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John Fay
John Fay has been the Reds beat writer for the Enquirer since 2001. Prior to that, he served in a variety of roles for the Enquirer: backup Reds writer, UC beat writer, backup Bengals writer and as a general assignment reporter. He is a Cincinnati native and a graduate of Elder High School and the University of Dayton.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Tonight's lineup v. Marlins

Ryan Freel cf
Jeff Keppinger ss
Brandon Phillips 2b
Edwin Encarnacion 3b
Joey Votto 1b
Jerry Hairston Jr. rf
Adam Dunn lf
David Ross c
Edinson Volquez p

v. LH Mark Hendrickson


34 Comments:

at 3:35 PM Blogger JackBlueAsh said...

Patterson gets 4 hits last nite and he is not in the lineup?

amazing

 
at 3:38 PM Blogger Tony Foreman said...

No Griffey...is there going to be a press conference telling us he's packing for the NW?

 
at 3:42 PM Blogger Cheviot Sports Authority said...

+ Griffey certainly needs the night off. Hairston should throw a scare into Florida.

- Too bad we don't have a decent RH bat that we could plug in tonight. Maybe at 1B and let Votto play LF. Dunn can't smell a hit off a left hander and he sure as hell isn't in there for his defense.

ST CSA

just an after though, we had a guy but let him go, but we do still have Andy Phillips at AAA, who I also have said since ST should be on this roster.

 
at 3:43 PM Blogger Pops said...

Well, the top two in the line-up are fine, but, my God, Dusty just doesn't get it. Brandon Phillips should never, ever bat in the top five. Never. I know many of you "Old School" guys don't agree with the new-fangled numbers like OPS, but 30-30 means very little when you do not get on base, and you do not drive in runners at a high rate. Dunn needs to bat much higher in the order. And before you all start railing, think of it this way more ABs mean more HRs and more times on base and that equals (all together now!) more runs. (Did I mention that Dunn drives in a higher percentage of runners on base than Phillips does as well).

 
at 3:46 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is Griffey not starting. He is boasting a .625 average against Hendrickson? Nice move DB.

 
at 3:50 PM Blogger omnired said...

Why the dramatic lineup shakeup? The Reds have scored 45 runs in their last 8 games.

Why can 4 righties bat in a row, but not two lefties?

 
at 3:53 PM Blogger Cheviot Sports Authority said...

- Just one more thing:
Baker has proven to be a bull-headed, slow thinking, incompetent manager for this team, but Casey Stengel couldn't have won with the roster The Amazing Krivsky provided this season. Actually 2 things, Patterson was 4-5 last night (a fluke) but Dunn is useless in this lineup (especially against a lefty). Why not let Patterson play CF and Freel LF tonight? At least Patterson can run and catch the ball.

+ Volquez is capable of pitching a shutout.

St CSA

 
at 3:59 PM Blogger Crouton17 said...

Hasn't Volquez specifically said that he works better with Bako? Hasn't he also said that he specifcially attributes Bako for most of his success? Hasn't Dusty even said that same thing? Then, why is Ross catching? Not to mention that 80+ BA points. I don't understand that one but I also questioned starting Patterson yesterday and that worked out ok.

 
at 4:05 PM Blogger Pokey Reese said...

im glad Griffey's not playing and im shocked that Hairston is not batting 1 or 2.

 
at 4:10 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

What kind of odds would I have gotten if I had bet you that Baker would have a lineup with Dunn hitting seventh and Griffey sitting ... against the Marlins!?

 
at 4:11 PM Blogger Unknown said...

They should be moving Dunn up to the number 2 spot or sitting him for a couple of days - he isn't going to do anything in the seven spot....that said, maybe I just reversed jinxed it and he will homer twice tonight...

 
at 4:16 PM Blogger Unknown said...

Hendrickson has a 4.9 lifetime ERA but he is a lefty, so I think Dusty is really trying to break this funk the team has against lefties. Should be a good night at the park, I'm heading down. Night.

 
at 4:19 PM Blogger Reality Czech said...

