In case you missed it, which I almost did thanks to not really caring about the Reds right now, Dunn was traded yesterday. Reds beat reporter John Fay talked to owner Bob Castellini and “manager” Dusty Baker about the trade.

The entire time I was reading the article, I couldn’t help but laugh. The answers seemed so delusional. For example, the first question is about if the Reds are in a long-term rebuilding phase now. A good question to ask with the trades of Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn and the DFA of David Ross. Bobo’s response? Apparently, that’s not the case.

Asked if the team could win next season, Castellini said: “Absolutely.”

Actually, I’m with Bobo on this one. The Reds will win next year. Not more than they lose–don’t be ridiculous–but they will win. No team has ever lost all of its games, so Bobo’s on safe ground with this statement. So bank on it. The 2009 Cincinnati Reds: Not Losing All Our Games.

Fay continues:

Coupled with the Griffey trade, today’s actions indicate the Reds are moving in a new direction.

Bobo’s response?

“I guess you could say that,” Castellini said. “We’re trying to get better for the future, while maintaining a team for this year.”

“Obviously, but I can’t say that outright because no one would come to the games,” Castellini meant to say. “We’re rebuilding while maintaining 25 people on the active roster for the remainder of 2008.”

Fay talked to Baker next, and ended the article with a quote from him I found particularly humorous, given Baker’s less than stellar history at managing the past few years.

There will be nights when the Reds don’t have a player over the age of 28. Tuesday night’s lineup in Pittsburgh will likely have an average age of 25.4.

That changes Baker’s job.

“I’ll probably have to teach more–how to be a big leaguer, how to perform like a big leaguer and how to carry yourself like a big leaguer,” Baker said. “That’s part of the job. It was part of somebody’s job when I was young like them. I didn’t come into this league as a big leaguer.”

Baker’s apparently finally starting to realize his job means he has to do something other than fill out lineup cards. Yes, Dusty, you should have to teach more. Of course, since you haven’t been teaching anything since you came to the NL Central, I kind of doubt that will change.

The long, dark tea-time of Reds fans seems likely to continue.