NL Wild Card Preview: Reds, Pirates in winner-take-all game
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
One hundred and sixty-two games were played this season by both the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Game 163, the Wild Card Play-In game, is the only game that will matter for those two with the Reds traveling to Pittsburgh Tuesday in a one-game, winner-take-all format.
The winner of the NL Wild Card in Pittsburgh will take on the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS on Thursday.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto spoke about the one-game playoff format on Saturday following the Reds' loss to the Pirates. Cincinnati lost their final three games of the regular season to the Pirates at Great American Ball Park.
The Wild Card game will be played at Pittsburgh's PNC Park at 8:07 p.m. on TBS. The Pirates were 5-4 at home vs. the Reds this season and 11-8 overall in their 19 meetings.
"With the one-game playoff, I don't really think there is an advantage," Votto said when asked about the Pittsburgh home field advantage."I think it is a flip of the coin type of thing. Maybe since they are at home, they have a 51-percent chance and we have 49 [percent].
"They proved here, and we proved in Pittsburgh, that home field can be a bit overrated. I'm sure they will feel like it's a real advantage, and that's fine, but I've noticed over the last few years it seems the best teams that get to the World Series are the teams that have to overcome something, typically overcome something on the road."
Reds right fielder Jay Bruce also spoke on Saturday about the one-game playoff being in Pittsburgh.
"I look at our team, and I just believe in our team," he said. "We are capable of winning anywhere, and obviously when you go play on the road, it is a 'quote, unquote' tougher atmosphere, but that's what we have to do.
"Anything is possible, especially in a one-game playoff. Obviously, you want to be here (GABP), but that's not the case. (We) can't do anything about it, and the only thing to do is go win."
Looking back at last season, the Reds had home field advantage in the NLDS when they faced the San Francisco Giants. In that series, the Reds won the first two games on the West Coast, but unfortunately for the Reds, they lost the next three games in Cincinnati.
Votto, who walked 135 times in '13, is a fan of the one-game play-in format.
"I think the one-game format is great, it's good for baseball," he said. "We wouldn't even be in the playoffs if it wasn't for that, so my perspective (is) anything that increases fan interest, increases attendance and energizes cities that in the past wouldn't have that hope or belief deep into September … it is fantastic."
Reds manager Dusty Baker looked back at the collapse from 2012, when the Reds held a 2-0 lead against the Giants, but then lost three straight to end their season.
"Not really, it wasn't last year in the playoffs for us," Baker said when asked if home field was important. "We beat them in San Francisco, and they beat us here. And this is one game.
"(Who will win) depends on who gets the best pitched game, who gets the two-out RBIs and who gets the best fundamental baseball. Tuesday is a new day, (and we) got to start over again."
The Reds finished in third place in the NL Central this season with a 90-72 overall record, trailing the Cardinals (97-65) and the Pirates (94-68) in the standings.
The starting pitchers for the two teams will be Dominican-born, with the Pirates starting Francisco Liriano (16-8, 3.02 ERA), while the Reds are scheduled to start Johnny Cueto (5-2, 2.82 ERA). This is the third time in MLB history two Dominican-born players will start a playoff game. Both Cueto and Liriano are 0-2 in their previous postseason starts.
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"Cueto is the man," Baker said. "He's going Tuesday … (Mat) Latos, his arm is barking some, so we're going with Cuteo. We're hoping these couple days off, he'll (Latos) be ready for (St. Louis)."
Baker was then asked whether it was a calculated gamble to start Cueto, since he's had numerous stints on the DL this season. Cueto was the Opening Day starter for the Reds, and started Game One of the NLDS last season, but left the game after facing just two batters.
"Not really a calculated gamble," he said. "If Latos' arm is sore … is barking, you aren't pitching him either. It's not a calculated gamble, it's a necessity."
Votto spoke about facing Liriano, especially at home, where the ace of the Pirates' staff has an ERA of 1.43 at PNC Park.
"We're not really concerned about his season numbers (home or away). We know he's a tough competitor, a tough guy for us to face," he said. "We need to play well against him."
The first baseman of the Reds, who is currently batting .305, said Cueto is the ace of the Reds' pitching staff.
"There is no question, injury or not, Johnny is still our ace," Votto said. "I know that Mat Latos has put a lot of pressure on the pitching staff, challenging them through his performance, set a high standard. Johnny was hurt a good percentage of the year, and last year, should have been an All-Star.
"(He) received Cy Young votes, and they just don't hand those things out. Johnny looks like the same Johnny, and that's why I think I call him our ace."
One thing the Reds have in their favor is postseason experience. A majority of the roster has played in the postseason at one time, while the same can't be said for the Pirates, as most, but not all, of their lineup has never been in the postseason.
"I think our experience in the postseason helps a little bit," Votto said. "The atmosphere, the media attention, the fan energy and just how the entire day is basically built around the game, as in the regular season you are just going through the routine and prep for the day.
"Having that advantage – for the most part, our clubhouse has that experience of playing in the postseason – could possibly help us."
When all the dust settles Tuesday, the Reds know they must win if they want to play in Cincinnati at least one more time this year.
