All of us here Cincinnati are so sick of the Chad Johnson saga. My wife is having a garage sale soon and I've put my #85 jersey on the "to sell" heap. And that speaks volumes as I've been a big Chad supporter. I'm done with all of this. But as a Bengal fan (which is painful enough), I really feel bad for Mike Brown (which again is rare for me as I've vowed to dance on his grave when that time comes). What is he to do? What can Marvin Lewis do? Chad says he's not joking and demands to be traded before the Draft. It would be a great time for the Bengals to move a commodity and get more picks or move up, to ensure themselves of a Gholston, Ellis or Dorsey pick in the first round. But, the $8 million in cap hit it takes to move Chad aside, if they cave into a contracted employees demands this time, what happens then the next time? What happens when the next marquis player pulls out the Ocho Cinco trade me script and plays it out the same way, using the NFL Network as his mouthpiece. Then what? Will the Bengals have any players left? So, the Bengals are stuck with a player who doesn't want to be here, who the fans want gone, who will probably be a cancer to his team mates all because there's literally no way out of this pickle. The Orange and Black are stuck between a rock and a hard place, or should I say someone with rocks in head and a hard place to still support a sports team.

*Disclaimer: This blog post is coming a little late because of some technical difficulties with the site, but I still wanted to get it up and express my thoughts and opinions.* 

This past weekend in Pittsburgh the Reds returned to what fans here in Cincinnati hoped they were finally moving passed. They showed that they are, at least at this point, the same old Reds that can't get runners in when in scoring position. While this was a team epidemic this past weekend, there was one player that stood out above the rest, and not in a good way. That player would be starting third baseman, Edwin Encarnacion. Not only has EE been hurting any fantasy teams that chose to draft him to play their corner infield position or utility spot, he's been killing his real life team every time he steps up to the plate lately.

In the series against the Pirates, Encarnacion stepped up to the plate four times, yes four times, with the bases loaded. So how did he do? He went 0-for-4 and didn't drive in a single run. At the end of Sunday, Encarnacion's batting average had plummeted to .179 (7-for-39). Aside from the one game in the first week against the Milwaukee Brewers where he hit a walk-off homerun, he hasn't done much of anything that warrants him keeping his starting job right now. So what to do with the man on the hot seat playing the hot corner?

Unfortunately it might be a good time to send Encarnacion down to AAA Louisville so he can get his head on straight and get his mind right. Not only is he hurting the team as far as not being able to hit with runners in scoring position, not that he's the only one, but he's making it hard for Adam Dunn to see good pitches. Pitchers know that they can pitch around Dunn because Encarnacion is batting behind him and if they can't get Dunn out, EE will either get himself out or not come up with a hit to advance the runner. In order to get his game back to where most think it should and can be, a trip to Louisville in the early going might not be a bad idea. In his place the Reds could get more speed in the lineup and put Ryan Freel at third. He may not be the prototypical third baseman, but he's good defensively, something else that Encarnacion still has trouble with from time to time. And you can't move Jeff Keppinger over to third right now with Alex Gonzalez not returning to the lineup anytime soon.

Putting Freel in the everyday lineup would also allow CF Corey Patterson to move to the #2 spot in the lineup or maybe even down to the #6 spot behind Dunn to give him some protection when the Reds are facing right-handed pitching. Patterson, aside from Brandon Phillips, is the best hitter in the lineup right now, leading the team in homeruns right now. Moving him out of the leadoff spot might be a good idea right now if at all possible. If a move is made Dunn could even be considered as an option at the #2 spot in the lineup against right-handers. Dusty Baker should consider all his options before this weeks' important series against division rivals, the Chicago Cubs and the second go-round with the Brewers.

Sending Encarnacion down could be the first step in the right direction for this team right now. He has a ton of talent if he could just get his head into the game, or in this case, maybe he needs to think less and just go up focused and ready. It may feel a little too early to do anything drastic, but its better for Baker to do this now so he can get Encarnacion back producing at the level he's capable of sooner rather than later. While Encarnacion's psyche might take a hit, it will help him in the long run. If Baker is as smart as most think he is, he'll make this move now.

