By Matthew McAdow
NKyTribune sports columnist
On August 21st, the Cincinnati Reds managed to take another series from the Pirates, moving themselves into 4th place in the National League Central with a record of 48-71.
This series had a total of 23 runs scored by the Reds and a major contributor to the mass amount of runs was once again, Jake Fraley. Fraley, who was acquired in the Mariners trade before the season, has finally had health on his side and is certainly showing he can be an every day player for the Reds. He put one into the Allegheny River outside of PNC Park over the weekend and added to his impressive stats since returning from the IL. Since returning, Fraley’s batting average sits at .333 with a .403 On-Base Percentage. I expect Fraley to be on the MLB All-August team, as he might be the hottest batter in the National League in the last month.
The Reds take on the Phillies yet again beginning on the 23rd to begin another series, as Cincinnati looks for Luis Cessa to take over a starting role, at least for one game.
Preseason, Game 2
25-22 was the final score in East Rutherford on Sunday, as the Bengals took their second loss of the preseason. This was a very entertaining game and although Cincinnati managed to really “fumble” the last nine seconds of the game, there were also many positives that can be taken away from this game.
The Positives
• Chris Evans showed yet again that he can be a key contributor of this offense, as well as locking up the kick return role, as he had a 73 yard return.
• Evan McPherson showed that he was human again by missing a 58 yard field goal, but was still highly impressive and showed a lot of distance on his kicks.
• Despite not seeing it due to a TV malfunction, Dax Hill managed to pick off Daniel Jones and added 6 tackles.
• Clay Johnston, 232 pound Linebacker out of Baylor, added a whopping 20 total tackles, 1 sack, and was around the football the entire game.
• While Kendric Pryor was only targeted 6 times this game, he continued to show great athleticism and great hands at the WR position for a second straight game.
• Cordell Volson made every snap count and made some mistakes, but overall looked like he might just win the left guard position after all.
The Negatives
• With 9 seconds left on the clock and no timeouts, Cincinnati decided to run a play instead of letting Evan tie the game. A false start and a fumble on an atrocious play call lead to a 3 point loss.
• Penalty woes haunted the Bengals yet again and discipline certainly needs to improve before the start of the season.
• D’Ante Smith had a horrible showing and needs to vastly improve to contribute to this team. While he had a back injury in the off season, let’s just hope this was a one time bad performance.
• While many teams could say this same statement, I am still afraid of a Joe Burrow injury, as I do not believe Allen, Browning, or Plitt could be manageable backups for part of the season if needed.
“Tony Da Tiger” Joins Matt’s Take
If you are a Cincinnati Bengals fan, you certainly know the legendary tiger painted face that you see on Sundays. Tony Da Tiger, also known as Anthony Brooks, is a Cincinnati native who has committed much of his time cheering on the Bengals and creating quite the atmosphere before, during, and after Cincinnati Bengals games. He was kind enough to join Matt’s Take this week for a Q&A.
Q: How long have you been a season ticket holder?
A: “Me and my wife Carrie have been season ticket holders for 10 years, but I have been going to home games for over 30 years…Last year, we committed to going to all games, that’s right, including all away games. It ended up being 21 games…”
Q: How did “Tony Da Tiger” come to life?
A: “12 years ago, Tony Da Tiger was born. Heading downtown to a game and our daughter Baylee wanted to paint our faces…She painted me up every game for the next two years and later enlisted in the Army. We were very proud as parents, as she decided to serve our country. With my name being Anthony, it was easy to convert to Tony Da Tiger.”
Q: If you could watch a game with any past or present Bengal, who would you choose?
A: “So many great players from those that started this franchise like Curtis, Riley, Munoz, Cook, Boomer, Anderson, Ocho, to the new era of Burrow, Higgins, Mixon, and Chase. It would be an honor to watch a game with any of them, but for me it would be Paul Brown, what a man of character and wisdom of the game…”
Q: What is the best place to tailgate before a Bengals game?
A: “I could be biased, because I’m a part of the tailgate, but for me, I found a home at Bengal Jim’s Before the Roar. We host all fans, no matter who your favorite team is, and we do thousands of dollars in charity work each year.”
Matthew McAdow is a freelance columnist who covers the Reds and Bengals for several regional newspapers, including the NKyTribune.