It’s only been two days since our last podcast: how will we ever find things to talk about tonight??

We haven’t been able to read and post as much about the team as we’d like today thanks to a day-long trip to the ER with our Crack Technical Son, who was giving us the appendix scare, but we’re trying to make up for it tonight with a podcast. Before we even get into the juicy story, we chat about:

• The aforementioned trip to the hospital
• The highlights of the Cincinnati trip with The Scratchers
• The pros and cons of developing a taste for beer
• Ken Griffey, Jr. being the Reds’ only representative to the All-Star game
• The continuing development of Homer Bailey

Under the subhead of Jerry Narron: Once and Future Manager are several more topics for our chattering:

• The value of firing him now, even though it’s clearly too late for 2007
• Differences between Narron and Dave Miley
• Brandon Phillip’s quote and reaction
• Hoping the Reds will perform a proper manager search in the off-season
• Going 50-30 the rest of the way to make .500

Plus, you won’t want to miss the anecdote about a math teacher from our high school dying when the school’s basketball team won state. You’ll just have to listen to hear how I tie that in to baseball.

Episode 65: The End of the Narron Era (23.3MB, 33:57)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

First of all - I was somewhat surprised the Reds made Pete Mackanin the interim manager rather than Bucky Dent. However, I surmise from this that the promotion of bench coaches to replace fired managers is over in Cinci and that the search is on for a real manager.

That being the case (and I think it is), some possibilities:

Guys who managed in the majors last season who aren't doing so this year (so far) - Felipe Alou, Dusty Baker, Joe Girardi, Ken Macha, Frank Robinson, and Buck Showalter.

Macha is a part-time analyst on Red Sox broadcasts. Baker is working for ESPN as an analyst. Girardi is working as a Yankees broadcaster and also does regional Fox Saturday Baseball telecasts, and reportedly interviewed for the Orioles' managerial job last week. Robinson has said he doesn't want to manage again. I don't know what Alou's doing.

Guys from this year - Sam Perlozzo was fired in Baltimore. Mike Hargrove quit on the Mariners.

FWIW, Other guys besides those mentioned above who have managed in the majors from 2000-present who aren't managing in The Show as of now are listed below, and I did some digging - after all, I'm the CHFS - which is also included (Mackanin would have also been on this list but since he's now the interim manager of the Reds, he doesn't fit the criteria of “not managing in The Show as of now”):

Don Baylor - Forget it. Has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

John Boles - Mariners' front office

Bob Boone - Nationals' front office

Larry Bowa - Yankees coach

Bob Brenly - Cubs broadcaster

Larry Dierker - Astros broadcaster

Jim Fregosi - was a candidate to replace Bowa in Philly before they hired Charlie Manuel, not sure what he's up to now

Art Howe - Rangers' bench coach

Davey Johnson - working to earn Team USA a spot in the 2008 Summer Olympics and a consultant to Bowden in Washington

Tom Kelly - special assistant to GM for Twins

Joe Kerrigan - Yankees bullpen coach

Bruce Kimm - has managed in Cinci organization; no idea where he's gone since the Cubs fired him and hired Baker

Ray Knight - studio analyist on Nationals' broadcasts

Rene Lachemann - was coaching in Oakland last I knew

Gene Lamont - Tigers' 3B coach

Davey Lopes - Phillies 1B coach

Jerry Manuel - Mets' bench coach

Buck Martinez - Orioles broadcaster

Lee Mazzilli - Mets broadcaster

Lloyd McClendon - Tigers coach

Jack McKeon - sitting on his ass in Florida waiting for his phone to ring. I'm serious. Miami Herald said he went to a Marlins game, and that he wants to manage again.

Hal McRae - Cardinals' hitting coach,

Dave Miley - Yankees' minor league system.

John Mizerock - Managing Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Royals' affiliate in the Carolina League

Tony Muser - Managing the Peoria Padres in the Arizona Rookie League

Johnny Oates - Forget it. Passed away on 12/24/04 in Richmond, VA.

Al Pedrique - special assistant to GM in Houston

Tony Pena - Yankees' 1B coach

Tony Perez - special assistant to Marlins' GM

Luis Pujols - Giants' 1B coach

Larry Rothschild - Cubs' pitching coach

Jerry Royster - Was managing Dodgers' AAA affiliate last year but got fired in September, not sure where he is now

Bob Schaefer - Oakland's bench coach

Joel Skinner - Indians' 3B coach

Jeff Torborg - Was a Braves broadcaster last year but wasn't retained for this year, dunno what he's doing now

Carlos Tosca - Marlins' bench coach

Alan Trammell - Cubs' bench coach

Bobby Valentine - Managing the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Pacific League in Japan

Gary Varsho - OF/baserunning coordinator for the Indians

Jimy Williams - Phillies' bench coach

Idle Speculation Department: Tony LaRussa's contract to manage the Cardinals is reportedly up after this season. And we all know that Castellini was formerly a part owner in St. Louis. Just sayin'.

Except for McKeon, I haven't offered any opinions here, “Just the facts, ma'am” as they used to say on Dragnet. FWIW, if I were Castellini, I'd have called McKeon already, but I'm not Castellini, so I haven't. As for my thoughts on the other guys listed in this post, I'll save 'em for downthread.

HMZ