* It’s hard to get much worse than blowing a six-run lead in the ninth and losing on a walkoff granny. But that is the Reds world this morning as Dusty stayed with Mike Lincoln one batter too long and Brooks Conrad ended up beating Frank Cordero for the game winner.
* I watched the video of that granny over and over and do you know what I didn’t see? Oddly, there were no Braves chasing Conrad’s helmet after he threw it in the air seconds before his home plate celebration. Is Arod the only man in baseball history who engages in this “maid of honor” pursuit?
* It was a tough loss for Reds Starter Mike Leake who still isn’t striking out a ton of guys but since his second start, he has walked just nine guys in 39 innings. That is rock solid for a rookie.
* This is what Hanley Ramirez should have said when Hall of Famers Tony Perez and Andre Dawson recently dressed him down: ” I’m better than both of you ever were so back the fuck up.”
* Don’t look now but 5’9 Alberto Callaspo is having just as good a year as Alex Rodriguez and the sample size is no longer that small.
* This morning, Fangraph’s Dave Cameron favorably compares Pirate Andrew McCutchen with Carl Crawford. Isn’t that too obvious to deserve 600 words?
* I guess God didn’t have Andy Pettite’s back last night. That staff finally had a bad turn through the rotation and tonight, they turn to Javy Vazquez. I know …. that is rich.
* There was a ton of Dave Wright bashing on the NY radio yesterday and I can’t figure out why. Yes, his strikeout numbers are grotesque but that .880 OPS is hardly a disaster. If Mets fans want to bitch, then start with Jose Reyes.
* What is going on with John Maine? The Mets starter was pulled after facing one batter and he was pissed with the decision. It seems like Maine will not be in NY too much longer.
* Jose Bautista hit another home run for the Jays yesterday. He now has hit twelve, which is just one fewer than he hit all of last season in 150 more at bats.
* Ken Griffey probably should have seized on that walk-off and just retired on top. If I were that guy, I would be looking for exit moments and yesterday was one of them.
* Brian Matusz is an extreme fly ball pitcher and he learned yesterday that doesn’t work well in Texas. Meanwhile, two AAA Baltimore farmhands, Jake Arieta and Chris Tillman threw gems against Pawtucket this week.
* Nelson Cruz has 13 RBI this week and his season just continues to impress. Makes me wonder what kind of check is he going to get in arbitration next Winter? 8M? More?
* Seems like Roy Oswalt is always catching hellish matchups. Last night, he ran into Ubaldo Jimenez and the Stros got stuffed. Oswalt has an ERA of 2.66 and he has already lost six times. Meanwhile, Jimenez gave up just one hit over seven and his ERA now rests at 0.99.
* Jimenez ERA is now 1.36 below that of Lincecum who got smacked around a bit yesterday. You would have thought Lincecum would have registered ten punchouts against the Snakes but Mark Reynolds got him in the fifth and that was that.
* The Dodgers are cooking but tell me this: What is Garrett Anderson still doing in baseball?
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