If you’ve been paying close attention for the last couple season, you’ve noticed that I’ve answered five questions about the Reds for blogs that follow the opposing teams. This sounds like something I would initiate, but actually, in both cases I was approached by the other blogger. It’s like we’re becoming a big NLC collective consciousness or something.

The first set of questions came from the Cubs blog Goat Rider’s of the Apocolypse, which I think I’ve already linked to. I haven’t mentioned the award that they’ve also bestowed upon Red Hot Mama, the Corey Patterson award – an award given to a blog covering a team with a player who’s failed to meet his potential. Damn that’s a lot of modifiers. And as long as you’re visiting Goat Riders’ discussion of the Reds, you can read this inexplicably passionate decrying of Marty Brennaman’s inexplicably passionate response to the idiot Cub fans inexplicable throwing of balls on the field after an Adam Dunn home run a few games ago.

More recently, the blog Brew Crew Ball posted my answers to some questions on the Reds before the current series. It’s really nice to have an interaction with a Brewer’s blog; we really haven’t had many conversations with Brewers fans around here, so here’s another link. This is where they talk about Ben Sheets getting hurt.

Continuing the theme of other bloggers who have not come to terms with the fact that RHM is no longer a Reds-only blog, I got a message about this proposal for improving the display of retired numbers at Great American Ball Park from BrianBaute.com. I kinda like the idea, and I’d put adding the names of the players high on the priority list for changes as well.

As we work our way down the emails in my inbox, here’s another episode of the MLB Roundup from DoublePlayTV.

And heck, while we’re at it, check out the new sports portal FanBunker.com, where they advertise hand-pick the blogs they pull from to give you the highest quality sports news.

If that trip ’round the blogsphere wasn’t enough for you, finish up with this bizarre song and video from Ryan Parker.

Boxscore

I saw that the Cardinals (12-5) scored 11 runs and thought, how on earth do they keep playing so awesomely? And then I saw that they were playing the Giants (6-11), which goes a long way in explaining that 11-spot.

Still, the Cardinals continue to surprise. Todd Wellemeyer (2-0), of all people, had a great start, limiting the Giants to 1 run over 7 innings. Matt Cain (0-2) got the loss, due in no small part to the homeruns he allowed to Chris Duncan and Albert Pujols.

The middle game of the series is this afternoon at 1:10pm EDT with Tim Lincecum versus Joel Pineiro.

Boxscore

The Astros (6-11) finally had their offense show up yesterday as they scored 4 runs in the first inning. If only the Rockies (8-8) hadn’t already scored 6 in the top of the first.

Chris Sampson (0-2) couldn’t make it out of the first inning. He allowed 6 runs, all of them earned. It was all downhill from there, as it usually is when you have to go to the bullpen in the first.

Franklin Morales (1-1) got the win for the Rockies, although he wasn’t too sharp either. When a total of 10 runs are scored in the first, you know you’re not in for a pitchers duel.

The Astros turn to Wandy Rodriguez to end their two-game losing streak and hopefully start some winning today. Gametime is 7:05pm EDT.

Boxscore

No doubt pumped up from playing loud music in the clubhouse, Bronson Arroyo (0-2) allowed all of the Brewers (10-6) runs in the less than six innings he pitched for the Reds (7-10). Can’t blame that one on the bullpen.

Ben Sheets (3-0) got the win, but pulled up lame before the 6th. Who had April 18 in the Sheets injury pool? Actually, that’s a bit earlier than I expected.

A very hairy Eric Gagne (S 5) got the save for the Brewers, coming in to stop the Reds only scoring inning of the day. It’s a good thing the Reds did score those 2 in the 9th, otherwise it might not have looked close.

The same two teams play again today at 1:10pm EDT with Jeff Suppan battling against rookie phenom Johnny Cueto.

Boxscore

The Cubs (10-6) mastery of the Pirates (7-9) continues, albeit within the regular nine innings this time.

Ian Snell (2-1) had one bad inning where he allowed all the Cubs runs. (It’s never a good thing to start an inning by allowing a lead-off triple, like Snell did to Fukudome.) That was enough for Rich Hill (1-0) and the Cubs bullpen. Kerry Wood (S 4) chimed in with the save.

Nate McLouth continues his hot hitting, extending his streak to 16 games (that’s every game this year, I believe) with a homer in the 8th.

The two play again today with Tom Gorzelanny pitching against Jason Marquis at 1:05pm EDT.