The Reds saved their greatest humiliation of the year for the last day of the season.
40-year-old Miguel Batista, who hadn’t pitched a complete game in five years, hurled a three-hit shutout in the Mets’ 3-0 win over the Reds on Wednesday. It was his fifth career shutout and first since July 19, 2006 against the Dodgers.
The outing matched Batista’s low hit total for a complete game in his career. He had thrown three three-hitters previously, again the last coming in 2006. His only previous three-hit shutout came with the Expos on June 5, 1999.
Batista, who was released by the Cardinals earlier this season, hadn’t thrown more than six innings in any of his previous four starts this year.
The Reds have made it clear that they intend to bring Dusty Baker back next year. Really, though, the team simply folded today against a journeyman reliever to finish 79-83. I don’t suppose it’s fair to base any decisions on the way an als0-ran plays on the final day of the season, but if Baker can’t keep his team motivated -- which is really supposed to be his biggest strength -- what good is he doing the Reds?