The radio media is coming around.  It took two and half months for them to realize what most of us on the internet have been preaching since October:  Dusty Baker is the worst manager the Reds could have hired and is the worst manager in the Major Leagues including the two brand new interim managers.  The local print media still drool and fawn over Baker, but the rest of us are clued in.  No rational baseball person ignores statistics and plays Corey Patterson at all (much less bats him leadoff), bats Paul Janish or Jolbert Cabrera second, and bats Ken Griffey Jr. third. 

How do we know he ignores statistics?  After Tuesday night's game, a game in which he left Patterson in to bat in a one run game with runners at second and third and a left handed pitcher on the mound, he was asked why he let Patterson stay in and, predictably, ground out.  He said that, "Corey historically has had better success against left handed pitching."  This is a lie or is and example of a manager who does no preparation.  In his career, he is batting .240 against lefties and .264 against righties.  This year, he is batting .167 against lefties and .197 against righties. 

More Reds thoughts...

• I am going to disagree with Marty Brennaman and Jeff Brantley (this is a rare occurance) and state that Joey Votto is just what the scouts say he is- a below average defensive first baseman.  When receiving a throw from an infielder, he bends at the knees  and catches the balls at his chest instead of stretching properly.  His arm is inaccurate and he rarely make any scoops in the dirt.
  
  
• It is time to start worrying about the long term future of Homer Bailey.  His low 90s straight fastball can blow most minor leaguers away, but that cannot carry him in the big leagues.  He needs much better off speed stuff to keep hitters off of his hittable fastball.  He has also developed a nasty reputation that he is stubborn and uncoachable.  We may have to start hoping he develops into a #4 or #5 starter instead of an ace.
  
  
• What do you think Griffey's reaction would be to a move to the number six or seven slot in the lineup?  If management has the guts to do it, I applaud them because I bet that does not go over well.
  
  
• There is a sabermetric theory in baseball that you never give a large contract to a reliever.  They are a dime a dozen and do not appear on the field in enough innings compared to the rest of the team.  Francisco Cordero is proving theory to be correct.  He has barely pitched over 30 innings.  The Reds' fifth starters will combine for around 200 innings.
  
  
• There is nothing left at Triple A Louisville except pitchers Darryl Thompson, Daniel Herrera, and Josh Roenicke.  There is no more position player help on the way for at least a year, maybe more.  By the way, Matt Maloney cannot help the Reds.
  
  
• The Reds need to look into why they play so poorly on Sundays.  They seem to be just going through the motions while they get smoked each Sunday.
  
  
• Coco Crisp would look nice in a Reds uniform.  He is a switch hitter, can bat leadoff, is fast, has some pop (as shown last weekend at GABP) and can cover a lot of ground in centerfield.  The Reds badly need all of those qualities- he is a great fit.
  
  
• Speaking of looking good in a uniform... have you seen ex- Red Dmitri Young lately?  He looks anyting but good because he is resembling Cecil Fielder.
  
  
• The Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez and Ryan Wagner trade to Washington back in 2006 is not looking so bad for the Reds.  Those three players have turned out below average production while Kearns and Lopez have collected big paychecks.  Meanwhile, Bill Bray and Gary Majewski are having solid 2008 seasons and Darryl Thompson has become the Reds' #1 pitching prospect.
  
  
• Have you seen the seven picks Jim Bowden and Reds took in the 2001 amatuer draft before the Red Sox took Cincinnati product Kevin Youkilis in the 8th round?  Here they are in order:  1.  Jeremy Sowers (went unsigned, just like he promised before the draft)  2.  Justin Gilman  3.  Alan Moye  4.  Steve Kelly  5.  Daylan Childress  6.  Scott Light  7.  Bobby Basham.  Pathedic.  Jim Bowden actually caused more harm to the franchise than anyone else with the exceptions of the ex- owners Marge Schott and Carl Lindner.  Give Dusty Baker some more time though and he may catch him.

More next week...

UPDATE (6/20): Zambrano has a minor strain in his right shoulder but no major structural damage, a team spokesman said after the Cubs' 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Zambrano underwent an MRI arthrogram, a test in which dye is injected into the troubled area to provide a more detailed look, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Friday and headed home. He will meet with the trainers and coaching staff on Saturday. Cubs manager Lou Piniella has said Zambrano will miss his scheduled start against Baltimore on Tuesday. But the plan beyond that is unclear.

