My Friends, We Have Seen the Dark Night, and Clawed Out of the Abyss For Now

I played baseball from age six to age twelve. It was a terrifying experience. I wasn't good. I rarely had a plate appearance where my primary emotion wasn't abject terror. It wasn't a fear of getting hit by a pitch; that happened a few times, sometimes it hurt worse than others, but never more than a bruise. Maybe it was fear of failure, but more than anything it was a fear of the spotlight, of everyone looking at me. I just hated the feeling of being the focal point. My batting average in five years was probably somewhere around .100. I did have a decent OBP because I went to the plate looking for a walk, and often got it in Little League.

There were a couple of times, though, when the opposing pitcher wasn't three years older than me, or didn't throw hard, or maybe I was just seeing the ball better, when I would swing hard and really get ahold of it, send a gapper to right-center, feel like I'd really done something, even though the feeling going to the plate was just as terrified. Wow, I'd think, I really did something good.

The Cincinnastians came into the Bronx losers of five straight, running into a Yankees team that had been doing nothing but win, and have taken the first two of the series. Suddenly this team is capable of clutch hitting. The starting pitching and bullpen have been lights-out. The Reds pursue a sweep tomorrow afternoon.

As a longtime Yankee hater I don't want to admit it, but there is definitely something special about watching the Reds play at Yankee Stadium. Seeing them win there last night on the back of an Edinson Volquez gem (seriously, there is no justice if he doesn't start the All-Star Game) brought back memories of seeing the Ohio basketball team win at North Carolina my sophomore year. Obviously the feeling wasn't as strong, just because I'm not going to see Paul Janish at the grocery store tomorrow afternoon and be able to honk at him and hold up the student newspaper or anything. But it's a similar feeling. The Reds hadn't played at Yankee Stadium since the 1976 World Series, and to see this group go there and win the first two brings out a definite feeling of pride, of accomplishment, like they finally got a couple of wins this year that will feel significant for a long time, even if they really aren't that meaningful in the big picture.

Volquez was just transcendent again, just pitched a fantastic seven innings last night. Votto's homer was monstrous and Jolbert Cabrera broke the tie with a big double. Unfortunately the Reds' shortstop woes continued as he dislocated a finger sliding into second late in the contest. All the talk after the game, though, was Volquez, who had the Yankees' veteran lineup spellbound. Of course, now the national media likely will treat it as if he's a new discovery or something, even though he's pitched this well all year.

Really, though, as good as Volquez has been, I predicted Friday would at least be a close game, even if the Reds didn't win. Today I didn't really have such a good feeling about, but the Legs blew open a scoreless game with a four-run seventh and downed the Highlanders, 6-0.

I only had radio for this one but it seemed that Darryl Thompson acquainted himself well, dancing out of trouble for most of his first five big-league innings. Per Brantley he showed nice poise and good velocity. Edwin came through with a two-run single to put the Reds on the board (again Edwin with the clutch hitting, he hasn't been setting the world on fire the last couple of weeks but there's no one at the plate in a big situation I'd rather have up there) and -- get this --Corey Patterson hit a two-run upper deck shot.

When stuff like that's happening, you know things are going well.

Tomorrow it's Johnny Greato (does he seem to start every other Sunday afternoon game or what?) against Andy Pettite. Greato's actually settled down a bit as far as start quality as of late; he's lasted at least five in his last seven starts and hasn't been awful in any of them, save his first inning against the Cardinals at home. He hasn't looked unhittable like at first, but he hasn't looked lost either, and that's the really encouraging thing. Pettite is Pettite; veteran lefty who knows how to get guys out. Let's get three straight, eh? Game time is 1:05 Eastern, 10:05 here in Burritoville.