Xavier Paul Starts Against Stephen Strasburg

Dusty Baker quoted the numbers.  Left-handed batters are hitting .270 against Stephen Strasburg.  Right-handers have managed just .185.

The first three Reds hitters are left-handed today; Choo, Paul and Votto.

"I doubt if those guys know the numbers. Sometimes I don't want them to know," Baker said.  "Sometimes I hide the numbers.  (Jack) Hannahan would be starting too but Frazier's so hot.  Paul was used to playing every day in spring training and is is only a week since we've been there.  So he should be ready.  I try to get guys an at-bat the day before I start them.  You can tell who is going to start sometimes by how I use them the day before."

Paul had one hit in four at-bats but that was a grand slam home run on Friday night.

Heisey has three hits in 20 at-bats for a .150 average.

Johnny Cueto will duel the Nationals' phenom as the mound opponent.

Cueto doesn't care who he pitches against.

"Johnny C is not easily rattled.  He used to be but not any more," Baker said. "He never complains about who he's pitching against.  I've had some guys complain that they get all the tough draws."

When Cueto used to get rattled it was when he would get in trouble on the mound with runners on.

"It's a gradual thing.  The more you get out of trouble.  You find out how to get out of trouble. That's the secret, how to get out of trouble," Baker said.  "Or you find out how to get out of trouble with damage control. You give one run up instead of for.  Cueto knows how to pitch to the situation. If he needs a strikeout or needs a double play, he pitches to the situation.  The good ones do that.  I remember we'd get the bases loaded with one out against (Greg) Maddux. He'd throw that sinker and get a double play. People would call him that lucky so-and-so.  Some guys get lucky all the time."

Choo has been hit four times in five games.  Baker would prefer that he use some other method to reach base.

"These amateurs holler, 'take one for the team', but that ain't the way to get on," Baker said.  "It means they are pitching him inside.  It's only two or three inches between an inside strike and hitting you. They are going to pitch him inside until he proves they can't come in there. As long as they hit him in the legs, those big tree trunks he has.  You just don't want him to get hit in the hand. You shouldn't get hit there if you're getting out of the way properly.  Unless one gets away and you don't see it."