Reds start second half with a bang
Wow!
The Reds and Cardinals returned from the All-Star break with the most entertaining games I have seen in a long time. It was a seesaw battle, if you will (and I really hope you will), with the Redlegs winning in #WalkOffShawty fashion.
Both starters pitched well. Johnny Cueto was better and turned in another quality start. The Reds ace went seven innings, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned).
Tony La Russa managed like it was the seventh game of the World Series, using Johnny Wholestaff out of the bullpen. Dusty Baker made some questionable decisions as well.
Chris Heisey blasted two home runs. He also took one away, going above the wall on a long blast by Albert Pujols in the first inning.
The Reds were very aggressive on the base paths, looking to tag up on just about any ball hit into the air. Zack Cozart went from first to second on a fly out to right field. Yes, right field. Joey Votto advanced from first to second on a pop out to the catcher a couple of steps behind home plate. Yes, the catcher.
Cozart singled with one out in the ninth. One out later, Brandon Phillips hit a screamer over the wall in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Cozart and giving the Reds a 6-5 win. Obviously, Phillips was ecstatic going around the bases and celebrating with his teammates at home plate. I am sure the Cardinals will have a problem with the Reds being happy with the victory.
Today should be fun. Chris Carpenter will face Bronson Arroyo. I dare Crypenter to throw at Phillips.
If I was Carpenter, I WOULD throw at Phillips, the way he was prancing around last night, acting like he just hit a walk-off homer in the World Series. IT’S JULY! it’s one freaking game, stop acting like u just won the Central, and with Phillips looking at the Cards dugout on his way home and saying what I’m sure were some no so friendly words, it just proves how much of an asshole and a jerk he really is.
Matt,
Like I said, I dare him to do it. Carpenter is the poster child for being a whiny little bitch. It’s really a shame because he is a top-notch starting pitcher. His talent gets overshadowed by his incessant complaining and crying. It just proves Phillips was right last year. Again.
Carpenter complains about all that stuff because he has a job to do, and that’s pitch to the best of his ability. He can’t do that, if the mound’s too slick, or there’s firework smoke in his face. I’m sure u would be complaining too.
Don’t make excuses for him. Nobody else whines like that. He even complains about his own teammates. I don’t know how you can stand it all season.
I guess only players who are auditioning for next year’s team are allowed to preen like a Mexican wrestler and “prance around the bases” after hitting a walkoff home run:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=15583213
I’m glad Phillips showed some emotion; this team seems to have lacked that over the last few months. I’m sure if our friend above ever met Brandon Phillips, he would not call him those names to his face. Phillips and the Reds won the game. Get over it. There’s a chance for the Cardinals to get even today, so rather than listen to the self-styled “best fans in baseball” whine about something that happens EVERY TIME A PLAYER HITS A WALKOFF HOME RUN, why don’t we let the players decide the argument on the field.
Jeff, Look at these 2 Cardinal walkoffs from this year, 1 by Albert and and 1 by Skip Schumaker, Do u see them prancing around the bases like a 5 year old?
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=15549389&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_15549389&v=3
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16086055&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_16086055&v=3
If it was the playoffs or the World Series I’d have no problem with Phillips acting like that, but come on it’s July, get over it dude.
And u guys talk about us whining all the time, You guys are the ones that are always whining about us
“the Cardinals are whiners” “they can’t tell ppl their the best fans in baseball” “Carpenter’s a whiner” “Albert takes steroids and someone should test him”
GIVE ME A BREAK!
P.S. I’d LOVE to meet Brandon Phillips, so I could tell him to his face how much of a jerk and an asshole he is.
I’m not making exuses dude, If I was in that position I’d complain too, Carpenter gets paid by the Cardinals to do a job and that’s pitch and pitch good. Like I said he can’t do that when the Ball’s too slippery or something like that.
Let me finish this discussion with a quote from a Cardinals blog called Redbird Rants that I completely agree with.
“Cardinals fans most assuredly are none too pleased by the outcome. There are two more games in the series and thus there are two more opportunities for the Cardinals to wipe the smirk off Phillips’ face and the cockiness out of the hearts of Reds fans. But really, do we as Cardinals fans need to be so sensitive about the Reds? I suggest we do not. Yes, Reds fans are obnoxious and their hatred of the Cardinals seemingly knows no bounds but their behavior I think goes beyond just winning games. Yes. the Reds want to win, and win badly, but more than that I think the Reds desperately want relevance.
