Cincinnati Reds
Young or old, Reds on a roll
By Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted May 27, 2010 10:59 PM ET
The first pitch Scott Rolen saw Thursday ended up in the left-field seats. One pitch later, Jay Bruce deposited a ball in the right-field seats. With that, the Reds were on their way to an easy 8-2 win over the Pirates.
Bruce's power has long been predicted. Rolen's power was considered long gone. As the young Reds find their legs in the big leagues, the old Reds are enjoying new life: Orlando Cabrera's spark at the top of the lineup, Arthur Rhodes' shut-down relief, Rolen's pop in the middle of the lineup.
Scott Rolen
The home run was Rolen's 11th of the season, as many as he hit in any of the previous three seasons. When the Reds acquired him last summer, the concern was that years of back and shoulder injuries had sapped the strength from his swing.
Bruce's home run was his first in a month, and he chipped in a double. Drew Stubbs hit a two-run single, and Johnny Cueto struck out nine in six scoreless innings.
"We're having a good time right now," Bruce said. "We're playing good baseball. We just have to stick with what we're doing."
Primarily, getting timely hits and strong starting pitching from players of all ages.
Cueto did his part, shutting down the Pirates despite a blister on his pitching hand that burned as the game wore on. He said he threw mostly fastballs and changeups, because sliders aggravated the blister. Manager Dusty Baker removed him after six innings and 101 pitches, since the Reds had a sizeable lead.
"He'll be ready, we feel, to throw 100 percent of his pitches his next start," Baker said.
Cueto improved to 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA. He enjoyed a similar start last season but could not maintain it, a problem many young players face. He believes he is better prepared for the long haul this year.
"I feel way better in the first half," Cueto said through an interpreter, bullpen coach Juan Lopez. "I've been doing more running outside, a little conditioning. That's why I'm feeling way better."
Bruce also has been prone to dramatic hot and cold stretches. He could not buy a base hit during the first two weeks of the season, despite consistently making hard contact. Then he went nearly a month without a home run before launching one Thursday.
"I wasn't saying, `Oh, I haven't hit a home run in May.' That's not what it's all about," he said. "But of course it's nice to hit a home run."
Even before their offensive outburst Thursday, the Reds ranked among the top quarter of big-league teams in runs (eighth out of 32), on-base percentage (seventh), slugging percentage (sixth) and OPS (fifth).
They have been extraordinarily productive -- perhaps unsustainably productive -- with two outs and a runner in scoring position, and their power numbers have certainly been aided by a hitter-friendly ballpark and warm weather. But only one semi-regular position player is hitting significantly above his previous levels (backup catcher Ryan Hanigan) which suggests the offense is not a fluke.
Rolen certainly seems to have benefited from a healthy spring and a cozy home ballpark. According to the batted ball data at fangraphs.com, he is not necessarily hitting the ball any harder this year than in recent years, but more of his fly balls are clearing the fence. His .556 slugging percentage has strengthened the heart of the lineup.
"He's really responded well in the four-spot," Baker said.
The Reds sent all nine batters to the plate in each of the first two innings Thursday and scored seven runs.
Jay Bruce
Charlie Morton's first pitch to Rolen was a fastball in the middle of the plate, and Rolen crushed it into the seats in left field. One pitch later, Bruce turned on an off-speed pitch and lined it into the seats in right field. Third baseman Andy LaRoche threw a ball into right field to keep the second inning alive, and Stubbs capitalized with a two-out, two-run single.
"It was big to get that lead because those guys played us tough the last couple nights," Baker said.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips suffered a cramp in his right calf while fielding a ground ball in the seventh inning, and he did not return for the eighth inning. Baker was not concerned that it would be a lingering problem. First baseman Joey Votto was held out of the lineup for a second straight night because of a stiff neck.
Categories: Cincinnati Reds, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Jay Bruce, Johnny Cueto, Pirates, Reds, Scott Rolen
Comments (2)
he well done, excellent coverage here Scott, thanks for effort and keep up the good work !!!
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Well if you talk to a lot of people here they think batting average with 2 outs and RISP or average with RISP is a meaningless stat. The Red's probably do have an unsustainable number right now, but the way they've performed to this point with regards to this particular stat suggests to me that it just can't be tossed aside and attributed to luck.
I have been saying since the Reds signed Rolen that he or Votto should've been batting 4th and move Phillips up to 2. I love the move in the lineup and the offense has benefitted from it.
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