Worst First Pitch Ever This Week So Far: Charles Barkley Edition

((ht: mlb.com))

Yikes! Who knew that NBA legend and TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley would throw a first pitch nearly as ugly as his golf swing.

Check out the Chuckster as he steps up to the mound Tuesday night at the Chicago Cubs game vs. the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

And no, it's by no means the worst first pitch ever, there have been far worse this season, it does qualify as the worst one so far this week.

So we'll share it: (Thanks mlb.com)

Thom Brennaman Lost A Bet

((HT: MLB.com))

Which meant one thing when Ohio lost to Kentucky...


Good sport, sloppy pie in the face, big mess...

How's This For Coming Off The DL...??? A Cycle...

((HT: MLB.com))

Michael Cuddyer missed 60 games with a fractured shoulder, and last night was his second game back...

So, he does this for the second time in his career...


You sure Cuddyer's ready to come back...???
I think we have his answer...

ICYMI: Rockies vs Reds PPD Due to Water Main Break

((ht:9news.com))

It's been a crappy year for the Colorado Rockies. Injuries, poor performance on the field and misspelling player names for promotional giveaways have all but ruined the season.

As of Saturday night, you can add a new calamity to the list of Rockies problems--though this one wasn't entirely their fault.

Saturday night's game versus the Cincinnati Reds was postponed because of a water main break outside Coors Field. The break caused most of the stadium to lose water pressure, making the bathroom's inoperable and concession stands all but useless.

The game was rescheduled for Sunday night as part of a day-night doubleheader. The two teams already were slated to play at 2 pm (mountain time) and the Rockies are slated to retire former star Todd Helton's jersey at that time.

Tickets for Saturday nights game will carry over for the Sunday night game--but not Sunday afternoon's version...

KUSA-TV in Denver tries to explain:

Pete Rose to Finally Get Jersey Retired

So...did the headline suck you in?

Yes, Pete Rose really is going to have his jersey retired. But not by the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies or any other Major League Baseball team....yet.

No, the 73-year old Rose will see his #14 Jersey retired by none other than the Florence Freedom on September 2nd.

Yes, the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League. (Single A--Independant)

Did we mention he'll be the 1st base coach for the game too?

Or that for $114 you can get an hour long meet and greet, 10 minutes of Pete speaking, a photo op and signed Freedom gear?

Yeah...we're guessing the "Hit King" is in need of a few bucks....

And hey, if you are really a Pete fan (and lots of Cincy folks are), the Freedom play just 20-minutes down south in Florence, Kentucky.

So why not, right?

Two Balls In Play Equal One Indians Out

((HT: MLB.com))

The Cleveland Indians Yan Gomes hit a double to the wall last night in their loss to the Cincinnati Reds in interleague play, but instead of sustaining a rally- the actions from the outfield effectively killed it.

Here's the fun with David Murphy...

Unless, of course, you're Murphy...

Panda Shatters Writer's Laptop

And by "Panda" the HQ means the San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval...

The writer is Reds.com's Mark Sheldon and he was banging away on his game story from last night's game in the 8th when...


Nick Hurm over at cincinnati.com interviewed Sheldon after he finished his night

Todd Frazier Hits An Absolute Bomb

((HT: MLB))

Jhoulys Chacin wishes he had this pitch back to start the Reds first at-bat of the game


See...???

Bomb...

Joey Votto Does Mounties Right On Live TV

((HT: MLB Network))

If only other people could be as serious as Cincinnati Reds 2010 MVP Joey Votto...

He did a segment with Chris Rose and Kevin Millar on "Intentional Talk" and crushed it...


Joey Votto is solving problems, people...

That is all...

Cards' Adams Misses Foul Ball, Gets The Finger

((HT: MLB/Chris Looy's Vine/SBNation))

Cards 1B Matt Adams was chasing a foul ball in the game against the Reds today...

He didn't get there in time and a Reds fan showed some leather...
But it's the after-catch that's the fun part...


Wonder what the girlfriend was about to say after the catch by her beloved...

The HQ thinks it had something to do with being a wussy...

Reds Chapman Needs Plate Inserted After Comebacker

((HT: ESPN))

Let's face it...

When you're a pitcher, you know going in that you're taking life into your own hands...

And the faster you throw, the faster it comes back through the originator...

Last night, Reds closer Aroldis Chapman was pitching against the Royals and Salvador Perez met the 99-miles per hour fast ball head on. It went back the way it came and scared the daylights out of a lot of people...

Here's the edited version of the comebacker last night...


He is undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone above his left eye and was, luckily, only diagnosed with a concussion. Team doctor Timothy Kremchek called Chapman "a very lucky guy."

