Reds

What 1-0 means
*In the 68 previous Division Series beginning in 1995, the Game 1
winner advanced to the League Championship Series 48 times (71%).
*In the previous 104 best-of-5 series - including the LCS through 1984
and 4 Division Series in 1981 - the Game 1 winner advanced 73 times
(70%).

Observations today and on Twitter last night

*Are you kidding me? What a night. What a range of emotions.
*Reds 1st playoff win since Oct 6, 1995….17 years ago to the day….6,210 days ago.
*Should we really be surprised? This team has had guys pick each other up all season long. They have overcome one obstacle after another.
*Starting pitching+bullpen+defense=2012 Reds.
*Last night was one of Dusty's finer hours as a manager.
*Last night was perhaps Brandon Phillips' finest hour as a player.
*They got the split, now they go for a dagger to the heart of Giants.
*How about the pair that Mat Latos lugged to and from the mound?
*I love Latos. As much as he dislikes Giants I could just imagine him muttering to himself…”I’m going to &$@) mess these guys up" as he took the mound.
*Don't overlook the job done by Sam LeCure at the blink of an eye's notice. LeCure, along with Hanigan, are most underrated players on team.
*I'll admit I doubted Dusty's decision to go with Latos last night. Someone had to eat innings. You couldn't torch bullpen in game 1, but Arroyo was on more days rest and appeared a less disruptive move.
*Latos was pitching on 3 days rest for first time after 105 ML starts. Dude is a stud.
*Now, if needed, Latos could face Giants in a Game 5.
*I think my pacemaker was too depressed to fire early on.
*So much for reducing the stress on the manager just out of hospital.
*Game 1 2010 Reds got no-hit game 1. Game 1 2012 Reds lose Cueto. Can’t make this stuff up.
*First thought when Cueto grimaced and bent over: Holy Carson Palmer, Kenyon Martin and Tim Krumrie Batman!
*So…no starter got hurt for 162 regular season ….and Cueto is injured pitching to first batter of postseason. Seriously?
*As Cueto walked off, Kelly said,  "wonder if they wish they had Leake right now?"
*What did the Reds do to so anger the baseball Gods?
*Perhaps in a twisted way the baseball Gods voted against Dusty’s playoff rotation and opted to take matters into own hands and fix it.
*3 is the magic number….yes it is. Reds 90-28 when scoring at least 3 runs…8-37 when they don’t.
*Can you imagine what ESPN would do if a Yankee had the night Brandon Phillips had at plate , in field and on bases?: ESPN Classic, live cut-ins, 30 for 30.
*Reds have won 19 straight games that Phillips has homered in…..tying team record with Lee May 1970.
*Phillips was Jeter like on his heads up back-up.
*All that was missing was a cowboy hat , holster and six shooters as Broxton walked off with called strike three to end 8th.
*How about the defense of Ludwick in LF?
*Broxton had walked 1 batter in previous 18 games….August 25.
*Going into last night Cain had not allowed an earned run in 21.1 postseason innings.
*Giants hit just 31 HR (fewest) at AT&T Park in regular season and allowed just 53 (fewest).
*The Reds have hit 5 HR at AT&T in 5 games vs SF.
*I would put Cueto on flight back to Cincy ASAP… luxury flight with a big bed please.
Get the back spasms and long flight out of way ASAP to increase recovery time vs going back with team later.
*Reds 48-7 this year when Stubbs scores.
*Reds record when homering this year: 71-25. Record when not: 27-40.
*Can you imagined how bummed Giants must be with Reds taking Game 1 after facing all the adversity?
*I still worry about Votto. He's just not moving well and he's is having so many un-Votto like swings at the plate. He's fouled more pitches straight down in the dirt lately than he has in forever.
*Wasn’t it kind of silly we were up at 1am watching a playoff game? Kids long since in bed.
*Twitter was made for a night like last night. If you are not on Twitter you don't know what you are missing. It become a fan base/community thing last night. Try it. It's FREE. Follow me @lancemcalister.

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Things noticed
My pacemaker is now on Twitter....
Don't ask me how or why.

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The weekend

I hosted a playoff edition of the Inside Pitch Saturday night. Casey came with me to the station. Here he is, sitting in the newsroom, looking up stats before the show.

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Postseason experience
18 of 25 Reds players have playoff experience:
Player/playoff games
35 Scott Rolen
26 Miguel Cairo
16 Dioner Navarro
13 Jonathan Broxton
11 Bronson Arroyo