Major League Baseball

REDS NOTEBOOK Baker starts Cabrera because of experience

Published Oct. 11, 2010 10:10 p.m. ET

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Dateline: CINCINNATI

Shortstop Orlando Cabrera wasn't in the original Reds starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League divisional series against the Phillies last night in Great American Ball Park.

Cabrera aggravated a muscle strain in his left rib cage in Game 2 in Philadelphia while turning a double play and left after four innings. Manager Dusty Baker initially wrote Paul Janish's name in the lineup at shortstop, but he made the change after Cabrera took batting practice and fielded ground balls. With the Reds down 2-0 in the best-of-five series, the move made sense. Cabrera was one of six Reds who entered the series with postseason experience. The other 19 players are in the process of discovering that the game, beyond the heightened importance of the games, is remarkably familiar. Janish played five innings Friday night in relief of Cabrera.

"The baseball itself is not different," Janish said. "The volume is different. I think this was the biggest thing in the first game, and then, you know, Game 2 as well, just becoming accustomed to the atmosphere.

"And Philly was obviously pretty crazy with the towels, and the sheer noise was significant. But I think after your first at-bat or first inning or first ground ball, it comes and goes. You settle in, and hopefully that's what we find ourselves in tonight."

The experience, Janish said, should resonate beyond this series. "This is the first time we've been in the playoffs as a team for a while as an organization," he said. "Looking back on this, in the future, it's going to be an experience that we all can draw back on and find useful for the years to come."

This is what Baker wants, especially for the young players. "They can take this with them for a long time," Baker said. "And hopefully, the thing that we wanted to do when we came here was build this thing where you could have a good chance to be in this position for a number of years, especially consecutive years."

Cabrera's experience didn't prevent his first-inning throwing error that gave the Phillies their first run in the Reds' 2-0 loss.

Chapman, a test

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wishes he could have an at-bat against Reds rookie reliever Aroldis Chapman and his 100-mph fastball.

"He's a talented kid," Manuel said. "But this is my thinking and most other guys in baseball who like to play. They'll look at him like he's a big challenge.

"In some ways you want -- I would -- to get up and hit against him. You know what I mean? That's a feather in my cap if I can get to that 100-mph fastball. But also, believe me, he's got a lot of equipment there."

jmassie@dispatch.com

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