Kremchek said a metal plate will be inserted in the bone and will remain there permanently. Chapman's left eye also has no permanent damage.

Thank (insert divine being here)

DEVELOPING: Dusty Baker Out In Cincinnati

Dusty Baker is out as manager of the Cincinnati Reds- three days after his team lost the National League wild-card game to Pittsburgh.

The Reds are telling anyone willing to listen that Baker is out. He had one season left on a two-year contract he signed last October. Baker guided the Reds into the playoffs three of the last four years, but they never got out of their first round match-up.

Cincinnati went 90-72 this season, but lost their last five and finished third in the NL Central behind St. Louis and the Pirates- thus the away game with the Pirates.

Baker has managed 20 years in the majors with San Francisco, the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati.
So, then this is the last note that Reds fans will have with Dusty...

((HT: MLB))

Raise The Jolly Roger: But We Missed A Lot...And Mat Latos' Wife Says She Got Attacked...

((HT: MLB.com))

Did you see this last night on the broadcast of the Pirates-Reds game...???


But, it was Andrew McCutchen's mom...???
Surely, it was worth television time...

How about Doug Drabek's first pitch strike...???
Nope...??? The video doesn't exist...

How about this...???
A fan jumping off the Clemente bridge after the win...???
((HT: Dafranchize412))


It HAS made the rounds and the cops are investigating. A guy by the name of Dean Pasztor jumped into the water and made it to shore. He is from Ohio, and posted on his Twitter page that he “doesn’t care if people know he jumped off the bridge to celebrate a Buccos win.”

But a lot of the pomp and circumstance was relegated to what Craig Sager did at the statue and tossing to taped pieces- not living in the moment inside the building where 7,660 days of pent up frustration were exorcised in the Wild Card win over Cincinnati.

Evidence here... in part...


PM UPDATE: The wife of Reds pitcher, Mat Latos, Dallas says she got attacked last night at PNC Park...

In a series of Tweets, here's what she says happened...

Got punched in the head at least 3 times by a pirates fan so this has been cool

Pittsburgh police can’t arrest anyone on assault accounts so I’m the one who spent the game talking to law enforcement after being attacked.

Look. Check the police report. I was ambushed in the Budweiser bar, grabbed by the hair, drug down & punched in the head multiple times.

Every opportunity was given to pirates security to deal with this before it happened. Unbelievable.

Thanks to the pirates fan who saw it happen & apologized. Not condemning you as a group at all. That was simply wild.

According to police this morning at a press conference, Latos was asked if she wanted medical treatment and she declined. All PNC Park policies were followed, and unless the Reds and Latos decide to pursue the issue, the matter is closed.

Brandon Phillips Vents Pregame At Local Beat Writer

((HT: CBS Sports/101Sports))

Matt Snyder lets us know that Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is a little mad at Cincinnati Enquirer beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans. Phillips got moved from clean-up to second in the line up and Rosecrans thought Tweeting the ten point difference in on base percentage was a good idea...

Phillips didn't think so...

He told him so before the game...


So, of course, in his first game post-rant Phillips was building on a 2-for-3 evening as the Reds were up 9-0 after 5 innings in St. Louis...

Ah, all of this verbal jousting... even if the Reds are in the second wild card spot at present...

And safely so... but...

Cincinnati.com offered us this statement of not backing off their Reds coverage that ended...

While we are disappointed in Phillips' reaction, we understand it is a pennant race and emotions are high during a crucial series with a heated rival. This isn't the first time a player has lost his temper in response to a reporters questions and it won't be the last. It is part of covering the team day-in day-out.

This will not effect our coverage of the team or Phillips. We plan on moving on from and we hope Phillips does to.

ICYMI: Carlos Gomez Robs Joey Votto Of A Home Run To End The Game, Reaction From Reds Mgr, Dusty Baker



Carlos Gomez

This was a great catch by the Brewers Carlos Gomez denying Cincinnati's Joey Votto a

2 run home run in the top of the ninth.

And here's Gomez after the game.




"Any time Votto hits a ball up in the air like that, you're not sure. The ball carries well here, as we know," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "Even when 'Gomey' got to the wall, I couldn't get a good feeling for it. I was hoping it wasn't too far."

Here's Red's manager Dusty Baker's reaction:




When Votto reached second base he wanted the umpire to confirm Gomez had the ball.  Gomez did.

"I thought off the bat it was going to be a non-catch," Votto said. "He went up and made pretty big play in the game. I just wanted to confirm that he had it."

