The Red Hot Household has been struck by the dreaded flu-like symptoms this week, knocking yours truly on her booty for about four days. The Crack Technical Staff literally had to call to get me out of bed long enough to post about Griffey being traded last week, and afterward I fell back to sleep. I mean, I missed work. Do you have any concept of the state I need to be in to miss work??

Finally, I am beginning to emerge from the Nyquil-stained sheets and enjoy the pleasures of the waking world. And, though I’m having almost no trouble keeping myself upright as I watch tonight’s Reds-Brewers game, and though the once-searing pain in my throat is now barely more than a nagging ache, I have not been able to shake this voice affliction that makes me sound like a lifetime smoker/nightclub singer. Maybe we’ll record a podcast so you all can enjoy it.

I’m enjoying watching the Reds win for a change. Even if Cordero eventually gives this one up, we got to see Bronson Arroyo not suck, Gary Majewski suck for only an inning, and David Weathers get out of his own jam. Oh, and Prince Fielder shoving a guy 1/10th his weight in the dugout.

The Crack Technical Staff was telling me that the Reds’ record against teams with records over .500 is very high, while their record against teams with records under .500 is very low. So, they rise to the challenge against the leaders, and manage to suck even worse than the suck teams. Seems strange, but it also seems like exactly the sort of pattern this team has kept up over the years, like scoring among the most runs in the majors but failing to actually contend and hiring Dusty Baker.

While I was out sick, a Cubs fan I work with sent me a taunting email about the Reds already giving up for the season, saying it was earlier than usual. He’s right, but I told him that at least they weren’t giving up on NEXT season yet, which is a nice change of pace.

I also told him that it’s not my problem anyway, seeing as I’m a White Sox fan now.

But apparently not really, since I hung around long enough to see Cordero finally get another save. Dude, it’s about damn time! And Arroyo is officially a 10-game winner. AND Jim Day has a fan club. It was totally worth getting out of bed today.

Boxscore

The Reds were swept by the ex-Reds yesterday, losing in the final game of the 3-game series. The futility of the team has reached its lowest point of the season, exemplified by the team being 10 games under for the first time all year and by being 16 games out of first.

Your last place Cincinnati Reds, ladies and gentlemen. And just think, the team has two more years of this unfocused mess of baseball left, unless they fire manager Dusty Baker before another rebuilding effort has to start.

Johnny Cueto got the loss yesterday, thanks to 4 runs (3 earned) in the first. After that, he settled down and ended up pitching 6 innings. A decent outing from a rookie. The offense provided no help, though, against Collin Balester. That’s right, Collin Balester. The Reds were doomed before the first pitch.

In the other blockbuster trade yesterday, the Pirates had some fun in a ménage à trois with the Red Sox and the Dodgers. For the first time in a very long time, I don’t even think they’ll be sore and regretful in the morning.

Manny Ramirez went to the Dodgers, Jason Bay went to the Red Sox, while Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Brandon Moss, and Craig Hansen went to the Pirates. LaRoche gives the Pirates the complete set of LaRoche brothers in the Majors, so that’s worth something. I mean, look at how well the Reds did when they had both Boone brothers.

Andy LaRoche was one of the Dodgers best prospects, and every other player obtained is young and more talented than about anyone else in the entire Pirates farm system. So it looks like a competent move to secure the team’s future. Painful? Sure. Bay was good. But I think it’s something that’s been long overdue from the Pirates. Neal Huntington has earned a gold star for his work leading up to the deadline.

Pirates bloggers have mixed opinions.

• Pat at WHYGAS? likes the trade quite a bit and goes so far as to Fire Joe Morgan a Post-Gazette reporter’s opinion on the matter.
• Bucco Blog has the most negative reaction to the trade that I’ve seen, feeling it’s more of the same and that nothing has changed.
• Finally, the Pittsburgh Lumber Company rates the trade as very good, finding it much better than expected. When you’re a Pirates fan, better than expected is a huge win.

Wow. That was an eventful non-waiver trading deadline yesterday, wasn’t it?

Two of the biggest names in baseball changed teams, and both trades involved the NL Central. Of course, big-name, established talent was leaving the NLC, but that’s come to be expected.

As reported here yesterday, Ken Griffey Jr. was traded to the White Sox. Basically this saves the Reds some money and it gives them a couple players who might be useful. That’s more than I expected they could get out of Griffey.

The trade is bittersweet, though. Everyone had high hopes for the Reds when Griffey arrived in 2000, but he never seemed to be the player that people expected. Injuries and getting older were a part of that, as was the incalculable incompetency of the Reds organization. (This trade notwithstanding, the incompetency continues even now. See Dusty Baker.)

The blogger reaction is mixed. Some like it, some don’t. All seem to realize how special of a player he was, though.

• John Fay was stunned but seems to have come around.
• Justin at On Baseball and the Reds thinks the Reds won the trade and offers his usual level-headed analysis.
• And Shawn wishes Griffey well with his new team and offers the frightening Reds future: one with more playing time for Corey Patterson.

Ah, what could have been.

UPDATE Griffey has given the OK; he’s going to Chicago. This is so exciting! I hope the White Sox go far.

According to the story on Reds.com:

The Reds will receive right-handed pitcher Nick Masset and second baseman Danny Richar, a source said.

Griffey, 38, is a likely free agent after the season. In the final year of a nine-year deal, the Reds held a $16.5 million club option for 2009, with a $4 million buyout.

The trade that’s been in the works since 2005 but seemed like it would never come may finally be here: FOX Sports (and even the MLB.com pages concur) reports that the Reds and White Sox have come to an agreement to send Ken Griffey Jr. to the windy city, if the slugger agrees to go.

Ken Rosenthal says:

The White Sox, leading the American League Central by a game and a half, would use Griffey mostly in the outfield, the source said. However, they do not have an obvious spot for him unless they make another deal.

The Sox are set at the corners with Carlos Quentin in left and Jermaine Dye in right. They could play Nick Swisher at first to open center for Griffey, a move that would reduce the playing time of first baseman Paul Konerko and designated hitter Jim Thome. But Griffey has not played center regularly since 2006.

Griffey, earning $12.5 million this season in the final year of his contract, is owed more than $4 million in salary. The Reds could pay a portion of that sum to acquire better players in the deal. The White Sox also could be seeking to acquire one of the Reds’ available relievers, right-hander David Weathers or lefty Jeremy Affeldt.

No word yet on what the Reds would get in return.