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2009 MLB National League Central Notebook
Cincinnati meet the Chicago White Sox in the first Civil Rights game that will ever be played during the regular season on June 20. Usually, that game is played in the spring training weekend before the start of the season.
Some of the dignitaries expected to attend the weekend of festivities are Hank Aaron, Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bob Gibson and baseball commissioner Bud Selig. The June 20 luncheon will feature keynote speaker former president Bill Clinton.
The Reds need all of the karma that they can get since they have not exactly dominated the competition since Great American Ballpark opened seven seasons ago.
All-time the Reds are 255-259-1 in their home confines. There have only been two times the Reds have been at .500 there, 217-217-1 and 57-57. Also, when they went 43-38 in 2008, that established a new record for wins at the ballpark.
MILWAUKEE
What looked like a pretty good handle of first place in the National League Central is looking shaky.
The Brewers have suffered their longest losing streak of the year of four by losing the last game of a series in Atlanta and then coming home and getting swept in a three-game series against Colorado.
No losing streak is easy to take but the Brewers have suffered by losing three one-run games and losing a two-run game. Milwaukee saw its lead in the division shaved to a half game over St. Louis.
But the Brewers’ offense is very feast or famine. The Brewers are fifth in runs scored and 14 th in batting average.
ST. LOUIS
Too much is being made of Albert Pujols’ soft streak at the plate. Still, the Redbirds are trying to get healthy again.
Shortstop Khalil Greene, who has been on the disabled list since late May with a social anxiety issue, has begun a rehab assignment with Triple A Memphis. Greene has said it has been difficult to deal with pressure and failure.
He was brought over from San Diego to be the everyday shortstop but has really struggled by hitting .200 with seven errors. Greene has been known as one of the better defensive shortstops in the game but it appeared he just had problems handling the expectations of playing in a very baseball savvy city.
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PITTSBURGH
Closer Matt Capps is having one of the most bizarre seasons that a closer can have. Capps has converted 15 of 17 save opportunities.
However, Capps also has a balloonish 5.23 ERA. And he also doesn’t have blow-it-by-you stuff. He has recorded just 13 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings. He has also surrendered 25 hits and walked nine.
Yet Capps does find a way to get it done. Really, there only has been two games where he wasn’t effective. He gave up seven runs in those two appearances in May.
CHICAGO
It’s tough enough to lose but if you’re losing like the Cubs, it can be downright exasperating. After losing the last two games in a series at Houston by the same score of 2-1, it marked the eighth time in the last 12 games where the Cubs have scored three or fewer runs.
Finally, manager Lou Piniella had enough, “They’re going to have to find it. It sounds cruel, it sounds harsh, but it's reality. What am I going to do? Just keep running them out there and hope it gets better. That's all you can do."
HOUSTON
It’s kind of an interesting time for the Astros. Two veterans are on the verge of reaching personal milestones.
Shortstop Miguel Tejada is sitting on 1,999 career hits. Meanwhile first baseman Lance Berkman is at 299 career home runs. The good news is that Berkman is starting to get hot. Over the last month, he has raised his batting average about 20 points to .253.
By Kevin Lonnquist
MLBcenter.com Staff Writer
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