ESPN's Erin Andrews will be a guest Monday at 8:30.

See you Saturday afternoon at 3 on 700WLW.

COCO had a bad night.  It happens.  Numbers are numbers.  He's blown 5 saves. He has 19 saves. He's under 80%.  That is not a good thing.

The only think I didn't like about COCO when he signed was going 4 years.  But, the REDS had no choice if they wanted him. 

He could save 6---8 in a row and chance his numbers.  That would not be shocking. But, you have to be at least a little concerned.

I'm betting DUSTY gets him on the mound quickly to get the bad taste of blowing it last night.

For all of you who rip David Weathers, he was 33 0f 39 last year.  That's 84%.  No, I didn't want him to be the closer this year, and on a really good team he's a 7th inning guy, but, a 3.65 ERA gets you on many teams.

K-Rod leads the world with 38 saves.  He's blown 4.  That's 92%.

I was surprised Dusty let Cueto pitch the 6th.  He gives up 2 runs in the 5th and 2 runs in the 4th.  He looked lost.  The 6th was very costly.  Why not have Affeldt start the 6th. 

How teams aren't lining up for that lefty amazes me.  He's good.

ET joined us this morning.  On taking Chris Henry back.  "Why would they want to do that.  YOu don't know if you can count on him on game day.

Eric Thomas BLAMES Henry for his own problems.

Carson on ESPN.

"I think we are more mature and more prepared and people in CIncinnati should be excited about that."

He talked about the importance of being "consistant" more than once.

Joey Jay, whose going in the Reds Hall of Fame this weekend came off as a really nice guy.

99 wins and 999 k's.  Lots of 9's in his final stats.  He said he didn't realize it.

Think about a guy today winning 21 games two years in a row. His best paycheck was $30,000. 

I had his baseball card as a kid in 1961 and 1962.

Nice to see Bobby Livingston coming back.  Like him a lot.  Gee, could it be possible that with some shifting around the REDS could have '5' quality starters ?

Never count out New England to win the Super Bowl.  But, it's fair to ask,  has father time caught up to them ?  Or, is there some young blood to help out.

Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel will turn 33 next month. Inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi just turned 35. Strong safety Rodney Harrison is 35. And it's going to be very very tought to replace corner Asante Samuel.

ET Eric Thomas is my special guest Friday morning at 7.  He tells it like it is.

Do you want Chris Henry back ?  It will be a topic.

And Cueto looks so calm and natural and smooth after '3' innings.  He is looking big time !

Hope you enjoyed John Thorton and Butch Hobson this morning.  They brought a lot to the table.

When he hangs up his spikes, I can see John Thorton doing some radio and or tv, or perhaps become a coach. 

The two rookies that Thorton believes are ready to help now ?   Keith Rivers and Anthony Collins.

This is no big deal.  It's common.  Third rounder Pat Sims didn't have an easy time dealing with the speed of mini-camp.  But, Thorton says it got better and adds, "I think he's going to be a player."

He had a funny line on Jason Shirley, the big defensive tackle.  You won't see the veteran defensive tackle stretching next to him.  Shirley is too big.  Thorton says that Shirley can become a player, but "he needs work."

No 10 year vet likes training camp.  Thorton believes that he could get by without practice. 

As far as the defensive tackles, Thorton wants to play all the time, but believes it's better for everyone if you rotate four.  He'd like to play more on third down, but as a "team player,"  John says, "all I want to do is win."

As far as Chad, Thorton says that behind closed doors, " Chad was fine.  Chad will be fine.  He wants to play."

Butch Hobson also had some good thoughts.  This morning he woke up feeling better about the defense than the offense.  That surprised me.  The man who controls www.bengals.com says he will feel better about the Bengals offense when a number three receiver steps up and when he knows the running game is better.

Hobson also believes the Bengals offense needs to have more games where they score more than '2' TD's this season.

Butch compliments Marvin for saying in the off-season, to set the ton, that the Bengals need to run the ball.

Jim Tressel is pushing his new book, "The Winner Manuel" for the game of life.  We didn't have much time, but I did ask him about UC and OSU playing a home and home every year.

To me, UC and OSU should play every year just like UK and U of L.

But, I understand OSU's point of view.  They need every home game to pay the bills.  I don't like it, I understand it. 

This makes me laugh.  A-Rod's EX wants to know if the Yankees star hired a private detective or installed wiretaps to spy on her.  Wonder how much fun X-Mas was in their home last year.

What they did in the All-Star game last night was awful.  Getting Brad Lidge up a number of times to warm up and not put him in the game was dumb.  You could mess with someones career.  I hate too many rules.  But, if you warm a pitcher up in an All-Star game, and you don't use him, you should not be able to warm him up later and stick him in the game.

When Lidge finally got in, he was spent.  IF I was the GM of the Philies, I'd be really upset !

BRING MORE PLAYERS.  Tell them they all might not play.  Others get to say they are ALL-STARS.

Bring many more for the Home Run Derby.  Don't care that Dunn didn't make the team.  Bring him and Howard and the top 10 SLUGGERS not playing along with those that play.  This way, the winner doesn't take so many swings to extend the Home Run Derby because it's a show for ESPN.  Many more players and fewer outs is the way to go. 

Watching Steinbrenner before the ALL-STAR GAME, I thought it was the GODFATHER saying goodbye and thank you.

Aaron Cook was terrific last night.  HE would look great in a REDS uniform.

REDS scouts need to do a better job drafting talent within 100 miles of Great American.

Brantley was with DOC last night on WLW.  He ripped the defense in the outfield, at first and at third.  He talked about platooning Junior and Dunn.  And, that the REDS can get back into the Wild Card hunt, but not with the production they are getting from those two.

Brantley a big fan of DUSTY, compliments on the job he's done with the young players, but doesn't feel the same way with the veterans. 

In other words, have the guts to move Junior out of the three hole in the lineup.

Can't wait to see Josh Roenike on the team. 

Can't wait to see Walt J. make some trades and get more kids an opportunity in the big show to get ready for next year. GET THEM EXPERIENCE NOW !