All Things Bubba

March 13, 2007: Cincinnati Reds 6, New York Yankees 3

It wasn't easy to follow the game last night. Not only was it not on TV, not on the radio, and not webcast, my computer lost its connection to the Internet, so I couldn't even follow it on Gameday. By the time I figured out it was my computer and not Verizon's fault, the game had started. I dug out my laptop and hooked up the modem. I tried using the CD Verizon gave me, but the computer choked, giving me the blue screen of death. Twice. Finally, I set up the connection manually (which I should have done to begin with), and I was in business...about half-way through the game.

Bubba entered the game as a defensive replacement in the 7th, playing left field. Robby Cano hit a double to left. Trent, who was live-blogging the game (more or less - Blogger was really slow last night), said he thought Bubba deserved an error on the play. Sigh. I don't know what happened.

Our boy redeemed himself in the next inning. Basak singled, then Andy Phillips, in his first at-bat of the season, grounded into a double play. Cairo and Tabata singled, then Melky was up. He hit a liner to left, but Bubba made a nice running catch, robbing him and ending the inning.

Bubba got only one at-bat, in the 9th. Matt DeSalvo started the inning, and wasn't very effective. He gave up a single, a walk, then another single, without getting any outs. Bubba came to the plate with runners on the corners, no outs. Cue the theme from "Halloween" - they pulled DeSalvo, and brought Mike Myers, the lefty specialist. He plunked Bubba, loading the bases. (Gee, DeSalvo couldn't do that.) The Yanks then put another pitcher on the mound: TJ Beam. (This prompted some complaining from Reds fans, seeing as it's only a spring training game. I tried to explain to them that Myers was a LOOGY, and couldn't be expected to plunk two hitters in one game.... ;-)

Anyway, Beam managed to get three outs, while only giving up one run. Kevin Thompson homered off Brian Meadows in the bottom of the 9th, but it was too little, too late.

So Bubba technically did not get any at-bats last night. That means he's hitting .333 / .429 / .583.

After the game, the Yankees made a lot of cuts to their roster - including Tabata and Hughes. I think the Reds may be planning something similar, after Thursday's double-header. Seems like most of the other teams have already made deeper cuts than the Reds have.

Someone who was down in Sarasota posted a brief report at RHM. He thinks Bubba will make the team; he watched a lot of BP, as well as some games, and says Bubba can hit, while Deno is struggling. Someone said something similar in a comment at Trent's blog: that Bubba just looks a lot better at the plate than Deno. John Fay said today that if it comes down to Deno or Hopper, Hopper will be the one making the roster. He didn't say anything about Bubba, but his projected roster has Bubba making the 25-man over both Deno and Hopper. (Crossing my fingers...)

Trent posted the lineups; Bubba is starting in right field against Tampa Bay tonight. Go, Bubba!