Game 29, 2011: Astros 10, Reds 3

[Box Score]
[Cincinnati.com]

The Reds got absolutely worked last night by a team that has spent 28 consecutive days in last place.

I didn’t really ‘watch’ the game. I had it on, but I decided when Dusty Baker sat Jay Bruce against a garden variety lefty in J.A. Happ in favor of Johnny Gomes that I wasn’t going to emotionally invest myself in this predictable loss. I didn’t like the move. Bruce OPS’s at a better clip against lefties than he does righties, especially run of the mill left-handers like Happ. He’s also homered in two of the last three games. I just don’t get why you sit the guy now. Run him out there and let him compile his numbers and give your lineup a shot at scoring more than three runs.

The Reds got absolutely worked. I’m so tired of hearing Reds fans say ‘go get em tomorrow’ or ‘it’s only May’. I would like to punch someone when I hear them say that. That’s ignorant. That’s the stance the team looks like it’s taken. They think that they can run out to their positions this season and the NL Central is going to win itself.

The Reds were 14-15 last season after 29 games played. They then won 9 of 10 games and got rolling for the rest of the year really nicely. This team isn’t going to win 9 of their next 10, but the cavalry is on the way with Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto on their way back in the next week and the fraudulent Mike Leake heading to the pen.

Still, this team needs something big to happen. They play five day games in a row starting with today. They need someone to go out and do something that wreaks of excellence. Something like a multi-home run game or driving in five runs. They need someone to step it up and do something elite. With Votto cooling off rapidly, it doesn’t look like it can be him. Someone has to come through with a shutout, or a four hit game, and the lineup needs to get hot again. Hitting is so contagious. It really is.

People can live in their fantasy world all that they want and preach that it’s early, but these games count just as much in May as they will in August and September. The Cardinals are figuring things out, the best is yet to come for the Brewers. The Reds more than wasted their 5-0 start to the year and with that went the opportunity to really make hay on these other teams in the central that aren’t playing all that well.

My goodness, please let these Reds win the next two before they head to Wrigley. It could be the beginning of a blood bath if they don’t find a way.