CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips today was named the Reds’ recipient of the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. He is one of 30 Major League Club nominees for the national 2008 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field with devoted work in the community. Tomorrow will mark the seventh annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball in 2002 to honor the legacy of Roberto Clemente, and Phillips will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy, is part of Chevy’s official sponsorship of Major League Baseball, and recognizes those players who best represent the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions to their teams. The award is named for Clemente, a 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer who died on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. This award perpetuates Clemente’s legacy and character by recognizing current-day players who truly understand the value of helping others.

Fans are encouraged to participate in the selection of the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. From September 3rd through October 5th, 2008, fans can log on to www.chevy.com/clemente and vote for one of the 30 Club nominees.

Since arriving in Cincinnati in 2006, Brandon has emerged as one of the Reds’ top players on the field and in the community. In 2008, he contributed $25,000 to help restore a baseball field at Clark Montessori School in Winton Place. The new complex will be known as “Brandon Phillips Field” and will serve as the home for Cincinnati’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program as well as for all Clark Montessori varsity and junior varsity baseball home games. Phillips has participated in school visits, Reds Heads Kids Club activities, the Reds Rookie Success League, the Reds winter caravan and Redfest.

The fan vote winner will be tallied as one vote among those cast by the selection panel, which includes Vera Clemente, wife of the late Hall of Famer, and Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. Participating fans automatically will be registered for a chance to win a trip to Game Three of the 2008 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy will be announced.

As the official sponsor of the Roberto Clemente Award, Chevy will donate $7,500 to the charity of choice of each of the 30 Club recipients. Chevy also will donate $30,000 and a Chevy vehicle to the national winner’s charity of choice and an additional $30,000 will be donated by Chevy to Roberto Clemente Sports City, a not-for-profit organization in Carolina, Puerto Rico, designed to provide recreational sports activities for children.

This episode is recorded live on location at beautiful Victory Field in Indianapolis, Indiana. The last place Indianapolis Indians (Pirates’ affiliate) hosted the division leading Louisville Bats (Reds’ affiliate) as they always do during the holiday weekends.

The Bats had long since clinched the division, so it was hard to imagine that they’d put too much effort into their last series: 4-games against the cellar-dwellers (and that was just in Indy; afterward, they immediately took off for two more games in Louisville). But it was a good time anyway, seeing the Reds and Pirates of the future (and past *cough*Chris Duffy*cough*) defining themselves on the field.

We attended all four games, but only stayed for the duration on Saturday (darn school nights), so this program is the culmination of four days and about 20 innings of baseball spectatorship.

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Apparently, I missed the Diamondbacks acquiring David Eckstein for their infield needs down the stretch. Yesterday, both the former Cardinal and the former Red Adam Dunn patrolled the same side of the infield for Arizona.

Dunn hit his 35th home run of the year and Eckstein drove in a couple against his old team to propel the team to a come-from-behind win.

The win kept Arizona 2.5 games ahead of Los Angeles, who also won today. The loss for St. Louis, has me calling their season done. They’re a good team–better than expected, by far–and they’ve put in a good 2008, but I think it’s over now. Time for them to start playing spoiler. I imagine they’ll do a far better job of it than the Reds.

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The Cubs faced their worst string of games over the weekend in a while. Not only did Carlos Zambrano miss a start due to a “tired” arm, but the team lost 3 in a row. Not that their lead in the Central was jeopardized, though. Neither the Brewers nor the Cardinals could capitalize.

Roy Oswalt continued his recent return to his old form. After struggling through the beginning of the year, Oswalt turned in numbers expected of him in August: a 2.97 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 39 innings. For his first start in September, he continued to dominate, shutting out Chicago for his 13th win.

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The Bats phoned one in on Thursday. I imagine it’s hard to continue to be motivated when you clinched not just a playoff spot, but your division, so many weeks ago. Matt Maloney got pounded, allowing 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings. Not exactly the best audition for a September call-up.

How many McCutchen’s do the Indians need? Apparently as many as the Bats have Drews.

Hey, look. Matt Kata plays for the Indians, now.

The Bats threatened to score shortly before we had to call it a night. Out of 4 games in 4 nights, we saw the entirety of one game. This was not that game.