Reds vs. Cubs series

[redsrbetter]

Can we win this series? We have to face some tough pitching. But that is nothing new for this team this season. A series win will put us above .500 and over the Cubs in the division. This could be huge.

I think we could get the Harang vs. Dempster game. But there is still Prior and Zambrano to get past. Should be tough and we will need plenty of offense. Lets get it done Reds!

[NFLman2033]

I think 1 out of 3 would be what we will get, We need to get Pena back, and making sure he is still hot, Griffey needs to watch BBTN and fix his swing, and lets hope those 3 hits today got casey back on track, then I think we could do better

[griffeyfan3]

yea harold renolds broke his swing down on baseball tonite the other nite...thought it was pretty interesting.

[griffeyfan3]

o wait there was a thread on the bbtn thing...my bad

[redsrbetter]

Monday, April 25, 2005
Reds at Cubs series preview

The Enquirer

When: Today and Tuesday, 8:05 p.m.; Wednesday, 2:20 p.m.

Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago.

TV: Fox Sports Net, today and Tuesday.

Radio: WLW-AM (700).

Records: Reds 9-9, tied for second place in the National League Central. Cubs 9-9, tied for second place in NL Central.

The arms: Today - Reds RH Paul Wilson (1-1, 5.63 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Mark Prior (2-0, 0.00); Tuesday - Reds LH Eric Milton (2-2. 4.98) vs. Cubs RH Carlos Zambrano (2-0, 3.04); Wednesday - Reds RH Aaron Harang (1-1, 3.70) vs. Cubs RH Ryan Dempster (1-3, 4.57).

The bats: Derrek Lee went into Sunday second in the NL with a .413 average and third in RBI with 17. The Cubs are sixth in the league in runs and fifth in homers.

The rest: The Reds and Cubs split two games in Cincinnati last week.

[Slyder]

Just be patient at the plate and make the pitchers throw a lot of balls. Then feast on that bullpen. Also remember teams have been able to rattle Zambrano. If you get him mad he losses control and watch him get ejected or give up a big inning cause he is not the same pitcher when he is in control.

[redsrbetter]

good report there Slyder.

We have to really be patient against these pitchers. Prior has yet to allow a run score against him. We have to be really patient and make him throw at least 3 pitches per AB. Go into the game with a gameplan right away. And stick to it. Make him pitch, make him tire, make him lose.

[missionhockey21]

Dempster could surprise us... this could be a tough series again.

When will it get easy on the schedule for this team? Ha.

[Wally Mo Pena]

in general i agree with the patience at the plate approach, and certainly players shouldn't be swinging at balls out of the zone if they can help it. We don't need to be giving away pitches. But have you guys been noticing a trend in how pitchers are approaching the reds lately? I feel like pitchers know that the reds are always going to be really patient and they feed fastballs down the middle on the first pitch because they know that the reds are taking. I would like some players on the reds (D'angelo and Dunn and probably a few others) to think about shaking things up a little and going up to the plate ready to crush the first fastball they see. I love all the walks that Dunn gets, but i've seen so many fat pitches go by him.

Anyway, obviously Dunn is less of a concern 'cause the guy is getting the job done, but as for others like D'angelo, i think that changing approaches in ways like that can really help.

Also, trying to wait prior out could get us in big trouble. The guy isn't scared to throw strikes because his stuff is so good, he's not scared to go deep in the game and Dusty isn't scared to let him, and if we wait to long we could find ourselves on the butt end of a complete game if we're not looking to hit the ball.

[Wally Mo Pena]

Dempster could surprise us... this could be a tough series again.

When will it get easy on the schedule for this team? Ha.

I know what you mean. I keep reading all of this stuff about how we have to give the reds credit for being .500 against all of the great pitchers we've faced, and i haven't read anything about how the reds might just be overmatched in this division (or any division) because we don't have ace quality pitchers. Seems like a reasonable thought, because every other team does. Granted, i know the reds (some of them at least) can hit better than they are, and that will help, but pitching in baseball is getting stronger, and the reds don't have the arms to compete with the cubs or astros. Maybe the cards, but their lineup is something else.

[CincyRedsFan30]

The Reds' pitching hasn't been the problem.

It has kept us in games.

The lineup has been the big problem and it should improve, unless the hitters have all "gone bad" suddenly.

Somehow I don't think we're talking about sour milk.

[redsrbetter]

I did not really notice the first pitch right down the middle thing. I will definitely be looking for that. I have been noticing more of what a pitcher does with 2 strikes lately. Like with Pena they always go up with a fastball high in the zone. With all the power hitters, the pitcher likes to go outside a lot if he is ahead of the count. So guys like Dunn are having to really learns to succeed on the outer half of the plate and go the other way. It seems like they are pounding Kearns inside still too. So he is hitting it hard right now and he could be on track. Things may change with the scouting report on him soon. But I will definitely be looking at the first pitch today. Good call.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I don't think the pitchers are throwing first-pitch strikes on "purpose" to the Reds.

I think it has to do with the pitching the Reds have faced so far. We have placed talented pitchers who know that most successful pitchers in MLB do in fact throw first pitch strikes to get ahead of the hitter and "where they want them".

[AdamDunn#44]

The schedule lightens up a little over weekend when the Reds play at Milwaukee...but I'm sure we'll have to face Sheets.

and then it gets tough yet again with the red hot Cards coming to town, followed by the Dodgers and Padres.

The only teams we face in May with average to below average pitching is Washington.

[awefullspellare]

Tough pitching the first two and then who knows what the hell Dempster will do lol.