The rosters for the All-Star game have been announced. Here’s the NL team:

Catcher
Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Brian McCann, Braves

Infield
1B Albert Pujols, Cardinals
1B Prince Fielder, Brewers
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Padres
1B Ryan Howard, Phillies
2B Chase Utley, Phillies
2B Orlando Hudson, Dodgers
2B Freddy Sanchez, Pirates
SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
SS Miguel Tejada, Astros
3B David Wright, Mets
3B Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals

Outfield
Ryan Braun, Brewers
Raul Ibanez, Phillies
Carlos Beltran, Mets
Brad Hawpe, Rockies
Hunter Pence, Astros
Justin Upton, Diamondbacks

Pitcher
Heath Bell, Padres
Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers
Matt Cain, Giants
Francisco Cordero, Reds
Ryan Franklin, Cardinals
Dan Haren, Diamondbacks
Josh Johnson, Marlins
Ted Lilly, Cubs
Tim Lincecum, Giants
Jason Marquis, Rockies
Francisco Rodriguez, Mets
Johan Santana, Mets

Congratulations to the NLC representatives, though there are certainly others I’d like to see on the list. I know it’s going to be an uphill battle, but if Joey Votto is still as awesome next May as he is right now, I plan to call of a ballot-box-stuffing campaign.

Mike at Redleg Nation is on board the Dusty Baker is a clueless frickin’ idiot manager bandwagon. Welcome aboard! May us Reds fans soon no longer have to deal with his blithering incompetence and willful anti-intellectualism.

In his post, he cites Baker’s continued insistence to give away so many outs each game when he has Willy Taveras start and asks, “Is this the single worst thing a recent manager has done to hurt the Reds chances of winning?”

Now, I can’t tell if it’s a rhetorical question or not. In case it isn’t, let me go on record as saying, “Yes. Yes, it is.”

😀

Nothing like a series with the Cardinals over the holiday weekend to get me excited about the Reds. I’m not sure how the Reds scored a decent guest over this weekend. For a few years there, the Reds were getting so freaking screwed on the scheduling, that I wouldn’t be surprised to see them playing a high school team during this prime baseball holiday.

Homer Bailey on the mound today, and I thought they said today was his birthday. It’s not (his is May 3), but it is Sean Casey’s birthday, so maybe they’ll win one for the Mayor. Bailey will have to stop walking people for a minute.

Starting with Albert Pujols! Yippee!!

The Reds have reactivated 3B Edwin Encarnacion from the disabled list. He had been on the DL since April 28 due to a chip fracture in his left wrist. Encarnacion fills the roster spot opened when IF Danny Richar was placed on the 15-day DL with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Richar got hurt sliding head-first into home plate in the third inning of Wednesday’s 1-0 win against Arizona. That’s the same injury that ended Wilkin Castillo’s season last month, except Castillo got hurt sliding head-first into second base. This makes me wonder if somebody’s not teaching proper baserunning fundamentals to young players in the Reds’ farm system. With all due respect to Pete Rose, head-first is for diving back to the bag when you’re on base and they try to pick you off. If you’re at a dead run and you go head first, you’re begging for a lengthy stint on the DL.

Which is exactly what Castillo and Richar are getting for their efforts. If any of the Reds players are reading this, PLEASE get Billy Hatcher to show you the right way to slide, and don’t go head-first and get hurt!

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.