Opening Day: Props and Drops

I’m still thinking it was somehow a dream…until I go here and watch it…over and over. It never gets tiresome either.

And now, on with the post although I won’t blame you for watching the video of the Ramon Hernandez walk-off winner on a loop.  And with this post, I introduce something I’ll call “Props and Drops”. Kind of a version of good and bad. They may be game related, may not. They will revolve around the game in some way.

Props:
1. Lance McAlister. He called it! No, not the home run by Hernandez. Shortly after the miraculous comeback was complete, Lane tweeted this…

and wouldn’t you know that this happened…

Lance really needs to hit the boats a bit.

2. The tribute to Sparky. I’m not afraid to admit this, but anytime I even see a video clip or picture of Sparky, I get a little misty eyed. I guess that goes back to when my family was in St. Louis (of all places) to see a Reds game and SParky took time to talk to a little kid.

3. The bullpen. Jordan Smith and Logan Ondrusek did struggle, but Bill Bray got Smith a bit off of the hook and Ondrusek pitched through his own issues of walks. And Sam LeCure was perfect in his inning. Couldn’t ask for much more from these guys.

4. Edinson Volquez. You do need to give him credit. Of the 5 runs he allowed, three were on solo shots. The one aspect I liked seeing in the boxscore: 5 SO, 2 BB.

5. Ramon Hernandez. Obvious, huh? But he went 4-for-5. Funniest thing is that the out he made was with the bases loaded. I think he atoned for that…

Drops:
1. John Axford…and not for what you think either. Shortly after the game, my column for Reds related tweets on my Tweet Deck was going berserk. In fact, it froze a couple of times and I pretty much gave up trying to read all the tweets…until I saw one from a Brewers fan that had re-tweeted an Axford tweet. It said something along the lines of the loss being a setback and it will serve as motivation to crush to Reds. Bad call, John, because I (from my personal account) responded…

The tweet has since been removed…

2. 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Yes, I know. That “1” was a huge one…

3. Those among the 42,398 in attendance that left early. I get it to an extent. It’s not necessarily to beat the traffic either. Some people (and I do NOT know or could even guess a percentage) go to Opening Day just to say they went to Opening Day. Some go and don’t know a damn thing about baseball. Point is, if you have a ticket to Opening Day, you stay until the game is over!

4. First base umpire Larry Vanover. Did he ever give those wanting instant replay to be expanded a boost by blowing a call in the bottom of the third. That was clearly a catch by Mark Kotsay.

5. Casey McGehee. Not so much that he attempted to tag Brandon Phillips. but you really need to get at least one out. You got none. That “extra out” permitted Ramon Hernandez to get an at-bat.