It’s about that time of year again which all reds fans look forward too- Spring Training. I personally am heading down for two games in the second week in March. Should be great to get away from the cold and rainy weather and be able to relax, drink some beers, and watch some baseball. LOL. Going into this ST without Dunn and Griffey penciled in as starters, poses a lot of questions.

1. Like the previous blog I posted, who is going to be our left fielder? Almost too many options to list!

2. Walt throughout the whole offseason was stressing the fact that the reds need a right handed run producer. Well Walt, we didn’t exactly acquire one. So, who is going to step up? Gomes? Hairston?

3. Do we have a dependable and serviceable catcher? Hanigan has alot to prove and Hernandez didn’t prove ANYTHING last season.

4. Volquez and Cueto. Can Volquez pitch like he did the beginning of the year and can Cueto pitch more innings and avoid the “sophomore slump”?

5. Will Harang pitch in his 08 form or his dismal 09 form? That will make or break out pitching rotation this year.

6. Who will step up to be the 5th starter? Josh Fogg was PATHETIC last year and so was pretty much everyone else they put into that spot.

7. Micah Owings. Owings has been kind of overlooked this offseason and could surprise. He is definitely a serviceable 5th starter when healthy and the guy can flat out rake. I can see him as definitely being a fan favorite.

8. Can Crusty Dusty not play favorites and prevent Jacque Jones from being a Corey Patterson clone?

9. Is Alex Gonzalez healthy? The guy hasn’t played in forever and is 31.

10. Homer Bailey. This is the season for decision time for Homer and the Reads. If Homer doesn’t show any promise, he is gone. However, if he does he could contend for the #5 spot.

11. Arthur Rhodes. A good, low risk signing in the offseason but can he fill the shoes of Affeldt. Many people overlooked the great job Affeldt did for us against lefties last year. If Rhodes puts up the same performance he did in 09 against lefties he could be an all-star.

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.

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The Cincinnati Reds hit two solo home runs but ran into Carlos Zambrano and they lose by the score of 3-2. The Reds just couldn’t get much going against Zambrano even though they out hit the Cubs 7-6 at the plate. Six strikouts and 19 runners on base didn’t help the cause.

Jay Bruce and Joey Votto were the players to hit the solo home runs. Bruce hit his off Zambrano while Votto went deep off of Cubs reliver Carlos Marmol.

On the mound it was Josh Fogg who gave up four hits and three runs in only four inning. Fogg took the loss and is now 2-6 on the year. Nick Masset and Mike Lincoln both pitched two innings of relief after Fogg left the game and both did a very good job.

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Jay Bruce hit his first major-league home run, a solo shot off Manny Acosta in the bottom of the tenth, to give the Reds a thrilling come-from-behind extra-inning victory over the Atlanta Braves, who are now 0 and 20 in their last twenty one-run decisions.  They were almost 1 and 19.  It took a daring play by pinch-runner Ryan Freel, who dashed home from third on a tapper back to the mound in the bottom of the ninth, to send the game to extra innings.  Pitcher Rafael Soriano fielded the ball and looked at Freel, who stopped but then broke for the plate when Soriano turned to throw to first.  Freel slid headfirst across home plate ahead of the first baseman’s throw.

Earlier in the game, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 599th career home run.  Brandon Phillips also homered for the Reds.  Mark Teixeira and Greg Norton hit home runs for the Braves.  Starting pitchers Jair Jurrjens and Josh Fogg both struggled, each giving up six earned runs in less than five innings.

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

Ex-Red Phil Dumatrait struck out a career-high nine of his former teammates, giving up only one unearned run in seven innings (also a career high) as the Pirates beat the Reds 7-2, snapping a nine-game home winning streak by the Reds.

Aaron Harang, coming off his masterful emergency-relief appearance in Sunday’s game, struggled with both his velocity and his location, giving up six runs on ten hits in only four innings, the big blow being a two-run shot by Jason Bay, his 13th of the year.  Harang’s successor, Jeremy Affeldt, was greeted rudely by Xavier Nady, who hit his ninth on the first pitch of the fifth inning.

Jerry Hairston Jr. celebrated his 32nd birthday with a bunt single, a double and a run scored, but was doubled off second in the ninth inning on a line drive to the right fielder, a base-running mistake that was magnified when Brandon Phillips followed with a solo home run, his tenth of the year, off Matt Capps.

