Live from a Dorm basement in Oxford, Ohio...

Its 4 AM....and I am at Phi Kappa Tau Leadership Academy. We are frantically working on finalizing a presentation for the Maxwell Award, given to the best chapter in the nation. And when I say we, I mean I am here for moral support and therefore am writing on the blog. This may be the only time I am able to check in this week, as I have a pretty hectic schedule. However, this is going to be a really really long entry.

BREAK UP THE REDS!!! 3 in a row in Atlanta? Even Derek, Patrick, and Stephen didn't see that coming. Ha ha. Well then, I guess some comments are in need. I've come to some serious decisions in the past few days reguarding the roster seperations I did last week. First, I really really want Adam Dunn to be a Red for the remainder of his career if we can find the money. He may not hit for average, and he may be a mediocre fielder, but he rarely makes errors, and seems to enjoy playing in Cincinnati. As for people I think need to go before July 31, add Bronson Arroyo to the list that already included Hatteberg, Loshe, and Weathers. I know that leaves us with little in the way of established starters for 2008, but the goal isn't to win in 2008. Its to win in 2009 or 2010. And our farm system is ready to compete in 2009. Lets add some depth for people that matter way more to Atlanta, New York, and the LA teams making the playoffs than they do to our future growth. I'm hearing Arroyo to Atlanta for Saltamacchia I'd do it in a heartbeat.

In sad news. with the Post officially announcing its closing as of the end of the year, Cincinnati is losing its best young mind in sports journalism. The Post Red's beat writer, C. Trent Rosencrants, has the best blog in all of sports. His insight is genuine, and the discussions on his blog leave nothing left to be desired for any Reds fan. Hope he hangs around somehow.

Alright, well, they actually need my help. Wish us luck. And Derek, you suck!

Saturday Check-In

Just a short check in on a busy Saturday.

5 1 sentence thoughts I've had:

1. Nice W last night.
2. The ESPN Nascar announce team is going to suck.
3. So glad we helped the Braves out.
4. I'm really sad Bob Huggins doesn't come to Cincinnati this season. I would have come up for that.
5. For some reason, Marvin Lewis telling me why I should watch a certain channels weather man makes me want to avoid that channel.

Good reads:

• Wojo so funny: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2936205&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1
• This is why I always thought Jr. would leave Budweiser: http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/columns/story?seriesId=2&columnist=newton_david&id=2935390
• Interesting soccer prospective: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=445560&root=europe&cc=5901

Enjoy Saturday. I feel victorious today.

The Ramblings of an insane insomniac...

So here I am, on a Brother's futon, at nearly 5AM unable to sleep. Of all the blog writings I will ever do, I doubt any will ever be as negative, or as unpredictably, incredibly unfounded, as this one. I've got 2 things to rant about, both in the world of baseball. The first is a theory, the second is probably best described as the ramblings of a lost soul searching for baseball belief.

1. I made a comment on Thursday's blog that Ichiro wasn't worth 20 million a season. However, after using a calculator, I've determined I must be wrong. The Los Angeles Dodgers, a winning team mind you, were willing to shell out over 10 million a season for Juan Pierre in free agency this past winter. Juan Pierre is a singles hitter(88 of 105 hits, 12 career homers in 1096AB), who doesn't walk enough (23 walks in 373 AB), has an on base percentage 28 points lower than what Dimitri Young is hitting, has an OPS (on base plus slugging) lower than ARod's slugging percentage (.649 to .671), can't throw(1 outfield assist in 89 games), and relies solely on his speed as his careers life blood. Any sane person, which I'm not quite sure I actually am, would say Ichiro is twice the player that Juan Pierre will ever be, even entering the final years of his prime. With that logic, Ichiro must be worth 20 million a season. That logic also says ARod is worth 40 a season, but hey, maybe some other dumb west coast team will pay him too (paging the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, USA, North and Western Hemispheres on planet earth). I ask you to consider how many more games you would win with Ichiro hitting leadoff for your team that with someone like Ryan Freel filling the same positions. I honestly believe the difference is single digits. Is that worth 17 million more? And even if Ichiro is worth 20 million, at 33, wouldn't you rather spend that money on a starting pitcher in his prime, say Carlos Zambrano, or a combination of multiple players with big league talent and experience, say Mr. Hunter from Minnesota and a few bullpen guys?
2. Secondly, I'm going to rant about the Reds, because I'm beginning to seriously doubt the direction of the club. First, the fact that Homer Bailey just got shelled in AAA, a start I know he was mailing in, scares me because it seems like he treated it as a rehab start instead of a chance for development. Maybe the kid doesn't have the million dollar head to go with the million dollar arm. Speaking of that million dollar arm, how does someone throw 95-98 with a 12-6 nasty curve in the minors, and then show up to the Big Leagues throwing 91-93 and hanging almost every breaking ball? But I digress... I'm about to separate the Reds 40 man roster (and maybe a few extras) into categories that everyone can understand.

