SOTS ... star of the series

[JohnU]

Honestly, deciding a star of the game is drudgery for me. I will take part, I suppose.
But does anybody want to try something a little different -- star of the series.

That would be the player, pitcher who made the difference.
No points, no rules, just discussion.

We match up pretty well with the Jints, though at home, I like their pitching more and their home field advantage is damned impressive.

So, who steps up this week? We need this team off the dime and into contention again.

I will throw out my choice for the 4 games -- I think Choo will get some big hits.

 

[Kate Upton]

Honestly, deciding a star of the game is drudgery for me. I will take part, I suppose.
But does anybody want to try something a little different -- star of the series.

That would be the player, pitcher who made the difference.
No points, no rules, just discussion.

We match up pretty well with the Jints, though at home, I like their pitching more and their home field advantage is damned impressive.

So, who steps up this week? We need this team off the dime and into contention again.

I will throw out my choice for the 4 games -- I think Choo will get some big hits.

I'm going to go with our $200 million, slap hitting 1st baseman.

Hopefully he's been reading my thread about him being James Loney and it pissed him off

 

[JohnU]

He probably isn't pissed but I hope he decides to bring some attitude with him this week.
Watch Yadi Molina ... the guy brings his attitude with him.
A few other guys. McCutchen.
Phillips does, but he's a .280 hitter.

 

[Redsfan1507]

.I'm voting for Brandumb Phillips, who needs to PROVE he can do more than whine, then disappear.

I'm still pissed off about his interview Friday, crying about how Jocketty and Castellini "lied" to him in "only" paying him $72.5 Million, while they found $200 Mil for Votto.

Personally, when Phillips has MORE than ONE .300 season, and at least ONE NL MVP, I'd consider him for more cash...and remind him that he's being paid pretty well for a guy that has career averages of .272, 14 HR,14 SB, 64 R, 62 RBI a season...

 

[Kate Upton]

He probably isn't pissed but I hope he decides to bring some attitude with him this week.
Watch Yadi Molina ... the guy brings his attitude with him.
A few other guys. McCutchen.
Phillips does, but he's a .280 hitter.

Yep.

My brother (an Indians fan) made this observation some time in the last couple of weeks...

He said that it looks like Votto doesn't give a shit. It was after he made those 2 bonehead plays in Texas. That he looked like "ho-hum, whatever"

I defended him, saying all the "oh he's a hard worker and he's an introvert" nonsense that you always here...

I just find it interesting that you also at least somewhat have that opinion as well.

 

[JohnU]

Attitude, to me, is to call on some adrenaline and kick some ass. Just swagger up there and bonk the crap out of the baseball, burrow into second base like you mean it and fist-pump the dugout. "Now, would one of you fuck-heads just drive me in!"

 

[Kate Upton]

Attitude, to me, is to call on some adrenaline and kick some ass. Just swagger up there and bonk the crap out of the baseball, burrow into second base like you mean it and fist-pump the dugout. "Now, would one of you fuck-heads just drive me in!"

Nobody like that on the Reds...

Most of them seem like laid back, good guy types.

Maybe Ludwick will bring some of that.

 

[JohnU]

Nobody like that on the Reds...

Most of them seem like laid back, good guy types.

Maybe Ludwick will bring some of that.

Mesoraco seems to be that passionate. It's being wasted on him.

 

[Kate Upton]

Mesoraco seems to be that passionate. It's being wasted on him.

Haha yeah.

I think you actually have to be worth a shit first in order to bring any "attitude" that could be become infectious to anybody else on the team.

 

[JohnU]

Haha yeah.

I think you actually have to be worth a shit first in order to bring any "attitude" that could be become infectious to anybody else on the team.

Yadi being the exception, I think catchers, esp. the good ones, lead with a quiet kind of confidence instead of a bust-ass rah-rah spirit. Even Yadi doesn't get real rah-rah, but you can tell when the guy comes up that he intends to kick some ass. Usually he does.

If we had that guy, we'd be 6-7 games ahead.