"It was kind of a random way to end the game." Votto said.  "In all likelihood it was going to put us up. It would be a homer -- an actual homer over the fence. Then to have the center fielder take it away from you -- one I'm ironically going to play beside at the All-Star Game -- the whole thing is kind of a random occurrence.

 

DEVELOPING: Homer Bailey's 2nd No-No Vs. Giants

After throwing a no-hitter last season, Cincinnati Reds starter Homer Bailey has found a way to follow up the performance...

With his second no-hitter...

His ninth inning went fairly quietly... Brandon Crawford was retired on a comebacker, Tony Abreu was struck out on a 97 Miles Per Hour fastball and Gregor Blanco was retired 5-3 for the last out of the game...
((HT: MLB Network))


Which, then led to this after the game during his postgame interview...
Like no one could see this coming...


Blanco broke up Bailey's perfect game in the 7th inning with a leadoff walk, but was retired on a fielder's choice for the final out of the inning. The 8th was pretty tame as well with a Hunter Pence pop up, a Brandon Bell fly out, and an Andres Torres line out to center...

More when we know more...

Fog + Wrigley= Cubs And Reds

((HT: MLB.com))

It got so bad that this game...


Turned into this game...
((HT: ESPN/NFL Films))


Brandon Phillips was having a good night-driving in 5...
Redan Raiders represent...

And Homer Bailey was getting the best of Scott Feldman...

Pete Rose: Bad TV Commercial Actor WIth The Sell

((ht: Harballtalk.nbcsports.com))

Haha!

This one is bound to further endear me to my friends in Cincinnati.

One of our favorite baseball sites, Hardball Talk, found a TV commercial for a Cincinnati Furniture store that featured acting only slightly more wooden then the actual furniture.

They feature Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose and his wife trying to act interested in buying products from Muenchen's (Yes, Munchin's) furniture.

Notice the deep emotion, feel the genuine love, the desire for new, exciting furniture.

If this doesn't scream Emmy, we don't know what does...

Derek Lowe vs. Dusty Baker: Will anyone notice this "War of Words?"

Dusty Baker

((ht: cincinnati.com))

This only got our attention because our Cincinnati friends are talking about it. And really, after doing some research on the subject...we aren't exactly sure what prompted it.

The "It" we are talking about is the dueling quotes in the Cincinnati and Cleveland newspapers over some perceived grudge/death battle between Cleveland pitcher Derek Lowe and Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker.

Derrick Lowe

"It"...according to Lowe, dates back to his days with the Dodgers. There is no reference to any "Specific" incident but Lowe says Baker has been telling his pitchers to throw at him (Lowe) "For Years".

The reason for Lowe's perceived anger: Cincinnati pitcher Mat Latos threw a fastball "High and Tight" to Lowe when he came to bat in the 5th inning of Wednesday's game. Lowe retaliated by hitting Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips in the back the next inning.

For his part, Baker doesn't deny telling Latos to "Make him uncomfortable", but denies ordering Lowe to be hit.

After the game Baker continued to rant on about Lowe. Again, he never actually said what the "It" was at the heart of the perceived dispute, only that it exists. He went on to say some not-so-nice things about Lowe and his previous problems with alcohol.

Lowe, for his part didn't get that personal, though he went on vaguely, at length about the bad blood between he and Baker.

You can read his interview with Cleveland/MLB.com RIGHT HERE

Baker's angry rant is from Cincinnati.com RIGHT HERE

We aren't exactly sure if there is a side to choose here because nobody other than the two people at the heart of it know exactly what the heck is going on. It is deemed worthy of a mention here mostly because it is kind of funny.

Heck, maybe there is some sort of feud that dates back several years and somebody wronged the other, but until one of them fesses up, we laugh at both of them. We laugh at them for being completely childish and we laugh at them for getting our attention by saying lots of angry nothing to their local reporters.

Much like this classic Stone Cold Steve Austin promo, we say to this---"What?"

Pick Your Own Caption---Urban Meyer, Pete Rose and Pete Rose Jr. sitting in a tree

Urban Meyer with Pete Rose and Pete Jr./Courtesy: cincinnatireds.com

In today's version of pick your own caption...we give you this:

 1) Joker, Joker..and an Urban.
 2) Three of a kind
 3) Who are these guys?
 4) Know any good tattoo parlors?
 5) What do these 3 have in common? (Hint--think Truthiness)
 6) We are....the 3....Amigos!
 7) What are the odds?
 8) Curly, Larry and Moe? If so which is which?
 9) You know....we didn't actually "Pay" for our seats...
10) Yeah...Ohio State and Cincinnati Reds fans probably don't see the humor in this that we do....

Got any suggestions?