Top 9 - Rays at Reds

Jon Adkins is in to pitch for the Reds. Blady-blah-blah. Hey, it's the last inning and I just wanted to say what a pleasure it has been blogging for you, whoever you are out there. This has been a great spring, and I hope we helped bring the sights and sounds and food to you as if you were down here in sunny Florida sitting next to us.
Billy Blanks might not approve of my blogging techniques, but I try my best. I leave it all in the press box. I give it 110 percent. I take it game-by-game.
As a line drive zips into the stands, I thank the lord above for saving me from seeing the wrong end of a Rawlings baseball.
The Rays just lost 8-4, but I was just getting started.
I hope you keep reading these spring blogs, but if you want some real advice, the best thing you can do is come down to Florida and watch some of these games. It's the best vacation you can take. You can't be sad or angry at a spring training baseball game.
And that's why I'm sad we have to say goodbye to the boys of spring. Back to the real world we go. All good things must end. I will also say goodbye to you, my loyal readers. One last time, this is Douglas A. Kaid signing off from sunny Florida.

Final score: Reds 8, Rays 4

Bottom 8 - Rays at Reds

Jino Gonzalez gives up a hit to Chris Valaika, which means we get another look at Drew Stubbs. He's not in major league camp, so he had no name on his jersey and he's wearing No. 93, but the Reds fans probably know the name well. I saw a lady walking around with a Dayton Dragons cap on. Bet she's seen him a little bit. Stubbs walked and now the Reds have runners on first and second with two down for Scott Hatteberg, professional hitter, who professionally doubles Valaika and Stubbs home.
Chris Denove singles Hatteberg home, and all of the sudden the Reds are up 8-4 after trailing 3-0 at one point.
Shawn Riggans is having a hard time getting the ball back to pitcher. Once he threw it over Gonzalez's head, then he short-hopped him. On the very next pitch, he tried to pick the runner off a first, perfect throw. That's odd.
Gonzalez was undeterred by his catcher's struggles as he recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

Reds 8, Rays 4

Top 8 - Rays at Reds

Jim Brower is back for more, folks. This time I didn't have time to research more on Brower because he was so dominant.

Reds 5, Rays 4

Bottom 7 - Rays at Reds

J.P. Howell, the Rays other lefty reliever and former starter, takes the mound for the bottom of the seventh.
Howell, another former Longhorn, has never clicked as a major league starter, but the Rays think he can be a competent major league reliever. We shall see. At least they will keep him there for a while. I don't think they will be shuttling him between the starting rotation and bullpen if someone gets injured. They Rays have too many other options in the rotation.
Howell looked sharp with a perfect seventh, striking out the final two batters he faced.

Reds 5, Rays 4

Top 7 - Rays at Reds

Journeyman pitcher Jim Brower takes the hill for the Reds. Jim Brower, this is your life. You were drafted in 1994 in the sixth round by the Texas Rangers. By 1999 you had made the big leagues with the Indians. You pitched there for three years, then split parts of 2002 between Montreal, yes Montreal, and Cincy. You then put together a couple solid seasons in 2003 and 2004 with the Giants, throwing a combined 193 innings over the course of two years. You started 2005 with the Giants but were released after a terrible start to the season and ended up signing with the Braves. In 2006, you spent time with the Orioles and Padres. The Yankees gave you three-plus innings last season. You were once part of a trade involving Livan Hernandez. And you just escaped the seventh without allowing a run, despite putting two runners on. Jim Brower, this was your life.

Reds 5, Rays 4

Bottom 6 - Rays at Reds

Elliot Johnson is testing his super-ute status as he moves from second to right field. New Rays pitcher Scott Munter makes quick work of Justin Turner with a K, and Chris Helsey appears headed the same way with two quick strikes. Ah, not so fast, my friends. Helsey lines a single to left.

You gotta figure the Reds are going to get out of here very soon after the game, if some of them aren't en route to Cincy already. They have a workout tomorrow at 1 p.m. Chris Valaika won't be joining them, but he lines right and the Reds once again have runners on first and second, this time with one down.
Javier Valentin makes sure the Reds don't squander this chance. He homers opposite field over the LF fence. That's a three-run shot from the former Ray and brother of Jose Valentin.
Now we get a look at Stubbs, who hit .270 with 12 homers last year in Dayton. He'll probably be in Sarasota this summer.
With a tip of the cap to Baseball America, here is their assessment of Stubbs strengths: "Stubbs' athleticism jumps out at first glance. He combines plus raw power with a gliding stride that swallows up giant swaths of real estate in the outfield. Though his speed was limited in 2007 by a nagging turf-toe injury, he's a plus-plus runner when healthy and has excellent instincts on the base-paths. He has a solid arm and led the Midwest League with 15 outfield assists."
Anyway, Stubbs got out, but Hatteberg singled. Chris Denove blooped a ball to right for Elliot Johnson's first real test. He couldn't get to the ball, then let it skip past him. Test failed, but Johnson hustled back and threw Denove out trying to stretch his luck to second base. Nonetheless, the Reds their first lead.

Reds 5, Rays 4

Top 6 - Rays at Reds

Drew Stubbs is in the house for the Reds. Stubbs played college ball for the Texas Longhorns and is a fairly decent prospect. He was the 8th overall pick in the 2006 draft.
With former Rays backup catcher behind the plate for the Reds, current Rays backup catcher Shawn Riggans doubles to left-center.
I consulted my Baseball America prospect list to find Stubbs. He's ranked No. 5 in the organization. But while I was looking that up, I saw that Cueto is ranked behind Homer Bailey and Votto on top of Bruce. I had that wrong a little earlier, though in my humble opinion Cueto has passed Bailey and Votto as a prospect.
Anyway, the Rays added a run off Todd Coffey, but the rally ended there as Pedroza, the fourth inning here, grounded into a double play to end the inning. From two-run double to double-play, that's how baseball works, folks. Penthouse to ...

Rays 4, Reds 2