Andy Phillips made his first start for the Reds, playing third base in place of the slumping Edwin Encarnacion.  Phillips made a nice defensive play in the fifth, ranging into foul ground and firing across the diamond to nip Jason Michaels at first.

Before the game, Matt Belisle was optioned to Louisville and Kent Mercker came off the DL. Mercker pitched an inning tonight.

Josh Fogg is scheduled to make Saturday’s start in place of Belisle.

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

Ken Griffey, Jr. got the Cincinnati Reds off to a good start on Thursday night with a two run home run in the first inning but that was all the Reds would get in the entire game off the San Diego Padres pitchers.  Randy Wolf shut down the Reds after Griffey’s home run as the Padres went on to beat the Reds 8-2.

Aaron Harang tossed 5 1/3 innings while giving up ten hits and five runs to take the loss.  Harang is now 2-6 on the season as he continues to throw the ball terribly.  The Reds bullpen wasn’t much better as Bill Bray gave up one run and Mike Lincoln gave up two runs before Josh Fogg finally threw a scoreless inning in the eighth.

Just a bad game for the Reds who could never get the bats going as they only had five hits in the game.  And usually when your bullpen gives up three runs, you are going to lose the game…

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The Cincinnati Reds struggled at the plate and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers by the score of 4-1 on Tuesday night.  The Reds lone run came in the ninth inning but it was a little bit to late to make up a four run difference.

Matt Belisle took the loss after pitching six innings and giving up seven hits and three runs.  Belisle’s record now stands at 1-4 on the season.  Belisle really needs to turn things around and the throw the ball better and start helping out the team get some wins.

Bill Bray gave up one run as he pitched 1/3 of an inning in relief of Belisle.  Jared Burton was then brought in to finish the seventh inning.  Josh Fogg pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Reds.

The lone run for Reds came in the ninth inning when Edwin Encarnacion singled in Adam Dunn.   A little to late however for the Reds to come back in the game.

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Rookie starting pitcher Johnny Cueto did not have the night he was hoping for on Tuesday night as the Cincinnati Reds lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2.  Cueto gave up eight hits and seven runs in only 1.2 innings of action.  Cueto now has a 5.40 ERA and 1-3 record on the season.

Bill Bray and Josh Fogg pitched the rest of the game in relief of Cueto and actually pitched pretty well.  They did not allow a run to cross the plate as they gave up seven hits.

The only scoring for the Reds came in the ninth inning when Adam Dunn connected for a two run home run that scored himself and Brandon Phillips.  The Reds only managed three hits in the game, and you’re not going to win very many baseball games when you only get three hits.

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The Cincinnati Reds lost the to Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday by a score of 9-3 putting the Reds at 8-12 for the season.  This loss comes hard, as the Reds have been slowly falling behind in the season standings and need to start playing some better baseball if they want to stay in contention in the division.

Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto hit solo home runs late in the game, but the Reds were so far down it realy didn’t matter.  Paul Bako also had a RBI in the game when he doubled to center field in the fifth inning.

Matt Belisle was the opening pitcher for the Red throwing for four innings giving up 12 hits, seven runs and a walk.  He picked up his first loss of the year putting him at 0-1.  Jeremy Affeldt, Josh Fogg, Todd Coffey, and Kent Mercker would pitch the last six innings for the Reds.  Fogg was the only relief pitcher to give up earned runs as he gave up two runs in his two innings pitched.

The Reds will be facing the Dodgers one more time tonight at home for game two of the series.

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The Cincinnati Reds got crushed by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night by the score of 12-2.  The Reds really had no shot in the game as they got down early and were not able to come back.  Carlos Zambrano pretty much shut the Reds down the entire game.

Starting pitcher Josh Fogg got hammered as he only lated two innings after giving up nine earned runs on seven hits.  Fogg was seen laughing on the mound after giving up runs, I don’t think he really cared out there to be honest.  He should put forward a better effort next time or keep that smile off his face.

Mike Lincoln, Kent Merker, and Francisco Cordero all gave up one run as well as they pitched in relief of Fogg.

Jeff Keppinger, Adam Dunn, and Joey Votto all had one RBI each for the Reds.  Dunn smoked a home run in the in the eigth inning for the Reds only big hit of the game.

The Reds will try to get back on track tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Cubs once again.

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