Reds
Reds C Devin Mesoraco today was reinstated from the suspension list and optioned to Class AAA Louisville...RHP J.J. Hoover (#60) was recalled from Louisville...will be Hoover's second stint with the Reds this season...from 4/24-6/21, while Bill Bray was on the disabled list, he posted a 3.00era in 17 apps for the Reds...on 4/1 Hoover was acquired from the Braves in exchange for IF Juan Francisco.
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Bengals
Keep an eye on these OL who may deserve Pro Bowl shots
CBS Sports
Tackles
1. Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals: Whitworth is long overdue. A number of line coaches told me they would take him over D'Brickashaw Ferguson as a pass blocker as well as run blocker. Not many teams run the ball to their left as much as the Bengals do == and Whitworth is the point of attack. When it comes to pass blocking, he rarely gets any help from a tight end or running back. He's a team leader and a very unselfish player.
Centers
1. Kyle Cook, Cincinnati Bengals: Offensive line coach Paul Alexander knew he found a very good player when the undrafted rookie free agent was signed from Michigan State in 2008. Four years and 48 starts later, Cook has given up one sack every 12 games.
Whitworth at core of Bengals turnaround
Paul Dehner Jr CBS Sports
He's been the Bengals player rep since the lockout and has been a captain since his second season. He's the first to speak candidly on any matter, and he spearheads a locker room atmosphere that has flipped 180 degrees since the toxic days of criminals and reality TV shows. Back in those days, the circus tent used to cover every corner of the Bengals locker room. Drugs and alcohol had Odell Thurman suspended by the league for a year. Repeated violations barred the late Chris Henry for eight games. The Bengals led the NFL in arrests for the decade.
“Since I came here in '06, we laugh about it all the time,” Whitworth said. “(The atmosphere) is not even in the vicinity of the same thing. Not even close.”
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Reds
How good and clutch was Bronson Arroyo last night?
Bronson Arroyo=Reds Hall of Famer? Think about it. I did last night.
He is 89-79 4.11 in his 7th season with the Reds. He has been a model of consistency. He's taken the ball in rain, sleet, snow, sickness and health.
He has pitched at least 200 innings in 5 of 6 seasons.
He tossed 199 innings last season. He's on pace for 205 innings this year.
He's won double digit games five times...winning 14, 15, 15, 17 and 10 this year.
Since being acquired in 2006:
1st NL/T-1st MLB with 226 starts
1st NL/7th MLB with 1,44.1 innings
He's not missed a start as a Red.
Franchise rank
T-23rd wins
T-14th starts
24th innings
More wins than Reds HOF pitchers: Billingham, Seaver, Jay, Blackwell
More starts than Reds HOF pitchers: Seaver, Soto, Purkey, Rijo, Billingham
More innings than Reds HOF pitchers: Jay, Seaver, Billingham, Gullett, Blackwell
Fade to black and gold
The Pirates were swept by San Diego last night.
They have slipped to 3rd place in NL Central.
Pittsburgh led the division by 2 games on July 5.
They now trail the division by 8.5 games.
They are 8-13 in August.
They have lost 10 of 14 since being a season high 16 games over .500 at 63-47 on August 8. In order to break their string of 19 consecutive losing seasons they must go at least 15-23 the rest of the way.
Building the bridge to Votto
Consider the offensive contributions the last two nights.
The Reds have score 8 runs. 6 different players driven in at least one run.
Tuesday
Cozart: HR, SF
Frazier: HR
Stubbs: RBI 1B
Hanigan: RBI 1B
Wednesday
Bruce: HR
Ludwick: RBI 1B
Stubbs: RBI 1B
Votto on injury, rehab and watching a winner
C. Trent Rosecrans, City Beat
I made a comment earlier that the thing that probably bothers me the most is that I’ve never, never been a part of a team’s hot streak quite like this. I never experienced it in the minor leagues or the majors. Obviously, our first few years here in Cincinnati were quite lean. To go a month where you lose probably less than 10 games is pretty special, a 10-game win streak. They said they equaled the mark from 1890, and it’s tough to watch because I know that I would have really enjoyed it had I been a part.
(US Presswire)
Cueto should be on national radar
ESPN.com
On Thursday night in Philadelphia, Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto will attempt to become the first pitcher in the majors to reach 17 wins this year. Cueto has never made an All-Star team, has never been named on a single Cy Young award ballot, and currently holds the title of “Best Pitcher America Doesn’t Know.”
Cueto contract/results
Since Opening Day 2010
25-11 2.38 56 starts
325.2 innings, 277 H, 84 BB, 239 K, 17 HR
Per Cot's Baseball Contracts
4 years/$27M (2011-14), plus 2015 club option
signed extension with Cincinnati 1/26/11 (avoided arbitration, $3.9M-$3M)
11:$3.4M
12:$5.4M
13:$7.4M
14:$10M
15:$10M club option ($0.8M buyout)
From Reds gamenotes
Cueto has a career-high 16 wins.
16 wins tied with Gio Gonzalez (Wash) and David Price (TB) for MLB lead.
He's first Reds pitcher to become NL’s first 16-game winner since Jack Billingham in 1974.
In 11 of Cueto’s 25 starts he has allowed 0 or 1 run.
In 16 of 25 starts has allowed 2 runs or fewer
In 21 of 25 starts has allowed 3 runs or fewer.
In his 10 starts following a Reds loss, Cueto is 6-2 and the team 8-2
Leads the National League in ERA and wins (tied w/Gio Gonzalez)
Home ERA (2.26, 6th)
Road ERA (2.59, 3rd)
Day ERA (1.55, 1st).
Over the last 2 seasons, his 2.38 ERA is the best in MLB.
