A couple weeks ago, I had written a draft post, but never posted it, on my frustration with the Cincinnati Reds (in case you don’t know, I’ve been a rather avid fan for 40 years). Recently, After great “pick-me-up” events like walk off homers (such as Griffey’s 3 run homerun with the Reds down 2 in the bottom of the 11th)….which the Reds then followed up by losing 5 in a row. Then after another walkoff on a Sunday game that I was at on Memorial Day weekend, they lost 2 in a row to the Cubs who had been struggling mightily. They then won 8 in a row, the first 7 of those on the road (1 in Chicago, 3 in Houston, 3 in St. Louis) , then after the 8th win a row to start ther homestand, the Reds are about to lose the final 3 in a row to the Cubs. Neifi Perez’s first home run of the year in the 7th inning to extend the Cubs lead from 2-1 to 4-1 has prompted me into this baseball rant of disgust.
They make it very hard to get excited about any good fortune, given their propensity to “undo” any postive flow they get going. And to do it against the Cubs this time, who absolutely stink this year. When you have Michael Barrett as cleanup hitter, as the Cubs do, and two of your star pitchers are out, there shouldn’t be that much to fear. But I suppose the Reds ought to fear that very thing, for these are the teams to which they consistently lose.

Update(Make that 6-2 Cubs. David Weathers just surrendered a two run homer in the top of the 8th, after the Reds squandered yet another rally after a solo homer, a walk , and a hit batsman, Felipe Lopez flied out on a 3-1 pitch with Griffey sitting on deck)

Hello mediocrity again, Reds. And once again, the Reds vaunted offense absolutely wastes a good start by Milton AGAIN. As many bad starts as MIlton usualy gives the Reds , lately he’s been awesome and the Reds can’t hit Cubs pitching. Pathetic.

Update again: make that 9-2. The bottom has fallen out. (Of course that probably means that the Reds will come out and come alive in the next series, given this jeckyle-and-hyde thing they’ve been doing…..but I’m a little tired of getting pumped up and then deflated almost in the same breath. )

Update with another rant: Adam Dunn comes through in the decidedly “non-clutch” situation with his 20th homer (another solo shot, of course, with the game out of reach). With the Reds down 2-0 earlier, he took two fastballs down broadway and swung pathetically at a curve ball , striking out. He’s in the .220’s , and around .150 with runners in scoring position.

You non-sports fans out there are probably wondering how in the world I can get so worked up. Good question.