Here are several pictures from the game the RHM clan attended on Memorial Day in Pittsburgh at PNC Park. The Cincinnati Reds started their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and lost 4-1 thanks to a bad outing from Bronson Arroyo and a no-show by the offense.

First there’s a Cuban guy bringing a civil suit against Aroldis Chapman for allegedly conspiring with the Cuban government.

Then there’s the arrest for speeding like a maniac on an already suspended license.

And don’t even get me started on Dusty’s refusal to make him a starter.

Now there’s another item to list in the tribulations of Chapman: his Pittsburgh hotel room was robbed–with his girlfriend in it–last night.

Here’s what I can piece together: the girlfriend is alone in the hotel room at 10 p.m. when a man knocks on the door, claiming to be there to fix the toilet. She opens the door and the guy demands her valuables. When she doesn’t just hand them over, he ties her up and makes off with jewelry, computer equipment, tiny soaps, and whatever else he can take off with.

There’s an ongoing investigation, but for the moment it seems like no one was hurt. So there’s that at least.

You do have to wonder whether maybe the team should bring on a counselor for Chapman, though. I would think all these freaky bad things happening to him have got to be getting overwhelming, though I guess his performance hasn’t showed it at all.

The latest podcast installment comes from the game the Cincinnati Reds played against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Memorial Day this week. It was our first trip out to visit the Pirates’ beautiful park, and we discuss that during an abbreviated 8th inning show.

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It’s not usually Pittsburgh where you talk about choking. That’s more of a Chicago thing.

Apparently one guy didn’t get that message yesterday when he inhaled a “monster piece” of steak at a downtown restaurant and found himself on the receiving end of the Heimlich Maneuver administered by none other than Todd Frazier. From John Fay’s story:

“We’re just eating there, talking,” Frazier said. “I looked in the corner of my eye. I said, ‘Ludwick, I think that guy’s choking.’ Next thing I know there’s two ladies one on each side, trying to pop it out…I ran over there and said, ‘let me try it.’ I tried it twice. It popped out. It was monster piece.”

It just goes to show: never send two civilian women to do a major league third baseman’s job. My favorite quote, though, was the one at the end:

“It was weird. We just went back to eating. He went back to eating too. I don’t know if I could have.”

Which begs the question: did he eat the piece that got lodged in his throat? Because he should have gotten it autographed.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we traveled down to Pittsburgh to visit PNC Park for the first time. The park is as beautiful as advertised. Having now made it to all 6–for now–of the National League Central stadiums, I’d have to rank PNC as the second-nicest. The Reds’ park is number one, thanks to the constant care and attention to detail from the Castellini ownership group.

Here’s a shot of the park from our seats in right field.

The other NLC parks.

• Astros – Minute Maid Park (Roof open) (Roof closed)
• Brewers – Miller Park
• Cubs – Wrigley Field
• Reds – Great American Ball Park