FBG: Joura: Aaron Cook, Tim Lincecum and Edinson Volquez Take Aim at Steve Carlton’s 1972 Season

And a very nice touch by the Generals in having that charming Carltonian fatigue color scheme as a backdrop!

While Cook and the Rockies are both a surprise, Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants are both more in line with what fans expected coming into the season.  The Giants lost 91 games last year and then subtracted Barry Bonds from the lineup.  If anything, the Giants are performing a bit better than expected in 2008.  Lincecum went 7-5 as a rookie last year.  Everyone expected he would be a good pitcher; his hot start just pushed forward the time when fans thought he would challenge for 20 wins.

Unlike Cook, Lincecum has a realistic .323 BABIP mark this season.  He also has 53 strikeouts in 50.1 innings.  Where Lincecum has really excelled this season is on the road, where he is 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA in four starts.  After a relatively hot start, the Giants are 3-6 in their last nine games.  San Francisco has found its expected talent level.  The question is: has Lincecum?

Volquez earning ‘Little Pedro’ nickname on the mound

“He’s in love with Pedro,” said teammate Francisco Cordero. “He sees Pedro like he’s a god. He’s not trying to be like Pedro, and the good thing is he’s not trying to imitate him. He’s just trying to do his job.”

So far this season, Volquez, 24, has been doing it better than nearly everyone else. Through Monday, Volquez is 5-1 and leading the National League in ERA (1.06) and tied for second in strikeouts (52). This is from a player who wasn’t even guaranteed a spot in the Reds’ rotation when he was traded by the Rangers along with pitcher Danny Herrera this winter in a deal for outfielder Josh Hamilton.

But Volquez earned a spot with a stellar spring and so far this season has been one of the bright spots on the last-place Reds. He’s even outpitched teammate Johnny Cueto, whom some teammates and scouts say has better stuff and who was the talk of spring training.

So how for real is this guy?

SportTicker: Keppinger suffers fractured patella

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Jeff Keppinger suffered a fractured patella in his right knee on a foul ball in the second inning in Tuesday night’s game against the Florida Marlins.

Keppinger underwent an X-ray which revealed the fracture. He will undergo more extensive MRI tests on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old Keppinger - who was leading the Reds in hits, batting average and RBI - was in the midst of a breakout season, was hitting .324 with three homers and 21 RBI.

Hitler Discusses the Cincinnati Reds (Video)

So does this thread end with the title?

MLB: Reds’ Draft plans unchanged

Uhh...draft players and then bury them sorta like a Jay Bruce LaBruce undieground film?

Upheaval in the general manager’s office isn’t expected to shake up how the Reds approach their Draft selection decisions.

Shortly after Wayne Krivsky was let go as GM on April 23, new GM and president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty held several days of meetings with the baseball department. That included senior director of scouting Chris Buckley, who was one of Krivsky’s first hires in February 2006.

The overall Draft mantra: talent rules. The Reds have the seventh overall selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

“Walt’s philosophy is pretty similar to Wayne’s,” Buckley said. “They’re both baseball guys that want us to get the best talent out there. I have not been told to select anybody or stay away from a certain guy. Everybody is in play. We’ll go get the best people we can.”

Pizza Cutter: On the 100 pitch limit

As the game wears on, every ten pitches seems to tip the OBP balance toward the batter by about a point or .1%.  At some point, there comes a time where there is a more effective option in the bullpen.

That goes with a couple points of SLG. The absolute level of his numbers is a little weird, but the conclusion is clear.

Mariner exec Shaffer taking a look at Griffey

Shaffer: When you’re having Griffey more than once.

There may be more to the Mariners interest in Ken Griffey Jr. than Seattle management has been willing to let on

Reports out of New York say that Duane Shaffer, in his first season as a special assistant to Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi, was in Shea Stadium Sunday to have a look at Griffey.

The Mariners need two things - someone to get the fans’ interest revved up after a horrid start to the season and someone to provide some power to a lineup devoid of many run-producers.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE (Steve Phillips on the Reds)

4. CALL HANK

Have owner Bob Castellini ring Hank Steinbrenner and tell him you’ve got a way to move Joba Chamberlain into the Yankees’ rotation. Offer Jared Burton, who’s whiffing hitters in bunches, and Jeremy Affeldt for Phil Hughes. Sell Burton as Chamberlain’s eighth-inning replacement and Affeldt as the situational lefty the Yanks lack. Throw in Arroyo if they want. Make it an owners deal. Castellini and Hank will love it; GM Brian Cashman will hate it. The bottom line is that Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Vólquez and Hughes would give Cincy four very different looks.

