Apologies for the belated Advance Scout entry. As Coach so ably predicted, the Jays' bats returned with a vengeance in Friday night's opener at Great American Ball Park. Toronto's hitting can only be contained by an excellent starter, and at least in the rotation, Cincinnati has nothing resembling an excellent starter.
The Reds can mash, especially at home, and can catch the ball. But a weak-hitting bottom of the order and dreadful pitching except for the three relievers at the back end of the bullpen make for a sub-.500 club. Much has been written of how lucky they've seemed to be, given the respectability of their record relative to their awful run differential; the Jays would do well to jump on Dempster and Haynes early to avoid the late-inning magic that Cincinnati's been able to conjure up this season with surprising regularity.
On to the Advance Scout!
* Bob Boone said he watched “a lot of tape” of the Jays, and said he was “scared” of the team’s lineup: “They have a legit lineup…They’re solid top to bottom”…
* Fifteen of the Reds’ 29 wins (52%) have come in their very last at-bat, including seven walk-off hits at Great American … “You can’t let us hang around,” cautions Bob Boone …
* Great American Small Park? … Check this out: 96 home runs in 32 home dates, for an average of 3.00 home runs per game even … Mike Mussina compared the way the ball carries to Coors Field … Roy Halladay and John Riedling both complained of the flatness of the pitcher’s mound, but six separate inspections by MLB have found the mound to conform to specifications … Said Riedling: “Everywhere else, the mound is higher. I don’t care what anyone says. There’s no comparison” …
* Banjo-hitting 21-year-old middle infielder Ray Olmedo collected the first, second and third hits of his major-league career on Sunday …
* Banjo-hitting 30-year-old(!) middle infielder Juan Castro had three extra-base hits on Sunday, with two doubles and a triple … Castro won Tuesday night’s game over the Yankees with a game-winning single just out of the reach of Jason Giambi … The hit came off of Antonio Osuna. Castro is godfather to Osuna’s daughter Lohami … Said Castro of Osuna: “If you think of him as a friend, you’re not going to swing as hard” …
* Last night’s whipping boy, Riedling, blamed the heat and humidity for his shelling in Miami last Sunday … Riedling’s a native of, uh, Pompano Beach, FL … Apparently, the mound was whine-proof for the mediocre righty …
* Aaron Boone is slugging a solid .513, but has just one home run in his last 16 games … He’s on a 222-game ironman streak …
* After a horrible 2002, Sean Casey is back to being Sean Casey, for what that’s worth …
* Jason LaRue is quietly having a solid season at 269/378/497 … He’s 9 for his last 17 (.529) …
* Austin Kearns has already driven in 51 runs, and he’s approaching rarefied Delgado/Wells air with his 365/487/681 numbers with runners in scoring position …
* Ken Griffey’s been terrific when he’s played … But that’s when he’s played … His most recent ailment is a biceps strain suffered while fouling off a pitch against Mike Mussina on Wednesday … Even though he homered in his next at-bat, he hasn’t played since … It’s easy to forget how great he’s been: His last home run was #475, tying him with Willie Stargell and Stan Musial for 22nd all-time … According to Junior, his arm feels fine, and he missed last night’s game because of sickness …
* No stopper on this staff: Until Paul Wilson beat the Yankees, Reds starters went 18(!) starts without a victory … Bob Boone on the team’s starting pitching: “If you come up with something, give me a call” … Yikes …
* OK, Adam Dunn’s leading off … But should he? He’s only at 213/326 … His single and home run last night gave him three singles and seven home runs – and nothing else – over his last 68 at-bats …
* Jimmy Haynes, tomorrow afternoon’s opponent, has had two mediocre no-decisions in his last two starts … But that follows four dreadful gas-can performances … He’s at 24 BB, 15 K on the season …
* Scott Williamson has only one blown save and has held opposing batters to a .170 average …
* Erstwhile first-round pick Felipe Lopez is showing very few of his five potential tools and is starting to hear the boos, which are admittedly affecting him … He’s really struggling at 209/304/298 on the season … Lopez: “I know at the end I’m going to come out on top. This can’t get any worse” … He’s lost his starting job at short. Bob Boone, while doing laundry at son Aaron’s house, couldn’t persuade his son to make the adjustments necessary to play second … But Aaron did agree to play short when Bob wants more pop than Castro and Olmedo up the middle … Under those circumstances, Russell Branyan will play third …
* Tonight’s opponent, B.C.’s Ryan Dempster, off the DL for an inflamed nerve in his neck, will replace old friend Joey Hamilton on the Reds’ roster … The Cincinnati media had been speculating that it would be the other ex-Jay, Lopez, that would be getting the ticket to Louisville … Dempster was deeply concerned that he had a “dead arm” until he was finally diagnosed – several doctors later – with a neck nerve problem …
* Bold move, but wise? … GM Jim Bowden says the Reds’ plan is to sign first-round RHP Ryan Wagner (#14 overall), a closer out of the University of Houston, immediately after the NCAAs conclude … Why? Because Bowden thinks he can help the Reds as a setup man this season … A particularly bold statement, since nobody from any of the Reds’ last five drafts are currently with the big club …
* Pete Harnisch was steamed after Bowden delegated Tim Naehring to break the news of his release … Attempting to come back from Tommy John surgery, Harnisch was getting hammered in AAA …
* Wily Mo Pena’s pinch-hit strikeout last night dropped his season numbers to an even 100/100/167 in 30 at-bats this season … Plus, he comically misplayed a ball in right last Sunday … But Mick, Drew Henson still hasn’t made that deal a steal …
* Barry Larkin took his first batting practice last night since going on the shelf with a strained calf … There’s no timetable for his return, and Bob Boone expressed only guarded optimism after watching Barry take his licks …
* Peter Frampton led the Cincinnati crowd in “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” on Tuesday night … Yeah, he did! …
Probable Batting Orders
vs. LH
7 Dunn
3 Casey
8 Griffey/9 Guillen
9/8 Kearns
5 Boone
2 LaRue
6 Lopez
4 Castro
1 [pitcher]
vs. RH
7 Dunn
3 Casey
8 Griffey/9 Guillen
9/8 Kearns
5/6 Boone
2 LaRue
4 Castro/Olmedo
6 Olmedo/5 Branyan
1 [pitcher]
Pitching Probables
Friday: RH Riedling vs. Halladay (Tor 9, Cin 2)
Saturday: RH Dempster vs. Davis
Sunday: RH Haynes vs. Escobar
Bullpen Usage
Long: Mercker L, Hamilton R
Short: Reitsma R, Heredia L
Setup: Sullivan R, White L
Closer: Williamson R
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