From the Reds:

 

In time for Tuesday’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Cardinals, the Reds will hang a 54-foot banner at the Crosley Terrace entrance of Great American Ball Park saluting Ken Griffey Jr.’s 600th career home run.

The Reds will honor Griffey during pregame ceremonies on Tuesday, June 17 (7:10 p.m. vs LAD).

All fans attending that June 17 game will receive an art card, presented by Toyota, commemorating the historic homer

Could this be Adam Dunn's final week in a Reds uniform?

When the team exercised its option on the leftfielder this offseason, it triggered a full no-trade clause until June 15, when the clause changes to a limited no-trade clause, with Dunn being able to specify 10 teams to which he'd accept a trade.

That list is usually written into the player's contract, said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, so the Reds would already have that list. They could also persue a trade with teams not on the list and ask permission from Dunn, but that would be less likely to fly.

However, even though Dunn's full no-trade clause expires on Sunday, there have been no trade discussions involving Dunn, Jocketty said Monday evening.

"There have been no discussions," Jocketty said. "I usually don't comment on trade talks, but there's nothing here to comment on. Nothing's changed."

Following the end of the 2007 season, the Reds exercised their $13 million option on Dunn that could be worth as much as $16 million based on incentives. Dunn would be a free agent following the 2008 season and the Reds would likely get two draft picks as compensation if he left for another team.

There have been no discussions of an extension, either, Jocketty said.

"I usually don't talk about contract extensions during the season because they're a big distraction," Jocketty said. "And from what I've heard, Adam feels the same way."

A lightening rod for fans during his eight seasons in Cincinnati, Dunn is hitting .241 entering Monday night's game with a team-high 16 home runs and 41 RBIs. He has an on-base percentage of  .411 and slugging percentage of .535. He has struck out 59 times.

Dunn's become almost a symbol of old-school baseball wisdom vs. new-school baseball metrics.

Critics point to his high strikeout totals (even though he improved that rate last season and is striking out on an even lower clip this season), low batting average and perception that he "isn't clutch."

Proponents point to a consistent production of runs and on-base percentage. He has had an OPS+ of more than 100 (which is average) in every season in the big leagues. Dunn and pitcher Edinson Volquez currently lead the Reds in win shares with 10.

Dunn's hit at least 40 home runs in each of the last four seasons, while driving in more than 100 in three of those seasons, walking at least 100 times (and striking out at least 100 times) in each of those seasons and scoring at least 99 runs in each.

According to Baseball Prospectus, before Monday's game, Dunn had a VORP of 19.0 -- which is the value over a replacement player, it measures the number of runs contributed beyond what a replacement-level player at the same position would contribute if given the same percentage of team plate appearances. VORP does not count defense, only runs scored on offense. Dunn's VORP is 32nd in baseball, better than any other Red.

If the Reds do try to trade him, a natural move would be to the Boston Red Sox. While some teams are dismissive as such stats as OPS+ and VORP, the Red Sox employ Bill James and have openly embraced new theories while winning two of the last four World Series titles (also with the help of a large payroll.)

The Red Sox will be without designated hitter David Ortiz for an extended period of time and could use a left-handed bat with power in the lineup. Moving to the American League would allow Dunn to DH, as something both his detractors and proponents can agree upon is that he is a below-average defensive outfielder. Of course, the Red Sox already employ an below-average defensive leftfielder in Manny Ramirez.

It would be even easier because the Red Sox just happen to be in town on Sunday when his full no-trade clause expires.

Will it happen? Doubtful, but if it doesn't, the debate will surely rage on.

Day 2 is complete. In all, the Reds took 36 college players and 13 high school players. I think I counted 28 pitchers.

The one name that popped out to me, the Reds 49th round pick. Really, it's that Pat White.

 

 

7. RHP Pedro Villarreal, Howard College, Calif. (209 overall)

8. SS Cody Puckett, Cal State Dominguez HIlls (239)

9. OF David Sappelt, Coastal Carolina (269)

10. OF Sean Conner, Palm Beach Community College (299)

11. OF Andrew Means, Indiana University (329)

12. C Kyle Day, Michigan State (359)

13. LHP Blaine Howell, Pensacola JC (389)

14. RHP Lance Janke, San Diego Christian College (419)

15. LHP Eric Pfisterer, Don Bosco Prep (NJ) (449)

16. CF Daniel Morrison, Clayton Heights H.S. (B.C. Canada) (479)

17. 3B Frank Pfister, Emory University (509)

