As much as I've enjoyed Arroyo's nine failed previous attempts at win number ten, I'm as excited as anyone about the cornrows. I missed him having them done on Cold Pizza and the game's not on t.v. today, so I'm actually kind of hoping for him to break the streak so that I'll get to see them the next time through the rotation. Plus, I want the Reds to thoroughly decimate the Cards.

Go Cornroyo! Go Reds!

UPDATED 1:43pm Just wanted to clarify that the game is on t.v., just not on in my office where I'm not allowed to have any streaming video.

You laughed at the time, but the strategy of letting the Cardinals score a zillion runs in the first game of the series to tire them out seems to be working. Of course, then the Reds went and scored a bunch of runs themselves last night, but they're used to it. They've got scoring stamina. It's an organizational tradition.

Yeah, weak smack, I know. It's been a tough week. Our boys will do the smacking for me tonight anyway.

I'm going to miss the game tonight, at least the beginning, but after that down-in-the-dumps entry I just posted, I thought I'd better put up a little bravada for anyone who comes here looking for some smack.

You Cards fans better watch out. Rich Aurilia is at second base tonight, and that can only mean trouble.

Before the game started, I heard that the Reds lead the Cardinals for the season. The Reds have won six of the eight games they've played. This means two things:

1) The only two major league baseball games I've seen this season were the Reds' only two losses to the Cardinals this year.

2) They're apparently looking to even the score.

The Lizard gave up five runs in the first, and I've never heard Chris Welsh sound so pissed off. And now they're out of the bottom of the inning without so much as a runner getting to second.

Shaping up to be a great game. Since I'm smacking alone tonight, I'll try to be doubly catty.

The Cincinnati Reds got new owners this year in Bob Castellini and company, and we all know what a big impact it's had on the team.

There's another change of ownership going on right now that won't get its own press conference, but is also making a huge impact on the Reds. I'm speaking of course, of the pwnership of the Cardinals. After years of being pwned by the Cardinals, the Reds are finally turning the tables and providing a little pwnage of their own.

Tonight, our boys show off the power of tradition by sweeping the series and giving the Cards some company in first place.

Go Reds!