As Bronson Arroyo was leaving the game in the sixth, having been smacked around to the tune of six runs, including a homer by the pitcher, Chris Welsh commented something about this not being the Arroyo we’re used to seeing?

It’s not? What the hell Arroyo has he been watching? This guy’s been the suck for half of the season-so-far.

Not that I can blame the entirety of the Reds woes on Bronson Arroyo. He only goes out there every five days. I quibble with the roster construction, since I don’t much see where the offense is supposed to come from. I quibble with the batting order and the entire premise that speed alone is adequate reason to give Willy Taveras a spot on the 25-man. (Speed paired with a low salary and a Ryan Freel-like disregard for your own body when chasing down balls–that’s a different story.) I quibble with the manager on the field.

And oddly, I’m mad that the Reds of the freaking division is losing so badly, making the Reds record not look so bad by comparison. I know that ought to make me happy, but it feels like a consolation prize, like a copy of the home game and a year’s supply of Rice-a-Roni for the guy not proceeding to final Jeopardy.

At least they get to come back again tomorrow.

I’ve never given a flying flip about the futures game myself, but I know that some people care, so I’ll give it a little face time here. Here’s hoping the next Griffey (minus the injuries) will be playing.

North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America Represented in All-Star Weekend Event; Over 30 Countries Now Represented In Professional Baseball In North America

( LAUSANNE, Switzerland) – Baseball’s global growth at the highest professional level continued this week with the announcement that up-and-coming players from 12 nations will play in the 2009 XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri (USA) on 12 July as part of Major League Baseball All-Star festivities.

The twelve nations – the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Italy, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Japan, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and the Netherlands Antilles – is among the most diverse in the eleven year history of the game, which will be televised in over 200 countries.

The diversity in the Futures Game, which will feature the rising stars of baseball, coupled with the latest global fan voting for the All-Star game (which has players from five different nations leading at their respective positions), further shows the sport’s global growth at the Major League level in North America.

“Every week there is another example of the rapid international growth that baseball is witnessing, whether it is a large increase in Little League participation in Europe, new school programmes in Africa or Asia, or new sponsors in Latin America,” said IBAF President Dr. Harvey Schiller. “The diversity in nations that will be represented during the Major League Baseball All-Star festivities is further proof that the game at the highest level is also growing quickly, with many of these younger stars already exposed to international play through the Olympics, the World Baseball Classic and other events. This will help baseball gain even more exposure in emerging nations, and it shows that the future of the sport on a global basis is very bright.”

As of this week, over 30 nations from six continents are now represented in professional major and minor league baseball in North America, the highest amount of nations in the sport’s history.

About the International Baseball Federation (IBAF)
Founded in 1938, the International Baseball Federation is a non-governmental organisation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as administering men’s and women’s baseball at the world level. Located in Lausanne, Switzerland – the Olympic Capital – and counting 125 National Member Federations, the IBAF organises the IBAF Men’s and Women’s Baseball World Cup, the AAA (18U) and AA (16U) World Championships, the Olympic Games Baseball Tournament, and it sanctions the World Baseball Classic, among other international baseball tournaments. The IBAF works to develop and grow the game of baseball around the world. For more information, please visit www.ibaf.org.

Looking for something to do on the Fourth of July? What better way to celebrate your country’s independence than with a Jay Bruce bobblehead?

Tickets are still available.

Baseball really is a great way to spend the holiday, and I’ve made it out to Victory Field in Indianapolis for the games the last couple years. The weather is supposed to be fabulous this year (at least in Indy; I’d check my iPhone for the forecast in Cincy if my son weren’t busy playing Sally’s Spa, a game that I’m addicted to and got him hooked on, even though it’s a girl game), and I recommend everyone get out for some fun.

Tickets are still reasonably priced; beer and food aren’t, but you can always eat before you go, so it’s recession-worthy fun.

The baseball cards made up to honor/skewer some of the Reds pitching are pretty goofy, but I laughed in spite of myself.

So I guess I owe them a link.

Check out More Hardball to see them, and let me know if you understand what the YouTube of the guy playing the banjo is all about.