 

[Kate Upton]

Yadi being the exception, I think catchers, esp. the good ones, lead with a quiet kind of confidence instead of a bust-ass rah-rah spirit. Even Yadi doesn't get real rah-rah, but you can tell when the guy comes up that he intends to kick some ass. Usually he does.

If we had that guy, we'd be 6-7 games ahead.

You're right.

But fuck you for saying it anyway.

 

[Ryanballa]

Well I think the guy that we need to get going is Joey Votto. He is our best player and one of the best players in the game, but he simply aint playing like it right now. I think he turns it up and gets our offense going. GO REDS!

 

[Redsfan1507]

I think it's a shame so many people miss the boat in the leadership thing. Dusty cited Miguel Cairo as a leader last year. I have news for you... to get to MLB you have to believe you have the shit... already. Ain't nook body going to listen to anyone, rahrah or otherwise that is a .189 hitting pinch hitter, that was a career last spot on the bench player. All those filibuster are good for is listening to a slumper cry about his situation... that's not the type of leadership that championship caliber teams have. Talk all you want about generation next players are too sensitive or politically correct for "old school", but I'm here to tell you, deducation to winning in general is UN-compromising, un-sympathetic and it's own reward. They disprl the myth that it usnt how you play the game, its how uou win the game is whats important...although how you play effects how often you win...They stop giving participation trophies when you get hair on your balls, and most of our sensitive young .240 hitters need to be reminded of that.

Scott Rolen knew this, but can't motivate a team from the DL, or as a .230 hitting cleanup gimme from a manager that cried about racism with the Dodgers of all teams, being the reason his over the hill ass was cut as a player. Joey Votto is an introvert, with anxiety issues of his own. If I'd spent my career with Dusty, getting lineup "protection" like he's had, on a team that couldnt string more than 2 hits together because there arent 2 consecutive hitters with a clue in the lineup, so would I.

Ryan Ludwick us a sophomoric feel good prankster, that has never been one of the top 5 guys on his team since the minors. Jay Bruce is a milk drinking sensitive guy prone to bouts of total loss of focus for weeks on end. Phillips is a trash talker that has been miscast into believing .270 hitters with warning track power are worth $200 million. Choo is a rental. Frazier and Cozart are trying not to draw Stubbs comparisons.

Let no one shit you, the manager is the volume knob on any baseball team...and Dusty doesn't have the wattage for a team that aren't self made rockers. He needs help. Another leader. Another bat. Another homer...and another excuse for why class D baseball 101 eludes him like .300 seasons elude Drew Stubbs.

This team doesn't need another hitter, they need to make being the 4th highest run producer in the NL stand up when they play teams that don't give them 4 gifts a game. They need to go to work... on their fundamentals, on their ability to understand the difference in a strike zone the size of a shoebox with a 2-0 count, and one the normal size with 2 outs and the pitcher on deck. They need to understand fans making $30k a year don't want to see guys hitting .265 bitching about their $72 mil contract. They need to be told the next time they lose a ball in the sun wearing their sunglasses backwards on their hat, they'll be wearing them that way in AA. They need the Geico therapist, not Dr. Phil. If Bob Gibson played on this team, no one would have lunch money except Bob. This team has more pussies than the Playboy Mansion.

 

[JohnU]

This team has more pussies than the Playboy Mansion.

This one made my day!

 

[JohnU]

So far, the offense has done its share against a team that gave up in the 3rd inning. Sacrifice the battle, win the war ... we shall see. It's hard to tell who's decided to go on a hot streak though Choo remains in a groove.

 

[bengaldoug]

Anyone want to bet on whether they'll score 11 more runs the rest of this week?

 

[tlakes20]

Anyone want to bet on whether they'll score 11 more runs the rest of this week?

I'll say they get 18.

 

[bengaldoug]

I'll say they get 18.

If you're right, the next six games might really suck.......

 

[JohnU]

Well, the next 8 innings are going to be pretty interesting.
After that, I think we start seeing some really good pitchers.

 

[JohnU]

Seems like playing in LA-LA land brings out some interesting episodes.
The ball doesn't carry as well in Doggie-ville.
Grienke is beatable.