Congratulations to Dunn. May he be very happy with whatever AL team can offer enough for him.

Adam Dunn, who led the National League with 25 total bases and a 1.042 slugging percentage last week, has been named Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week for the period ending June 17th. Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the National League and American League Player of the Week Awards, which reflect Bank of America's long-standing tradition of promoting and recognizing higher standards of accomplishment.

The 27-year-old left fielder finished the week tied for first in the N.L. with four home runs and 12 hits. Dunn posted a .500 (12-24) batting average, collected eight RBI and recorded an on-base percentage of .538. The left-handed hitting slugger hit at least one home run in three consecutive games against the Texas Rangers, including a two-homer effort on June 17th. Adam added three multi-RBI performances and recorded at least one RBI in four consecutive games (June 14-17). This marks the second time that he has been named Player of the Week, with the previous selection coming in May 2002.

Other nominees this past week included Atlanta's Chipper Jones (.474, 9 H, 2 R); Miguel Olivo (.500, 1 HR, 7 RBI) of the Marlins; New York's Oliver Perez (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 SO); Chase Utley (.500, 1 HR, 6 RBI) of the Phillies; Washington's Ryan Zimmerman (.360, 3 HR, 6 RBI) and Micah Bowie (2-0, 3.75 ERA, 8 SO); Derrek Lee (.500, 2 HR, 10 RBI) and Carlos Zambrano (1-1, 0.53 ERA, 14 SO) of the Cubs; Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. (.318, 3 HR, 7 RBI) and Scott Hatteberg (.407, 1 HR, 3 RBI); Brad Ausmus (.526, 1 HR, 6 RBI) and Mike Lamb (.500, 2 HR, 10 RBI) of the Astros; Milwaukee's Johnny Estrada (.400, 10 H, 2 RBI), Bill Hall (.529, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and Corey Hart (.333, 3 HR, 8 RBI); Jose Bautista (.458, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and Ian Snell (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 SO) of the Pirates; Chris Duncan (.308, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and Adam Wainwright (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SO) of the Cardinals; Garrett Atkins (.318, 3 HR, 10 RBI), Brad Hawpe (.304, 4 HR, 9 RBI) and Matt Holliday (.480, 2 HR, 7 RBI) of the Rockies; San Diego's Mike Cameron (.421, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Adrian Gonzalez (.364, 2 HR, 8 RBI), Justin Germano (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO) and Jake Peavy (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO); and Barry Bonds (.400, 2 HR, 3 RBI) of the Giants.

In recognition of this honor, Tourneau, the world's largest watch store, is proud to award the Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week Adam Dunn with a Tourneau luxury Swiss timepiece.

Fresh off the announcement of Alex Gonzalez as the NL co-player of the week, Josh Hamilton has been named the NL rookie of the month. Here's the press release:

Hamilton, Okajima selected as Rookies of the Month for April
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Josh Hamilton, who led all rookies with six home runs and tied for the lead among Major League rookies with 13 RBI, has been voted National League Rookie of the Month for April, while Boston Red Sox left-hander Hideki Okajima, who fanned 17 batters in 12.2 innings pitched, has earned American League Rookie of the Month honors.

Hamilton also led all rookies with a .609 slugging percentage and posted a .365 on base percentage. He batted .266 (17-64) with 12 runs, two doubles and a stolen base. This marks the first time that a member of the Reds has earned the honor since Austin Kearns in May 2002.

Okajima appeared in 12 games with a 0.71 ERA in April. The 31-year-old reliever allowed just five hits, one home run and three walks. Okajima picked up his first Major League save against the New York Yankees on April 20th.

Akinori Iwamura (.339, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI) of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays finished a close second in the voting to Okajima. Also receiving A.L. votes were Okajima's Red Sox teammate, Daisuke Matsuzaka (3- 2, 4.36 ERA, 38 SO); Delmon Young (.257, 5 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI) of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; Angels pitcher Dustin Moseley (2-0, 1.17 ERA, 7 SO); Adam Lind (.288, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI) of the Toronto Blue Jays; and Joakim Soria (1-1, 3.00 ERA, 14 SO) of the Kansas City Royals.

Other N.L. rookies receiving votes included Houston's Chris Sampson (3-1, 3.55 ERA, 19 SO); Milwaukee's Tony Gwynn (.368, 7 H, 4 RBI); Colorado's Jason Hirsh (2-2, 3.41 ERA, 25 SO); San Diego's Kevin Cameron (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 13 SO); and Joe Smith (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 14 SO) of the New York Mets. Okajima and Hamilton each will receive a specially designed trophy to commemorate their Rookie of the Month performances.

