Game 4, 2011: Reds 8, Astros 2

By TheNaturalMevs on April 6, 2011

Observations:

Chris Heisey had a really nice ballgame, filling in for Jay Bruce (who we guess is still platooning against LHP for some really odd reason). Heisey only finished 1 for 2, but ended up with 3 RBI. I don’t like Jay Bruce sitting, not now or ever; but if you’re going to have a 4th outfielder Chris Heisey is right up there with the Alex Ochoa’s of the world in terms of 4th outfielders that I absolutely love everything about their game.

In a perfect world, I think Heisey is ready for the big time and playing every day in left field. Even though he’s continuing to be selective at the plate, Johnny Gomes can go pound sand. I think Heisey is better defensively, he’s better as an everyday young player, and just has that swagger. Let Gomes be the fourth outfielder. But Dusty does backwards-assed things; see Jay Bruce sitting in game four of the year so Gomes can play every day.

Drew Stubbs continued his good play and Joey Votto tacked on a few more hits. The Reds were on the Astros early and often, and they put the game out of reach so Mike Leake could really coast. And I know I give Mike Leake a hard time. But like Chris Heisey said after the game last night in so many words, it’s nice to have a roster of 25 guys who can contribute.

Another example would have been Miguel Cairo (Dusty loves subbing this guy all over the diamond) coming in for Brandon Phillips. Fear struck the Queen city when Phillips was taken out of the game without reason; but Baker was just getting a guy rest who he knows he’s going to need down the stretch. Heisey, Leake, Cairo; all guys who aren’t considered gem roster finds, but if you can have them they make up winning ballclubs.

And the Reds are 4-0 for the first time since that magical 1990 season. They’re playing so well right now defensively and offensively it is going to take something more than the Astros or a sub par team to get past them on a nightly basis.

It will be very interesting to see how Volquez throws tonight.

Top Plays:

Votto RBI double off J.A. Happ

Chris Heisey bullet to center-field

Paul Janish smooth at shortstop

Potpourri:

I found this last night while perusing the interwebs. I love scout-speak. Absolutely love it. Here’s what they said:

In a lineup with an unquestionable leader, N.L. MVP Joey Votto, the question that’s not so obvious is: Who is the Reds’ second-best regular?

For our answer, we turned to a veteran N.L. scout who sees a lot of the Central:

“It’s a close call but for the present, I’d have to say Phillips. He’s a Gold Glove defender, he plays every day and puts up the numbers. While he can rub some old-school guys wrong with some of the stuff he says, he does a lot of things right to impact a game.

“Bruce really hasn’t established himself yet except for those two months at the end of last season. That said, I consider him probably the best right fielder defensively in the National League right now. A strong, accurate arm and he gets to a lot of balls, more than Jayson Werth.

Offensively, he still gets into too many bad counts and the game can speed up on him sometimes. But he knows this and just has to get the experience to make it happen. He’s only 24. If he progresses as you’d hope, he could be similar to Votto in his production. Votto uses the whole field while Bruce can still get pull-happy at times. But he has a lot of upside.

“I don’t like putting Rolen this low because of everything he has contributed to this team off, as well as on, the field. But because of the injuries and where he is in his career, I put Phillips and Bruce ahead of him.

“Stubbs is another high-ceiling guy who’s not too far behind Bruce. They’re all going to strike out a lot. You’d just like to see them cut down to about 100 from 150.”

I could read that stuff all day long.