18. C Christopher McMurray, UC Santa Barabara (539)

19. LHP Mace Thurman, Baylor (569)

20. OF Tyler Stovall, Central Michigan (599)

21. OF Theodis Bowe, Milford High School, Del. (629)

22. OF Byron Wiley, Kansas State (659)

23. RHP William Hudgens, University of Memphis (689)

24. RHP Enrique Garcia, University of Miami (719)

25. RHP Raul Rodriguez, Simi Valley HS (Calif.) (749)

26. RHP Mike Bohana, Kennesaw State Univeristy (779)

27. OF Matthew Stiffler, Ohio U (809)

28. LHP Bryce Bandilla, Bella Vista High School (Calif.) (839)

29: RHP Ben Hunter, Wake Forest (869)

30. RHP Juan Carlos Sulburan, American Heritage High School (Fla.) (899)

31. RHP Joseph Housey, Nova High School (Fla.) (929)

32. RHP Justin Freeman, Kennesaw State University (959)

33. 2B Taylor Wrenn, Lakeland Senior High School (Fla.) (989)

34. LHP Bryan Gardner, Ithaca College (1019)

35. LHP Matthew Fairel, Florida State University (1049)

36. RHP Erik Gregersen, Stephen F. Austin (1079)

37. RHP Randall Linebaugh, Baylor University (1109)

38. RHP Richard Bowen, Mississippi State University (1139)

39. 1B Michael Konstanty, Albany University (1169)

40. RHP David Peterson, Las Lomas High School (Calif.) (1199)

41. LHP Justin Walker, Lamar University (1229)

42. RHP Benson Merritt, South Lincoln High School (1259)

43. RHP Bronson Gagner, Parkview High School (Ga.) (1289)

44. C Kevin Coddington, University of Illinois-Chicago (1319)

45. LHP Brendan Lobban, St. Joseph Regional School (N.J.) (1348)

46: OF Jackson Hogue, Mississippi State University (1376)

47. LHP David Torcise, University of South Florida (1403)

48. RHP Kenneth Monteith, The Morristown Beard School (N.J.) (1430)

49. OF Patrick White, West Virginia University (1457)

50. OF Kevin Leslie, Faulkner University (1484)

* Also, now on ESPN (noon) the Reds' fourth-round pick, Clayton Shunick of N.C. State against Georgia and the guy I thought they should have picked in the first round, UGA SS Gordon Beckham.

Brian Jordan, doing color for ESPN, said Shunick was upset at falling as far as he did.

He's looked good so far.

Schunick just gave up a two-run double to Beckham. 3-2 Dawgs. It looked like Schunick was going to be able to get out of it. He's got a nasty split. But he made a mistake to Beckham, and if you make a mistake to Beckham, you're gonna pay. 4-2 Dawgs.

Not a real good day for Shunick -- 5.1 innings and 8 runs. He just got relieved with a guy on base and hte first hitter hit a homer off the reliever. 9-2 Dawgs in the bottom of the sixth.

The line on Shunick -- 6.1, 8 hits, 8 runs, all earned, 3 walks, 6 Ks. Looks like he'll get the L today. And he does, as the Dawgs win 11-4.

Reds senior director of scouting Chris Buckley discusses the team's other picks on the first day of the draft. The Reds selected three right-handed pitchers, Texas Tech reliever Zach Stewart, Georgia high school pitcher Tyler Cline and N.C. State starter Clayton Shunick. In the sixth round, the team selected University of Delaware shortstop Alex Bucholz.

 

It's just before 7, and the third round has started with the Rays taking UC Davis catcher Jacob Jefferies with the 78th overall pick. The Reds pick 84th overall, so the newest Red should be known rather quickly.

Update: The Reds selected RHP Zachary Stewart out of Texas Tech. Stewart was 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA and three saves for the Red Raiders.

Baseball America had him listed as the No. 46 player in the draft and the Reds got him at 84. That's good value. A reliever who has started, Baseball America said "his best pitch is a92-96 mph fastball with filthy sink. Early in the season, he showed a slarp slider that some scouts graded as a plus-plus offering."

Update 2: In the fourth round, the Reds selected RHP Tyler Cline of Cass High School in Cartersville, Ga. Cline is listed as 6-2, 220 pounds.

Update 3: The fifth-round pick is another right-hander, Clayton Shunick out of N.C. State. Shunick was 7-5 with a 2.16 ERA on an N.C. State team that is also in the NCAA Super Regionals. Shunick will start Game 1 of the Wolfpack's NCAA Super Regional in Athens, Ga., against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Update 4: MLB lied to me. They said they'd only do 5, they did 6. The Reds took SS Alex Buchholz of Delaware.

That's it for day 1. They used to do about 20 rounds in the first day, but that was before ESPN.