Ok today I get to play GM for the Reds.  Given the current state of the team, I think the following moves should be made and soon.

1. Offer Ken Griffey Jr. to Cleveland, Tampa Bay, both NY teams and Seattle.  The asking price--two low-minor leaguers.  The goal is to unload the contract, not to ask for the moon because we aren't going to get jack in return.  The allure to Griffey is to go to a contender (less Seattle), or to the place he once played.  Tampa is a contender and Griffey could be very close to home and give it a whirl with an up and coming team.

2. Offer Adam Dunn to the 10 teams on his trade list and see who offers the best deal.  Again, the objective is not to ask for the moon, but to unload his contract while he is red hot at the plate.  His stock will likely not get any higher than right now. (or June 15th when we can trade him).

3. Get an MRI done on Homer Bailey's shoulder.  Something is not right with him.

4. Immediately call up Jay Bruce and release Corey Patterson.

5. Release Josh Fogg and move Matt Belisle to the bullpen and call up Matt Maloney from AAA to take a stab at the fifth starter position.

6. Release Javier Valentine and call up Andy Phillips (1B right handed) from AAA. 

KRIVSKY SIGNS 12 DOLLAR ICE CREAM SCOOP TO LONG TERM DEAL

3 Years, 9 million dollar contract seen as "necessary"

Cincinnati (AP) Wayne Krivsky today announced the signing of a 12 dollar, Pampered Chef ICe Cream Scoop to a 3 year, 9 million Dollar deal.  How the scoop fits into the Reds plans is still a mystery, but for now reaction is mostly positive.

"Mama likes ice cream after the game and deserves the very best and most revolutionary ice cream scoop there is", said Krivsky.

The scoop was purchased at a Pampered Chef party.  In attendance was K. McAllister, wife of radio personality, Lance McAllister.  Mrs. McAllister encouraged Krivsky to take a chance.

"I told him that this was no ordinary scoop and that if he let it slip away, he would be missing out on something special.  I didn't think he would sign it to a long term deal, but he did the same with Todd Coffey, so I figured it can't get much worse"

Krivsky plans to use the scoop in the Reds locker room after home games and on a few road trips during the 2007 season. 

"I think I made a good move.  I kept it a secret and only told my closest advisor (me) what I was thinking.  If it works well this year, when the 2008 season opens we will parlay this success into signing a couple crappy free-agents, like Corey Patterson and Jerry Hairston Jr."

Meanwhile Lance McCallister was fuming.  "Pleasantville has been infiltrated with over-priced crap and my boyhood team now thinks it's smart to sign an OBJECT to a 3 year deal for 9 freaking million!  I thought I had the best job going.  I am ....I am....I...I....God I wish Trumpy was here."

You cannot beat a left handed starter with a lineup full of lefties.  Votto, Bako, Griffey, Dunn--all looked silly at the plate today. 

I predict Junior is dealt before the end of the next homestand, to Seattle.

I predict that Encarnacion is packaged with someone like Homer Bailey and maybe Ryan Freel for a legit stud, right handed outfielder.  Kepp goes to third base.  Jocketty has a track record or trading 3 or 4 players for one legit star.  I just have a feeling something like that is going to happen.

Dunn will be dealt, but for very little in return.  And that's ok.

Arroyo saved himself with a great start yesterday.  It was good to see.  I think the reason I dislike the JTM commercials so much is because he has pitched so poorly.  I tolerate them more after he pitches well.

Cueto needs to be sent down for some AAA starts to work on mechanics and temperment.

If the Reds can win tomorrow, they will have won consecutive series against two of the better teams in the NL.  Two out of three against the Cubs and Mets would be big for one of the NL's bottom feeders. 

If Bronson can pitch even close to this the rest of the season, the Reds can trade him for a prospect and get out from under his contract.  I ask you to consider this:

We chastized Eric Milton for 3 seasons because he sucked and made 8 million a year.  Arroyo, the last year and a half, has been statistically WORSE that Milton, and he makes MORE.  Do we excuse it because he makes JTM commercials? 

Wayne Krivsky and Dan O'Brien did good things for our farm system.  But at the major league level, they were simply awful.  Again, I submit to you the dead weight on our 25 man roster:

Valentine, Ross, Belisle, Hatteberg (simply by cir****tance), Fogg, Arroyo (though he pitched well tonight), Patterson.

That's seven of 25 players.  30% of your 25 man roster labeled as dead weight.

Back to my original point...if we can win tomorrow, it will be very good back-to-back series for us.

I am happy for Joey Votto and the Reds.  3 Home runs in a single game is great and it should be celebrated.  But let's keep a few things in perspective, shall we?

Votto is an up and coming star in this game.  I can see him roaming first base for a long time in a Reds uniform.  He will likely be Sean Casey with more power and a bit better speed on the basepaths.  I see him being a big part of future NL Central titles.  This team has the young guns to do just that.  At some point, Volquez, Cueto, Harang, Bailey and company will turn the corner.  It won't be this season, but it will happen.

That said...let's not make what happened the other day into the greatest single performance in MLB history.  I was fine with the hype until I found out the Reds are putting Votto's cracked bat on display in the Reds HOF.  Was the accomplishment THAT big of a deal?  It's 3 HR's in one game in a hitters park against a has been pitcher.  YES it was fun to watch.  YES it is rare.  But let's not make it into DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, or Ted William****ting .406. 

If this is the greatest thing the Reds have to cheer about right now, then we have a problem.  I hate to be a downer, but it's true.  I am happy for Votto.  I was excited to see it happen.  I just want people to keep their perspective.  Votto's 3 HR's overshadowed another dominant pitching performance from Edinson Volquez.  More should be said, in my opinion, of his 5-1 record with a 1.06 record, than someone hitting 3 HR's in one game. 

Let's celebrate the accomplishment, but in the process, let's not get too carried away.  It was one game for the history books.  Put the bat that hit 3 HR's in the REDS HOF if you must, but let's parlay that into something even better--fielding a winner.