"It would have been great to have played that first playoff game here," Votto said. "Now we are going to have to earn some home playoff games and play well enough to get baseball back in Cincinnati after the regular season."
The winner of the NL Wild Card in Pittsburgh will take on the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS on Thursday.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto spoke about the one-game playoff format on Saturday following the Reds' loss to the Pirates. Cincinnati lost their final three games of the regular season to the Pirates at Great American Ball Park.
The Wild Card game will be played at Pittsburgh's PNC Park at 8:07 p.m. on TBS. The Pirates were 5-4 at home vs. the Reds this season and 11-8 overall in their 19 meetings.
"With the one-game playoff, I don't really think there is an advantage," Votto said when asked about the Pittsburgh home field advantage."I think it is a flip of the coin type of thing. Maybe since they are at home, they have a 51-percent chance and we have 49 [percent].
"They proved here, and we proved in Pittsburgh, that home field can be a bit overrated. I'm sure they will feel like it's a real advantage, and that's fine, but I've noticed over the last few years it seems the best teams that get to the World Series are the teams that have to overcome something, typically overcome something on the road."
Reds right fielder Jay Bruce also spoke on Saturday about the one-game playoff being in Pittsburgh.
"I look at our team, and I just believe in our team," he said. "We are capable of winning anywhere, and obviously when you go play on the road, it is a 'quote, unquote' tougher atmosphere, but that's what we have to do.
"Anything is possible, especially in a one-game playoff. Obviously, you want to be here (GABP), but that's not the case. (We) can't do anything about it, and the only thing to do is go win."
Looking back at last season, the Reds had home field advantage in the NLDS when they faced the San Francisco Giants. In that series, the Reds won the first two games on the West Coast, but unfortunately for the Reds, they lost the next three games in Cincinnati.
Votto, who walked 135 times in '13, is a fan of the one-game play-in format.
"I think the one-game format is great, it's good for baseball," he said. "We wouldn't even be in the playoffs if it wasn't for that, so my perspective (is) anything that increases fan interest, increases attendance and energizes cities that in the past wouldn't have that hope or belief deep into September … it is fantastic."
Reds manager Dusty Baker looked back at the collapse from 2012, when the Reds held a 2-0 lead against the Giants, but then lost three straight to end their season.
"Not really, it wasn't last year in the playoffs for us," Baker said when asked if home field was important. "We beat them in San Francisco, and they beat us here. And this is one game.
"(Who will win) depends on who gets the best pitched game, who gets the two-out RBIs and who gets the best fundamental baseball. Tuesday is a new day, (and we) got to start over again."
The Reds finished in third place in the NL Central this season with a 90-72 overall record, trailing the Cardinals (97-65) and the Pirates (94-68) in the standings.
The starting pitchers for the two teams will be Dominican-born, with the Pirates starting Francisco Liriano (16-8, 3.02 ERA), while the Reds are scheduled to start Johnny Cueto (5-2, 2.82 ERA). This is the third time in MLB history two Dominican-born players will start a playoff game. Both Cueto and Liriano are 0-2 in their previous postseason starts.
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"Cueto is the man," Baker said. "He's going Tuesday … (Mat) Latos, his arm is barking some, so we're going with Cuteo. We're hoping these couple days off, he'll (Latos) be ready for (St. Louis)."
Baker was then asked whether it was a calculated gamble to start Cueto, since he's had numerous stints on the DL this season. Cueto was the Opening Day starter for the Reds, and started Game One of the NLDS last season, but left the game after facing just two batters.
"Not really a calculated gamble," he said. "If Latos' arm is sore … is barking, you aren't pitching him either. It's not a calculated gamble, it's a necessity."
Votto spoke about facing Liriano, especially at home, where the ace of the Pirates' staff has an ERA of 1.43 at PNC Park.
"We're not really concerned about his season numbers (home or away). We know he's a tough competitor, a tough guy for us to face," he said. "We need to play well against him."
The first baseman of the Reds, who is currently batting .305, said Cueto is the ace of the Reds' pitching staff.
"There is no question, injury or not, Johnny is still our ace," Votto said. "I know that Mat Latos has put a lot of pressure on the pitching staff, challenging them through his performance, set a high standard. Johnny was hurt a good percentage of the year, and last year, should have been an All-Star.
"(He) received Cy Young votes, and they just don't hand those things out. Johnny looks like the same Johnny, and that's why I think I call him our ace."
One thing the Reds have in their favor is postseason experience. A majority of the roster has played in the postseason at one time, while the same can't be said for the Pirates, as most, but not all, of their lineup has never been in the postseason.
"I think our experience in the postseason helps a little bit," Votto said. "The atmosphere, the media attention, the fan energy and just how the entire day is basically built around the game, as in the regular season you are just going through the routine and prep for the day.
"Having that advantage – for the most part, our clubhouse has that experience of playing in the postseason – could possibly help us."
When all the dust settles Tuesday, the Reds know they must win if they want to play in Cincinnati at least one more time this year.
"It would have been great to have played that first playoff game here," Votto said. "Now we are going to have to earn some home playoff games and play well enough to get baseball back in Cincinnati after the regular season."