Last Game
You get the feeling the Reds were out partying a little too late after clinching the division, based on their performance last night. It was the rubber game against the Dodgers, and the Reds were actually hanging in there for a while. But in the end, 3 Joey Votto walks and a Denis Phipps home run were not enough.

The game was a must-win for the Dodgers who are still in contention for the wildcard. The Reds have already clinched and the Dodgers are battling the Cardinals, so maybe this isn’t all bad.

Next Game
Today is finally the Reds’ last off-day of September. They’ve had 4 off-days this month, which is probably good for the team but which felt weird to me. Tomorrow they’re back in action, hosting the Milwaukee Brewers for a 3-game set.

Set Your DVR for Celebratory Champagne Wastage
FOX Sports Ohio wanted to show you the Reds in their champagne-drenched division-clinching celebration as it happened, but had technical difficulties. They still recorded it, though, and will be showing it tonight at 8 p.m.

Here’s the email from FSO:

Going into today’s Reds game on FOX, the Reds magic number for clinching the NL Central was 1. FOX Sports Ohio had every intention of covering post-game celebration live if the Reds won.

When it looked as though the Reds were going to win, we promoted that we would have live celebration coverage immediately following the game.

Unfortunately just prior to air, the signal was lost out of Cincinnati. Our engineers feverishly tried to restore the transmission but they were unable to recover it.

We will air special on Monday at 8pm, featuring the post-game celebration. While this special cannot replace the live coverage lost this evening, we hope Reds fans will be able to enjoy the Reds clinching the Central Division.

We sincerely apologize for the disappointment and frustration this caused so many Reds fans.

Seeing as there’s no game, you can dedicate your whole evening to it. Heck, you could even record it, put up some tarps, send the kids to bed, and see for yourself what it feels like to be soaked, sticky, and exuberant.

What to Say to Sound Smart at the Water Cooler
After spending 4 days in a Chicago hospital, undergoing testing for an irregular heartbeat, Dusty Baker was finally back in Cincinnati yesterday. He made an appearance in the clubhouse before the game, but wasn’t the one managing the game, despite the fact that Wilson Valdez was in the starting line-up.