Cincinnati Red Stockings versus the New York Metropolitans

B4B had a very eventful day before the Reds game at Great American Ball Park. Prior to the game, we had a couple of interview opportunities that we had to divide and conquer to make them work. The best interview was on pre-game radio with Lance McAlister on 700 WLW in the Reds dugout. After flipping a coin to see who would talk with Lance in the dugout (Adam), we determined who would talk with Lance earlier in the afternoon, and who would speak with MLB Youth Correspondent Meggie Zahneis.

Chase and Rex spoke with Meggie on the phone before heading out from our host’s house in Kentucky. She asked great questions, and besides the voice, we would have no clue how old she is. She definitely has a future in reporting. Chase met some family who were kind enough to make the 2 hour drive from Indiana before the game, so Rex and Steve took the early interview with Lance McAlister over the phone.

For Adam’s interview in the Reds dugout, we didn’t actually have passes to get on the field. That poses an issue when the radio people assume you will already be on the field for some reason. So we pretty much talked our way unto the field to get into the dugout. After talking with some Reds employees, and them talking to their bosses, we finally got to someone high enough within the organization that had heard about what we were doing and was able to make a decision. Basically, we told enough people that we belonged on the field for the pre-game interview that we made it work.

R.A. Dickey started for the Mets against Mike Leake for the Reds. We expected to see the NL Cy Young candidate deal versus the home team. It was actually quite the opposite. Dickey pitched 6 innings, giving up 10 hits and 5 runs. The Reds hit him, and hit him hard. Scott Rolen, Jay Bruce, and Todd Frazier all hit home runs, and Frazier’s was an absolute bomb. He’s definitely been making a Rookie of the Year case recently, especially after going 3/4 with a HR, 2B, and SB.

It was just a weird game for Dickey. The umpires made him remove a friendship bracelet that was made by his kids. He recorded 18 outs, and 9 of them were by strikeout. But it seems like most of the other outs were well-hit because the Reds were smoking his knuckleballs. Just very strange statistical line. He had to drown his sorrows with some Graeter’s ice cream after the game, and look who he ran into. Can’t you tell he was happy to see us?

The home team Reds won pretty handily, and it was fun for us to be at this game. To see a team like the Reds in the postseason battle with everything clicking was very cool. Offense, defense, and pitching were all incredible this game, and the Reds seriously look like a contender. The Reds have continued to win games even without their best player, and perennial MVP candidate Joey Votto because players like the aforementioned Todd Frazier, Brandon Phillips, and Zack Cozart are stepping up in a big way.

Other than Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos, the Reds starting pitchers have been mediocre. But if they keep getting starts like this game from Mike Leake, then watch out. Leake had a complete game 4-hitter with 4 strikeouts, and he got some great defense and coaxed some weak grounders out of the Mets. That’s pretty much the best thing you can ask out of a 3-4 starter.

Great American Ball Park is a very nice field with a great view of the Ohio River and Kentucky. Reds history and Cincinnati riverboat history is a dominant feature of the stadium. A riverboat bar area with huge smokestacks that shoot flames when the opposing team strikes out is the main feature in centerfield, and beyond the stadium fence is a riverboat paddlewheel as a piece of public art. From our seats in the upper deck in left field, we saw many riverboats and other watercraft cruising the water.

The stadium opened in 2003, and the designers did a great job of paying tribute to the great history of the Reds. The concourse is absolutely one of the biggest and tallest concourse of major league stadiums, and it is lined with memories of the rich Reds history. The Reds are the second oldest continually run franchise in baseball today being established in 1881, and the city of Cincinnati holds the distinction of having the first professional baseball team in 1869. Cincy is the birthplace of professional baseball, and we were fortunate to be a part of the Reds history in the making this season.

Gm 1– 4/13 @ Safeco Field – Oakland A’s @ Seattle Mariners
Oakland wins 4-0 (WP – Colon, LP – Hernandez)

Gm 2 – 4/24 @ O.Co Stadium – Chicago White Sox @ Oakland A’s
Oakland wins 2-0 (WP – Milone, LP – Floyd, SV – Balfour)

Gm 3 – 4/27 @ AT&T Park – San Diego Padres @ San Francisco Giants
San Diego wins 5-3 (WP – Luebke, LP – Hacker, SV – Street)

Gm 4 – 5/3 @ Angels Stadium – Toronto Blue Jays @ LA Angels of Anaheim
Toronto wins 5-0 (WP – Morrow, LP – Haren)

Gm 5 – 5/7 @ Dodger Stadium – SF Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers win 9-1 (WP – Lilly, LP – Zito)

Gm 6 – 5/8 @ Petco Park – Colorado Rockies @ San Diego Padres
Padres win 3-1 (WP – Suppan, LP – White, SV – Thayer)

Gm 7 – 5/12 @ Chase Field – San Francisco Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Giants win 5-2 (WP – Cain, LP – Cahill, SV – Casilla)

Gm 8 – 5/20 @ Coors Field -Seattle Mariners @ Colorado Rockies
Mariners win 6-4 (WP – Beavan, LP – Guthrie)

Gm 9 – 5/30 @ The Ballpark in Arlington – Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers
Mariners win 21-8 (WP – Beavan, LP – Holland)

Gm 10 – 6/3 @ Minute Maid Park – Cincinnati Reds @ Houston Astros
Astros win 5-3 (WP Lyles, LP – Arroyo, SV – Myers)

Gm 11 – 6/15 @ Tropicana Field – Miami Marlins @ Tampa Bay Rays
Rays win 11-0 (WP – Moore, LP – Zambrano)

Gm 12 – 6/22 @ Marlins Park – Toronto Blue Jays @ Miami Marlins
Blue Jays win 12-5 (WP – Romero, LP – Sanchez)

Gm 13 – 6/30 @ Turner Field – Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves
Braves win 7-5 (WP – Minor, LP – Strasburg, SV – Kimbrel)

Gm 14 – 7/6 @ Busch Stadium – Miami Marlins @ St. Louis Cardinals
Marlins win 3-2 (WP – Nolasco, LP – Westbrook, SV – Bell)

Gm 15 – 7/13 @ Kauffman Stadium – Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Royals
White Sox win 9-8 (WP – Alexrod, LP – Teaford)

Gm 16 – 7/19 @ Target Field – Baltimore Orioles @ Minnesota Twins
Orioles win 4-3 (WP – Chen, LP – Burnett, SV – J. Johnson)

Gm 17 – 7/24 @ U.S. Cellular Field – Minnesota Twins @ Chicago White Sox
White Sox win 11-4 (WP – Jones, LP – Fien)

Gm 18 – 7/26 @ Miller Park – Washington Nationals @ Milwaukee Brewers
Nationals win 8-2 (WP – Jackson, LP – Gallardo)

Gm 19 – 7/30 @ Wrigley Field – Pittsburgh Pirates @ Chicago Cubs
Cubs win 14-4 (WP – Germano, LP – Bedard)

Gm 20 – 8/5 @ Comerica Park – Cleveland Indians @ Detroit Tigers
Tigers win 10-8 (WP – Downs, LP – Perez)

Gm 21 – 8/7 @ Progressive Field – Minnesota Twins @ Cleveland Indians
Twins win 7-5 (WP – Robertson, LP – Perez, SV – Perkins)

Gm 22 – 8/10 @ PNC Park – San Diego Padres @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Padres win 9-8 (WP – Brach, LP – Watson, SV – Street)

Gm 23 – 8/15 @ Great American Ball Park – New York Mets @ Cincinnati Reds
Reds win 6-1 (WP – Leake, LP – Dickey)