Dave Ross - #44 Dunn (big lefty) hits before you. After he bats, then it is your turn. This sequence will probably repeat 3 to 4 times during the course of the game. Good luck.

 
at 4:22 PM Blogger The US has a security interest in my soul. said...

I like it.

 
at 4:29 PM Blogger wanderinredsfan said...

Wow! An actual departure from the righty-lefty BS. Impressive lineup, but I'd rather see Dunn at 5 and Votto at 6. Either way, its nice to see Dusty's flexibility. I'm hoping to see a bunch of K's from Volquez tonight.

 
at 4:34 PM Blogger Joe said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
at 5:01 PM Blogger Stream Weaver said...

That was Patterson's best game in a month. Coming from a Reds fan living in Chicago, PATTERSON IS NOT BETTER THAN FREEL. The Cubs gave Patterson too long to prove himself, he has a good game and now people complain he isn't in the lineup against a LHP? Get real!

 
at 5:03 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Griffey is hitting .625 off of this guy, why the hell is he not in the lineup?

 
at 5:11 PM Blogger Rob said...

People-
John Fay told us yesterday that Patterson would start yesterday and Freel would start today in his place vs. the lefty. Also, I am amazed with the way people are clamoring for Patterson to be in the lineup after incessantly ripping him for the past few weeks. LIGHTEN UP!

 
at 5:19 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm surprised Dunn is still batting seventh with Griffey out

 
at 5:19 PM Blogger BATSFAN said...

Im going to have to question this lineup by Baker, not starting Griffey against Henderickson? I would let Freel play left and sit Dunn. Good move on Patterson only .150 against leftys. Other than that no complaints, well im headed to the Bats game. GO BATS AND GO REDS!

 
at 5:23 PM Blogger BATSFAN said...

The reds are waiting on Jr to get 600 homers, then they are trading him. I know it!

 
at 5:28 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bet Griffey is getting a "mental day off"

 
at 5:34 PM Blogger Zippy said...

Joe said:

"What? Patterson goes 4 for 5 and is not even in the line-up!"

It's ironic, isn't it? This is the FIRST TIME in WEEKS that Baker might actually have the teeny-tiniest bit of justification for putting Patterson somewhere in the vicinity of the leadoff spot, and instead he's got Patterson on the bench because he's even more obsessed with the lefty-righty nonsense than the speed-trumps-OBP nonsense.

What becomes clearer and clearer every single day is that Dusty simply refuses to use stats or logic to determine the lineup. Everything is "gut feeling" with this guy. Sadly, his gut doesn't seem to know anything about lineups.

 
at 6:20 PM Blogger anti-media said...

I'm all for Jr. going to the bench,my hope is we get news he has been given away;he is now a joke !!Also,too bad Dunn is in the lineup,he is a joke & disgrace ! Both are BUMS !!

 
at 6:26 PM Blogger Steven Ross said...

Ross stinks but percentage-wise, it makes sense having him in vs. a lefty. Dusty should have done it during the weekend series with the Mets when Perez made Bako look silly.

Griffey's not going to be in the lineup much longer anyway so who cares if he isn't in there tonight. Get used to it.

As for lefty vs. lefty, I'd like to see Votto in left and Hatty at 1B. Anything is better than Dunn.
Yeah, we need a power hitting RH bat. Hello Andy Phillips?

 
at 6:35 PM Blogger Unknown said...

wasn't griffey supposed to be getting a day off... i think he's due.. he was supposed to have 1 of the double header games off and then after that i figured he'd get the last game vs the mets off... no complaints about not seeing him in the line up... although selfishly i'd like to see him in there... i'd love to see dunn finally sit down but... at least he's batting in the 7 hole like he should...

