It’s amazing how long you can talk about a team that didn’t do much of anything at the trade deadline or—really—all season long. Heck, you’ve got to talk about something in a marriage, and a person’s love of broccoli is only good for so many hours of conversation.

This week on the podcast we discuss:

• Moves not made at the trade deadline
• Transactions made today (most of them bad)
• The Reds creeping slowly up the standings, all the way into fifth place. Though, to be fair, it’s not as if they could have slid down any lower.
• The wormhole that will open in space to obliterate the Earth if the Cubs overtake the Brewers at the top of the division.
• Reds Heads related activities and the Screaming Mimes concert going on in Cincinnati this weekend.

Oh, and I also make fun of Bronson Arroyo‘s hair. It looks like something Candace Cameron wore circa 1996.

Episode 70: Transactions that Were and that Should Have Been (27.3MB, 39:46)

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Walked into the room in the top of the first and couldn't believe that the Reds weren't down yet. I mean, it is Bronson Arroyo on the mound after all.

Even more surprising, given the above-mentioned pitching situation, the Reds scored in the bottom of the inning. As I sit here, nursing a sore knee (I've been overexerting it since I've been working downtown) and trying to convince a slightly-wheezy but no longer really sick 6-year-old to take it easy lest he relapse, our boys are up 0-3 in the top of the third. That tall drinka water that Dodgers have run out to the mound just got on base. Better start paying attention.

We're even scooping the official site on this one, not a peep on there about these moves yet as of the time of this post!

First, the bad news:

* Ryan Freel has been placed on the 15-day DL.

* Jon Coutlangus has been optioned to Louisville.

* Gary Majewski has been recalled from Louisville.

Now, the good news:

* Eddie Guardado has been activated from the DL.

That's 13 pitchers and only three OFs on the 25-man. That's just way too close for comfort to seeing Conine in the OF.

Good to see Eddie back, too, but as for the rest, this is the big bullpen shakeup Pete McCanWin hinted at the other night?

Cooter: 3.93 ERA, 118 ERA+, 36-2/3 IP, 31 H, 15 ER, 3 HR
Coffey: 6.04 ERA, 77 ERA+, 44-2/3 IP, 61 H, 30 ER, 11 HR

Coffey stays in the bigs and Coutlangus goes to AAA?

Utterly ridiculous.

And as if that isn't enough, Majewski is back. gasoline Latte to go along with Gasoline-Frappucino. Well, tonight and tomorrow are $1 hotdog nights at GABP. I guess the Reds figure that if Coffey and Majewski give up 28 runs in the seventh inning, nobody will care because everyone will be in the hotdog lines instead of watching the game.

HMZ

Josh Hamilton's going on rehab assignment:

CINCINNATI -- Reds rookie outfielder Josh Hamilton will begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.

Hamilton has not played since spraining his right wrist while taking swings in the on-deck circle during Cincinnati's July 7 game vs. the Diamondbacks. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 12.

Not that it will make much difference for the team (though there is a part of me that wants to believe that 12.5 games isn't too much if the team can just get motivated) but Hamilton is one of the best personalities the Reds have. We need something to make these games watchable.

The Reds managed to win tonight, 9-8, despite allowing five home runs to the Pirates, to pull themselves slightly further out of last place. George Grande is getting to say “smiling side of the scoreboard,” and you can tell he's relishing the opportunity.

Bobby Livingston started the game on 3-days rest. He went five and one-third innings, allowing two runs (earned) on six hits, including the first of the Pirate home runs to Matt Morris. Always good when you're giving up homers to the pitcher.

Todd Coffey pitched a third of an inning in the fifth and gave up the second of the homers, a two-run shot to Jason Bay. In total, he allowed three runs (earned) on one hit, a walk, and a wild pitch. Mike Gosling took over to finish out the inning by giving up the next of the home runs, a solo shot to Nate McLouth.

However, thanks to four early runs by the Reds, the Pirates' five-run inning only put the game slightly out of reach.

The Reds hung in, though. When Mike Stanton got out of a zero-out, bases loaded situation in the seventh inning, the Crack Technical Staff sarcastically, “I hope they send him back out to start the eighth.” Edwin Encarnación hit a rally killer in the top of the eighth to tie the game at sixes. But then the Reds really did send Stanton back out for the eighth. And he gave up the next home run on the second pitch of the inning to give up the lead again.

Never fear, though, because Jeff Keppinger hit his own rally killer in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game again, and for a change, the bullpen didn't give up the lead in the bottom of the inning. Adam Dunn's two-run homer in the top of the tenth outshone Kepp's contribution.

And rightfully so, since David Weathers came in the bottom of the tenth to give up the final Pirate homer to Jack Wilson.

The win brings the Reds' record to 47-64. Tomorrow they go for the sweep of the Pirates and the attempt to claw themselves ever-closer to third place. Bronson Arroyo goes up against Tom Gorzelanny.