The single-most quoted person on Red Hot Mama, Marc Lancaster of the Cincinnati Post, is leaving his post for the greener pastures of Tampa Bay:

I've interviewed for a job covering the Devil Rays for the Tampa Tribune, been offered that job and accepted it. I don't know exactly when I'll be leaving, because there's still some red tape to sort through at the corporate level. Until all that gets settled, I'm still here, blogging away.

Marc has been an invaluable source of information for us in the Reds' blogsphere. Without his immediate reporting of stuff you'd normally have to wait for the morning edition for, we'd be a significantly less promptly informed fan-base.

And though Marc never gave me a single scoop, often didn't respond to my e-mails, and didn't come down from the press box when I tried to chat him up in Sarasota last spring, I always felt like we had a special bond. For, you see, he linked to the Reds Jersey Quiz, the only time I ever recall seeing him link to another Reds' blog. And for that, he will always have a place in my heart.

Congratulations, and good luck, Marc!

It seems like just yesterday that Wayne Krivsky traded Jason LaRue to Kansas City, thereby freeing up a roster spot and clearing out some room behind the plate. But no sooner had David Ross and Javier Valentín stretched out in their suddenly uncrowded position, but Kriv-dawg squeezed Chad Moeller in there with them.

So it probably doesn't surprise you that, after cutting loose Brandon Claussen, a soft-tossing lefty who failed to meet expectations last year, to clear a spot on the 40-man, he's immediately picked up another soft-tossing lefty in Bobby Livingston off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

The story with Livingston is that he was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay just this week, and MLB nullified the deal for no reason they saw fit to share. Marc says it best:

The Reds have claimed left-hander Bobby Livingston off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. No big deal there, except the Devil Rays claimed Livingston off waivers from the Mariners earlier this week and flipped him to the Phillies for cash.

How did this happen? Well, MLB nullified the previous waiver claim and trade, with no reason given. Apparently the powers that be felt the Phillies were circumventing the waiver process, which is prioritized by record, by cutting a prearraged deal with the Rays and sending Tampa cash for its part.

I'm glad to see Kriv-dawg putting some attention on the pitching aspect of the team for a minute, but I don't see how this really helps matters.