I've always been a fan of The Onion, but the following linked story is completely inappropriate.
They had the audacity to misspell Ken Griffey Jr.'s mother's name, and I'm certain Reds trainer Mark Mann didn't appreciate being attributed to the mock quote.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52040
This isn't the first line The Onion has crossed, but ...
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Some good news
While the events on the field haven't been so positive for the Reds, outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. did get some good news this week.
The Dayton Daily News is reporting that Griffey's mother, Bertie, who underwent colon surgery on August 15, is cancer-free and can resume her normal life sans chemotherapy treatment.
No word yet on the condition of Ken Griffey Sr., who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The Dayton Daily News is reporting that Griffey's mother, Bertie, who underwent colon surgery on August 15, is cancer-free and can resume her normal life sans chemotherapy treatment.
No word yet on the condition of Ken Griffey Sr., who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The bereft coast
The west coast road trip that had Reds nation wiping the sweat from its collective brow has proved to be worse than even the harbringers of doom among them could've imagined.
The Reds, who begin a three-game series in San Diego on Friday, are 1-6 on the trip.
After beating the Giants in the first game of a three-game series at AT&T Park to move into a virtual tie with the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central Division, the Reds have dropped six consecutive games.
They are now 4 1/2 games behind in the division, 1 1/2 games back in the Wild Card, and have a .500 record (67-67) for the first time since the second game of the season.
“It's a cliche, but we’ve got to play one game at a time and not get caught up in trying to win 15 of 17 or something like that," said Reds manager Jerry Narron. "You’ve got to win one to get it started.”
Best news for the Reds:
They're still in the National League where even the most mediocre of clubs has a chance at the postseason.
The Reds, who begin a three-game series in San Diego on Friday, are 1-6 on the trip.
After beating the Giants in the first game of a three-game series at AT&T Park to move into a virtual tie with the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central Division, the Reds have dropped six consecutive games.
They are now 4 1/2 games behind in the division, 1 1/2 games back in the Wild Card, and have a .500 record (67-67) for the first time since the second game of the season.
“It's a cliche, but we’ve got to play one game at a time and not get caught up in trying to win 15 of 17 or something like that," said Reds manager Jerry Narron. "You’ve got to win one to get it started.”
Best news for the Reds:
They're still in the National League where even the most mediocre of clubs has a chance at the postseason.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Nice gesture
The Reds, who have enough problems of their own right now, offered this good-will message last evening to their comrades on Second Street.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Homer Bailey
The Reds minor-league pitching phenom's ERA dropped to 1.06 after he allowed no runs on two hits in six innings tonight vs. Carolina.
Bailey struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Hello ... Krivsky?
Bailey struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Hello ... Krivsky?
Palmer pristine in first half
What left knee injury? Kimo who?
Carson Palmer took his first step(s) toward bringing to an end a worrisome chapter in his career tonight in a nationally-televised preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Paul Brown Stadium.
In the first half, Palmer was 9-of-14 for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He also had an 11-yard scramble.
And, the speculation about Palmer not being ready for the season opener ...
cue the sound of crickets chirping.
Carson Palmer took his first step(s) toward bringing to an end a worrisome chapter in his career tonight in a nationally-televised preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Paul Brown Stadium.
In the first half, Palmer was 9-of-14 for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He also had an 11-yard scramble.
And, the speculation about Palmer not being ready for the season opener ...
cue the sound of crickets chirping.
Sock it to 'em
Carson Palmer's bright orange socks are pulled up just below his uniform pants, concealing the brace on his left knee, as he and tonight's back-up QB Anthony Wright take turns throwing deep routes to the wide receivers.
ESPN's cameras are all over Palmer's every move.
The Bengals are planning to introduce the offense prior to the game. They will introduce them as a unit, which has been their custom, rather than individually.
Regardless, the cheers will likely be deafening when No. 9 emerges from the tunnel.
ESPN's cameras are all over Palmer's every move.
The Bengals are planning to introduce the offense prior to the game. They will introduce them as a unit, which has been their custom, rather than individually.
Regardless, the cheers will likely be deafening when No. 9 emerges from the tunnel.
Friendly chatter
At this moment, Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson is standing near the 8-yard line conversing with Green Bay Packers cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson.
Johnson is looking exceptionally dapper in his blonde mohawk, frayed black T-shirt with a silk-screened image of himself and gray sweat pants.
The trio is enjoying a laugh, although I'm certain at least a portion of the conversation relates to Johnson's assertion that Harris and Woodson will soon be denied check marks on his "Who covered 85 in 2006?" list.
For once, C.J. isn't the feature attraction for the Bengals.