Who would have seen this coming in the off-season? Congrats, guys!

The uniform jersey number 13 worn from 1970 through 1988 by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion will be retired in ceremonies at Great American Ball Park prior to the Saturday, July 28 game against the Chicago Cubs.

At its meeting last week, the board of directors of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum voted unanimously to retire the uniform number of the Venezuelan native. Each fan attending the 7:10 p.m. game will receive a commemorative replica of a painting that will be presented to Concepcion that day.

“He was the best shortstop of his era and certainly one of the greatest in the history of our storied franchise,” said Reds president and chief executive officer Bob Castellini. “Number 13 deserves to hang next to the uniform jerseys of Bench and Morgan and Perez.”

Concepcion's 13 will be the ninth number retired by the Reds, joining Fred Hutchinson's 1, Johnny Bench's 5, Joe Morgan's 8, Sparky Anderson's 10, Ted Kluszewski's 18, Frank Robinson's 20, Tony Perez' 24 and Jackie Robinson's 42. Concepcion was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2000.

As the starting shortstop on the Big Red Machine, Concepcion was teammates with Bench, Morgan and Perez under manager Anderson on a club that from 1970-78 went 863-586 (.596) and won five National League West Division titles, four pennants and two World Series championships. The '75 and '76 Reds combined to go 210-114 (.629) and became the National League's first franchise in 54 years to win consecutive World Series titles. Concepcion was named team captain in 1973.

With 8,723 at bats in 2,488 games Concepcion ranks second in club history in both categories behind Pete Rose. Since 1900, he ranks among the franchise's all-time leaders in hits (2,326; 3rd), doubles (389; 3rd), stolen bases (321; 3rd), run scored (993; 5th), total bases (3,114; 5th) and RBI (950; 6th).

Concepcion, 58, was a 9-time National League All-Star, fourth-most in club history (Bench 14, Rose 13, Larkin 12), and his 5 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards are second only to Bench's 9 Gold Gloves. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1982 All-Star Game, 3 times was a The Sporting News All-Star and twice won Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards. He was voted the Reds' MVP in 1981.

“By virtue of his 19-year career with the Reds, a claim to being the best shortstop of his era and his overall place in Reds history, Dave Concepcion richly deserves this honor, one that rightfully is reserved for those very few players whose careers truly represent extraordinary accomplishment,” said Greg Rhodes, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Concepcion's 13 will be displayed alongside the others below the press box behind home plate at Great American Ball Park.

Got this press release from Michael with the Hoxworth Blood Center. Give a pint!

Give Blood in April to Win Reds Tickets

Hoxworth Blood Center is offering Cincinnati Reds tickets as an incentive to give blood during the month of April.

The springtime can bring warmer weather, but also increased blood usage at local hospitals due to more accidents and traumas.

All donors who give blood at any Hoxworth blood drive or donor center between April 1-30, 2007 will automatically be entered in a raffle to win four tickets to an upcoming Cincinnati Reds home game.

One winner will be selected each week in April and will win four tickets to an upcoming Cincinnati Reds home game. The group of four tickets are in section 128, located ten rows behind the Reds dugout and have a retail value of $125.

For ticket raffle details, visit www.hoxworth.org/reds.

About Hoxworth:
Hoxworth Blood Center at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center needs to collect from 350 volunteer blood donors and 40 volunteer platelet donors each day to keep up with the demands of tri-state hospitals and their patients. Hoxworth, founded in 1938, serves 28 hospitals in 17 counties in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. Annually, Hoxworth collects over 94,000 units of blood from local volunteer donors.

Hoxworth operates donation centers in Anderson, Blue Ash, UC, Downtown, Ft. Mitchell, Ft. Thomas, Mason, Tri-County and Western Hills. Operating days and hours vary with each center.

It is with great sadness that the Cincinnati Reds announce the death of former pitching coach Vern Ruhle, who died at 11:00 p.m. last night at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston of complications from a donor stem cell transplant for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Ruhle, 55, is survived by his wife Sue, daughter Rebecca and son Kenny.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Ruhle entered last season as the Reds' Major League pitching coach, but during routine physical examinations in February he was diagnosed with cancer. He missed the entire season while receiving treatment for multiple myeloma.

For the 2007 season, Ruhle had been assigned to work as the organization's pitching rehabilitation coordinator at its minor league complex in Sarasota, Florida.

“The baseball and Cincinnati Reds families mourn the loss of an excellent coach, wonderful husband and loving father,” the club said in a statement. “In his 35 years in professional and collegiate baseball, Vern touched many people inside and outside the game. We are privileged to have been a part of his life. He will be greatly missed.”