Boxscore

The Reds outlasted the Braves on Saturday, winning 8-13 in Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. Red Hot Mama, as an uncredentialed member of the online media, has the photos to prove it.

Before the game, Ken Griffey, Jr. was seen on the field with his son, undoubtedly showing him how easy it is to be a baseball superstar.

Here we have some Jeff Keppinger, Adam Dunn, and Griffey chatting up a few Braves. Only Keppinger is doing the Hokey-Pokey.

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“Of course we’re gonna win. Don’t you know I was the guy in the on-deck circle when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record?”

I intended to do provide an NL Central injury report on a semi-weekly basis, but work and traveling to Sarasota got in the way. Of course, players keep getting injured, so there’s no real way to be “late” on this. Well, except I didn’t get to write about outfielder Felix Pie’s testicle first.

Other than Pie, the poster boy for the unluckiness that comes from being a Cub, both third baseman Aramis Ramirez and outfielder Alfonso Soriano suffered and returned from injuries. Ramirez came back Friday from shoulder tightness, springing into midseason form by sporting an 0-fer. Soriano played his first game today, seeming to have healed his broken finger magically quickly. His hamstrings, however, still need work.

For the Reds, both catcher David Ross and shortstop Alex Gonzalez are missing games. Ross’ injury is far less serious, or at least it is upon first glance. But anytime “back spasms” are a problem with a full-time catcher on the wrong side of 30, eyebrows have to be raised. Or in Javier Valentin‘s case, mustaches. If Ross doesn’t return by Opening Day, Valentin will be the starting catcher. And I don’t have a problem with that.

Gonzalez’ injury is far more serious as he’s suffering from a fractured left knee. After all his trauma with his sick son preventing him from playing last year, it doesn’t look good for the shortstop this year. He’ll be reevaluated in two weeks, so who knows when he’ll be able to play baseball again. I expect he’ll be starting the season on the DL.

In St. Louis, the Cardinals have lost one of their leading left-handed relievers through the start of the season. Tyler Johnson has been diagnosed with tendinitis and a rotator cuff sprain. No surgery is needed for recovery, just time. Which is great news for Ron Villone, who’s competing for a left-handed bullpen spot.

Also, the right elbow of Albert Pujols is apparently attached with nothing more than grit, stubbornness, and lies about his age. Pujols has a torn ligament, bone spurs, and arthritis. Season-ending surgery is required, but the Cardinals are holding it off because they obviously want Pujols to save his DL year for when they’re going to be in contention.

And lastly, Houston Astros second baseman Kaz Matsui is experiencing a spot of discomfort. He had to miss one game at the end of February and is returning from Spring Training to Houston to see a hemorrhoids specialist, hoping to speed up the healing. I guess they don’t make cushions for second base.

While the Reds were busy giving Gary Majewski a very long rope, the other teams in the Central division were busy playing their own fake games. Only there games were even more fake than Cincinnati’s.

• The Pirates got down and dirty by killing a Manatee. Not only politically incorrect and illegal, but it sounds like a great euphemism, too! But Pittsburgh started off the Spring right by beating up on a local community college. This Bud’s for you, Buccos!
• The Brewers played with themselves not once, but twice.
• Lastly, the Cardinals played St. Louis University and managed to squeak out a win even with the absence of Scott Spiezio (hat tip: BubbaFan). I have to say that I’ll miss that Kool-Aid facial hair a little bit this year.

It looks like tomorrow brings a whole slew of Grapefruit and Cactus League action. I know more importance is placed in the games than they deserve, but it’s still awesome to be able to listen to baseball again. And during the Spring, there’s never a shortage of games to stream during the workday.

By “shines” I of course really mean to say “explodes like a super nova.” The ST opener was rather uneventful except for Majewski’s ominous entrance in the 5th inning. At that time the Phillies held a slim 1 run lead. His line shortly thereafter: 1/3 of an inning pitched, 9 batters faced, 6 earned runs, and 4 wild pitches. His spring training ERA is 162.00. Sure these things happen in early games, but this is Majewski we are talking about here. The guy that was given (for what seems like the umpteenth time) a blank slate by management and their paid lackeys in the written media.

Baker on 2/23:

“Majewski’s throwing the ball well. He’s in better shape than I heard he was last year. He’s stronger.”

Reds Notes: Majewski turning heads 2/23/08:

With most of the Reds’ front-office brass watching from behind the cage, including Baker, Majewski provided another encouraging sign. Many of his pitches stayed down and none of the hitters connected too solidly.

In two unremarkable stints with the Reds in 2007, Majewski was 0-4 with an 8.22 ERA in 32 games. He allowed 43 hits in just 23 innings.

Unremarkable? Are you sure about that Mr. Sheldon? I have to disagree. Majewski was very remarkable not only in 2007 but in 2006 as well. Remarkably bad.

Or how about this charming tidbit from John Fay’s Insider last spring 3/9/07:

There is a very happy group of Girl Scouts running around Sarasota these days.
Reds relief pitcher Gary Majewski recently purchased $77 worth of assorted Girl Scout cookies – enough to fill the bed of his pickup truck – at the local Wal-Mart.

UPDATE: Majewski threw 20 pitches off one of the bullpen mounds on the back fields this morning. Word is the session went well.

Look, I hate to beat a dead horse here, but why do these writers insult our collective intelligence like this? We have seen this bum stink up the field now for 3 years. I realize this is just one game. But the man’s ERA is 162! That is how many games are played in a season. I suppose if they trot him out there enough times he might manage to trim it down to something less nauseating, somewhere in the vicinity of 27.00. Nontheless why go to the effort of giving this guy the benefit of the doubt by publishing such pure b.s. like this:

“I kind of figured out what I was doing wrong,” Majewski said of the video sessions. “It stinks it took this long to figure it out. It seems like it’s working now. I just need to keep working at it. A majority of my pitches are where I want them now — down in the zone instead of belt high where they were hitting them last year.”

Incidentally when that quote was originally published on reds.com Majewski used the word “sucks” not “stinks.” Like I said the writers really did their best to make the guy as appealing as possible. Too bad baseball isn’t politics. Maybe Gary can run for Congress or something.

Anyhow let us pray that Majewski’s days with this club are numbered. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you. Fool me a third time and ummm… err, ah, we won’t get fooled again!