The emotional return of Carson Palmer to the Paul Brown Stadium turf is approximately 90 minutes from now.
Johnson is looking exceptionally dapper in his blonde mohawk, frayed black T-shirt with a silk-screened image of himself and gray sweat pants.
The trio is enjoying a laugh, although I'm certain at least a portion of the conversation relates to Johnson's assertion that Harris and Woodson will soon be denied check marks on his "Who covered 85 in 2006?" list.
For once, C.J. isn't the feature attraction for the Bengals.
The emotional return of Carson Palmer to the Paul Brown Stadium turf is approximately 90 minutes from now.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Former Indians pick among crash victims
The Lexington Herald Leader is reporting that Jonathan Hooker, a former University of Kentucky pitcher and Cleveland Indians draft choice, was among the 49 confirmed dead in the crash of Comair flight 5191 which occured this morning at Bluegrass Airport in Lexington.
Both Hooker and his new bride, Scarlett, both reportedly died in the crash. The couple's wedding had taken place just hours before the accident.
“It’s just a very, very painful, tragic situation,” former UK baseball Coach Keith Madison told the Herald Leader.
Hooker was a 40th round draft choice by the Indians in 2000. It doesn't appear that he signed with Cleveland. But, he did have a brief, yet successful minor-league career in various leagues. If anyone has info on Hooker's career, please pass it along.
According to reports, Hooker was currently working as a substance abuse counselor but planned to take a new job in Lexington while his wife attended school.
Flight 5191, en route to Atlanta, crashed at 6:07 a.m. Sunday morning less than one mile from the airport killing 49 of 50 persons onboard.
Both Hooker and his new bride, Scarlett, both reportedly died in the crash. The couple's wedding had taken place just hours before the accident.
“It’s just a very, very painful, tragic situation,” former UK baseball Coach Keith Madison told the Herald Leader.
Hooker was a 40th round draft choice by the Indians in 2000. It doesn't appear that he signed with Cleveland. But, he did have a brief, yet successful minor-league career in various leagues. If anyone has info on Hooker's career, please pass it along.
According to reports, Hooker was currently working as a substance abuse counselor but planned to take a new job in Lexington while his wife attended school.
Flight 5191, en route to Atlanta, crashed at 6:07 a.m. Sunday morning less than one mile from the airport killing 49 of 50 persons onboard.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Bye, bye Friday nights
Tonight was opening night for my fourth season covering high school football for the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Everything went off without a hitch - well, almost.
The press box at Yager Stadium was sans air conditioning, I got lost twice trying to navigate the Miami University campus and I had returned to my seat in the press box after post-game interviews before realizing I neglected to speak to the winning coach. Good thing I had plenty of time prior to deadline to rectify that oversight.
In my game, No. 6 Lakota West upset No. 4 Moeller 13-12 via a missed extra-point by the Crusaders kicker with 36 seconds left.
As I was leaving the stadium, Colerain was leading Mason 21-0 late in the first half and they were lifting Mason's starting QB into an ambulance. Not good.
First game story of the season in the books:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/SPT030101/608260418
Ahh, football is back.
Everything went off without a hitch - well, almost.
The press box at Yager Stadium was sans air conditioning, I got lost twice trying to navigate the Miami University campus and I had returned to my seat in the press box after post-game interviews before realizing I neglected to speak to the winning coach. Good thing I had plenty of time prior to deadline to rectify that oversight.
In my game, No. 6 Lakota West upset No. 4 Moeller 13-12 via a missed extra-point by the Crusaders kicker with 36 seconds left.
As I was leaving the stadium, Colerain was leading Mason 21-0 late in the first half and they were lifting Mason's starting QB into an ambulance. Not good.
First game story of the season in the books:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/SPT030101/608260418
Ahh, football is back.
Cardinals "contending"?
St. Louis skipper Tony La Russa made a rather profound statement following a closed-door meeting with his players on Thursday after they'd been swept by the New York Mets to fall into a virtual tie for first place with the Reds.
"Optimistically and realistically, we are in contention," La Russa said. "It hasn't been the most consistent, great baseball that our club has played ... but we are in contention."
The Cardinals who, by this point in the season, had been preparing to rest stars for the playoffs the past couple of years, find themselves in a race with the Reds for the NL Central Division title.
This territory is as unfamiliar for St. Louis as it is for the Reds.
"Optimistically and realistically, we are in contention," La Russa said. "It hasn't been the most consistent, great baseball that our club has played ... but we are in contention."
The Cardinals who, by this point in the season, had been preparing to rest stars for the playoffs the past couple of years, find themselves in a race with the Reds for the NL Central Division title.