I interviewed with Phillips during the last year of his Mets tenure. He’d never heard of Baseball Prospectus. I wonder if that’s still true.

No Blame in Griffey Saga

It’s not often that I feel badly for someone who has lived a dream and earned a 9 figure living, but I do for Griffey.

USA Today: Griffey’s days in Cincinnati may be numbered

Latest from the sweetish Nightengale…

More than eight years after departing Seattle, it might be time to leave again, perhaps returning to the Northwest.

“It’s everybody’s dream to go back where they started,” the 38-year-old right fielder says. “Everybody who plays the game would love to go out the way they see fit.”

...If Griffey reaches the milestone during the Reds’ three-game homestand that started Monday against the Chicago Cubs, instead of a citywide celebration, Griffey’s 600th home run might result in little more than a farewell present.

“We’re in a tough situation here,” says Griffey, whose team improved to 13-20 with Monday’s 5-3 win against the Cubs. “We either turn things around or they start getting rid of everybody around here.

“My situation is different only because I can tell them where I want to go. I want to be in position to win a championship. I’m not strong-arming anybody, but that’s the way it is.”

Griffey, who enters today hitting .229 with four home runs and 15 RBI, says he expects the Reds to approach him before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline seeking his approval for a trade.

MLB: Weathers upset by Reds announcer

You don’t need a Weathers, man
To know which way the windbag blows

On Sunday, as the Reds dropped their fifth straight game by a 14-7 score, David Weathers was one of the Reds on Radio listeners on WLW-AM. Weathers, who was spending his final day on the disabled list, had finished a workout and was driving home.

During Jeff Brantley’s call of the game with Marty Brennaman, Weathers heard the following:

“I’m not including everybody but there are some guys on this team ... if they win, great. If they lose, they could care less,” Brantley said.

Weathers took umbrage that Brantley implied the Reds were quitters.

“Maybe he knows more about the game than we do,” Weathers told TV reporters before the Reds played the Cubs on Monday. “If he does, congratulations, maybe he should come out with a uniform on.”

More from The Real McCoy.

MLB: Bronson Arroyo feels healthy despite slump

Since Arroyo is a lamo one-man cover band...I wonder if he knows Humble Pie’s clunkerrific “I Don’t Need No Doctor.”

Arroyo met with manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Dick Pole in Baker’s office on Monday. On Sunday, after Arroyo was hammered for seven runs in just 1 1/3 innings in a 14-7 loss to the Braves, Baker openly wondered if his right-hander was injured and said “we’re going to get him checked out.” When asked a few moments later, it was news to Arroyo and there seemed to be a disconnect. On Monday, Arroyo reiterated that he was feeling fine before going to see Baker.

“I’m not going to the doctor,” Arroyo said. “Why would I go when I feel the best I’ve felt in six years? I have no idea about anything except that my body feels great and I’m getting beat, fair and square. No excuses. You look at the board my last two starts—my velocity is much better than it had been.”

..."He wanted to hear it out of my mouth,” Baker said. “I said, ‘Bronson, I was searching. I really didn’t know what else to put my finger on. When you don’t know, you guys [in the media] are asking questions, ‘I don’t know’ isn’t a very good answer. The second or third time in a row, you start searching.

“I guess it’s been a while since he’s been the original Bronson, right? I just told him we have to work a little harder. Hard work solves a lot of problems. We’ve been working hard but we have to work harder, it’s simple.”

ShysterBall: And That Happened…Marty Brennaman

Volvoxpopuli!...Calcaterra needs snide impact protection from Brennaman!

Mrs. Shyster came into the living room yesterday afternoon and told me that I had to fix the shelves in the garage. Her view: the screws holding the standards in the wall are hanging by a thread, and sooner or later 75 pounds of garage crap is going to fall onto her station wagon. My view: I’m the one who did the substandard job of putting those shelves up in the first place, so I’m in the unique position to know that if they haven’t fallen down by now, they’re probably not going to fall any time soon. Maybe. Besides: the wagon is a Volvo, and the Swedish build those things tough. Now will you please let me watch the ballgame?

