Sunday night I attended Game 3 of the Reds-Phillies series – my first baseball post-season game ever. Sadly, I saw a very good Phillies team finish the Reds in a three-game sweep.
Game 1: Phillies starting pitching do what top pitchers do – keep good hitters off balance. Ray Halladay’s performance was a notch above outstanding.
Game 2: The Reds did embarrass themselves in game 2. Leading 4-0, committing 4 errors, untimely walks and hit batsmen – actually, that was more than embarrassing. The Reds had a chance to get out of Philadelphia with a split, and let it get away.
Game 3: Cole Hamels did a great job of keeping batters out of sync, noted that the Reds had very few hard-hit balls. Besides being 7-0 against the Reds in his career, Hamels followed Halladay’s lead and did what good pitchers do – take the bat out of the batter’s hands.
From my point of view as a fan,
- Arroyo and Cueto pitched well enough to win.
- Besides striking out too many times, Votto and Rolen went 2 for 21 in the series with double digit strikeouts.
- The number of errors by infielders was disastrous.
- Phillies didn’t pound the ball, but won with better pitching and defense.
From Cincinnati sportstalk host Lance McAlister.
- 1: Hits by Joey Votto in 10 ab’s
- 1: Number of Reds hitters with more than one hit in NLDS (Phillips, 3)
- 4: Runs scored by Reds in NLDS
- 7: Errors committed by Reds in NLDS
- 7: Consecutive playoff losses by Reds (9 consecutive World Series game wins)
- 8: Strikeouts by Scott Rolen in 11 AB’s
- 11: Fewest hits EVER in a playoff series
- 15: Number of times the Reds were shutout this season
- 19: Number of Reds without playoff experience, number of Phillies with playoff experience
- 24: Strikeouts by Reds hitters in NLDS (4 walks)
- .124: Reds batting average in NLDS (11 for 89)
- 2.52: ERA by Reds pitchers in NLDS
I’m proud of the 2010 Reds as they simply lost to a better team whose pitching was awesome. The Reds surprised me and many others to win the NL Central; and they did it fair and square. Simply put, anyone saying the Reds didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs is a baseball moron.
Good luck to the Phillies and their fans. Meanwhile, Reds pitchers and catchers report in 127 days, and Opening Day is 170 days away.
Reds logo is property of the Cincinnati Reds.
A Frank Angle 
shame their season ended, but it was a very good one they had
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3rd Stone,
Agree … but a good season it was. “How” it ended is more of a downer than anything. Thanks for stopping by.
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😦 That’s sad. Hope the Reds will make it better in the next season! As you’ve mentioned, they’ve lost to a stronger team which is not bad at all. At least the Reds have tried their best to get through and make their fans happy.
By the way, thank you so much Frank for the birthday comment on my blog. I really appreciate it a lot. Hugs!
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Maxi,
Well said. Overall, Reds fans were happy with the unexpected surprise of the season – and sure – saddened by the playoff showing. But we keep smiling! Thanks for commenting.
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