day success of bad pitcher’s hitting his bat, while hitting in front of Votto and getting fastballs all day.Can we someday get rid of Yo-Yo and his multi-faceted curve ball selections, that do not fool many hitters after the fourth or fifth innings. This guy loses every other game! So why do we need him? Who would be feared more YO-YO, or Chapman? DUH!How many days did DustBag have Heisey on the bench and watching no-hit Stubbs? Sure was intelligent of the manager to not play one of his hottest hitters, wasn’t it? Almost as brain-dead an idea, as reading a double dumb comment. Nice win today, mouth! YO-YO should have departed in the fifth!
By JeffindaCreek
June 3, 2012 4:05 PM | Link to this
Hal, Love your reporting on the Reds and your blog. First time commenter on the blog. I take issue on your comment The ugly is easy. “The entire game was uglier than a homely pug.” I happen to have 3 Pugs and I think they are beautiful. Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Go Reds!!!
By InsaneElvis
June 3, 2012 1:49 PM | Link to this
Perhaps we should start spelling Chapman with a K.
By Lewis
June 3, 2012 1:01 PM | Link to this
Had not checked out the Real McCoy in about a month, decided today I will read it. Will not be reading it again for awhile. Just too critical!
By AH!!!! Springtime in Dayton!!
June 3, 2012 12:27 PM | Link to this
AH!!!! Springtime in Dayton!! Shirtless males in East Dayton, their fish-belly-white skin contrasting with their dark, smudged prison tatoos. Songbirds in West Dayton, their melodies percussively accompanied by random gunfire. The spring breezes whistling through a downtown long abandoned to thugs, prostitutes, and the homeless. The Great Miami River, swollen with spring rains, carries the bodies of last night’s crime victims downstream in an endless parade. This is the Dayton spring we all know!!!
By Latos Blows
June 3, 2012 12:22 PM | Link to this
This guy gets tattoed more by opposing hitters than by his tattoo artist—and that, my friends, is hard to do. On top of that, he is really ugly—and DUMB.
By tc53
June 3, 2012 12:06 PM | Link to this
I AGREE WITH YOU TOTALLY SHAWN. CHAPMAN SHOULD BE THE CLOSER AND REMAIN THE CLOSER. I DON’T THINK HIS ARM COULD LAST A WHOLE SEASON AS A STARTER AND REMAIN AS EFFECTIVE IN THE LATER INNINGS. AFTER THE 5TH INNING I THINK HIS VELOCITY WOULD DECREASE. THEY FINALLY HAVE IT CORRECT WITH MARSHALL AS THE SET-UP MAN AND CHAPMAN AS THE CLOSER.
By jim m.
June 3, 2012 12:03 PM | Link to this
I hope Walt is looking around to improve the bench. One player I wanted the Reds to get in the off season was Jeff Keppenger. He can hit, play SS/3b and 2b. He would have been a huge upgrade over Valdez and be a threat when pinch hitting. Oh well cant do anything now about him. The Reds could add a LH bat that use to play for the Reds. He can play 1st/3B/LF RF and a power bat off the bench. Russell Branyan is playing for the AAA Yankees and no spot on the Yankees. Yes he was hurt earlier, but he just got back and is hitting .333 with 2 doubles and homerun in 18 ABs.. Has to be a better option that what we have seen off the bench. AND when Joey has a day off, He can play 1st and will perform alot better than what we have seen. Go ahead Hal, bring his name up to Walt..:) Cant hurt!
By Leon
June 3, 2012 12:02 PM | Link to this
Is it just me or is Matt Latos getting a B.A. He should have been behind home plate backing up the catcher instead of cutting the ball off in front of the catcher! Hope he doesn’t become a cancer. Suppose he gets a free pass because they won but i am keeping a close eye on him and hope Dusty and Walt are doing the same.
