There is something about the "modern" baseball fan that feels the need to be overly critical of a struggling baseball player. Teddy Kremer does the opposite. If it's his team, he loves them win or lose.
For years I watched Kremer, who has Down's Syndrome, on the Colerain sideline at football games in which his older brother Dave was a solid player. When everyone kept their distance from a player, who fumbled, Teddy was there to pat his back and give them a hug.
 |
| http://www.wiedemannbeer.com/ |
There was the time that Brad Schutte missed a critical kick near the end of a playoff game in a Colerain loss to Elder. Teddy was right there for comfort.
Professional baseball players, being paid way more than the average worker, has every move criticized, analyzed and scrutinized to an unfair degree. The high pay adds to the pressure and the expectations. It is refreshing that Teddy doesn't care. That he pulls for his players through thick and thin.
Todd Frazier found out first hand. He struck out in the second inning and was a little down.
"Frazier said that Teddy came over and gave him a hug and Frazier was mad about striking out. Teddy came over and gave him a hug. Fraz said I can't stay mad any more," Dusty Baker said.
"Teddy was praying for 11 (runs) and 11 (strikeouts). He loves that pizza, boy."
LaRosa's awards personal pizzas whenever Reds' pitchers strikeout 11 batters.
Tony Cingrani had a tall order. He has to replace the Reds' ace, Johnny Cueto.
"He pitched well," Dusty Baker said. "He may have been overthrowing a little bit. Some of his pitches were high and that's not him. He gave us what we needed and we gave him what he needed."
The Reds solved a 20-year old pitcher for the Miami Marlins. Jose Fernandez is just 20-years old. He was the first player (14th overall) chosen in the 2011 draft out of Alonso High School in Miami
"He has great stuff," former Red Austin Kearns said before the game. "It is strange being around a 20-year old like that." Kearns now 32 was the Reds' first pick in 1998. He is well aware of inflated expectations.
Through 2 2/3 innings the Reds understood why the hype about Fernandez was justified.
Shin-Soo Choo solved the rookie with a single. Zack Cozart walked as did Joey Votto, who reached base three times and has been a base runner in all 16 games. Choo scored on a wild pitch.
Cingrani allowed a leadoff home run to Justin Ruggiano in the fourth. It was his second of the season and just the fourth for the Marlins this season.
The Reds piled on in the fourth batting around while scoring four runs.
"When you face a pitcher for the first time, you don't know how he throws," Cozart said. "He throws 95 plus and for the most part he's throwing sliders for strikes and with guys on base he threw some changes which is unusual for a guy that throws that hard," Cozart said.
Cingrani was grateful.
"After I gave up the home run, they came back and scored four," Cingrani said. "It was unbelievable I can't ask for anything more. One run in five innings in my first game is not too bad. I have to throw more first pitch strikes the next time."
No comments:
Post a Comment