Brandon Phillips should never, ever bat in the top five
are you kidding me? please...

but 30-30 means very little when you do not get on base, and you do not drive in runners at a high rate. Dunn needs to bat much higher in the order. And before you all start railing, think of it this way more ABs mean more HRs and more times on base and that equals (all together now!) more runs. (Did I mention that Dunn drives in a higher percentage of runners on base than Phillips does as well).

actually... they both have 18 rbi.. but here's the big differences.. 1. phillips is hot right now (11-for-32 in the last 11 games) 2. while brandon & adam have the same numbers in their batting average they are drastically different.... brandon.. .290 and adam .209.. now tell me again why brandon shouldn't be in the top 5? and .. adam should be batting higher than 7th?

puzzled at ross starting vs bako with volquez... only logical explanation is the RH vs LH thingy... that to an EXTENT (not completely) over rated.

 
at 6:42 PM Blogger Arden Dulou said...

Maybe I should put this in every post... Bring Bruce and Phillips up. If we must wait until June 1 from Bruce because of the Super 2, then that is fine. Phillips should be here now. No excuse there.
WK did give us the talent in AAA we are all calling for to be here now. Give him credit (and O'Brien) for that at least. (it is freebie + for CSA)

 
at 6:57 PM Blogger Cheviot Sports Authority said...

Thank you for the freebie positive Arden, but signing Phillips and then sending him to AAA? I am not sure that is a positive. He should have been on this roster from day one.

St CSA

 
at 7:36 PM Blogger Al in Ohio said...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am LOVING me some Reds fans!

After about 15 straight days of seeing the first post on the "tonight's lineup" thread be a Corey Patterson/Dusty Baker bashing, I tune in tonight to see the first post be one that's incredulous that Patterson's not in the lineup.

Sweet.

 
at 7:53 PM Blogger Unknown said...

Wow, the lack of smarts around here is amazing. Yes, Patterson had 4 hits but if you pay any attention, one of them was a measly bunt and 2 were measly bloops. It doesn't mean he's about to get hot. Plus a lefty is on the mound and Freel has been hot himself. Same ones complaining about Patterson not playing after 1 game wanted Freel to play everyday. Talk about silly inconsistency.

 
at 11:02 PM Blogger Cheviot Sports Authority said...

FOOT IN MOUTH QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Wow, the lack of smarts around here is amazing. Yes, Patterson had 4 hits but if you pay any attention, one of them was a measly bunt and 2 were measly bloops. It doesn't mean he's about to get hot. Plus a lefty is on the mound and Freel has been hot himself. Same ones complaining about Patterson not playing after 1 game wanted Freel to play everyday. Talk about silly inconsistency"

 
at 9:19 AM Blogger Rob Dicken said...

DUMBEST QUOTE OF THE CENTURY:

"Why not let Patterson play CF and Freel LF tonight? At least Patterson can run and catch the ball."

Freel, Hairston, and Patterson in the same lineup. Lots of potential to drive in runs there!! LOL!

 
at 9:30 AM Blogger Pops said...

"actually... they both have 18 rbi.. but here's the big differences.. 1. phillips is hot right now (11-for-32 in the last 11 games) 2. while brandon & adam have the same numbers in their batting average they are drastically different.... brandon.. .290 and adam .209.. now tell me again why brandon shouldn't be in the top 5? and .. adam should be batting higher than 7th?"

You are looking at numbers that have little actual relevance. Batting average is a chimera. OBP is drastically more important than BA. Phillips (low .300 OBP) has the same amount of RBIs as Dunn (high .300 OBP) but has driven them in at a lower percentage rate consistently over the past 2 seasons. He's simply had more opportunities than Dunn has this season, yet they have the same amount total. Phillips makes contact often but who gives a damn if the result is most often an out. Drawing a walk matters. I would much rather have a Dunn strikeout, walk, or HR over a Phillips double play or pop-up. He's aggressive to a fault. That's the problem with traditional baseball logic. It is flawed reasoning that keeps on keeping on. Oh, and speed is the most overrated aspect in baseball.

 
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