• Untouchables as we approach the trade deadline: Homer Bailey, Phil Dumatrait, Aaron Harang, Bobby Livingston, Brandon Phillips (he's getting grouped twice), Edwin Encarnacion, Joey Votto, Josh Hamilton, Joey Cueto and Jay Bruce. (All these fella's are under the age of 27 except for Harang, 29)
• People I honestly think may be less intelligent in both life and baseball than Wallyonsports: Ryan Freel, Brandon Phillips
• People who need to be cut (this is a long list compared to any other major league team): Chad Moeller (and yes, we have actually cut the man twice), Todd Coffey, Victor Santos, Eric Milton, and Gary Majewski
• Who the hell are these guys: Mike Gosling, Calvin Medlock, Brad Salmon, Alexander Smit, Pedro Lopez, Jeff Keppinger, and Chris Dickerson
• Productivly useless: Alex Gonzales, Juan Castro, David Ross, Javy Valentin, Norris Hopper, Mike Stanton, Kirk Saarloos, Bronson Arroyo, Matt Belisle
• People who should be in AAA developing because getting shelled here couldn't do them any good: Marcus McBeth, Jared Burton (rule 5 draft pick must stay MLB), Jon Coutlangus
• Reliable Veterans (trade bait): David Weathers, Scott Hatteberg, Jeff Conine
• People who will be free agents and therefore should be traded: Adam Dunn, Kyle Loshe
• The Mark Prior and Kerry Wood (Will these guys ever be healthy group): Bill Bray, Elizardo Ramirez (one of my favorite players ever), Eddie Guardado, Jerry Gil
• That leaves us with one player: Ken Griffey Jr. He is this teams only all-star, its only hall of famer, and the only person on the team who changes his mind more than Narron changed our order. In the end, I say keep him. Keep him until his contract runs out and he has to decide whether or not to leave for greener pastures, or go be a dad and watch his son mature into a stud prospect.
• On opening day 2008, i honestly expect our lineup to be: Hopper 7, Hamilton 8, Griffey 9, Phillips 4, Encarnacion 5, Votto 3, Ross 2, Harang 1, Gonzalez 6. (Ok the order of the last 2 is a joke, but sometimes the "manager to be" likes to hit his pitcher 8th....a correct guess on who that is wins a prize)
• Opening day 2008 Rotation: Harang, Bailey, Arroyo, Livingston, Dumatrait
• Opening day 2008 Bullpen: Bray, Coutlangus, Coffey (pisses me off), Belisle, Burton, Macbeth, and a closer to be named later.
• So if your scoring at home, I think Dunn, Loshe, Weathers, Conine, Hatteberg, and Stanton hit the road sometime between 5 mins from now and April of '08.
• This team I have constructed for 2008, isn't very competitive. But have no fear Reds fans (especially Adam). Just put down your head and remember all will be fine. The losing will stop in two thousand and nine.

Until later today, Live HUGE Bryan. And just for the record, this is quickly heading towards an all nighter.

