Dusty is already getting grief in Cincy. First there was the Edwin Encarnacion missed bunts then 3-run homer to win the game. Now over at Bugs and Cranks we read about this:

I am confused at Dusty Baker’s decision to let him hit in the 7th and, because they lost, I don’t feel as happy as I should after watching Cueto pitch.

With Cincinnati down 1-0, they had a runner on second with one out when Cueto’s turn to hit came up. He had thrown about 85 pitches I believe. I’m thinking you bring in a lefty (Hatteberg or Valentin?) to try and drive that run in. Burton was getting ready. You bring him out in the 7th, Weathers in the 8th, Cordero in the 9th if you get the lead.

Instead, Cueto (who’s one armed flails at the plate will be the way he gets injured) hit a chopper that advanced the runner to third. Corey Patterson drove the run in to tie the game with 2 outs. Patterson bailed out Baker’s questionable call to let Cueto hit, but he still could have been trying to drive in the go ahead run instead of tying it in the clutch.

Cueto promptly made his one bad pitch of the night to Reds’ killer Bill Hall in the bottom of the inning, which Hall crushed to put Cueto on the hook for the loss once again. Johnny did strike out the next guy to end his night at 6 1/3 innings but was that worth the risk of injury for 1/3 of an inning?

Baker used to do that all the time in Chicago–bat a pitcher only to take him out the next half-inning. Wackiness. What will be awesome is if Cincy hangs in the race and Dusty starts pitching these guys 110-120 pitches. We’ll be looking for that.