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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > July > 03 > Entry
Tonight’s game is sold out; Encarnacion is back
According to Reds media relations, tonight’s Reds-Cardinals game at Great American Ball Park is sold out.
Homer Bailey starts on the mound for the 39-38 Reds, who are two games behind the second-place Cardinals.
Earlier today, the Reds placed IF Danny Richar on the 15-day disabled list and returned from a rehabilitation assignment and reinstated from the 60-day disabled list 3B Edwin Encarnacion.
Richar suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder sliding head first into home plate in the third inning of Wednesday’s 1-0 win vs Arizona.
Encarnacion had been on the disabled list since April 28 with a chip fracture in his left wrist. He made 11 rehab appearances at Class AAA Louisville, batting .270 with two home runs and eight RBIs.
Just guessing, but I don’t think the return of Encarnacion triggered the rush on the ticket box.
Tonight’s game is the fifth sellout this season and the 44th sellout overall at Great American Ball Park. The Reds are 20-23 when playing in front of sellout crowds at GABP (2-2 in 2009, 2-3 in 2008, 1-2 in 2007, 3-4 in 2006, 1-1 in 2005, 7-4 in 2004, 4-7 in 2003).
The 2009 sellouts at GABP:
Opening Day vs Mets … 42,177 (L, 2-1)
Sat, May 9 vs St. Louis … 40,651 (W, 8-3)
Sat, June 6 vs. Cubs … 40,914 (W, 4-3 in 11)
Sat, June 20 vs. White Sox … 42,234 (L, 10-8)
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Comments
By Blogcopwatcher
July 6, 2009 12:11 AM | Link to this
AK the fraud: What games have you been watching stupid? Weathers has been pitching great! Get your facts straight dumba$$. You are a real simpleton; and a phoney fraud, too.By allbutt the fraud
July 5, 2009 9:23 AM | Link to this
Allbutt is so ignorant and lacking, he can’t even think of something original for a name-Guess that’s why he flunked out of Purdue. Oh, btw, you lost yesterday, Fraudulent Ross.By Y-City Jim
July 4, 2009 11:42 AM | Link to this
Albutt - Thanks to the Card fans for giving Bailey the standing ovation.By AK
July 4, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this
Janish cant hit cant field. How many times have we seen Weathers give up a game winner like that. He challenged the best hitter in the world with his overpowering stuff. The Reds cant compete when you have a roster full of Janishes, weathers is awful and always has been. You cant count on him to get a good hitter out. they could be 5 out by the end of the weekend and in 5th place.By Albutt
July 4, 2009 11:06 AM | Link to this
HAHAHAHAHA! I see the Reds had a sell out thanks to Cardinal Nation. Thank you to Janish who is a Little Leaguer and a special thanks to Weathers and his 85mph stuff challenging the Great One. Like Ive said all year the Birds win it and your Cincy club finishes 5th AT BEST. Maybe another sell out tonight with 20,000 Redbird fans there. Hang with them Cincy fans.By Mark in Sun Valley
July 4, 2009 9:48 AM | Link to this
Now I have always complained about Dusty’s strategy, but I can not blame him for pitching to Pujols. Intentionally walking in a run in a close game and hoping to get 2 more outs with the tying runs now in scoring position is a lot riskier than going after Albert. And Weathers simply missed with the pitch he hit out. The rest of the at bat, he looked like he was going to get Albert. Where Dusty erred was letting Homer go out there at all in the 8th. The irony is, if the Reds do not score those 2 insurance runs, he probably would not have tried to milk an extra inning out of Bailey. Regardless, I feel like it was more important to get Homer out of there after the outstanding 7 innings he did pitch instead of trying for one more inning. Bailey has struggled too much at this level, and getting him out of there with 7 shutout innings was far more important to his confidence than the risk of getting more. There is no doubt that was the best Bailey has looked, his delivery was smoother and he did not overthrow has he has had the tendency to do in the past. He also seemed a little more upright in his delivery to me than before, reminding me of the effortless style Harang uses. Lets hope this is a start to something great and not a one time deal.By Kyle
July 4, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
Original, no Pujols does not have to have a ball placed on a tee for him from Weathers. Pitch around him. Stay on the corners, in the dirt, wherever. You DON’T let their best player beat you. I know, stuff happened later, but that changed the game.By timb
July 4, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this
Awesome comment, Mike. Did you you Dusty killed Marilyn Monroe, is responsible for Global warming, and personally started the Civil Was by ordering the firing on Ft. Sumptner? He is responsible every time his players cannot executeBy Scott
July 4, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this
Looking at Albert’s swing it didn’t look like he hit it squarely and more muscled that picth out of the park (hence why he is so good). Plus with the quality of player he is pitching him on the outside/inside parts of the plate may heave lead to him walking anyway (as he may have gotten the calls if they were close). The solution to AP is to pitch a ground ball to him that he can’t lift.By Mike-Cinci
July 4, 2009 9:06 AM | Link to this
Dusty did not lose it his players did. Rhodes walked a guy on 4 pitches. Weathers, rather than keeping the ball away from Pujols put one down the middle that he crushed it. Bad pitch to the best player in baseball. Janish booted an easy grounder that allowed 3 unearned runs in the 9th. Phillips struck out with the bases loaded in the 9th. Sometimes things just don’t right. Things don’t get any better. The Reds need to win at least one of the next two but bouncing back with 2 wins would be much, much better.By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
