Today, the Reds announced that the PTBNL in the Jeff Keppinger trade is Drew Sutton and infield prospect who will be assigned to AAA Lousiville. There was a rumor last week that Sutton was the player the Reds were going to get but I thought no way…. this kid is too good! Boy, glad I was wrong!

Drew Sutton=Stud

At only 25, Drew Sutton still has alot of life in him to become a Major Leaguer. He hit an outstanding .317 in AA Corpus Christi last year with the Astros. He had a .408 OBP and drove in 68 runs!

We got him for a guy we didn’t have any room for. I know J-kepp is tearing it up right now, but reality will sink in and soon Astros fans will realize he is not an everyday player.

PS. Check out the Astros message board if you have time.. they are PISSED that Sutton was the PTBNL.

Many of you who are reading this post, probably already know that the Red’s lost their opening day game 2-1 on Monday. I still don’t know how we only lost by 1… seems like I was constantly thinking we should be down by 4 or 5… OH WELL!

After reading reds blogs and message boards daily for over three years, I really believe that Cincinnati has the most pessimistic fans in all of baseball. People are gripping over the reds opening day offensive output and claiming that the reds will not hit all year. Jesus… do you realize who we played and had to hit against?! Yeah the reds didn’t hit but they had to face not just a lefty, but the best lefty in ALL OF BASEBALL and ,not to mention, a very improved bullpen with the best closer in ALL OF BASEBALL. COME ON REDS FANS!

Jeff Keppinger hit a game winning broken bat single last night for the Houston. And who would of guessed it, I got on the reds message board and all I read is about how dumb trading keppinger was and how we need him on this team. The same people complaining how we traded Keppinger yesterday were the same people rejoicing and saying it was a “great move” the day he was traded. COME ON REDS FANS

There were many people on the reds message board yesterday complaining about my man Danny Herrera and how he needs to be sent down and that he is “trash and worthless”. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The guy was flat out nervous and you could tell. He hit his spots all ST, having excellent command. Just because he was nervous and pitched a bad inning, doesnt mean he is trash and should be sent down. Thats ridiculous. I’m sure when Herrera ends the season as being one of the best pitchers in our bullpen, those same people will be saying how great and awesome he was and how glad they were to have him on our team. COME ON REDS FANS!

I have a message to ALL Reds fans: Relax and take deeps breaths. Just because a team loses their first game doesn’t mean their season is over.. there is 161 more games. Just because an offense may have a bad night doesn’t mean they will struggle all season… there is 161 more games. Just because a pitcher has a bad inning doesn’t mean he should get sent down to AAA… there is 161 more games. It’s one thing to criticize a particular player for their ability or critic the fundamentals, or the lack their of in a game, buts its completly another thing to say a season is over after opening day. Reds fans need to sit back and take a few deep breaths. They say in football that you cant judge a draft pick till three years down the road… I feel like the same thing can be applied to baseball.. You can’t just a season until at least the all star break. COME ON REDS FANS!

Jeff Keppinger was traded to the Astros yesterday for a PTBNL. The PTBNL will be made soon. I think it wasn’t a bad plan for the Reds and was definitly a good thing for Jkepp. Jkep hasn’t been the same since he broke his kneecap and seemed last year to prove that he wasn’t anything but a player off the bench. Bench players are something the Reds have an abundance of and Jkepp is someone they could trade to get somebody in return. Jkeep benefits because he will probably get a chance to play everyday, probably at his best position- 3B. I wish Jkepp my best and I’m sure all Reds fans will do the same.

I’m not sure if this is completly accurate but the average height of a Major League pitcher is 6’2.

The Reds Pitcher Danny Herrera is 5’6.

With Danny Herrera, I have had nothing but positive things to say about him ever since he got a chance to pitch last year. Dude is a stud and I really hope he makes the team. He is a long shot but man, he is such a great story! He is 5’6, 140 pounds and has an 86 MPH fastball. He apparently has 12 different pictches in his arsenal and is a screwball pitcher. How sweet is that!

Wow what an exciting ending to the game on Monday night! The Cincinnati Reds scored three runs off of Saloman Torres of the Milwaukee Brewers to come back and win by the score of 5-4. Talk about not quitting in the game when the Brewers are scratching for every victory they can come up with. The Reds stole one on Monday night that is for sure!

In the ninth inning with the bases loaded, Corey Patterson reached on an infield single and Jay Bruce scored to make the score 4-2. With the bases still loaded, Jeff Keppinger then doubled to deep left field to score Wilkin Castillo and Chris Dickerson. The Reds also picked up a huge win in the eighth inning when Joey Votto hit a solo home run. That hit gave the Reds a little energy and I feel it really helped them out in the ninth inning. Castillo had the first Reds rbi in the second inning on a single that scored Bruce.

