Now that the Griffey haters and the "it's about 2009" crowd have won, let's look at what to root for. Wow! Corey Patterson is batting a scathing .194. The coveted .200 average is just around the corner.

     And what about that record?  Last year, the Reds won 72 games. I beliieve that this team can win at least 73. That's progress. They have the talent to do it. Excited?

     Finally, the Reds seem demoralized. That's going to happen when the team trades away one of your biggest stars and sends the signal that season is over. Want to bet the team doesn't average over tweny five thousand fans for the rest of the season?  Two more months Reds Nation.  Well, at least they still have the cheerleaders.

Reds wave the white flag on the 2008 season. You don't think they're going to get to the playoffs without Jr,, do you? Like him or hate him, he was a force in the lineup. Pitchers had to be sure not to make a mistake to him or otherwise it was a big fly. Without him, the Reds now depend on a rookie (Jay Bruce) who is still learining to adjust, a player who is playing way above his head (Jerry Hairiston Jr.) and a big donkey. (Adam Dunn)  So, are you excited?  Lookiing forward to seeing Corey Patterson hit .200? Or are you looking forward to the Creation Museum Faith Day game?  Prepare to unlearn. But I digress.  Maybe pitching and defense will lead to more wins. Cough, cough.

   In the meantime, the big part of the trade the Reds got from the Sox was Nick Masset. He's big at 6-4.  And according to Street and Smith's 2007 Baseball Yearbook, he's a "power pitcher who may end up as Chicago's closer down the line." Pg. 73.

  Nick Masset.. He doesn't look to happy.

Danny Richar is the throw in.

..."window.open('','popup','scrollbars=yes,width=650,height=600,left=5,top=5,resizable=yes')">  Danny Richar.  At least he looks happy. He better learn another position other than second base at AAA.  Sporting News 2008 Baseball Yearbook calls him "athletic" and should get a shot a second base. Pg. 74. Obviously, it didn't work for him.

   So are you not entertained? Or do you need to see more of the Reds' cheerleaders?

Thank you for coming here for less than market value. Thank you for deferring your salary so the Reds could attempt to get pitching, even if they did not. You were one of the greatest players to ever where a Reds uniform. I hope you get your ring.

Don't trade Arroyo, and Dunn for AA players. All of you "experts" that think you're going to get future stars for them are delusional. They couldn't trade Dunn last year for top prospects. And Toronto GM Ricciardi  said what many fans and probably GMs  thought about Dunn. Hits homers, but strikes out a lot, low batting average and displays little "passion" for winning baseball games. Oh, and he forgot to say, Dunn is horrible batting with runners in scoring position.  Oops, he also forgot to say Dunn is a liability in the outfield.  Don't take this is an anti-Dunn rant, I'm just saying he's not going to get you another team's top prosepect. (Here's Doc's column arguing that we should sell now.  Note he doesn't extend a caveat that if you are only offered junk, the Reds should stand pat..)

     Speaking of top prospects, remember Drew Hensen, Brandon Claussen, and Wily Mo Pena?  All were former Yankeee farmhands. Top prospects too.  And at one time, they were property of the Reds.  Hensen is out of baseball and flinging footballs. Last time I looked ,Claussen was in the Nationals' farm system.  Pena is hurt but never reached the superstar status that a five tool player is exepected to.  So what is the point?  Relying on prospects is a crapshoot.  Because even the best prospects don't pan out.  If you get only AA players for Dunn or Arroyo do you really think the  Reds will have quality players for the major league club?   You don't know.  Even if you got a quality AA player, he won't be ready next year, and maybe not the next. After our  failed trades with the Yankkes, do you really want to trade Dunn to them for junk?  And, Reds' Nation how are the Pirates doing and how have they done?   

    Paul Daugherty told me, dealing Dunn and Arroyo is not waving the white flag.  HUH?  So, does he think that if you trade those two, the Reds have a better chance to win this year? Of course not, so you're giving up on 2008.  Wow, Doc and Shotgun sound like Reds' management in 1998, 2003 and 2007 etc. "We're building for the future." And if the future never comes?  Oh, by the way, who plays for Dunn and Arroyo if they're gone?  A Lookout, a Dragon? 

    I agree with both that the Reds' chances of making the playoffs this year are not looking good. They are too inconsistent to get there. But this team has more talent than last year's team and  more than the one in 2006 when the Reds looked like they had a chance. If you're not going to get top prospects, I say let's go with what we have for this year.  I say to Doc and Shotgun, don't fear success. HOPE IS NOT A DIRTY WORD.  REMEMBER THE 1973 REDS. As they said in the movie, "Major League",  I hope the Reds win the whole bleeping thing and make the "experts" eat a bleepburger.     

      (Drew Hensen, 3b.  At least he looks good with a bat.)

A wild fight broke out between the Dragons and Cubs affliate Peoria. After a Peoria player was hit by a pitch, Juiio Castillo retaliated big time. He hit two Dragons,one in the head and a fan in the stands.  While the news indicates that Casillo was aiming at the Dragons' dugout, he missed and struck the fan. The fan was taken to the hospital. What started the fight was Peoria manager shoving Dragons' skipper Donnie Scott. Fifteen players and the two managers were ejected.  (Here's the Yahoo story.)

    Gee, you wonder where the Cubs' fans get their training in becoming a bunch of jerks..

(Dayton Daily News, photo by Dave Munch)

Here's the link to the video provided by the Dayton Daily News. Check out Castillo throwing something towards the stands. That looks like Dragons' outfielder Brandon Menchaca tackling Castillio after he makes the throw.  Way to go Brandon!  Defend your team and your fans.