By SHAWN
June 3, 2012 10:45 AM | Link to this
I dont get it - Chapman is on pace to have the greatest season of any closer of all time and people still want him in the rotation? If you had the best QB in the history of the NFL would you make him a WR? Besides, the mentality your opponent has when they see a dominant closer walk to the mound is worth a handful of victories in and of itself. Wanting a dominant closer to become a two pitch starter is assinine. Get over it and enjoy a historic season from Chapman.
By jim t
June 3, 2012 8:54 AM | Link to this
Reds 3 1/2 games up. Latos will get it figured out. Bull pen was awesome again. Lets win Sunday and come home 4-2 on the road trip. Love how this team is being put together to be competitive longterm.Many key pieces locked up and the youngsters like Mez and Cozart have very nice ceilings.
By johnbrisker
June 3, 2012 8:10 AM | Link to this
A lot of people thought the Reds gave up too much for Latos and that GABP would be a nightmare for him to pitch in. At least half of that is true. It doesn’t seem to matter where he pitches, he struggles. Like the comments about him being a second half pitcher and the series being at the GABP. Beating up on Houston does wonders for the imagination of fans.
By WillBill
June 3, 2012 7:59 AM | Link to this
They always say “good pitching stops good hitting” the reds hit the bad pitchers like a drum but the good pitchers they can’t touch
By Ken
June 3, 2012 7:03 AM | Link to this
Great job by Aroldis ‘Zero’ Chapman…again. A save at the All-Star game could bring World Series game 7 to GABP. Hmmm, that would be fun.
By Jimbo
June 3, 2012 6:36 AM | Link to this
Thank you, Mike in Ky. Stubbs is A-OK in my book, I wish people would quit bashing him.
By BoulderDave
June 3, 2012 4:23 AM | Link to this
Latos needs to bleach his hair & get a few more tattoos. Then he’ll be all better.
By Will.I.Am
June 3, 2012 4:00 AM | Link to this
Lattos will be second half pitcher, thats why they signed him…. Reds are set up well. Look at Arroyo this half, (would anyone have thought that) that is a total plus for the first half… Cueto (thought was a one hit wonder) but now struggling lol… Like our pitching staff, (deep as it is). Chapman starter when then playoffs begin though..
By Michael in SIngapore
June 3, 2012 1:53 AM | Link to this
I’m not a big Dusty fan either but I’m smart enough to know he’s forgotten more baseball than most of us know. His biggest problem was his closer ideology…it looks like he has gotten over it- he has handled that problem fairly well as of late. Heisey definitely needs more playing time. Pick a left fielder and stick with him…..and not Ludwick.
By Randyman1956
June 3, 2012 1:09 AM | Link to this
There’s no sense crying over spilled milk even if we are Latos Intolerant. This trade is quickly becoming the Reds worst since Frank Robinson. Maybe he’s one of those quirky pitchers that needs hot weather. Anyway we need to get Harang sorry Latos on track.
By ohdave
June 3, 2012 12:26 AM | Link to this
How smart were the Reds to outbid the league for the services of Chapman? If he were a free agent now the Reds couldn’t afford him.
By Mike in KY
June 2, 2012 11:53 PM | Link to this
Anyone else see that play where the Reds took the lead for good? You know, where the outfielder dove for the ball in front of him and came up empty, allowing Votto to score and BP to take TWO additional bases? That play right there is exactly why it is a GOOD thing that Drew Stubbs isn’t diving all over the grass for fly balls every night. End of lesson.
By Brad
June 2, 2012 11:38 PM | Link to this
I am Latos Intolerant. When I think about what the Reds gave up for him I get sick. You’re the best, Hal.
By DD
June 2, 2012 11:37 PM | Link to this
Winning continues to suck. Only 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for best record in the NL? That Dusty sure doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing! That Stubbs guy sucks too. Why is he even on the roster again? And boy…that Heisey sure can play a solid OF. Unbelievable dive in the 4th. Get a new manager, dump Stubbs, and play Heisey in CF because he’s a gold glover out there and this team will take off!!!!