Blech. The West coast trip. The worst time of the season.

Summers are busy enough, and finding unconflicted time to sit down to some good baseball watching ain’t easy even when the Reds are competing for my attention with little league games and yard work. When the Reds are competing with my sleeping time, no matter who wins, the big loser ends up being me in the morning. Heaven help me if they go to 19 innings again.

Tomorrow is the last day before the Blog Jog. To train or not to train the day before? On the one hand, I read a blog post from a marathoner who said she mostly stays off her feet the day before a race. On the other hand, she’s running real races, not the baby 5K that will, nonetheless, knock me entirely on my ass. At least there’ll be beer afterward. Though probably not baseball. I’ll be too tired to stay up that late.

It goes this way every year: I start the season like a woman in withdrawal, sucking up every bit of baseball like it’s all that sustaining me. Then, sometime during the middle of the season, all the activities of summer begin to pile up and suddenly I realize I haven’t seen a game in over week.

Tonight’s activity wasn’t the sixth-to-last class session of my MBA career (though it should have been). Instead, the Red Hot Family headed out to the Thr3e Wise Men location in Broad Ripple (the fun part of Indianapolis) to take part in the Brew Mile. For $5 each, we got the honor of running a mile on the Monon Trail and a free beer.

It was hotter than the devil’s drawer’s and I didn’t make it through the mile, though my 11.5 minute mile wasn’t that bad. I can’t believe the Blog Jog is only three days away. I just hope I can finish the bastard in 45 minutes or less.

Speaking off, here’s the awesome email I got from one of the organizers today:

Thank you for being part of our first-ever Blog Jog this Saturday, June 11!

Through your participation in the Redlegs Run 5K event, you are supporting the youth baseball outreach initiatives of the Reds Community Fund. To show our appreciation in your good deed, we’ve organized fun Blog Jog contests, prizes and the chance to hang out with some of your favorite Reds bloggers.

The plan is to meet at Crosley Terrace (the main gate entrance to Great American Ball Park) at 8:30am. Look for Jamie Ramsey near the Joe Nuxhall statue in the center (He’ll be wearing a special superhero outfit!) The group will hang out for a few minutes and then walk over to the starting line together. After the run/walk, we’ll meet up in the Fan Zone by the Better Off Red banner.

There will be 10 prize opportunities! Inaugural Blog Jog Awards:

1. Fastest time (will be given out after results are posted online.)
2. Slowest time (will be given out after results are posted online.)
3. Best costume (Judged by Jamie Ramsey himself)
4. Most Reds Spirit (Based on wearing Reds gear)
5. Youngest BlogJogger
6. Oldest BlogJogger
7. Blog Traveler Award (who traveled the farthest to participate)
8. Best running playlist (submit to Jamie @Jamieblog before 6 p.m. June 10th)
9. Redlegs Run Veteran (This year is the 10th anniversary. Wear your shirt/shirts from past Redlegs Runs…whoever has their shirt on from the year closest to 2001 wins!)
10. Blog Representation (non-bloggers wearing their blog’s gear)

After meeting in the Fan Zone, all are invited to join Jamie and the other celebrity bloggers at the Holy Grail Tavern & Grille (right across the street from the Great American Ball Park) when it opens at 11 am.

Thank you again for your support of the Reds Community Fund and your participation in the inaugural Blog Jog! We hope you have an outstanding time, and good luck in the 5k!

If you haven’t figure out how you’re going to win one of these contests, I can help you out with #10: get your women’s style RHM shirt at Cafe Press by clicking here or your men’s style shirt here. Demonstrate you’re also wearing the thong, and I think they’re legally obligated to give you the prize.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we took a family trip up to Milwaukee for our first visit to Miller Park. You can see a panoramic shot from our upper deck seats above. We didn’t explore the park much. Thanks to a weekend lugging around our 10 year-old and his cousin, we were a bit exhausted.

The park was nice, but it left me feeling the same way as I did at the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park: oddly disconcerted. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but something feels off. I’m guessing it’s that the stadiums are built with retractable roofs, and thus are fully enclosed. It doesn’t feel right to play baseball indoors.

I do look forward to going back sometime, though. Next time, maybe we’ll be resting at the hotel instead of during the baseball game.

You can call him Bob Steveson for short.

With the 27th pick in the first round of the 2011 amateur player draft, the Cincinnati Reds picked a high school starter, right hander Robert Stephenson from Alhambra High School in California.

Stephenson has a live arm with a fastball that’s allegedly touched 97 miles per hour. He’s also displayed good control, which is unusual for a young kid with such a powerful fastball. In 64 innings, he struck out 132 and walked just 23. High school numbers are ridiculous, but that kind of control is a very good sign.

One thing Reds fans may not be used to is a pick so late in the first round. I guess that’s what happens when you have a good team the year before. Enquirer reporter John Fay touched on that.

“We’re very excited,” scouting director Chris Buckley said. “He’s very outstanding high school projection pitcher. He’s got a live arm. We saw him as high as 98 this year. He’ll fill out and get strung. Curveball, slider, change-up. Very polished high school pitcher who still has good projection.”

The Reds, picking 27th overall, decided they could wait for Stephenson to develop. They are pretty well stocked in the upper minors.

That last bit is a benefit of having competent talent evaluators for several years. I hope they’ve picked a good one. I imagine that in 3-4 years, the Reds might need some pitching.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – There are less than 100 spots still available for the second annual CBTS and Fifth Third Bank in partnership with the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The Cincinnati Reds Star Outfielder will host his annual camp July 25-26 at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Jay will be on site the entire camp to direct activities and provide instruction. The camp will be directed by Indiana University Head Baseball Coach Tracy Smith. He will be joined by several of the top prep and collegiate coaches from the Cincinnati area. Camp is open to boys and girls ages 6 to 14.

Campers experience various stations, specializing in fundamental skills and the team concept of baseball. Individual groups are small to assure each camper gets maximum personalized instruction.

Campers receive an autographed camp team photo with Jay, a camp T-shirt, camp goodie bag and the opportunity to win additional contests and prizes. The cost of the camp is $174.

Additional camp partners include Gillette, Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation, Powerade, Fox Sports Ohio, and 700 WLW.

Additional information and registration is available at www.JayBruceCamp.com or call 888-389-CAMP(2267).