This territory is as unfamiliar for St. Louis as it is for the Reds.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
I didn't leave my heart in San Francisco ....
but I might have misplaced a case of hypothermia during one August visit.
Here's a word of advice: if you travel to San Francisco during the month of August - just as the Reds have beginning today - pack a T-shirt and shorts for the afternoon and a parka for the morning and evening.
See, there's this fog.
It shows up in the Bay Area around 7 p.m. or so and completely envelopes the downtown area. The temperature drops from the mid-70's to the mid-50's on a dime. The crystal clear afternoon skies become grimy with near zero visibility.
When you take the boat to Sausalito on a bright sunny August afternoon, don't stare at the folks buying fleece sweatshirts like they're from Mars.
They know something you don't.
Game-time temperature tonight: 58 degrees with a 16 mph variable wind.
The coldest winter I ever spent was ...
Here's a word of advice: if you travel to San Francisco during the month of August - just as the Reds have beginning today - pack a T-shirt and shorts for the afternoon and a parka for the morning and evening.
See, there's this fog.
It shows up in the Bay Area around 7 p.m. or so and completely envelopes the downtown area. The temperature drops from the mid-70's to the mid-50's on a dime. The crystal clear afternoon skies become grimy with near zero visibility.
When you take the boat to Sausalito on a bright sunny August afternoon, don't stare at the folks buying fleece sweatshirts like they're from Mars.
They know something you don't.
Game-time temperature tonight: 58 degrees with a 16 mph variable wind.
The coldest winter I ever spent was ...
Coffey's triple-screw
Reds reliever Todd Coffey was more than apologetic for his being ejected after arguing a call by home plate umpire Wally Bell in the seventh inning of Wednesday's loss to Houston.
In fact, Coffey pretty much threw himself to the mercy of the court.
"I screwed the bullpen, I screwed Chris (Michalak), I screwed the team," said Coffey. "It was a triple-decker right there."
One reporter commented later that it made sense that the Reds' burly right-hander would be thinking about a "triple-decker" at that point in time.
Or, perhaps Coffey was craving his favorite meal - a banana and mayonnaise sandwich.
In fact, Coffey pretty much threw himself to the mercy of the court.
"I screwed the bullpen, I screwed Chris (Michalak), I screwed the team," said Coffey. "It was a triple-decker right there."
One reporter commented later that it made sense that the Reds' burly right-hander would be thinking about a "triple-decker" at that point in time.
Or, perhaps Coffey was craving his favorite meal - a banana and mayonnaise sandwich.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Steady ... Eddie?
A couple of hours after Reds manager Jerry Narron sat in his office and praised Edwin Encarnacion's patience at the plate and improvement on defense, the Reds' 23-year old third baseman was anything but patient in striking out in his first two at-bats against Roy Oswalt and later committed a fielding error.
Oh well. Young players will show their age on occasion, and Encarnacion has played beyond his years for the majority of this season.
BTW, I couldn't have picked a nicer day to be sitting in the MLB.com chair. It's a beautiful afternoon at the ballpark.
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060823&content_id=1624848&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
Oh well. Young players will show their age on occasion, and Encarnacion has played beyond his years for the majority of this season.
BTW, I couldn't have picked a nicer day to be sitting in the MLB.com chair. It's a beautiful afternoon at the ballpark.
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060823&content_id=1624848&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Three's a charm
Three years ago, my wife and I said our vows at St. Stephens Church before taking a trolley to Great American Ball Park for our reception at the Riverfront Club and a few photo-ops on the field.
Who said sports writers aren't romantic? Happy anniversary to us.
Where's "Waldo"?
The Reds found him jogging around the bases following a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning of Monday's 4-3 victory over Houston.
Rich Aurilia's nickname "Waldo" is derived from his versatility, er, daily uncertainty as to which position he's going to play.
Aurilia has played first, second, third, shortstop and even served as the club's DH once during interleague play.
"I almost don't care (where I play)," Aurilia said. "I look at the lineup ... to see if my name's on there. Then I look to the right to see where I'm playing. Then I get mentally ready."
Aurilia's best role for the Reds might be that of postseason veteran. During his career, Aurilia has played in 25 postseason games including 7 in the World Series.
His bat and leadership will be key for the Reds regardless of which glove he carries.
Rich Aurilia's nickname "Waldo" is derived from his versatility, er, daily uncertainty as to which position he's going to play.
Aurilia has played first, second, third, shortstop and even served as the club's DH once during interleague play.
"I almost don't care (where I play)," Aurilia said. "I look at the lineup ... to see if my name's on there. Then I look to the right to see where I'm playing. Then I get mentally ready."
