The Crack Technical Staff keeps talking about how yesterday's game with the Cardinals was the most important game of the season. He says that when the Reds lost it, it felt like they lost all hope with it.

Now, girlfren' ain't hearin that kind of negativity, but if you wanted to choose a game to be the microcosm of the 2006 season, that one wouldn't be bad. Consider:

• They kept it close well into the game but fell just short to a struggling Cardinals team
• They failed to pile on the offense, but in the end were undone by the bullpen
• They made a crappy pitcher look good
• Questionable management decisions came at exactly the wrong moment
• Wayne “Kriv-dawg” Krivsky traded Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnación for two second baseman, three lefty relievers, and a catcher during the game

OK, I made that last one up, but I think you can see what I'm getting at. And losing to the Pirates tonight certainly doesn't contradict the notion that our boys are done.

But I can't stand the idea that we've come so far and are already on the way down. I can't be listening to that attitude for another month and a half. C'mon guys! Turn over a new leaf. Tomorrow's the day you can beat the Pirates. You can hope, anyway.