Fox Sports Ohio has announced their television plans for Spring Training, and it includes more than in 2010.

As the Cincinnati Reds enter their second Spring Training at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, FOX Sports Ohio invites fans to join us on a “March to Opening Day” by televising four (4) Reds Spring Training games this preseason, beginning with March 7th when the Reds take on the Milwaukee Brewers at 3pm EST in Goodyear. A complete Spring Training TV schedule is below.

Several members of the FOX Sports Ohio’s Reds broadcast team will play a role throughout the network’s television coverage of Reds Spring Training. Thom Brennaman will split play by play duties with Jim Kelch, each calling two games. Color analyst Chris Welsh will call three games while Jeff Brantley will do one game. Jeff Piecoro and Jim Day will also share the role of sideline reporter.
For the March 7th game, FOX Sports Ohio will share the game telecast with the Brewers’ TV home FOX Sports North. During the game, Brennaman and Welsh will share the booth with FOX Sports North’s announcers.

And here’s the schedule.

Less than a month to go before new Cincinnati Reds games will be available. I can’t wait!

This part of the lead-up to Spring Training is excruciating. All I want is for the players to be gathering on baseball fields in a warmer locale, but instead what I get are “news” articles about the Cincinnati Reds packing a truck.

Oh, hey, the St. Louis Cardinals packed a truck, too! At least both of last season’s division leaders are on the same page.

I don’t know why I want the 2011 season–or at least its exhibition–to get started so soon. Perhaps it’s the 2 inches of ice on the ground with 3 inches of snow on top of it. I can’t imagine why I might be a bit stir-crazy with that and the freezing temperatures of this very cold winter for the last month and a half.

Soon, though. Soon, a game will happen, and I can envision myself basking in the sun as Aroldis Chapman’s fastball pounds the catcher’s mitt. Nothing to do but wait.

While looking through all the photos I’d taken of the Cincinnati Reds over the last season, I discovered images I’d taken of Goodyear Ballpark with the intention of stitching them together to make a panorama, as I’ve done previously (Ed Smith Stadium, Great American Ballpark, Minute Maid Park 1, Minute Maid Park 2, Wrigley Field).

I never got around to making the panorama, but thanks to now having Photoshop, I was able to let the software do all the work for you. Click the image below to see a larger version of the Reds new Spring Training home. Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit again this year.

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds (12-16-3) played the Cleveland Indians to close out the inaugural 2010 Cactus League season and tied yesterday. And nobody cares because OPENING DAY IS TOMORROW!

Ahem. Excuse me, I seem to be a little excited BECAUSE REAL BASEBALL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!

Seriously, I haven’t looked this forward to a Reds season since the apocalyptic day that the Reds hired Dusty Baker to doom themselves to crapitude for the next 3 years.

But that doesn’t matter because OPENING DAY IS TOMORROW!

As for the last meaningless game of the spring, Homer Bailey copied his peers and also wasn’t very good, allowing 6 runs over 6 innings. The offense was solid, though, scoring 10 thanks to a 5-run 7th.

Tomorrow, the Reds open the 2010 season against the St. Louis Cardinals. In case you can’t tell, I can’t wait.

Boxscore

The Cincinnati Reds (12-16-2) aren’t exactly hitting their stride as Opening Day approaches, especially their starting pitchers.

It was Bronson Arroyo’s turn to suck–isn’t it always– against the Cleveland Indians (19-9). He allowed 10 runs in 4 innings, which is dreadful. And it doesn’t make it all that much better when I let you know that only 5 of those runs were earned. He topped off his crappy pitching with a throwing error during the score-tastic 3rd inning. Arroyo did allow 11 hits and 3 walks in those 4 innings of “work”, so he clearly had no control. If only there were a time of year for pitchers to work on such things.

The Reds did have a lead for the barest of moments thanks to a Brandon Phillips “Rally-Killer” in the 2nd inning. Jonny Gomes, Miguel Cairo, and Paul Janish drove in the other runs in the losing effort.