Aurilia's best role for the Reds might be that of postseason veteran. During his career, Aurilia has played in 25 postseason games including 7 in the World Series.
His bat and leadership will be key for the Reds regardless of which glove he carries.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Hopper makes history
Norris Hopper didn't even have a nameplate on his locker yet. He dressed in virtual anonymity in the Reds clubhouse following Sunday's game until his "agent" Ryan Freel announced his presence to the local media.
"Can we get an interview over here?" Freel yelled. "The guy did get his first major league hit after all."
Hopper singled in the eighth inning to became the first Reds player to collect his first major league hit in his first career at-bat since Wily Mo Pena accomplished the feat in 2002.
"I'm still floating right now," Hopper said. "My feet haven't even touched the ground yet."
"Can we get an interview over here?" Freel yelled. "The guy did get his first major league hit after all."
Hopper singled in the eighth inning to became the first Reds player to collect his first major league hit in his first career at-bat since Wily Mo Pena accomplished the feat in 2002.
"I'm still floating right now," Hopper said. "My feet haven't even touched the ground yet."
Talented but tool-less
Norris Hopper, whose contract was purchased by the Reds today from Triple-A Louisville, isn't one of those five-tool players that causes scouts and player development types to drool.
Hopper has hit just three home runs in more than 1,100 minor-league at-bats. He doesn't walk or strikeout much.
But, Hopper does execute one tool well: he hits for average.
Hopper, who spent seven years in the Royals organization before being signed as a free-agent by the Reds in January 2005, was leading the International League and ranked second in Triple-A with a .349 batting average. He also had 10 doubles, 3 triples and 24 stolen bases. But, no home runs.
In other transactions today, Eddie Guardado was placed on the 15-day disabled list with tendonitis in his elbow, Chris Michalak was placed on the bereavement list due to the death of his grandmother, Matt Belisle was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and Mike Burns was designated for assignment.
I thought Sunday was a day of rest?
Hopper has hit just three home runs in more than 1,100 minor-league at-bats. He doesn't walk or strikeout much.
But, Hopper does execute one tool well: he hits for average.
Hopper, who spent seven years in the Royals organization before being signed as a free-agent by the Reds in January 2005, was leading the International League and ranked second in Triple-A with a .349 batting average. He also had 10 doubles, 3 triples and 24 stolen bases. But, no home runs.
In other transactions today, Eddie Guardado was placed on the 15-day disabled list with tendonitis in his elbow, Chris Michalak was placed on the bereavement list due to the death of his grandmother, Matt Belisle was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and Mike Burns was designated for assignment.
I thought Sunday was a day of rest?
Ozzie (expletive) Guillen
Man, oh man, was White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on his soapbox Saturday in Minnesota.
Best I can figure, Ozzie believes the NL (bleepin) Central is horrible, and all of the (bleepin) managers in the league are just (bleepin) jealous that Guillen, a Mexican, won a World Series title.
Guillen is a (bleepin) reporter's dream. Here's some classic stuff from the Chicago Sun Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-ssep20.html
Hey Oz, how's that sensitivity training working for ya?
Best I can figure, Ozzie believes the NL (bleepin) Central is horrible, and all of the (bleepin) managers in the league are just (bleepin) jealous that Guillen, a Mexican, won a World Series title.
Guillen is a (bleepin) reporter's dream. Here's some classic stuff from the Chicago Sun Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-ssep20.html
Hey Oz, how's that sensitivity training working for ya?
Couldn't agree more
John Fay with an excellent editorial in Sunday's Enquirer:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060820/COL09/608200427
Judging by the e-mails and comments I've received, you'd think the Reds were the clear choice to win the NL Central Division this season and the only reasons why they are not running away from the Cardinals is Jerry Narron's poor decision-making and Wayne Krivsky's poorly-executed trades.
If Narron and/or Krivsky are to blame, then who gets the credit for the Reds, picked fifth in the NL Central by most pundits, being in the pennant race to begin with?
Fay's correct. If voting for NL Manager of the Year and Executive of the Year commenced today, both Narron and Krivsky would be in the top two or three.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060820/COL09/608200427
Judging by the e-mails and comments I've received, you'd think the Reds were the clear choice to win the NL Central Division this season and the only reasons why they are not running away from the Cardinals is Jerry Narron's poor decision-making and Wayne Krivsky's poorly-executed trades.
If Narron and/or Krivsky are to blame, then who gets the credit for the Reds, picked fifth in the NL Central by most pundits, being in the pennant race to begin with?
Fay's correct. If voting for NL Manager of the Year and Executive of the Year commenced today, both Narron and Krivsky would be in the top two or three.
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