Five minutes later I was in the garage with a drill in my hand listening to the Braves and Reds on the radio. This was actually OK, because my first exposure to baseball was over the radio, and I often forget how enjoyable it is to listen to a game on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, I was listening to Marty Brennaman, and that poor bastard has simply lost it. Look, we all hate to listen to homer announcers, and we all find it refreshing when the guys in the booth tell the tough truths. Brennaman, however, is long past that stage and is deep into angry and bitter disgust with the Redlegs. Sure, the seven-run second inning would be tough on anyone, but Brennaman made it sound like he was being forced to watch the commission of war crimes. He sounds like a man who truly hates his job, and truly hates the Reds. As a Braves fan enjoying the pasting I should have been reveling in just how bent out of shape he was, but I was mostly just embarrassed for him. Perhaps the most telling thing was the fact that I was actually happy when Jeff Brantley took over next inning. It was so discombobulating that I plan to blame Brennaman when the new shelves come crashing down on the Volvo next winter.

Daugherty: A little advice for Reds

Daugherty...more shambles from Schotter’s Nation.

It’s an easy game from behind the laptop. The pundits and the sabermetricians have it all figured out. But nothing in sports is harder to diagnose accurately than an underachieving baseball team. Are the Reds stinking it up because the attitude lacks, or because the middle of the order is hitting like the 1927 Yankees’ ... pitchers?

...Time for Dusty Baker to be proactive. Time for the “players’ manager” to flex his expectations, and to crack down when they’re not met.

No more wishing and hoping. Reds chief executive officer Bob Castellini paid Baker $10 million for three years, expecting leadership. Time to lead, forcefully.

Time for a little March in May. Baker’s Reds are sleepwalking, so roust the boys from their featherbeds at the Four Seasons. Schedule a couple early afternoon refresher courses on how to play the game properly. Not just hitting or infield - the whole team, base-running, fielding, bunting, throwing to the proper base, exercising patience at the plate. Thinking and acting, in other words, like a team dedicated to winning. Promise you will do this every time you judge the effort - mentally or otherwise - to be lacking.

The Real McCoy: Big batting order changes

Batting order doesn’t matter...batting order doesn’t matter...batting order doesn’t matter...GRIFFEY IS BATTING SECOND?!...batting order doesn’t matter...batting order doesn’t matter…

And they’ll play it with a scrambled batting order, some big-time changes.

Ryan Freel leads off, then it is Ken Griffey Jr. batting second, Brandon Phillips batting third, Joey Votto batting fourth, Edwin Encarnacion batting fifth, Adam Dunn batting sixth, Jeff Keppinger batting seventh and David Ross batting eighth.

“Hey, man, we gotta try something,” said manager Dusty Baker. “All I do is think abut this stuff. I had this one in mind on the off day Thursday. “I talked to Junior during spring training and he offered to bat second, but I didn’t know if he was serious. I’m not crazy about changing things, but I’m trying to find something that works.”

Said Griffey, with a large smile, “I’m movin’ on up. Pretty soon I’ll be batting first and chasing Rickey (Henderson). I just want to hit a leadoff home run, like Rickey, who had 39 of them.”

Early in his career Griffey batted second for Seattle and, in fact, has batted second 62 times in his career.

Cincinnati Enquirer: Marge Schott’s land to be split

The last time they did this...she ended up losing West Prussia.

The 62-acre estate of late Reds owner Marge Schott is being sold to a Montgomery developer planning to sell the property at Keller and Blome Roads for up to 10 five-acre custom-home sites.

HPA Development Group, owned by Doug Herald and Graham S. Parlin, have an agreement to buy Schott’s 17-room home and the surrounding farm from the Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation, which received the property under terms of her will. Mrs. Schott died in 2004 at age 75.

...Originally called Ambleside, the Schott estate was built in 1928 by architect John Henri Deeken for Mr. and Mrs. Leonard S. Smith Jr., who owned National Marketing Machine Co. Charles and Marge Schott bought the property in 1954. Over the years, it was the site of many Cincinnati Reds functions and even a Major League Baseball owners meeting in 1988.

