The Reds began interviewing General Manager candidates today and continue all this week. The list of candidates is up to seven:

1. Brad Kullman, Reds interim GM and Director of Baseball Operations
2. Johnny Almarez, Reds Director of International Scouting
3. Leland Maddox, Reds Special Assistance to the General Manager
4. Jim Beattie, recently-hired Special Advisor to Bob Castellini
5. Wayne Krivsky, Assistant GM for the Minnesota Twins
6. John Mozeliak, Assistant GM for the St. Louis Cardinals
7. Mike Arbuckle, Assistant GM for the Philadelphia Phillies

I'd like to give more information on these guys, but I just don't know it and I'm running out of time to do research before the decision is made. Nevertheless, I'm sure it'll be an exciting contest.

UPDATE 2/1/2006: I purposely delayed putting up this post in hopes that the public list would be stable, so now they've added a new name:

8. Frank Wren, Assistant GM for the Atlanta Braves

JD at Red Reporter interviewed new Reds.com beat writer Mark Sheldon. Check it out here. It's supposed to be the first of a recurring feature, so you won't want to miss a single installment.

Sorry I spaced on the link for so long. It really is a good interview.

CINCINNATI, OH -- When Reds CEO Bob Castellini fired General Manager Dan O'Brien, he announced that he expected to interview “between six and eight candidates.” Now that the Reds have announced seven candidates for the GM position, some fans wish Castellini had just said “seven” to begin with.

“Why does he have to dance around the point?” wonders Matt R. Affact, life-long Reds fan and manager of a local 7-11 store. “If you want to interview seven guys, just say seven. It's dumb to make a math problem out of it. Didn't we get enough of that kind of talk out of [former General Manager Dan] O'Brien?”

Henry Arrest Outdoes Freel Arrest
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was charged with possession of a concealed firearm, improper exhibition of a firearm, and aggravated assault with a firearm Saturday. The arrest comes just six weeks after Henry was arrested for marijuana possession on December 15.

Cincinnati Reds' resident bad boy Ryan Freel was unhappy about the arrest. Freel was arrested last month for disorderly intoxication, though the charges were later dropped in exchange for community service.

“How am I supposed to compete with that?” Freel demanded.

Marc says:

Veteran reliever Rick White has agreed to a one-year, $600,000 major league contract with the Reds. He also could earn up to $300,000 more in performance bonuses.

White, 37, is a lifelong resident of Springfield, Ohio. He made 71 appearances for the Pirates last year, going 4-7 with a 3.72 ERA and picking up a couple of saves. He has 520 career big-league appearances for the Pirates, Devil Rays, Mets, Rockies, Cardinals, White Sox, Astros and Indians.

The Reds will have to make a move to free up a slot on the 40-man roster. Could this be the end of the Bubba Nelson era?

I don't know about a 37-year old pitcher, but it's hard to quibble about the price. And with Gabe White gone, Rick White will fill that gaping White-Guy-Out-of-the-Bullpen hole that he left behind.

The story Kearns maintaining focus in the Cincinnati Enquirer today talks a little about how Austin Kearns, everyone's favorite non-liabilty in the outfield, got married this off-season. Austin and his new wife Abby had their first child, Aubrey Ryan, in September. It's nice to know that alliteration in naming children is alive and well with today's young couples.

Congratulations to the whole Kearns family from an only-slightly-disappointed RHM.