Game 1: Cincinnati Reds at New York Mets

• BigAppleBuckeye

  

  Will be at Citi Field tonight with Websurfinbird and 50 of our "closest friends" at our annual tailgate. Any thoughts on the game? HUGE series, both teams right in the thick of their respective division races and wild card chase.
  
  This game should be dubbed "Battle of All-Star Snubs" (Pelfrey and Votto) ...
• Azubuike24

  

  Major pitching advantages for the Mets tonight and tomorrow.
  
  Harang has to hang in tonight against Pelfrey because as good as Travis Wood is capable of being, facing Santana in his 2nd start is a tough task. The Reds never hit Santana either.
• justincredible

  

  Harang held his own up against Halladay, I am not too worried about him getting knocked around too bad. Unfortunately his one mistake pitch to the Phils was with 2 on. Hopefully he can limit them to when the bases are empty today.
• jordo212000

  

  I'd say the odds should be on Harang's side tonight (at least more so than usually). Citi Field is ginormous. He should be able to keep them in the yard.
• Swamp Fox

  Let's get the opener. It makes the rest a little less pressured. Harang isn't pitching too badly recently and this one is important. Pelfrey is pretty tough though!
• BigAppleBuckeye

  

  Pelfrey is 6-0 with an ERA under 2.00 at home this year. BUT, its almost 100 degrees out today, just a SCORCHER, so the weather may certainly affect both pitchers (and make the bullpen a factor, which has been a problem of late with the Mets).
  
  That being said, Reyes is out tonight. SUCKS. Haven't seen him play live since 2008, and I go to a bunch of games!
• dave

  I think the Reds chances in this one. Votto and Bruce need to have big games. It should also be interesting to see how Stubbs does after yesterday.
• Azubuike24

  

  Hopefully Stubbs doesn't try to homer for the next 20 at-bats.
• dave

  That's what I'm afraid of. He should lay down a bunt his first time up but that will never happen.
• jordo212000

  

  dave;411326 wrote:That's what I'm afraid of. He should lay down a bunt his first time up but that will never happen.

  
  He just hit 3 HRs in 1 game, and you want him to bunt? Look, I agree Stubbs should lay one down a little more often than he does with his speed, but from all accounts that I've heard, he isn't a good bunter. Besides, why mess with a hot hitter. Leave him be until he cools down again.
• Ironman92

  

  good god why is he not a good bunter????
  
  Anyways.....I think if the Reds have good approaches versus Pelfrey they'll be OK....if not it won't matter how well Harang pitches
• jordo212000

  

  good god why is he not a good bunter????
  
  
  
  Anyways.....I think if the Reds have good approaches versus Pelfrey they'll be OK....if not it won't matter how well Harang pitches

  Don't ask me. Thom says he was hardly ever asked to bunt in the minors
• Ironman92

  

  anyone with Stubbs' speed has to be able to bunt........slump buster
• Ironman92

  

  I'm starting to worry a touch that Pelfrey will be extra motivated since his snubbing.....but then again....was he snubbed or did Manuel speak with Mets people and realize he was going to start again on Sunday thus making him not really eligible to pitch on Tuesday's all-star game.....if that's the case he should still be recognized as an all-star
• dave

  jordo212000;411331 wrote:He just hit 3 HRs in 1 game, and you want him to bunt? Look, I agree Stubbs should lay one down a little more often than he does with his speed, but from all accounts that I've heard, he isn't a good bunter. Besides, why mess with a hot hitter. Leave him be until he cools down again.

  
  That's the point, you bunt when the other team doesn't expect it. 2 of those 3 homers were maybe outs at Citi, the other a double or triple. Like AZ said, hopefully he doesn't think he's a power hitter. 1 game doesn't make him a hot hitter. He's facing one of the best right handers in the game.
• Azubuike24

  

  Ironman92;411388 wrote:I'm starting to worry a touch that Pelfrey will be extra motivated since his snubbing.....but then again....was he snubbed or did Manuel speak with Mets people and realize he was going to start again on Sunday thus making him not really eligible to pitch on Tuesday's all-star game.....if that's the case he should still be recognized as an all-star

  
  I doubt this, especially with a division rival. There are many other players in this game, both pitchers and hitters, who may personally prefer or it is preferred by their teams that they don't play. In a game like this with fan voting, you really can't take this stuff into consideration. Adam Wainwright is going to start on Saturday for St. Louis but you still consider him on the team, and the same goes for a handful of others who if they pitch in the AS game, would be throwing before their next scheduled start.
  
  Pelfrey got snubbed, or in this case, hurt by the numbers crunch. You can argue others got snubbed as much or more than he did.
• dave

  It could have been the deciding factor though, if you start Sunday you can't pitch in the all star game.
  
  Anyone else been voting votto all day? I think I'm approaching 2000 votes.
• osu45804

  

  Aaron Harang pulled from the lineup and Travis Wood Starting tonight instead
• justincredible

  

  Harang scratched as starter and Wood moved up a day. I have a feeling Harang was traded.
• justincredible

  

  Lower back pain. No trade.
• mhs95_06

  If Cabrera would have been a step closer to first, that throw to the inside of the bag by Wright would have made him safe!
• justincredible

  

  Votto absolutely crushed that ball. Into the apple!
• mhs95_06

  Good 3-2 pitch by Wood and a good swing by wright for a single up the middle with not much on it.
• SportsAndLady

  

  that's awesome Votto hit that homerun in his first AB since being fucked for the asg
• darbypitcher22

  

  that was a missle... wonder if Charlie Manuel heard that over in Philly