Cincinnati Enquirer: Daugherty: Rocket another Rose

and Janzen another McNamee and Daugherty another Bissinger?

Don’t believe it? Talk to someone who knows.

“(Clemens) is Pete Rose to a T,’’ Paul Janzen said Thursday. Janzen was Rose’s close friend, workout partner and senior bobo, until Rose stiffed him on some money he owed Janzen. Janzen spilled his knowledge to John Dowd, who made his case with it.

“Certain athletes become larger than the game in the fans eyes, and in their own eyes,’’ said Janzen. “(Rose) was always above it all. He thought no one would ever dare to question him. It’s the same mentality Clemens is (showing) in the Congressional hearings and on 60 Minutes.’’

In many ways, Janzen was to Rose who Brian McNamee was to Clemens. Each was an ordinary guy who befriended, enabled and bobo-ed a superstar player. Each was star-struck at first, then fiercely loyal. “I felt an obligation to protect Pete, and his image,’’ Janzen said.

Eventually, each turned on his famous friend. Janzen wanted his money, then did what he felt was right; McNamee wanted to stay out of prison.

“It’s not just athletes,’’ Janzen said. “It’s politicians, celebrities. People who think they’re bigger than the institution. “When competition becomes obsessive, when nothing matters (but) winning, not even integrity or honesty, that gets you in the pickle those guys are in.’’

MLB: Inside Pitch: Whither Griffey and Dunn?

Molony baloney and ash-soaked scoutspeak from around the league…

The Reds aren’t shopping either player at the moment, and new general manager Walt Jocketty is in the process of evaluating organizational talent. But it doesn’t hurt to be ready in case the Reds, 12-17 and in fifth place in the National League Central Division, decide to build for the future by unloading some of the more attractive veterans on the roster.

“They’ve got a good nucleus of young talent in [Joey] Votto, [Edwin] Encarnacion, [Brandon] Phillips, [Edinson] Volquez and [Johnny] Cueto, and more on the way like [outfielder Jay) Bruce and [pitcher Homer] Bailey,” a veteran scout said. “They could get very good very quickly with a few more players. If they don’t get going soon they’d be crazy not to try to move [Dunn and Griffey] for guys that could help them down the road, especially if both are going to be gone anyway when the season’s over.”

...Several regulars are slumping or sitting and yet the Phillies have outscored all but four NL teams (Chicago, Arizona, Los Angeles and St. Louis) and rank 10th among MLB’s 30 teams in runs scored.

“They should be buried, but they’re in better shape than they were this time last year,” one NL scout said. “Atlanta’s hurting; so is New York. They [the Phillies] get everybody back, and they could run away with that division.”

Reds Insider: Freel’s frustrated, really frustrated

I ended up with the manager
Full of lies and hate
Can you see the Freel me, can you?

Freel is angry and frustrated.

“I’m trying to be careful about what I say,” Freel said. “I’ve really got nothing good to say right now. There was a lot of stuff said that misinterpreted or mis-communicated this offseason.”

“It would have stunned a lot of people if they heard what was said about me. Apparently, I said I couldn’t play every day to the manager. Apparently, I told him that this offseason. That would have never come out of mouth.”

Therein lies the problem. Freel thinks that Dusty Baker misunderstanding of something Freel said led to some of the moves the Reds made—like bringing in Corey Patterson to play center field and leadoff.

“I talked to Wayne (Krivsky) to tell him I didn’t say that,” Freel said. “I would never in a million years say that. They gave me a two-year ($7 million) deal. I don’t think it was to do this. It’s frustrating. I can’t explain it. There’s a lot going on. It’s a shame that I had to address it like this. I didn’t want to get the media involved.”

Thanks to Fanhouse.

Hatteberg would welcome a trade

Veni, Vidi, Votto...I came, I saw, I sat.

Scott Hatteberg is not one to demand a trade or even complain. But you get the impression he’s miserable in his current role of pinch-hitter/occasional starter.

“It’s difficult,” he said. “I’ve never been a very good pinch-hitter. I’m trying to figure it out. I’m trying.”

...Hatteberg hit .310 last year. But his style is not suited for pinch-hitting. Manager Dusty Baker stressed to him that the only pitch a pinch-hitter gets to hit is oft times the first one. Hatteberg rarely swings at first pitches.

