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KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member

G-Fafif Sep 05 2014 12:18 AM

Baby, if you’ve ever wondered...wondered whatever became of the Cincinnati Reds, we played them in the fourth, fifth and sixth games of the current season and won our first and second games of the then-young campaign. It was so long ago that Jenrry Mejia was a starting pitcher, Ike Davis was blasting us a pinch-hit, come-from-behind walkoff grand slam and gas was a dollar a gallon. Or something like that. It was a long time ago. The Reds are back — in POG form! Correction: the Reds are back on the Mets’ schedule. I seem to recall volunteering to KTE them, never dreaming that September would actually roll around. I’ve followed them very little, so if you read this, rest assured, I just thought of just about all of it just now. The folly inherent in attempting to pick every team’s exact record and finish six months in advance is on display at Great American Ball Park, where your once-fancy Cincinnati Reds have gone completely pale. Right around the time the Mets got their version of hot and pulled into the All-Star break five games below .500, a.k.a. this organization’s version of success, the Reds were doing some serious soaring, taking 13 of 19, rising to 51-44 overall and creeping to within a game-and-a-half of first-place Milwaukee (which isn’t so first-place anymore, but this isn’t about them). Well, it’s all gone to hell on the banks of the Ohio since mid-July, particularly lately. Following this past week’s re-enactment of the 1970 postseason, during which the Reds lost five of six to the Pirates and the Orioles, Cincinnati carries a record of 66-74 into this weekend...the same subpar record the Mets hold, for goodness sake. But whereas a school of thought exists that 66-74 isn’t bad for the generally expectation-free Mets (21-24 since the break, praise be) and Terry Collins should be retained for life as long he’s under contract for another year, it’s hard to imagine anybody can spin 2014 positively for Bryan Price’s Reds after two consecutive playoff appearances. Technically, it was Dusty Baker’s Reds who made the postseason in 2012 and 2013. They never went anywhere within the tournament, so he got bounced. Price’s Reds will go undefeated in the 2014 playoffs — in the same way Collins’s Mets will. That’s progress? There have been injuries, to be sure. Hey, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Injuries are the last refuge of a scoundrel named mediocrity. Brandon Phillips is playing (poorly), but has missed about 40 games. Joey Votto hasn’t played for two months. We saw them on the right side of the Citi Field infield when the All-Star Game passed our way in 2013 (ASG goes to GABP in 2015), but there’s been little stellar, per Joe Benigno, about where their 2014s have wound up. Homer Bailey has also gone to the shelf and Zack Cozart’s missed time recently. Good years, on the other hand, have been turned in from catcher Devin Mesoraco (OPS+ of 146 through Wednesday’s games along with a homer, four hits and four ribbies at Camden Yards Thursday) and Todd Frazier (sniveling Jeter-worshiper at third is at 120 in that department). Billy Hamilton is still trying to steal Jacob deGrom’s Rookie of the Year honor with bases (55 of them — or about twice as many bags as Met leader Eric Young has swiped...say, when the hell did Eric Young, who never plays, steal 28 bases?). Still, according to Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who I will be happy to frame as an expert since he provided the kind of quote I was looking for, aches and pains don’t excuse the Reds’ nosedive: “The best thing for this team now is to finish weak. Lose 20 of its last 30, be overtaken by the Cubs — the Cubs!!! — and slink off into the winter. That might tell Walt and The Big Man that a considerable shakeup is in order. If the Reds somehow got hot and went 17-13 or so the rest of the way, they might be deluded into thinking this season was simply a result of injuries. It was not. Don’t be lulled into thinking that health and the same cast of characters is all the Reds need in 2015.” Paul Daugherty and I seem to spend the latter portions of our seasons thinking along the same lines regarding our respective teams, give or take a year here or an alibi there. I mean the Mets are awesome and ready to turn a corner. With any luck, the Reds will be demoralized and inexperienced — 10 callups are crowding the Cincy roster — all weekend when Collins sends Colon, Gee and Wheeler out to face three solid pitchers: Alfredo Simon (13-9), Johnny Cueto (16-8) and Mat Latos (5-4). With pitching like that, what are the Reds doing at 66-74 in fourth place? And where have I heard that before, too? I don’t see any ex-Mets among active Reds, but 2003 avatar of ineffectuality Jay Bell is their bench coach, presumably advising Pryce to “battle like Art Howe.” I don’t detect any ex-Reds among active Mets. I checked Buddy Carlyle and Dana Eveland, given their journeyman bona fides, but no Cincinnati on their CV. Vic Black did mention last year he grew up hating the Reds, which endeared him to me for his daring to express a nonrobotic opinion, but he won’t be available until Monday, by which time the Mets will be taking on the Rockies in beautifully private Citi Field and I don’t know Vic Black’s feelings about the Rockies. If you want to track thine enemy crowd's potential mood, Friday is Irish Heritage Night at GABP, where the first (first?) 20,000 fans will receive a “Reds Irish-Themed Giveaway”. Saturday is German Heritage Night, which one assumes is the subtheme of every sporting event in Cincinnati. You show up for that one (a 4:10 start), you know you’re getting a Reds Stein, presented by Hops House 99, an establishment so named for the year the Reds were eliminated by the Mets in a one-game playoff and Reds fans of all persuasions cried into their steins. Or so I’m assuming. Sunday the Bengals kick off at one on the road against the Ravens. Local icon Pete Rose remains unreinstated 25 years since his permanent expulsion from baseball, thus underscoring the implications of permanence.

Edgy MD Sep 05 2014 07:23 AM Re: KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member

G-Fafif wrote: Saturday is German Heritage Night, which one assumes is the subtheme of every sporting event in Cincinnati. Ouch!

MFS62 Sep 05 2014 07:51 AM Re: KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member

They can help deGrom by keeping Hamilton at 55 SB. How? Start Juan Centeno. He was the only catcher in the majors to nab Hamiltion attempting to steal last year. Later

Ceetar Sep 05 2014 07:56 AM Re: KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Sep 05 2014 08:00 AM

MFS62 wrote: They can help deGrom by keeping Hamilton at 55 SB. How? Start Juan Centeno. He was the only catcher in the majors to nab Hamiltion attempting to steal last year. Later Recker got him early this year. In fact, Hamilton leads the league in caught stealing. He's 57th of all MLBers in SB% with at least 10 SB.

Frayed Knot Sep 05 2014 07:59 AM Re: KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 05 2014 08:01 AM

Bah! 21 CS this year out of 76 attempts for Hamilton. His decent (though hardly great) offensive numbers aside [.267/.304/.380 -- 38 XBHs] his base stealing prowess has been more or less net neutral (72%). Not that the steal pct will keep many writers from simply concluding; "55 steals!!!! that there's an RoY lock!!!" Besides, we're hardly in the position of deciding to sacrifice offense for a (maybe?) better chance of reducing Billy H's running.

Edgy MD Sep 05 2014 08:00 AM Re: KTE: Don't Say You Don't Re(d)member

Recker caught him, too, in the first series this year, in which Hamilton appeared twice, but only as as a pinch-runner and a late-inning outfield sub.