The Cubs' season could hinge on the outcome of an MRI of Carlos Zambrano's pitching shoulder today in Chicago before the team finishes a painful road trip tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The player the Cubs can least afford to lose left Wednesday night's game with two outs in the seventh inning after feeling pain in his shoulder near the end of his start at Tropicana Field, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"There was a funny pitch that I felt something in my arm, and then the last pitch that I threw in the game, I dropped my arm a lot because I couldn't go back over the top with my arm," said Zambrano (8-3), who was charged with the 5-4 loss to the Rays.

Zambrano is 2-2 with a 4.67 ERA in seven starts since waking with shoulder stiffness last month, walking three or more batters in five of the seven starts. He was 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA before that.

He's scheduled to fly this morning to Chicago to meet with team doctors and undergo an MRI.

"We hope for the best. That's all we can do," manager Lou Piniella said. 

1.) It just doesn't happen
2.) Nothing's tougher
3.) Bright lights
4.) Track record
5.) Travel
6.) Lefty, Righty
7.) Pitching in
8.) Breaking balls
9.) No relief in sight
10.) Media

What about you, do you think it will happen? Chipper Jones himself told Joe Morgan last week that he doesn't think it will happen. 

"If George Brett and Tony Gwynn couldn't do it, there's no way a guy like me is going to," Jones told Morgan prior to ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. 

Prior to Wednesday's game, the Reds returned from a rehabilitation assignment and reinstated from the 15-day disabled list OF Norris Hopper and optioned to Class AAA Louisville RHP Homer Bailey.

Hopper has been on the 15-day DL since 4/23 with a nerve irritation in his right elbow. Thru six rehab games at Louisville and Sarasota he is hitting .292 (7-24). It will be interesting to see whether or not Hopper rises above Corey Patterson on the depth chart.

Bailey went 0-3, 8.76 in 3 starts during his stint with the Reds. He clearly was not ready to come up and at this point the Reds can ill afford to allow him to keep going out there. I am still convinved that Bailey is too young for fans to write off though and the fact that so many booed him during Sunday's blowout loss to Boston is really a bit pathetic.

The Reds have not named a starting pitcher for Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium, but Daryl Thompson seems like the best choice. The Reds acquired the right-hander in the infamous Austin Kearns/Felip Lopez deal with the Nationals nearly two years ago and he has been on the fast track since that time.

In 2007 at Class A Dayton and Class A Advanced Sarasota, Thompson combined to finish 14-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 27 starts as he ranked first in victories, second in ERA and fifth in strikeouts (121) among all Reds' Minor League pitchers. He started 2008 at Class AA Chattanooga and went 3-2 with a 1.76 ERA thru ten starts. Since being promoted to Louisville, Thompson is 3-0 thru four starts while posting a 3.25 ERA.  His control has been excellent this season as he boasts a 78:18 strikeout to walk ratio through 89 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .213 average.

As I was at the debacle of a Reds game last night, I was thinking about the sound bite machine that is Reds owner Bob Castellini.

All of us were thrilled when he bought the team from Carl Lindner. Lindner is a man I greatly admire and respect, as a human being and as a businessman. He was the wrong person to own the Reds, however.

Castellini brought a new vibe to the team. He seemed to love the team, respect the history and seemed to understand what it took to win in Major League Baseball (as opposed to breaking even like Lindner strived for). He said all the right things.

"We're bringing championship baseball back to Cincinnati."

Next he fires Jerry Narron and full of tears says, "the team needs a winning attitude."

Then, again with tears in his eyes, he speaks fondly of the just-axed Wayne Krivsky and proclaims, "we're just not going to lose any more."

Why doesn't Castellini get more criticism for yet another woeful, poorly assembled Reds team?

What has changed since he's become owner?

Nothing.

He's spent more money, but most of that was bad contracts. Sure he brought in a big name manager, and what has that done? And yeah, he brought in a big name free agent by overspending on him in Coco Cordero. That was impressive.

But what else do you have for me, and all Reds fans, Bob? What you've done thus far is far too much lip service and not enough action. Where is our championship baseball? Heck when will the losing stop? That's at least a step in the right direction.

All the fans are excited about the young players that are clearly the future, but what else are you going to add to this team to make your words stand up?