“That flies in the face of the way I hit,” he said. “This is my 13th year in the major leagues. I have a theory behind how I like to hit. I like to see a lot of pitches. Pinch-hitting isn’t really conducive to that. I change my approach a little bit.”

The Real McCoy: Baker and Bonds converse

I’ll stick with my 53rd and turd high-top Cons...thank you very much.

Later, a writer asked Dusty Baker point blank, “Did Bonds ask about coming back and playing for you?” Said Baker, “No, not at all. That did not come up from him or me.”

And will Bonds play baseball again?

“We talked about a lot of things, not much about baseball,” Baker said. “Hey, the longer he is out, the less likely he will come back. And the longer he is out, who knows, the less likely he may want to come back. I’m sure he has enough money and if you have enough money and your time is being occupied by what you like to do, maybe you enjoy that.”

...“Barry didn’t sound like he was missing the game to me, not at all,” said Baker. “Everybody misses the game, but there is some of the crap you don’t miss. In Barry’s case, he should have been the happiest man in the world. But he wasn’t. He had to read all that bad stuff about himself. You have to stop reading and don’t pay attention.”

Madden: Reds’ firing of GM Wayne Krivsky a senseless move by an impatient owner

Daily News’ retaining of Bill Madden a senseless...well, you get the rest.

By contrast, the Krivsky firing in Cincinnati was stunning and totally unjustified, the act of an impatient owner who is obviously clueless when it comes to baseball operations. While we’re happy for Krivsky’s replacement, Walt Jocketty, a solid and accomplished baseball exec who was fired under similarly unjustified circumstances by shortsighted St. Louis Cardinals ownership last year, we have to wonder how Castellini could conclude a change of GMs is suddenly going to make the Reds play better. Conceivably that might happen anyway as the team Krivsky put together appeared (on paper anyway) to be good enough to contend in the weak NL Central.

“I’ll be honest, I was flabbergasted when Bob called me in and said ‘This is going to be a very short conversation,’” Krivsky said by phone from Cincinnati. “I’m proud of the job I did in two years there and I’m forever grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunity. His passion’s great, but you’ve got to have more patience. As somebody pointed out to me, last year four teams that made the playoffs - the Yankees, Phillies, Cubs and Rockies - all started out 9-12 or worse.”

Sanchez shuts down Cincinnati (Giants move to second place in NL West)

Amid Tim Lincecum’s repeated excellence, Matt Cain’s power pitching and Kevin Correia’s 7 2/3 shutout innings against St. Louis on April 10, Sanchez turned in what might have been the finest effort by a Giants starter this year. He took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning and emerged with his second consecutive victory as the Giants subdued the Cincinnati Reds, 3-1.

Bengie Molina drove in two runs to help the Giants win their third game in a row, all of which have been close enough to require Brian Wilson’s services for the save.

The offense is still abysmal, but the way their young pitching is coming together I’m beginning to think they may get into a real dog fight this summer over fourth place in the division.

For this team, that would be quite the coup.

MLB: Reds don’t want to rush Bailey, Bruce

Riding the production-possibility frontier...using Dusty’s Trail.

Manager Dusty Baker said on Thursday that promoting Bailey and Bruce was a consideration, but indicated it wasn’t the preferred one yet.

“The thing about it, though, is you don’t want to stunt their progress and growth,” Baker said. “It’s very tempting to think only of today vs. thinking what’s right for them and us in the long run, for years to come. A month can be worth years in terms of experience and confidence.”

..."Need is not the issue right now,” Baker said. “The issue is we’ve got guys here that have done the job and are about to do the job. You’re telling me Adam Dunn is not going to hit 40 home runs? You’re telling me [Ken Griffey Jr.] isn’t going to hit 30 home runs, no matter how they’ve started? Is three weeks enough to say that they’re ready for here?

“I’m dying for them to get here. I really am. I’m excited for when they get here. But sometimes you have sit on your hands and let them play. It’s best for them.”

The Enquirer - Reds make new start

I was surprised with the timing of the Krivsky firing. It’s not like the Reds (9-12) were already out of the race at the time. Between this article and the one posted a little while ago the reason is coming clear, Krivsky’s front-office political skills aren’t quite up to par.