Think about it. Look at the history of the Reds. The Reds have one of the oldest franchises in MLB history. That in itself is no small accomplishment. But despite 5 WS titles and 9 NL pennants in their long history, the Reds have not had a history of dominating, winning teams like the Cardinals have. The Reds did in fact have a brush with glory in the 1970s with the famous “Big Red Machine” that won 2 of its 5 WS titles and 4 of its 9 NL pennants. Since then one WS title in 1990 is all the Reds have. By contrast the Cardinals have 10 WS titles, 15 pennants and a long, long tradition of winning baseball. Throughout most of the 20th century and now the 21st century, the Cardinals have consistently put greatness out on the field, the only dry spells occurring during the 1970s and the 1990s. Moreover, St. Louis has the reputation of being one of the best baseball cities in the U.S. and to the utter disgust of the Reds, having the Best Fans in Baseball. St Louis can boast of the highest attendance of any small to mid market team in baseball for the last decade and more. Overall, St. Louis attendance is exceeded only by the large markets of New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago. Cincinnati on the other hand has consistently been in the bottom third of attendance for most of the last decade. All of this recognition for the Cardinals makes them what the Reds have never been for most of their history. Relevant.
So, back to the “rivalry”. These last two seasons the Reds have received more national attention from this rivalry than they have from winning the Division last year. And they have milked it for all its worth. Broadcasters making the news by making ugly remarks about Cardinal players and coaches. Brandon Phillips making himself a Twitter sensation. ”Smoked Cardinal” served at the ballpark and “Whiny Bird” t-shirts being sold on the streets. Yes, this rivalry has been berry berry good to the Reds. More power to them I say. I would rather win baseball games and go to the playoffs any day of the week. But the Reds want relevance any way they can get it.
The one thing I would say to Cardinals fans is this. It is understandable that losing last night to the Reds in the fashion that it happened can bring out strong emotions. But the more we make our own dislike of the Reds a public topic, the more attention is brought upon the rivalry and the more relevance it brings to the Reds. This blog post brings them attention, albeit a tiny amount. I am not suggesting that Cardinals fans not express their feelings about the Reds. That would be an impossible task. And it would take the fun out of it. No, I am just suggesting that before Cardinals fans get too worked up about a Reds win or a Brandon Phillips sighting that they remember why this rivalry is important to the Reds. They want relevance. Relevance is something the Cardinals already have by their baseball excellence”
That is the last thing I will say. Oh by the way GO CARDINALS!
That is a tired argument. Two of the biggest cheaters in the history of the game are in your dugout.
Cheaters huh? okay so Mark McGuire was a cheater I’ll admit that. But who else is a cheater may I ask?
La Russa sat and watched Canseco and McGwire cheat for years. Don’t bother with some BS argument about he didn’t know about it.
I agree with that too LaRussa should have done something about that. But let me just say going back to Carpenter for a sec. Carpenter is trying to do his job on the mound, like I said he can’t do that with firework smoke in his face or when the mound is too slippery. That would be the fault of your ground crew at GABP, if you’re pitching in the major leagues, u deserve the best of the best field conditions wise so you can go out there and do what your teams is paying you to do.
I have never seen anyone else complain about it. Just him. It was fine for all of the pitchers last night.
okay so your ground crew did a good job last night kudos to them, but stop calling Carp a whiner for crying out loud, u and ur fellow Reds fans are the ones that are whining. “Albert’s a cheater, the Cardinals are the Yankees of the NL, the Reds don’t get the respect they deserve blah blah blah” You guys talk about us complaining, when you guys are complain yourselves the ENTIRE time. If it weren’t for Phillips whiny comments last year, the Cards and Reds wouldn’t even be the rivalry is today. So stop complaining every time something goes wrong or every time the Cardinals win. You want to earn our respect, TRY WINNING A PLAYOFF GAME.
He is a whiny little baby. Bottom line. I dare him to start something tonight.
Well he didn’t start something tonight, but he did do something that he usually does pretty well, he shut ur Reds down.