Dang, the Reds are boring right now. Part of it is that they didn’t even play today, though frankly that’s a bit of an improvement over the games of the last three days. It’s hard to work up a serious baseball passion watching a sweep at the hands of the Royals. There’s only so much enthusiasm a person can muster at each Taveras at-bat, wondering if this will finally be the time.

Speaking of, I went out to Reds.com to see was what up on the official news front. I clicked on the story, “Baker working with Taveras to shake slump” to see what magic potion Dusty was concocting, only to be taken to the Atlanta series preview. Apparently even the official site don’t have anything more to say on the matter.

So I went to Red Reporter and dug through the flashing ads enough to find a discussion of old Reds short stops. Man, those really were the days. Barry Larkin got a hit in the first AB of the first Reds game I ever saw in person. Why he was leading off, I don’t know, but apparently it’s etched in my memory for all time.

Took a look at Redleg Nation, where Steve Price is advocating trading Aaron Harang for a bat. I don’t think so, Tim. The bats will come off the DL eventually. No need to disassemble the rotation just yet.

Except maybe just to make things a little more interesting.

In an unusual inter-league match-up, the Reds have been visiting the Kansas City Royals for the last three games, and have lost every one of them.

It’s been a recipe of:

• 2 c. anemic offense
• 1/2 c. on-field blunders
• 1/4 c. Bronson Arroyo

For the topping, mix a pinch of Hannigan in the 8-hole and Taveras “down” to the 2

Or, for the superstitious among us, maybe I’m to blame. After all, I did notice for the first time this weekend that “Royals” is “Slayor” backward, which is just one letter off from being really scary.

Whatever the reason, I’ve got a message for Joey Votto: wherever you are, whatever’s the matter, we love and support you and want you to come back.

Boxscore

After two extra-inning games with the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds were looking forward to an easy series against the Washington Nationals. I mean, the Nationals are so bad.

The Reds won the first game of the series, although the team scored only 3 runs. Of course, anyone who thought this team was well-put together and would be able to get by on just its pitching is a moron. I’m looking at you Walt Jocketty.

The second game was going well last night until rain arrived in the bottom of the 9th with Francisco Cordero on the mound. The Reds were ahead 2-0 when the umps delayed the game. The delay lasted for more than 2 hours! And Dusty Baker, pitcher killer that he is, returned Cordero to the mound. Obviously due to the great results seen from Aaron Harang a few weeks ago.

Of course, Cordero blew the save, but Baker’s idiocy gets taken off the hook because Jonny Gomes drove in a run in the 12th to allow the Reds to win. Lack of offense aside, I would be enjoying the Reds so much more if Baker were nowhere near this team.

After the parade of veterans the Pittsburgh Pirates have sent out over the last few forevers, it shouldn’t have been such a shock to see them ship Nate McLouth off to the Atlanta Braves for 3 prospects.

On the one hand, shouldn’t the Pirates eventually run out of best players? On the other, this is the exact thing that the team should be doing. They’re not going to have a winning season with McLouth this ear. He had a career year last season. Sure, it as his first real year in the majors, but he’s in his late 20s and likely to regress. Best to replenish the farm system while you can.

And GM Neal Huntington did. Charlie Morton, Gorkys Hernandez, and Jeff Locke all are coming into the Pirates system. Two starters and an outfielder, all young and with some decent upside, is quite a haul. It’s absolutely what the Pirates should be doing, and I’m enjoying watching Huntington move towards ending the Pirates losing.

Edinson Volquez tries to break the Reds’ three-game losing streak by putting Todd Wellemeyer in his place: slightly after himself in the alphabet.

Joining young Volquez on the field:

• Chris Dickerson, CF
• Adam Rosales, 3B
• Brandon Phillips, 2B (out of the cleanup spot??)
• Jay Bruce, RF
• Ramon Hernandez, 1B
• Laynce Nix, LF
• Alex Gonzalez, SS
• Ryan Hanigan, C
• Edinson Volquez, P

And you know it’s going to be a good one, since Jeff Piecoro has already drooled all over Pujols for being “the best player in baseball” and George Grande is busy calling him Prince Albert.