Today on the podcast, the Crack Technical Staff and I share our jubilation over the Reds’ win this afternoon, focusing specifically on Aaron Harang, Adam Dunn, and Farney. We also get in the finer points about the uniforms, the new Mr. Redlegs mascot, and Carlos Zambrano’s propensity for losing his cool at least one inning per game.Episode 52: Opening Day is a Reds Win (19.6 MB, 28:39)

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The Reds started the season off right this afternoon with a 5-1 win over the Cubs.

This Opening Day game seemed familiar to Reds fans, who so clearly remember the 16-7 drubbing they took at the hands of the Cubs on Opening Day 2006. And just like last year, the two characters who are the stories of the game are Adam Dunn and Aaron Harang.

But instead of Harang looking like a deer in the laser-bright headlights of Cincinnati Opening Day and giving up nine runs in five innings, we saw a composed master of his trade allowing just one run (zero earned) on six hits through seven innings. That's the kind of confidence that being the previous year's wins and strike-outs leader will give you. Or perhaps that beautiful white uni reflected the light off him. Either way.

And instead of one scored error and two more actual errors from Dunn, we got the slim, toned two home runs and walk-out-of-threat-of-a-third that you want out of your major slugger. He was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored thanks to those homers. He's on pace for 324 for the year, you know.

Ryan Freel turned over a new leaf as well: he actually backed off a play in the first inning. In fact, I blame that lack of dive in center field for his failed attempt to take second base in the third inning. I think he couldn't stand to be clean any longer, and was going to do whatever it took to get a slide in during that trip 'round the bases.

Scott Hatteberg got an RBI for walking with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and Alex Gonzalez got the last one with a sacrifice fly.

The win brings the Reds' record to 1-0. They take tomorrow to enjoy what they've done (not too much celebrating, please fellas!) before Bronson Arroyo takes on Ted Lilly at 7:10 on Wednesday.

P.S. - Check out what our Cubs counterparts have to say at The View from the Bleachers.

The Cubs have spent a zillion dollars this off-season, and armed with a multitude of overpaid free-agents, they're ready to go into Opening Day battle with our Reds. Now you can do your part to help knock the Cubs down. Whack Carlos Zambrano as many times as you can for a higher score! But don't hit the Reds--they've already got eight guys on the DL for crying out loud!

Whack a Cub

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Active Roster
Pitchers

• Bronson Arroyo
• Matt Belisle
• Jared Burton
• Todd Coffey
• Rheal Cormier
• Jon Coutlangus
• Aaron Harang
• Kyle Lohse
• Kirk Saarloos
• Mike Stanton
• David Weathers

Infielders

• Juan Castro
• Jeff Conine
• Edwin Encarnación
• Alex Gonzalez
• Scott Hatteberg
• Brandon Phillips

Outfielders

• Adam Dunn
• Ryan Freel
• Ken Griffey Jr.
• Josh Hamilton

Catchers

• Chad Moeller
• David Ross
• Javier Valentín

Odd, you may think, that there are only 24 guys on the roster. There's some mystery surrounding that, as BubbaFan goes into in this comment. The 25th guy will be announced before game time tomorrow.

C. Trent also provides the list of guys on the DL:

• Bill Bray
• Chris Denorfia
• Jerry Gil
• Eddie Guardado
• Norris Hopper
• Jeff Keppinger
• Eric Milton
• Elizardo Ramirez

Eight guys on the DL? Yikes, though Guardado hardly counts since we knew he was out from the get-go. That Denorfia injury could haunt the team: with Griffey in the starting line-up, four outfielders is not enough.

In not-so-surprising news, Eric Milton was scratched from his start in Dayton yesterday with lower back stiffness. He may go on the DL. Like so many reasons in the past why Milton has been unable to perform, I hope that when this one is resolved, he's back to the adequacy that he's got stowed somewhere deep down. In the meantime, it sounds like the CTS and I were on to something when we declared Milton the fifth starter. From C. Trent:

The rotation for the next couple of days is Harang, Arroyo, Lohse, Belisle and then back to Harang. So it looks like Belisle is officially the fifth starter, or maybe the fourth and we'll see who the fifth is. However, that rotation, Narron said, isn't “set in cement”

In much more surprising news, in the same post C. Trent reports that the Reds released Dustin Hermanson after he refused assignment to Louisville. When did the party line change from “Hermanson is our closer” to “he's not even on the team”? Was it those four runs he gave up in a third of an inning against the Marlins yesterday?

But Wayne Krivsky sounds like he has something else up his sleeve as these mysterious comments indicate:

And another thing, Wayne was kind of on edge about the whole 25-man roster and the talk of it. He also dropped something about how he may be at 24 today at 3 p.m. when they must turn in their roster, but there will be 25 tomorrow.

I haven't found any corroborating sources for this news, BTW, but I'm assuming that C. Trent's got the early scoop and not a great April Fool's Day gag.