Oh yea, and a late 6 AM add-on to this post, READ THIS!!! http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/SPT04/707130363/1071/SPT&GID=u3NSpae+ggEZdWJl4cKZLMRyv7ayI9kk19BPZzVkodM%3D

2 days in a row! Wohoo!

Welcome back to the show that never stops. I'm in the process of packing my things for Lexington (Dr.'s appointment), so this will probably be a little brief. But I digress..

Has there ever been a star who said more confusing things and got away with it better than Ken Griffey Jr. Every year he tells some media outlet that this is the year he is going to be traded, that there are places he would go, and every year no one knows whether or not the guy is serious, or just effing with Peter Gammons. I kinda hope he is serious, so when we don't trade him, he gets to be the mean guy in Cincinnati that he was the last year in Seattle. Don't get me wrong, I love Junior, but I think there is something wrong in this guy's brain.

Not kidding, on of the top AP newswire sports stories right now is that Beckham and his family are flying to LA. That's ridiculous.

Odell Thurman officially applied to be reinstated. I once read a page 2 article from his perspective, and it made me genuinely like the guy. Then he got arrested again. Please get rid of this guy. Like, yesterday.

Here's the same kind of article, only about Josh Hamilton. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2926447. His story is really well put together. He seems like a rather deep intelligent guy. Really hope he doesn't screw it up.

I read Paul Daughtery's blog whenever he updates it, and sometimes he writes exactly what I was thinking before I can. That makes me angry. Maybe I should think faster.

The Herald-Leader is reporting we are trying to steal an instate guy from Mississippi State. Hmm.. Why would a guy from Hoptown even wanna go to Mississippi State to begin with...

If Kentucky kicks Tennessee's ass every year in the high school all star football game, why doesn't that ever translate to the collegiate field. I wanna beat Tennessee. Even just once..

And the most ridiculous news story of the day, would someone explain to me how Ichiro, a singles hitter, at age 33, who's skills can only diminish from here, is worth 20 mil a season? That is the same logic that gave Juan Pierre 11, only worse.

Essential Reads:

• Travis Ford complains: http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/118335.html
• Bob Ryan destroys the All Star game: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/07/11/an_exhibition_of_foolishness/
• This guy makes me happy. http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/COLUMNISTS02/707111189/1002/SPORTS

Until tomorrow, enjoy the weather. I'm headed south to Lex Vegas.

9 days later...

So yes, I know how long it's been. I would have known anyways, but I actually had a few people tell me they were eagerly anticipating the return of the blog. So here it is. We go back to daily writings from here.

I present to you the ultimate list....the top 10 things I would have ranted about since last Tuesday:

1. The NASCAR race on Saturday night was scary close. Only problem is, I was really hoping both cars would wreck, because I dont particularly believe either McMurray or Busch to be nice guys. McMurray's commercial with Kasey Kahne about magic does give him the boost tho, and thats why he won the race.
2. BREAK UP THE REDS! Wow. If we had fired Narron after the Oakland game where he pinch hit Castro for Hamilton, like I had suggested, maybe we would be in 4th place right now like I so boldy predicted. I'm not jumping off the hope train quite yet. We aren't the worst team in the Central, and we won't end up the worst team in the Central. And anyone who nationally thinks we would trade Ken Griffey Jr., I can guarantee you its going to take a major league ready player and 2 can't miss prospects. It's not happening.
3. So if the Kentucky-Louisville football game is important enough to be one of the very very few live games that ESPN classic picks up during the portion of the year, how was it not significant enough to put on one of the more typical networks run by the world wide leader. It really just doesn't make sense.
4. If you enjoy the Onion, you should check out DEADSPIN.com some time. It's pretty enjoyable possibly true sports news. Sometimes it just makes me mad tho, which is why I read it.
5. The United States beat Brazil in the U-20 World Cup. Tonight they play in the Semi-finals. I know its not the big boys, but this could still be extremely significant if Freddy Adu and the boys bring home some form of International Title.
6. I just read that Budweiser believes they are done with their sponsorship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and have moved there eyes towards Kasey Kahne. I don't think thats a good idea. I like Kasey Kahne, but in no way do I think he is a Bud Man. More like a Zima or Mike Hards kinda guy. Yup, I'm implying he's, well, I cant make a hand gesture online. Junior will be sponsopred reportedly by PepsiCo., meaning JR will be sporting Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Gatorade. Nice.
7. I don't have the will power to completely ignore this, or the compassion to care. Read for yourself. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2932498
8. Ken Griffey Jr. made the country remember why he was their childhood hero. Here's to him.
9. Today is the only day all year without any Major Professional Sporting Event taking place. I'm going to mourn by joining a conference call with an organization who's goal is to end domestic hungar and poverty. Regardless of political affiliation, check out Results.org
10. Essential Read: The one thing that I can argue and complain about for 20 straight hours is in this article:http://http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070410/SPT05/704100340/1035/SPT

