This year the Reds get new uniforms. You can check them out on some very sexy models here. I think I like them. I was never very in love with the vests, so I'm happy to see them gone. Also happy to see that they're not blue. Overall I find them pleasing.
Half of the front page of today's DDN's sports section is a picture of Josh Hamilton. In case you somehow missed the story, Hamilton had some major drug problems and is trying to make his way to the majors after two years of suspension. If he makes it, I think he might be able to help with my continuing bitterness over the loss of my beloved Kearnsy (I don't know if I'm ever going to get over that). If he lives up to his billing (the cannon arm and whatnot) he could be very much like Austin. He's got some curly locks for starters. I guess using him to heal the pain is a little like buying a new puppy to replace the one that just died. It's probably not something he'd aspire to be. It could always lead to actual affection for him, though, like it sometimes does for the puppies. I'll just have to work on not being disappointed if he turns out to be nothing like Kearns. We can't exactly give him to the pound.
Cincinnati got a new radio station somewhat recently. It's taken me quite a while to decide whether I like it or not. On the way to work today I finally made up my mind. During the hour of commercials at 5 they played an ad for Reds' season tickets. I've never heard any Reds advertising on the radio before (which could be because I've never been able to get a station out of Cincy up here until now) other than WLW.
I can't freaking wait for baseball.
Also, Googling yourself is all kinds of fun. Did you know that I have senior pictures from 1979, when I was -3 years old? Or that I am some kind of fashion recruiter?
In case you haven't already heard, Majewski is the center of some unpleasant attention once again. He showed up at camp this year still sporting the shoulder inflammation that caused all the ruckus last year. I feel for the guy, but isn't it about time we figured out what is going on with his arm? That's an awful lot of inflammation to let go.
Also in the news today, Adam Dunn has a brand new lease on life, or at least on his job. He took a page out of Austin Kearns' book, adding excercise and healthy eating to his list of things to do. He also plans to put a lot more effort into his game, mostly in the defense category. I can't wait to see what a healthier, more dedicated Dunner can do.
I also failed to mention before that Joe Nuxhall is being treated for lymphoma in Florida. Sunday he was reported to be "resting comfortably" and awaiting the results of an MRI to help determine his course of treatment from here. Best wishes to Joe and the family.
Apparently Mr. Griffey broke his hand a few months ago. I don't remember hearing about this injury and the conspiracy surrounding it until now. It seems there was speculation that he hurt himself performing daring but dangerous stunts that, while heroic and amazing, would be a breach of his contract.
In reality, he fell on his hand while wrestling with his kids on a yacht in Bermuda. Perhaps his contract should now forbid him any good, clean, family fun as well. The good news, Griffey's hand seems to be working now.
I really like snow. I also really like to watch it snow. Since it's decided to start in the middle of the night, I'm bound and determined to keep myself awake until this mega-blizzard gets good and started. So, whilst I wait, I decided I'd try to get caught up on some of the dealings that went down while I was away. This may not be a bright idea because I'll probably still have to go into work tomorrow and they kind of like for me to be awake while I'm there, but off we go anyway.
Goings of Note
We lost a few players of considerable note during the offseason, namely Jason LaRue and Rich Aurilia. I'm a little sad to see LaRue go. I'd feel a little bit better if I could convince myself it was because the powers that be just felt that three catchers was too many, but that's obviously not the case (I'll elaborate on that in a bit). Aurilia I'm rather ambivalent about. I like him, and he's always good to have around when you need a clutch guy, but also, he likes San Francisco an awful lot, and perhaps he'll be a little less whiney about playing time there. And if he's not, at least we don't have to hear it anymore.
There were others, I am sure, and forgive me for not mentioning them. There's just so much I missed.
Comings of Note
Going back to that thing about three catchers, in place of Jason LaRue, we now have Chad Moeller. He comes from the great state of Wisconsin. Well, techinically he comes from the great state of California, but we got him from the Brewers. I really don't know much about him. I have learned from his page, though, that his batting average over his career is .227. He only played 29 games last year I guess. I feel like I should know a lot more about him, though. His name is too familiar for me not to know anything about him. Maybe he's one of the many people who only play really well against the Reds. Like Yadier Molina, who hits half of his homeruns in games against Cincinnati.
We have three new outfielders. I've never heard of any of them. Two of the guys are newbies to MLB. The other is a former Yankee. That's too bad. It'll take me a while to get over my irrational hatred of all things Yankee. I'll do my best for him, though. Also, Ryan Freel is listed as an outfielder this year. That's different.
There are a few new names among the pitchers and infielders, but no one I really know anything about, so I'll let you learn about them from someone who knows more about judging people based on their stats. You've probably already done that, though. They've probably been around for months.
For the last 5 months or so I've been contemplating shutting this thing down. It started feeling more and more like work and less and less like fun. I thought once I was finished with school it would be fun again, but it wasn't. So, I gave myself some time off, and have now missed so much in the news department it would take hours to get it all in here. But, yesterday I saw that Harang will be in Cincy for the next 4 years and I got all excited, so I thought I'd give the old We Heart the Reds another try. Only now I'm pretty sure it's just going to be Me Heart the Reds. The other half of the team up and moved across the country on me.
And now on with the show (short though this episode may be)! Aaron Harang will be staying with the Reds for at least the next 4 years. He gets 36.5 million cookies for it, too. And he's got an option for 12.75 million cookies for a fifth year with a 2 million cookie buyout. Hooray for Aaron and for cookies!