July 4, 2009 8:58 AM | Link to this
So you geniuses would intentionally walk Pujols with the bases loaded and only ONE OUT, thus making the score 3-1 with the tying run standing on second and two more outs to get him home? Don’t make fun of Cubs fans for their stupidity again. Pujols has to be pitched to in that situation; it’s a matter of who does the pitching you should be upset about.By Scott
July 4, 2009 8:18 AM | Link to this
One word describes last night: OOPS!! Next time we should walk A-Pou.By Wordman
July 4, 2009 2:24 AM | Link to this
If I hear Tom Brennaman say one more time: “but David Weathers is having a great year …” I am going to, well … be sick.By Wizard
July 4, 2009 12:20 AM | Link to this
Great effort by our Reds! Tough, tough loss. We can still win two. I think Dusty is trying. I just need him to try a little harder: He had the correct player leading off tonight, FINALLY—but that leadoff guy should also be his center fielder. I don’t care what he does with Taveras-LF, bench or whatever; he just isn’t the best CF on our team roster! Mr. Castellini/ Mr. Jocketty—please correct this error in judgment by the guy you hired to WIN games! You are trying to win, aren’t you?By Bruce
July 4, 2009 12:10 AM | Link to this
I for one think Bailey will throw a 3-0 shutout; and get victimized by ‘Dusty’s righty/lefty BS’. Geez, just the night before, he went to the mound when lefty Rhodes was in touble—suggested to him, that he had pitched his way out of trouble before, so asked him to do it again. Tonight, because Albert is a RH hitter, he takes Rhodes out for Weathers. I couldn’t tell whether Albert moved closer to the plate to reach Weathers pitch on the outside corner; or whether Weathers left one hang in the middle of the plate. I guess I think Rhodes is the better of the two relievers-and would have preferred he leave him in—BUT, DEFINITELY, would have pitched around Albert! Why would ANY manager pitch to him in that situation? Sorry,but it’s another Dusty dimwit mistake.By Kyle
July 3, 2009 11:49 PM | Link to this
Told my wife, I’d rather walk in one that big bang for 4. But of course Stormy gives it up. At least Busty Racker didn’t bring Coco in with it tied. He’s a slow learner, but maybe he finally figured that one out.By Cait
July 3, 2009 11:34 PM | Link to this
I’m with you David in Dayton - I even said, don’t give Pujols anything, even if it means walking him with the bases loaded. You still lead 3-1. Make Ludwick et al beat you, not Albert. Weathers got jipped on a couple of close pitches, though. Still, you can’t let AP beat you.By Terry Pennekamp
July 3, 2009 11:25 PM | Link to this
E mail and name were in the original post. What is going on?By Terry Pennekamp
July 3, 2009 11:24 PM | Link to this
E mail and name were in the original post. What is going on?By david in dayton
July 3, 2009 11:22 PM | Link to this
i honestly cant believe we lost this game tonight. we had it wwwwooooonnnnnn. i still feel that albert pujols should be walked every single time up to bat. if that were to happen we would have won tonight. just saying…By AP-FLORIDA
July 3, 2009 10:52 PM | Link to this
worst game management I’ve ever seen. Why are we doing this???? Walt please explain to Bob what is going on. get this corrected now, save the season. Let sperer take over…right this ship before it sinks!!!!!By Shawn in the ATL
July 3, 2009 9:45 PM | Link to this
Was thrilled to see Homer work seven. While the inning was being played, I spent 10 minutes explaining to my wife why he absolutely should not come back in the eighth (fragile psyche with proven veterans to wrap it up). Leave it to Dusty to see it the other way. What does he get paid for?By Voice of Reason
July 3, 2009 9:43 PM | Link to this
Aaron - No one gives a crap about your stupid fantasy team … perhaps you’re being censored.By Jimmy1Time
July 3, 2009 8:43 PM | Link to this
I started Homer! For fantasy baseball I bleed reds! Football, I stay away from my Bengals. Except Benson, sleeper stud!! Hal are we gonna get a hitter or what?By Shawn in Cincinnati
July 3, 2009 8:38 PM | Link to this
Hal, Do you see any evidence tonight of Mr. Bailey being coached by Dick Pole to finally throw strikes? Or, do I have it wrong - Pole coaches, Bailey ignors? I ask because I can see another team getting Bailey, insist he throw strikes, helping him become an effective pitcher.By jason
July 3, 2009 6:59 PM | Link to this
Great to see that the GABP is Sold Out tonight! Go Reds!By Kyle
July 3, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this
I don’t know how your fantasy team works, but he won’t win because he won’t be able to hold them to under three runs. This Reds offense won’t score more than that to get him a win.By Aaron B.
July 3, 2009 4:44 PM | Link to this
I have Homer Bailey on my fantasy team. My gut instinct is to keep him on my bench and not risk him getting blown out because I play in a weekly head-to-head league and I am 100+ points up right now. My opponent however is running 3 pitchers tonight (Grenke, Slowey, Kurodka) so my lead may dissipate. My question to everyone on this blog, do you think Bailey is going to pitch a quality start tonight? You have to figure the Cardinals are going to be very patient at the plate with Bailey’s horrible K:BB ratio, but at the same time I think he got squeezed in his last outing with a very tiny strikezone. If he pounds strikes in there to everyone not named Albert maybe he can surprise these guys and make them look foolish? What do you think, can he throw strikes and can he win tonight, or at least be decent and keep them in the game?