Reds starting pitcher Edinson Volquez lasted just 5 2/3 innings. He gave up five hits and four runs while getting the no decision. Jared Burton earned the victory as he pitched the bottom of the eight inning. Francisco Cordero grabbed his 28th save of the year by closing out the game in the ninth inning.

Great come from behind win for the Reds! Let’s see if the momentum carries over into the game on Tuesday night as they look to take another game from the slumping Brewers.

Reds Baseball Blog

The Cincinnati Reds scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as they came from behind to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6. The Reds avoided a three game sweep by winning on Thursday afternoon. It was awesome to see the team come from behind and pick up the victory.

Jeff Keppinger and Joey Votto both had big days for the Reds at the plate as they both finished with two rbi. Votto had a solo home run to count for one of his rbi’s. Jay Bruce also had a solo home run in the game as he finished with one rbi. Edwin Encarnacion and Brandon Phillips both finished the game with one rbi as well. Votto and Encarnacion both had hugh hits in the bottom of the eighth inning to score two runs.

Nick Masset ended up with the victory after throwing two innings in relief. Reds starting pitcher Josh Fogg pitched the first three games of the game before leaving with a groin injury. Fogg had been roughed up for four hits and five runs as he put the Reds in a big hole. He was lucky not to be charged with the loss. Francisco Cordero picked up his 27th save of the season in the ninth inning.

Reds Baseball Blog

It was another low scoring game except this time the Reds held onto beat the Cubs by the score of 2-1. Single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, the Reds were able to tie the three game series and will now go for the series win on Thursday afternon.

Bronson Arroyo threw the ball awesome as he pitched seven innings and only gave up three hits and one run. Arroyo picked up the victory and is now 11-10 on the season. Francisco Cordero earned the save with a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth inning.

The first Reds run came on a Jeff Keppinger groundout in the sixth inning that scored Ryan Hanigan. In the seventh inning, Jolbert Cabrera hit a rbi sac fly that scored Edwin Encarnacion for the winning run.

Great win for the Reds. Now do they have what it takes to beat the Cubs and Carlos Zambrano on Tuesday afternoon?

Reds Baseball

The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 as the two teams finished up a three game series on Thursday night. The Reds scored single runs in the second, sixth, and ninth innings of the game to beat the Pirates. With the win, the Reds took two out of three games against the Pirates.

Jose Valentin got the Reds scoring started with a solo home run in the second inning. Chris Dickerson then added a rbi double in the sixth inning. Jeff Keppinger added an insurance run with a sacrafice in the ninth inning. That was enough offense support the way the Reds pitching staff threw the ball.

Six Reds pitchers combined to limit the Pirates to only one run. Johnny Cueto pitched five innings to pick up the win and improve to 8-11 on the year. Francisco Cordero recorded his 23rd save of the season in the game as well. All in all, the pitchers did a great job.

Reds Baseball Blog

Bronson Arroyo gave up two home runs including a grand slam to Carlos Lee and the Cincinnati Reds were defeated by the Houston Astros on Tueday night.  The grand slam by Lee blew the game wide open and the Red’s offense was not able to score enough runs to get back in the game.

Arroyo had the first rbi for the Reds when he doubled in the third inning and Joey Votto scored.  The Reds did not score again until the ninth inning when Brandon Phillips grounded out and Jeff Keppinger scored.

The Reds have now lost five games in a row and will have to win on Wednesday to avoid the three game sweep.  I don’t know if they have what it takes to get the job done to be honest.

Reds Baseball

The Cincinnati Reds pulled out a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in 11 innings on Tuesday evening.  Jeff Keppinger hit a game winning double that scored Jay Bruce for the game winning run as the Reds evened up the series at one game each.

Paul Bako got the Reds scoring started in the 6th inning with a two run single and then Joey Votto added a rbi single in the inning as well.  The Reds didn’t score again until the Keppinger rbi double that was the game winner in the 11th inning.

Red starting pitcher Johnny Cueto got the no decision as he only lasted six innings.  Cueto was pulled after giving up four hits and three runs.  He did strikeout ten batters while nly walking three however.  Mike Lincoln tossed two innings in relief while  Jeremy Affeldt, Bill Bray, and Gary Majewski all pitched one inning of relief.  Majewski picked up the win and is now 1-0.

Good come from behind win for the Reds as they were able to even up the series.  Reds Blog

Johnny Cueto duelled Andy Pettite for five innings, but did not come back out after an hour-long rain delay, and the Yankees found the offerings of the Reds bullpen more to their liking, scoring three in the sixth off Gary Majewski and Jeremy Affeldt.  Jason Giambi was 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Yankees.  Ken Griffey Jr. hit a solo homer for the Reds’ only run.  Mariano Rivera pitched the final inning and a third to earn his 21st save of the year.

A bearded Jeff Keppinger, activated before the game, started the game at shortstop, but briefly moved to third when Edwin Encarnacion developed back spasms.  Andy Phillips was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Keppinger.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, a better alternative to OPS.