The Reds were the first team to take to the field this year in a thrilling intrasquad game. Wait, or is it intersquad? No, no, it’s definitely intra, just like the opposite of the highway system. Those go between states, you see, which means that when the Cubs play the White Sox, it’s intra. Or something like that.

Anyway, isn’t it great to see some baseball action? Or at least read about it hours afterwards, considering there was no radio or television of this non-event. The score of the game, in case you’re wondering how long I was going to bury the lead, was home-Reds 8, visiting-Reds 2.

Sadly, no quotes from manager Dusty Baker about “clogging the bases” or any other moronic things. Instead, he sounds like every other manager upon seeing young players for the first time.

“I saw good things. Jerry Gil looked good. Anderson looked great. (Chris) Dickerson looked good. Janish made the three nice plays. No missed signs. That’s what I like.”

And I like seeing Janish do well. My son got his autograph on a baseball last Spring, and it would be nice for Janish to still be around when we make it down to Florida next month.

Proceeds from tickets to the scrimmage went to the Reds Community Fund. Real spring training games start tomorrow afternoon.

OK, finally here’s an update on player transactions in the NL Central. Egad, Feb. 11, has it really been that long? How time flies. Fortunately, many of the deals that have transpired since have already been reported by my colleagues here on RHM and there were a few “slow news days” so hopefully this won’t be too painful if I move along quickly

Yes, Feb. 11 – the Pirates signed 1B Doug Mientkiewicz to a MLCWSTI.

Feb 15 – The Pirates invited nonroster C Steve Lerud to spring training, while the Reds locked up their probable 2008 cleanup hitter for the next four years by signing 2B Brandon Phillips to a four-year, $27 million contract through the 2011 season with a club option for 2012.

Feb. 18 – The Cubs signed IF Alex Cintron to a MLCWSTI (Also on this date, Leatherpants Vampire added Bret Boone to his collection of former Reds).

Feb. 19 -  The Cardinals signed LHP Ron Villone, a former Red, Brewer, Astro, and Pirate, to a MLCWSTI – and Bubba copped a job.

Feb. 20 – The Astros signed free agent RHP Shawn Chacon, a former Pirate, to a $2 million, one-year contract. The Brewers signed LHP Mitch Stetter to a one-year contract and signed 3B/OF Russell Branyan, a former Red Brewer, and Cardinal, to a minor league contract (Incidentally, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel erroneously reported that Branyan was with the Reds, Padres, and Cardinals last year. Oops. Well, two out of three ain’t bad, right? Russ was with the Phillies, Padres, and Cardinals last year and hasn’t worn a Reds uni since 2003. You Brewers fans might want to tip off Tom Haudricourt about the existence of Baseball Reference).

Feb. 21 – The Brewers signed C Lou Palmisano to a one-year contract. The Reds signed RHP Josh Fogg, a former Pirate, to a one-year, $1 million contract, placing LHP Bobby Livingston on the 60-day DL to make room for Fogg on the 40-man roster.

Feb. 22 – The Reds released OF/1B Craig Wilson after he reportedly failed his physical. Wilson spent most of last year on the DL with shoulder problems and even had surgery to try to clean things up. I wish Craig the best of luck.

Feb. 24 – As previously reported here on RHM, the Pirates signed RHP Byung-Hyun Kim to a one-year, $850,000 contract.

What wasn’t reported is how they made room for Kim on their 40-man roster: They DFA’ed Little Ray Ray.

🙁

I hope they finish in the cellar…but then, what are the odds of that? Oh, wait…

That’s a wrap. You’re now caught up on all the wheeling and dealing in the NLC since our last update. I’ll have more to contribute soon, if I don’t completely trash my computers upgrading the operating systems later this week (it really is about time for me to ditch Windows ME, don’t you think?).

HMZ

This week on the podcast we talk fantasy baseball with Brad Stewart of MLB Front Office. I’m no fantasy expert, but the advice he gives sounds pretty sound, and the breadth of information available on the site sure couldn’t hurt your extensive baseball research time.

Dusty Baker should stop talking

Prince Fielder is a Vegetarian?

• “I tell people I don’t eat meat, and they’re like, ‘Oh!'” Fielder said, raising his hands and making a sour face. “They forget there’s so much other food out there. Beans, rice, tofu. You’ve got a lot of good food, baby!”
• Fielder made the decision to cut out meat after reading a bestselling book, Skinny Bitch.

The Cubs Mark DeRosa is undergoing heart tests

The Pirates signed Byung-Hyun Kim

• A $1 M Major League deal.
• Ray Olmedo DFA’d to make room.

The Astros signed Shawn Chacon to help with their rotation

The Cardinals signed Ron Villone.

Cincinnati signed Josh Fogg.

Joe Nuxhall didn’t win the Ford C. Frick Hall of Fame award

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Welcome to round 2 of the Jason Romano Commemorative NLC’s hottest baller contest. 15 of the best-looking players on NLC (plus the newest Mariner) face off in a single-elimination tournament.

Today’s match-up is the only round 2 contest that doesn’t include a Red, ensuring that at least one extra-Cincinnatian will make it to round three. Chris Duffy of the Pirates goes up against Brad Ausmus of the Astros. Last time around, Ausmus took down a Pirate in Sean Burnett, but in round 1 Chris Duffy won over Billy Petrick with 83% of the vote. It could go either way.

Chris Duffy
ht: 5-9 wt: 180 dob: 04/20/1980

Brad Ausmus
ht: 5-11 wt: 190 dob: 04/14/1969


[poll=21]

Forget about his pitching, I am talkin’ about that funky hair-do!
That, dear reader, is the stuff of legends.

The hilarious hair along with his cherubic face might not win him a “Hottest Baller Award”, but it certainly qualifies him for “player most resembling a cartoon character.”

On a serious note: we find out today via an article by John Fay that Volquez met with Mario Soto literally a week after he was traded to the Reds. You might recall how I anticipated this obvious mentorship in the very first paragraph of my 2007 Year in Review. That’s right, you get nothing but top notch reporting and predictions here at Red-Hot-Mama, so stay tuned as the games officially kick off in less than 48 hours!