In that span, covering 49 starts (325.2ip, 86er), his ERA has never been higher
than 2.63.
In 42 of those 49 starts, including 21 of his 25 this season, allowed 3 runs or fewer.
Cy Young candidates
Johnny Cueto: 16-6 2.44, 1.13 WHIP, .244 BA, 19 QS
Cole Hamels: 14-6 2.94, 1.11 WHIP, .235 BA, 17 QS
RA Dickey: 15-4 2.82, 1.03 WHIP, .221 BA, 19 QS
Kyle Loshe: 13-2 2.61, 1.08 WHIP, .237 BA, 20 QS
Wade Miley 14-8 2.80, 1.11 WHIP, .243 BA, 14 QS
J. Zimmerman: 9-7 2.54, 1.12 WHIP, .247 BA, 20 QS
A. Chapman: 5-4 1.31, 0.73 WHIP, .139 BA, 31 SV, 4 BS
C. Kimbrel: 0-1 1.17, 0.65 WHIP, .116 BA, 31 SV, 2 BS
Others
Madison Bumgarner: 14-7 2.83
Matt Cain 13-5 2.83
Stephen Strasburg 15-5 2.85
Gio Gonzalez: 16-6 3.23
Clayton Kershaw: 11-7 2.87
Jay Bruce
.260-26-79
On pace: 34 HR, 102 RBI, 40 doubles, 92 runs
Fay: Baker talks about Frazier question
Fay: Hamilton under consideration for call-up
On this date by Steven Sharp
Thursday afternoon, August 23, 1962
Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field/Chicago, IL
"Reds Complete Sweep of Cubs with Rout, 14-3"
On a hot summer afternoon in Chicago, the Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Cubs, 14-3, closing out the series with a big offensive day -- 21 hits and 14 runs. Leading 3-0 after five innings, the Reds added to the lead with runs in each of the last four innings. Centerfielder Vada Pinson went 3-for-6 with 4 RBI. Pinson hit his twentieth home run of the season in the eighth inning. First baseman Gordy Coleman went 3-for-4 with two walks and 4 RBI. Coleman hit is twenty-sixth home run of the season in the ninth inning. Third baseman Eddie Kasko was back in the leadoff spot, after providing the game-winner the day before on a tenth-inning grand slam. Kasko had three hits and a walk. Joe Nuxhall started and pitched 4.0 scoreless innings, but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth, after a thigh muscle injury lingered from running out a bunt single in the top of the fourth inning. Johnny Klippstein pitched the next 3.0+ innings to pick up a win in relief.
The win was the sixteenth in the last nineteen games, as the Reds continued to make a run at first place in the National League race. At day's end, the Reds (79-49) were in third place, just 4.0 games behind the league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
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This weekend
Barry Larkin's daughter, Cymber, is in town for events this weekend. She is a 16-year old singer/songwriter. She has an album due out soon and will be touring Brazil. Her stage name is CymcoLe'. She stopped by the studio on Wednesday.
Friday, August 24 – Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals, 7:10 p.m.
Cymber Larkin will sing the National Anthem.
Barry will address fans post-game and will be joined on the field by former teammates and dignitaries.
“Barry Blast” post-game fireworks show featuring music from Barry’s historic career, presented by CVG.
Saturday, August 25 – Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals, 4:05 p.m.
1:00 p.m., Reds Community Fund charity block party on Joe Nuxhall Way and Freedom Way, including a post-game concert by Cymber Larkin’s band. Admission is free and proceeds from concessions will benefit the Reds Community Fund’s Urban Youth Academy.
Cool giveaways this weekend:
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Bengals
Hobson: Man in motion
Reedy: Bengals offense making progress early
AP: Benson faces Bengals in first Packers outing
(AP photo)
Bengals' Lee preps for meeting with former team
ESPNWisconsin
GREEN BAY – Donald Lee has no hard feelings. What the ex-Green Bay Packers tight end does have is something the Cincinnati Bengals and coach Marvin Lewis appreciate: A Super Bowl ring.
“Obviously he comes here with credibility. A huge one. He carries it around in a box and keeps it safe,” Lewis said earlier this week of Lee, who was on the Packers 2010 Super Bowl XLV-winning team before the team released him in March 2011. “That’s huge credibility when you can walk in with that Super Bowl ring, and I passed that ring around last year to show everybody what Donald had earned. And that’s important.”
Palmer's miscues don't worry Raiders
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Xavier basketball
(Joe Robbins - Getty Images)
Dez Wells expulsion raises questions about Chris Mack
SB Nation
Expect to hear and read things that question Mack's ability to manage lead young men with eccentric personalities, and a loss in confidence that this is not an abberation, but a growing trend that could be a sign that Xavier basketball is headed in the wrong direction. Perception is not always reality, but there's surely going to be a growing faction of Mack skeptics until the program returns to a sense of normalcy.
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Stuff
ESPN: 50 most successful college basketball programs last 50 years
Running total 50-22
Girardi unloads
Inside the numbers: Jeter's pursuit of Rose
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Events
Click HERE for more event info
Ohio Valley Golf Association Pro-Am Charity Golf Tournament
On behalf of The Links at Rising Star, Rising Star Casino Resort, the Ohio Valley Golf Association will be hosting a Pro-Am Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, September 28th at The Links at Rising Star Casino Resort. Proceeds from the tournament will go to Building Blocks For Kids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with health-related needs.
The golf tournament entry fee includes 18 or 36 holes of golf (with cart), continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 2 skins games will be available for participation; one for the pros and one for the amateurs. The professionals will play for a purse while the amateurs will partner with the professional in their group for a team event. Full event field will provide professional purse payout for at least the top 12 places.
Click HERE for more event info
