I missed posting to Red Hot Diaries yesterday (Saturday has been my customary day to post here), so I'll have to make up for the omission by posting today instead.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of positive things I can think of to say after the Reds got outscored by a combined score of 25-11 in the two split squad games on Saturday. The good news is, that was the last of the split-squad games. Also, the Reds did better today, spanking the Phillies, 5-4. Javy Valentin had a double while Kearns went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. EE had a double and two ribbies. Womack also had two hits and a ribbie.

Harang started and pitched four scoreless innings, striking out four. White and Hammond each pitched a scoreless inning in relief. What a difference a day makes.

With the split-squad games finished, expect to see some guys being released, or at least sent over to minor league camp, soon. On fact, somebody told me Tuffy Rhodes was released today, but I haven't seen any official word on it.

Here's hoping RHM and her family have a safe trip to Sarasota and eventually back again, with lotsa fun in between. Long trips on a car are the pits, BTDT (been there, done that). Getting there is NOT half the fun when getting there means a thousand miles cooped up in a car with bored children! I'd express admiration for her ability to put up with it, but the final product would probably end up looking like it belonged in the official Hit On RHM thread, so I'll just offer a tip of the hat and a knowing smile.

RHM: Say hello to the guy in the right field bleachers at Ed Smith named Danny for me, he's an ex-pro player and a regular in ASBCR. That's the place to sit, the players are always walking by there, and it's not far to run down for a hot dog or a beer.

HMZ

Another Saturday, another post to RHM's Red Hot Diaries. This time I want to type a few words about EE - Edwin Encarnacion. Going into this afternoon's ST game against Toronto he had five homers and 12 RBI. Nobody else even had two, except now Dewayne Wise hit one off Francisco Rosario in today's game. So they're tied now.

Last year, the Reds parked Felipe Lopez on the bench and gave Rich Aurilia the starting job at SS. Once Aurilia got hurt, all Lopez did was have ann all-star year and one of the best offensive seasons by a shortstop in Reds history. Who knows what he might have accomplished if he hadn't started the year playing behind Aurilia.

Thankfully, it doesn't look like they'll get the chance to make the same mistake with EE. He's not only hitting, he's played errorless ball over there at the hot corner. Something tells me EE isn't going to be hitting in the eight hole this year. You don't hit a guy like EE in front of the pitcher where he's pretty much guaranteed to see diddly squat to swing at, you stick him in the middle of the lineup somewhere and let him drive in runs in bunches.

I only saw EE once in the minors, a game here in Buffalo between the Bisons and the Bats last May. EE went 0-for-4 with a K, but Andy Abad (now with the Reds) climbed the left field wall to rob him of a dinger. EE also made a great defensive play that day by going deep in the hole to snag a grounder and start a 6-4-3 DP. He's the real deal. I'm going to be really upset with Jerry Narron if this kid starts the season playing behind Aurilia or anybody else.

“The Dominican Babe Ruth” indeed. Ruth played for the Yankees. I'm for calling him “The Dominican Tony Perez.”

HMZ

P.S.: The final is in from Sarasota: Cincinnati 7, Toronto 6, 11 innings. :-)))

This week in baseball: Bret Boone and Gabe White announced retirement. Jose Guillen hurt his wrist. Pokey Reese inexplicably disappeared from the Marlins' ST camp. What's gotten into these former Reds these days?

Is Gabe White nuts? He's lefthanded and he's only 34, he should have at least six more years ahead of him. Retiring? I think it's just a plot to get the Twins to release him so Bowden can sign him in D.C.

And this is only the first week of games.

April cannot come soon enough…

HMZ

I was reading Reds: Five things you should know, a part of CBS Sportsline's Reds season preview, and saw this:

5. What's new with Ken Griffey Jr. this spring? His number -- he's changed to No. 3, from 30. The thinking, he says, is that it will honor his three children. What -- he's not expecting to pump out 27 more?

Hmm. That joke seems very familiar.

Rich Aurilia. The man does not have one redeeming quality. He's incredibly arrogant and seemingly unaware of the fact that he sucks at baseball. His range in the field rivals that of Sean Casey. He's completely unable to hit outside of GAB. He steals playing time from not one, not two, but three more deserving players. Oh, and yes, his goatee looks stupid. Seriously, take a look at his home/road split from last year.

Home: .332/.380/.561
Road: .231/.296/.321

Now, a discrepancy between the home and road numbers of a player is pretty common, but Aurilia's OPS is 320 points lower when he leaves Great American. His road numbers would make Tony Womack proud.

Oh, and speaking of Tony Womack, it's already looking like he's come in with that same sense of entitlement that Aurilia seems to have. There's only one real difference I can see between the two: Tony Womack won't be able to hit at home, either.

All my anguish traces back to Dan O'Brien. I shall hunt him down and I shall throw heavy objects at him until he points his finger at me and says “Negatory”. Then I'll call him a douchebag and go cry, thinking about how good of a job he did at making the team worse.

Which Reds personnel or former Reds personnel do you hate with an undying, burning passion that will never be quenched?