Gruppen » , but he has also found value in evaluatin

MILWAUKEE -- Even a starting pitcher, the self-proclaimed worst hitter in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse, couldnt help but admire Joey Vottos latest big night.Votto had four hits Saturday, propelling the Reds to an 11-5 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, and as a result, moved his average above the .300 mark -- .301, to be exact -- for the first time this season.Its honestly been one of the more impressive hitting displays Ive gotten to see in person, Saturday starter Dan Straily said. You saw earlier in the year when he was struggling just how patient he was with himself.I feel like any ballplayer can learn from that. You just have to be patient and keep working at it. Were all in this room for a reason. Hes obviously a great talent. Being able to watch him the last couple months has really been enjoyable to watch.Votto went into the break batting .252 but since then, hes been red-hot, batting .442 with four home runs and 15 RBI.The first couple of months were really frustrating, Votto said. I felt like I dug myself a pretty big hole. I still feel like I am coming out of it.Votto will try to keep it going Sunday when the Reds wrap up their three-game series with the Brewers in Milwaukee.Left-hander Cody Reed gets the start, in search of his first victory this season. The rookie joined the Reds rotation on June 18 and has made nine starts in all, going 0-8 with a 6.36 ERA.Hes coming off his best showing of the season though, having thrown six shutout innings while striking out four but took no decision in Cincinnatis 5-4 loss at St. Louis on Aug. 8.Going six innings was an important step for Reed, manager Bryan Price said.I think a feel-good for starting pitchers -- five innings doesnt feel so good, Price said. You do what you have to, if his pitch count suggested he needed to come out or if he looked like he was done -- the last inning he was definitely done. They put the barrel on the ball and took some good swipes at him, comfortable swings at him there in the sixth. That was definitely it. I felt like after five, we knew wed have someone up behind him so he wouldnt let the game slip away if he got in trouble.The Brewers will turn to right-hander Wily Peralta, who will make his second start since being demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs in mid-June.Peralta went six innings Tuesday against the Braves, holding them to two runs on four hits while striking out six.There was a lot of emotion, Peralta said. I felt like I was making my debut today. Its been like two months since the last time I pitched here so I was excited. My last three starts, I find a good rhythm. I executed pretty good down there and being able to do it today ... throwing off-speed, I think Im in good shape.Peralta has faced the Reds 11 times in his career, going 4-4 with a 3.14 ERA. Cheap NCAA Jerseys . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. NCAA Jerseys Outlet .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. https://www.chinajerseysncaa.us/ . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Cheap Basketball College Jerseys . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. When University of Washington womens basketball coach Mike Neighbors finds himself watching a lopsided high school or AAU game, he tries to think outside the box.He seeks out athletic directors or ticket takers to measure intangibles, off-the-court qualities that dont show up in player rankings or box scores.Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff takes his recruiting reconnaissance one step further.You talk to the people who sweep the floors and the people who clean the bathrooms and all that, McGuff said. You see how they treat them.In todays girls basketball world, where there is increasing competition to earn a scholarship, college coaches are paying attention to the small details, even if the score is 68-10. Recruits on top-flight teams signing this week navigated their recruitments through a handful of blowout games. That means their suitors found other ways to evaluate talent.Players say they often tell coaches which games on their schedule will be the most competitive. That way, recruits get the chance to show their stuff, and coaches can maximize their 112 evaluation days.Every time I talk to a college coach, they even tell me [to] pick [games] out for them because they know that we will usually beat teams by a large margin, said Aquira DeCosta, the No. 6 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Super 60 for the 2018 class. She plays for St. Marys (Stockton, California), which went 28-1 last year. Just four of their games were decided by 10 points or fewer.Even with a heads up, coaches can still find themselves at lopsided games. With the team on cruise control and the recruit on the bench, coaches shift their focus away from layups or defense.Theyll take notes on how a recruit acts around her teammates or how she responds in huddles.Neighbors looks at a handful of things.How do they respond to officials? Neighbors said. How do they respond to being in a blowout? Do they react the way we hope they would act?Before arriving on campus, coaches typically have seen a player in another venue, such as an AAU game or showcase. Neighbors acknowledged that it is certainly hard to evaluate on-court talent in a blowout. Coaches want to see how future players respond in tight games.Its hard when you see recruits and theyre not playing against any competition, McGuff said. You just want to see how they react in those environments.Coaches try to get a sense of a recruits character on the front end, before visiting a game. Blowout games, however, offer a rare look at personality that iisnt visible over the phone or by text message.ddddddddddddLouisville coach Jeff Walz enjoys seeing recruits on the bench. Walz can remember games that have lasted just 45 minutes with a running clock.If youre not playing because your team is up big, are you there cheering for your teammates? Walz said. Are you getting them water when a timeout comes?We like to look for all those intangibles. Its not just about how many points can you score. Its what type of person you are.DeCosta frequently hears from coaches who tell her to play up to potential even in an uneven game.They look for how your courage is, she said.Ayanna Clark, the No. 17 in the class of 2017 and a USC commit, said many of her games at Long Beach Poly are blowouts.Last year, the Jackrabbits went 27-5, winning their league games by a 55-point average margin. Clark generally advises college coaches to see her play during the playoffs instead.But no matter what, Clark finds other ways to get involved.Im always the person whos there to cheer on my team and pick them up, Clark said. I do it either way. It doesnt just have to be a one-way thing when its non-competitive.Clark said its common for college coaches to show up early, perhaps during the junior varsity game, to catch warmups.Walz and his staff try to pick the most competitive games, but he has also found value in evaluating a recruit at practice.I get just as much, if not more, from watching a potential student-athlete practice than I do playing a game, Walz said. I want to find the ones that love to practice.Coaches agree that the EYBL circuit and AAU ranks have created a must-win environment for many teams. Programs are motivated to reach nationals, which makes games more competitive. Blowout games can happen anywhere, though.Ive seen 68-10 AAU games, Walz said. You just have to go and watch and see when theyre up 50, are they still trying to compete and play the hardest? Or do they slack off.Recruits on top-flight programs generally know which games on their schedule will feature the best competition. If a player is not a junior, high school coaches relay vital information about the matchup so that college coaches arent surprised.I can tell them ahead what kind of game it is depending on which team it is, DeCosta said. When you do have those competitive, elite games, just play your best and let it all out there. ' ' '