4/7 Astros vs Reds

This blog will be a little cheat sheet for all Reds fans who want to go to work and throw stats around and act smart like I do. Feel free to use these tidbits to impress your wife, children, friends or coworkers. Don't worry, I won't be using all the crazy sabermetrics stats that the normal baseball fan doesn't understand. I just want to keep it simple, and show some matchups for the upcoming games.

In case you were wondering, I won't give you any stupid statistics like this dude is batting 1-8 in his career vs this team. Believe it or not, the jersey the other team is wearing does not have an effect on a player's performance, unless you are the Reds and that other player is Roy Oswalt.

The Astros and Reds finish off the series at 12:35pm on Thursday afternoon with a matchup of two righties, Brett Myers vs Sam LeCure.

Myers has had one start this year so far and performed very well giving up 1 run and 3 hits over 7 innings vs the Phillies. A number of Reds hitters have a decent sample size (we'll say 9+ qualifies...3 games worth) of Plate Appearances vs Brett Myers in their career, most notably:

Plate Appearances/Player Name/Stats

• 42 Edgar Renteria - .425 Avg, 17-40, 2 bb, 2 hr, 1.127 OPS
• 21 Brandon Phillips - .158 Avg, 3-19 with 7K and 2BB
• 20 Scott Rolen - .421 Avg, 8-19, Hr, 4rbi, 1.134 OPS
• 19 Miguel Cairo - .235 Avg, 4-17, 2k
• 13 Joey Votto - 3-10, 3 bb (.462obp), 2 doubles, 4k
• 9 Jay Bruce - 2-8, 2k
• 9 Ramon Hernandez - 3-8, rbi

A little analysis after seeing these #s...wouldn't be surprised to see Edgar Renteria start (although I said that last night because he has done well vs Figueroa and now Janish has 3 hits) vs Myers because he's seen Myers so much in his career. BP struggles big time vs him, but he will still start. I think we'll see the normal lineup w/ Renteria and Hanigan (2-3 vs Myers + he works well with LeCure). Rolen may sit because he's an old dude, it's a day game, and he needs his one day a week off. Also note, Stubbs and Gomes are a combined 7-13 vs Myers and they each have a HR.

My pick to click? Drew Stubbs. I also think the outfield will have a combined 6 hits.

The only other notable thing about Brett Myers is, of course, the beard. Wanna-be Brian Wilson? For Myers sake, let's hope he doesn't pitch like Brian Wilson did tonight. Wilson's debut (just off DL today) is 0.2 IP, 3r, on 3 hits and had to be replaced. SF still stopped the Padres 8-4 behind one of my favorite players, Buster Posey.

Now, we'll look at LeCure vs Astros and there isn't much of a sample size here so no need to go too in depth. LeCure only had one start vs the Astros where the Reds won 15-6 and LeCure went 6 innings while giving up 2 runs on 6 hits.

• Hunter Pence is 2-4 with 2rbi and a homer
• Michael Bourn is 1-3 with 2k
• Carlos Lee 1-4
• Humberto Quintero 1-2, bb

Not much to analyze here, but with the way the Reds have been hitting who knows if it was even worth your time to read that. LeCure should pitch well tomorrow, and it will probably be his last or second to last start of the season (unless there are other injuries) as Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey are expected back soon.

Speaking of those two guys, how do you fit all these dudes into the rotation? Only questionable pitching so far is Volquez, and outside of the first inning he has a 2.00 ERA. I'll look into this debate a little more once it comes closer to decision time.

Some other baseball tidbits and off-topic shenanigans:

-Through 5 games, the Reds have 43 runs. Through 5 games, the Rays have 17 runs.

-Reds run differential is +26 through 5 games, while the 6-0 Rangers is +22 through 6 games.

-The Reds have scored 43 runs through 5 games, that's the second highest total in modern history through 5 games. '76 Reds had 44 through their first 5

-Pitching has been great as well, 4th lowest in MLB w/ 17 runs given up. 7 of those are Volquez in the first inning.

-LeCure is the only Reds starter without a win, and that may change tomorrow.

-Brandon Phillips leads MLB w/ 9 runs scored, 8 of those coming in the last 3 games.

-The Cavs and Indians both have won back-to-back games...first time since '07?

-This new sport is sweet.

-Larussa flips out - Cards just aren't that good without Holliday. No one in the NL Central can survive injuries other than the Reds, no one else has that kind of depth in the rotation, bullpen, and majority of position players.

-CBBall news: God's Gift Achiuwa and Cheikh Mbodji are visiting the Cincinnati Bearcats this weekend.

-Semi-local Indiana Pacers clinch a playoff birth for the first time since 2006.

-Kyrie Irving dips to the NBA after playing 11 games. Good move for him as the hype on him is currently off the charts based on a small sample size. I like Irving, but not sure about his NBA potential. Many say he's projected at #1, but I stay away and go with Derrick Williams or Harrison Barnes unless I really need a PG.

-Not sure if you remember Dennys Reyes, but he had 13 pitches last night, 12 balls to one strike. He gave up 1 walk and hit 2 batters vs the Indians, and the Red Sox fall to 0-5.

-Thanks for reading, get out your BROOMS (if you even put them away after the Brewers series..), and be sure to watch the game on FSN if you aren't working.

#winning