The Big Blue Nation can breathe a small sigh of relief for now as it looks like Billy Gillispie will be staying at UK for the time being.  It was announced Wednesday morning by Oklahoma State University that they have reached an agreement, in principle, with current UMass head coach and Kentucky alum Travis Ford to be thier next head coach.  Ford had also been mentioned in discussions for the LSU vacancy and had turned down an offer after an interview with Providence last week.

Speaking of Providence, they've been busy interviewing for a head coaching position and have found one.  Former Drake head coach and this year's Associated Press National Coach of the Year Keno Davis was hired by the Friars on Tuesday to drag a struggling Providence program out of the gutter.  Davis was not Providence's first choice, however, after interviewing UMass' Travis Ford and George Mason's Jim Larranaga, both of which turned down offers made by the school. 

Here's a list of a few more notable schools who have hired new head coaches for the 2008-2009 campaign:

Indiana - Tom Crean; California - Mike Montgomery; LSU - Trent Johnson; Marquette - Buzz Williams; South Carolina - Darrin Horn; Western Kentucky - Ken McDonald

Teams are no longer afraid to go one on one with Ken Griffey Jr..  The most feared hitter in the decade of the 90's is being taunted by the opposition.  They challenge him to beat them by going the opposite way.  Junior's stubbornness to adapt his swing, by choking up on the bat, has allowed teams to thrive in an overloaded shift to the right side of the infield.  Griffey Jr.'s reluctance to adjust has made his adaptability a liability.

The hitting charts are almost identical in every park he plays in.  All his ground outs are pulled to the right side of the infield, nothing on the ground to the left.  His fly outs are all to left and left-center field.  All his homers are exclusively to right and right-center field.  Teams have dared him to beat them the opposite way and he has fallen into their trap.  Hell even the Phillies elected to intentionally walked Jeff Keppinger to load the bases and take their chances with Griffey Jr. and they won the battle.  That's really all you need to know about what little respect is left for Junior. 

What is even more depressing is his hearty but hollow late inning average of .429 BUT he has 0 extra base-hits, 0 RBI's and 0 runs scored.  He is a weak 2-13 with RISP.  This is a pattern that has been going on for two years.  Now it's really beginning to fester. 

The difference between a good hitter and a great hitter is the ability to adjust throughout their careers.  Until Griffey Jr. learns to choke up on the bat and take the ball to the left side of the field the team and his numbers are going to suffer miserably.  Junior is no longer at an age where he can rely on his athleticism.  It is what knowledge he has retained between his ears that will make him a legend in his twilight.  Sometimes you just scratch your head and wonder why it doesn't sink in with him.

Royals' right-hander Zack Greinke threw his third career complete game on Monday night as the Royals beat the A's 5-1.  The youngster scattered five hits though nine innings to post his third straight stellar outing as he moves to 3-0.

The Mariners aren't the most potent line-up in the league and Safeco Field is a pitcher's dream, but his first two starts were against the Yankees and Tigers, two of the best lineups in the game.  Greinke's stat line is impressive (3-0, 0.75 ERA, and 0.92 WHIP), but the strikeout to walk ratio (9:5 through three starts) won't get you excited.

After spending four months in the pen to start the 2007 campaign Greinke had a 3.54 ERA and a 55/15 K/BB ratio in 53 1/3 innings. However, when given a chance to return to the rotation in late August, he had a 1.85 ERA in 34 innings over seven starts. That has left him eligible as both a starter and a reliever in many formats.

The Royals are off to a fast start at 8-6 and appear to be one of the American League's up-and-coming teams. The offensive is capable of providing the run support to make feasable for Greinke to have a great chance at racking up many more wins ahead, particularly if he continues to throw as well as he is right now.

Greinke, who at one time was a highly coveted pitching prospect, appears to have beaten the depression problems that slowed his career. At 24, he possesses a tremendous amount of upside and should be owned in most leagues at this point.

The Bengals’ 2008 schedule, released Tuesday by the National Football League, features a rigorous start. Four of the first six games are on the road, and four of the first seven are against 2007 playoff qualifiers.

The home opener will be on Sun., Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. against Tennessee, an ’07 playoff team. The Bengals posted their most lopsided win of ’07 in a home game against the Titans, prevailing 35-6. Cincinnati starts the season on the road for the fourth time in the last five years, facing Baltimore at 1 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 7. It marks the second straight Bengals season opener against the Ravens, following a wild 27-20 Bengals win at Paul Brown Stadium in last year’s lid-lifter.
 
