brewhavingaball

Not often does a player get a standing ovation before his first plate appearance in the Bigs.  Not often does a player get walked in that first plate appearance when the next hitter is a sure-shot, first-ballot Hall of Famer, who will hit 600 home runs.  So take notice of what happened in the bottom of the first inning in Cincinnati’s 9-6 pasting of the Pirates last night because both happened last night.

Jay Bruce, who some in the Reds organization are predicting will be the best player ever to come out of the organization, made a very workmanlike splash into the Reds line-up last night.  He finished 3-3, with two walks (that is 5-5 as far as OBP), 2 runs scored, 2 RBI’s, a stolen base, and a double. 

The how was even more impressive.

After the walk in the first inning, he smacked an opposite field single into left in the third, and walked again in the fifth.  Then came the impressive stuff.  Bruce faced Damaso Marte in the sixth, one of the leagues premier lefty specialist, with the bases loaded and very calmly drove another single through the left side of the infield and kept the line moving for the Reds.  Although Marte was not at his best last night, Bruce has already done better than most lefties who have been around for many years.  In his last at-bat it looked as if he had capped his night off in story-book fashion when he drilled a laser off the wall in right field for an RBI double.  Most in attendance thought they were seeing his first major league home run.  They probably won’t have to wait very long.

Bruce’s mere presence was important for the Reds for all sorts of reasons, not just for his clear ability and spark that had the fans chanting his name before and after each of his plate appearances.  The most immediate help was waking a team that had played an 18 inning marathon on Sunday in San Diego.  But that is minor compared to his long term contribution.

The Reds are looking to move Griffey, who Cincinnati hasn’t turned on, but…let’s just say this marriage wasn’t quite as glorious as both parties expected.  The Reds need a hero, and while rookie starter Edinson Volquez looks fantastic, fans need a reason to go every night, not just every fifth night.  The Reds’ rebuilding effort will also get support locally now that fans can see a solid core (Joey Votto and Johnny Cueto are two other good looking young pieces).

And now they have their hero.

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