Because the Reds have been through two owners, four managers and an interim manager in six years, Castellini said he’s concerned with maintaining consistency. He hopes to establish that with Jocketty.

Jocketty is ready.

“I’m charged up and ready to go, and I think this organization is going in the right direction,” Jocketty said. “We’ve got a few things we’ve got to try and get to in the very near future to improve.”

Like what?

“I think one thing I’ve talked to Dusty about today, and it’s not just in the clubhouse, I think it’s the entire organization: we need to change the culture and the mindset and have everyone believe we can win and will win,” Jocketty said.

“You have to take a very positive approach, and you can’t look at all the negative things from time to time. You’ve got to surround yourself with positive people. And we’ll be able to do that and evaluate that in coming weeks and months, and make sure we have the right people who want to win. Because there’s talent here, there’s a lot of talent here.”

TSN: Justice: Walt Jocketty should bring October baseball back to Cincinnati

“It is not a Justice System.  It is just a system”

Wednesday was a good day for the Cincinnati Reds. They didn’t just hire a new general manager. They hired one of baseball’s most successful general managers.

Walt Jocketty has both credibility and a terrific track record. Years from now, that’s the part of the story people will remember. Departing GM Wayne Krivsky might have had his feelings hurt, but that’s going to happen when franchises are rebuilt.

Mark it on your calendar. This is going to be remembered as the day the Reds began their climb back to prominence.

The Reds desperately needed stability, and now with Bob Castellini as CEO, Dusty Baker as manager and Jocketty as GM, they’ve got it.

The Real McCoy: Krivsky his own enemy

Gee, GM Krivsky,
We’re down on our knees,
‘Cause no one wants a fellow with an anti-social disease

It wasn’t fun. Krivsky remained my friend, but he changed. He was not forthcoming with information to the media, not even on the most menial things. He was guarded, overly guarded. Two years ago during the winter meetings in Orlando, I took him aside in his suite after another unproductive media meeting in which he divulged nothing about what the team was doing or trying to do.

I said, “Wayne, remember when we had lunches and chatted about your future and how much fun we’d have together with the Reds?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Well, I’m not having fun,” I said. “Remember when I told you how difficult it was sometimes getting information from your predecessor, Dan O’Brien? Well, you’re worse.”

Krivsky seemed to think about it, but nothing changed. And nothing changed with the Reds.

Nobody likes to see anybody lose his job, especially a friend. But Krivsky cut his own throat.

Wayne Krivsky Fired

DAMN YOU, GARY MAJEWSKI!

The Cincinnati Reds have fired general manager Wayne Krivsky less than three years into his tenure, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Krivsky, a former assistant GM with the Minnesota Twins, was hired in 2006, succeeding Dan O’Brien. He was the first general manager to be hired under the Reds ownership group led by Bob Castellini and is in the last year of a three-year contract.

The Reds are currently 9-12 and 5½ games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.

MLB.com: [Francisco] Cordero hurting for save opportunities

It seems almost ironic.

The Reds spent $46 million to land free-agent closer Francisco Cordero. And now they can’t give him any games to close.

Entering Tuesday, the Reds ranked 30th out of 30 Major League teams in save opportunities with two.
...
“I want to get some saves because it shows we’re winning, but you just want us to get back on track,” said Cordero, who signed a four-year contract in November. “You want to win, it doesn’t matter if I get a save situation or not. I’m sure it will come.”
...
“He’ll have plenty of opportunities, trust me,” Baker said. “I’m waiting for the day when you ask me ‘Dusty, are you really using him again today?’”

The Real McCoy: Corey Patterson: a temporary seat

Well, if it looks like a strikeout, smells like a strikeout, feels like a strikeout, and tastes like a strikeout, it must be a pile of strikeouts....I’m sure glad we didn’t step in it then!

Corey Patterson’s name was not on the Cincinnati Reds lineup sheet tonight - as many have begged for, pleaded for and prayed for.

Ryan Freel was in center field and batting leadoff, Patterson’s normal spots. But his 0 for 20 and 1 for 28 slide-for-life had nothing to do with his one-night stand in the dugout.

Baker was not aware of Patterson’s slump until a writer informed him Sunday.

“Really?” said Baker. “I did not know that. He hasn’t been striking out a lot so a long stretch of no hits is not as noticeable as when a guy piles up the strikeouts.”