Road games at the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys stand out during the opening six-game stretch.

The Giants game, on Sun., Sept. 21, will be only the second Cincinnati match in the last 10 years against a defending Super Bowl champion from outside the Bengals’ division. The Bengals have held their own in their last 15 games overall against defending Super Bowl champs, showing a 7-8 record.

The Dallas game on Oct. 5 will be the featured doubleheader game on CBS, with a Cincinnati kickoff time of 4:15 p.m. The Cowboys tied for the NFC’s best record last season at 13-3.

“As always, it’s exciting to receive our schedule, and we know the challenges right from the start,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “We have a division opponent on the road, the home opener against a young playoff team in Tennessee, and then the defending world champions.” 

Barring possible changes due to flex scheduling, Cincinnati’s only night game will be at Pittsburgh on Thursday, Nov. 20 -- a week before Thanksgiving -- at 8:15 p.m. The game will be aired on the NFL Network, and will also be simulcast by a local Cincinnati station yet to be determined.

“Battle of Ohio” games against Cleveland are scheduled Sept. 28 at Paul Brown Stadium and Dec. 21 at Cleveland. The Bengals lead Cleveland 35-34 in the all-time series.

The Bengals will close the season at home for only the second time in the last five years, hosting Kansas City on Dec. 28. Though they are not in the same division, the Bengals and Chiefs will be playing for the fourth consecutive year.      

The Bengals preseason schedule, announced previously, features an ESPN national opener on Mon., Aug. 11 at Green Bay.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 2008 SCHEDULE
All times are Eastern.
An asterisk (*) denotes a game subject to flexible scheduling.

PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time)
Mon., Aug. 11, at Green Bay (ESPN), 8 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 17, DETROIT, 7:35 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 23, NEW ORLEANS, 7:35 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 28, at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time)
Sun., Sept. 7, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 14, TENNESSEE, 1 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 21, at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 28, CLEVELAND, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 5, at Dallas, 4:15 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 12, at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 19, PITTSBURGH, 1 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 26, (BYE)
Sun., Nov. 2, JACKSONVILLE, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 9, at Houston, 1 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 16, PHILADELPHIA*, 1 p.m.
Thurs., Nov. 20, at Pittsburgh (NFL NETWORK), 8:15 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 30, BALTIMORE*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 7, at Indianapolis*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 14, WASHINGTON*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 21, at Cleveland*, 1 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28, KANSAS CITY*, 1 p.m.

A GetSports reader named Brian has recently been offered Mark Reynolds for Justin Upton in his fantasy league and has requested our thoughts on the deal. First, we have to assume that Brian plays in a traditional 5x5 Roto league with 10 or 12 teams. If the scoring categories are different and include, say, slugging percentage or strikeouts then things may change. So let’s just stay with the basics. 

Secondly, we have to look at position eligibility. Reynolds has slightly more value at third base than Upton in the outfield. However, it is doubtful that either was drafted as a centerpiece of the team and both are likely to fill secondary positions. 

Both of these young players have little experience and tremendous upside for a good ballclub. And both are off to a very good start. It is very likely that at some point in the season Reynolds and Upton will struggle, but of course that is something that is impossible to determine. The best we can do is look at the numbers in front of us, from the minors and the majors. 

Mark Reynolds has more power potential than Justin Upton. He hit 31 bombs two years ago in the minors. Last season he had 17 HRs for the D-Backs in just 366 at bats. With five blasts already this year, 25 for the season is a reasonable possibility to go along with 70 to 80 RBI and an average in the .275 range. 

Justin Upton may not hit as many home runs, but he may actually end up not too far behind Reynolds. Although he had just two in 140 at bats with Arizona last season, he had 18 home runs in the minors. Like Reynolds he already has five bombs this year and he could easily finish near 20 on the season with RBI totals to match. The .221 average he posted in 2007 looks quite ugly but he hit .319 in the minors last year. 

Upton also has one more thing that Reynolds lacks – speed. Upton had 19 stolen bases last season compared to just two for Reynolds. Both may actually run a lot on a team that always seems to have the green light but Upton has the clear edge. 

So Brian, it is of my opinion that unless you are hurting to fill the third base position, you should probably hold on to Upton. He still has good power, should provide nearly the same RBI and batting average plus give you a fair amount of stolen bases.