Last Game
The Reds were taken out by the Dodgers yesterday, and have to do the walk-of-shame this morning, losing 14-6.

Next Game
Today, the Reds try to regain their composure, if not their dignity, when they send out their best starter, the one without any professional experience, Mike Leake against the Dodgers’ Vicente Padilla. Game-time is 7:10pm EDT. Watch or listen, if you dare.

Morgan Returns to the Reds
Yesterday, the Reds announced the hiring of former player and Reds great Joe Morgan as a special advisor to baseball operations. Unlike many of those “advisor” positions, this one won’t be just a figurehead.

Morgan will have a role in both the baseball and business side of the Reds. His most extensive work will likely be in community outreach and diversity initiatives. He’ll also support the efforts of the Reds Community Fund and Reds Hall of Fame.

I hope it’s successful. Anything to get more people interested in playing baseball leads to better baseball.

There is a part of me that inhaled sharply upon hearing the news, though. Dusty Baker and Joe Morgan, working together, at last. That’s two forward-thinking baseball minds, right there. And then my mind remembered when Walt Jocketty was hired as a special advisor while Wayne Krivsky was still the GM. This lead to a thought so terrible that it’s difficult to write, but it must be written. What if, like Jocketty was for Krivsky, Morgan replaces Baker?

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
The Reds have won their first 6 games in their last at-bat. This ties a major league record held by the 1970 San Francisco Giants.