Everyone needs to read this...

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10243363

Gary Parrish is my hero right now.

This is why I love sports.

Days like today remind me why I care. I didn't write at all this weekend because I was still completely ticked off at Jerry Narron for a bad managerial move, that I first guessed, predicting he would screw it up before it happened. By the time I got around to complaining about it, poof, FIRED!!! I like Narron. The couple times I've met him he seemed nice. Actually seemed to genuinely care about people. But I think he lost his mind somewhere during the 51 losses this season. Does this firing make the Reds better? I don't know. But it couldn't make them any worse could it? The press conference is going on right now, and I think Bob just told every executive that things better change or else they're gone. This could be interesting. Starting next year, I truly believe Walt Jocketty and Tony LaRusa will be running this team and Wayne Krivsky will be cleaning my car.

Seven Things the Weekend Left Me Wondering:
1) Will the manager change start a fire sale? Or will this McCanin dude help motivate our players. He looks like the kind of guy that could get a leaf to play well.
2) What the hell is wrong with Homer Bailey? Alright I'm just kidding. He's not pitching that bad, just missing the corners and walking people and then making a mistake pitch. That fastball is still really really good.
3) Can the US B squad rebound in Copa America and get into the knock out round and face Brazil? I think our B squad against the world's best team would draw some buzz. We'd lose 6-0, but even Michael Dennis might watch.
4) How did MLB do something as dumb as selling out to TBS. They are going to be awful next year with their Sunday Night Coverage. The way the held the all star rosters hostage during the rain delay yesterday, when every reporter had the roster and wasn't allowed to "divulge the embargoed information" was terrible. Awful. Get out of here. Braves suck. (Ha ha Derek.)
5) This is obviously the shout out version of the blog. Jeff and I had a good NASCAR day yesterday, but is this NASCAR season too long? It's longer than a baseball season. UGH. It's really hard to care during the middle of summer.
6) I'm watching baseballchannel.tv right now, and they are implying Narron lost his job because Homer has flopped in the major leagues. I personally think its because we suck. But they obviously know more than me, because they are on tv from California, while I'm online from the office.
7) Is Billy G. a reporters quoting dream? He was in the NKY last week, and the Cincy reporters asked him if he would play Cincinnati or Xavier. He said, and I quote here, "We'll play Cincinnati and Xavier any time they want to come to Rupp.We'll play them twice a year if they want to come over to Rupp." What a good guy.

Essential Reads:

• http://www.enquirer.com/sports has got it going on today.

Quite honestly, its a Jerry Narron kind of day, so I'm going to leave you with some of my favorite Jerry Narron lines.

1. “Sean Casey 's our fifth hitter, and we're already down six. That makes it tough to come back. "
2. “If I would have left him in there and Burnitz had hit a home run I'd have probably killed myself.”
3. “I'm not even speculating. I'm just going by what I hear from [reporters].”
4. “It's big-time - you have no clue, ... This (managing the Reds) is a piece of cake. If there was sports talk radio there, I would have been fired from that job a long time ago.”

Good Bye Jerry.