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By Thaq Diesel

One year ago I bought a new Sony Wega HD television, using the Super Bowl as the impetus for finally getting away from analog signals.  After a year’s worth of sporting events in my living room, I still say to my wife, “See? You can see the holes in their jerseys!  Look at how you can see the reflection off their helmets?  See that woman in the third row?  It’s like you’re really there!”  Her reply, “YES, I KNOW!  FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME!”  The sports that benefit the most from the HD format thus far, based on 1 year’s sampling:
College / NBA Basketball – My bias against the NBA (thug city, individual play) isn’t helping, but I still don’t enjoy HD NBA basketball that much.  It doesn’t hold my interest.  HD college ball is pretty engrossing though.  I don’t notice much difference to the overall experience. 

ML Baseball – It’s better, but it doesn’t add much to the experience.  You can see more of the field in a given camera angle, but otherwise it looks much the same overall.  The slo-mo replays on FOX are probably the best HD baseball has to offer so far - checking out each blade of grass on a slow grounder bare-handed by the shortstop is pretty neat.  There is room to grow here and I expect the concept to get better with more years of experience under their belt.  What really killed my HD baseball fun though was seeing the Albert Pujols cold sore in vivid HD during the late innings in the World Series.  It was pretty disturbing.

Soccer - World Cup in HD – simply awesome.  Well except when the USA is sucking the gas pipe.

Olympics – Winter Olympics in particular.  You feel like you’re on the mountain only without freezing your balls off. 

Football – NFL in HD is about as good as it gets.  It’s like taking your favorite food, doubling the portion and adding an extra flavor you love to it.  CBS really needs to get its act together and broadcast all its regional games in HD next year.  I hated when my Bengals were shown with the smaller, boxed-in view. 

Hockey – This isn’t to say that, despite how much I love it, hockey is a better product than the NFL or that I enjoy hockey ore; they’re not even close.  BUT, hockey on television is light years ahead of where it was in the analog days.  You can see more than a third of the ice at one time.  You can actually see the ice skate cuts left in the ice.  The puck is much easier to follow.  Hockey in HD, above all other sports, is most similar in feel to what it’s like to actually be at a hockey game.  This sport has by far gained the most in watchability since HD broadcasts were introduced.

By Thaq Diesel

Yet another piece of the pitching “war of attrition” was added to the puzzle today as Oakland traded Kirk Saarloos to the Reds today for RH David Shafer, a 24-year old reliever who played in AA-Chattanooga last year (also included was the oft-traded “Player to be named later.”)   Saarloos pitched pretty well in the softball league that is the American, going 7-7 with two saves and a 4.75 ERA.  With the current Cincinnati pitching staff, he may have a shot at contributing; quality pitching is needed in both the bullpen and in the starting rotation so the Reds will takes what they gets from Saarloos come Spring Training.  If it doesn’t pan out, it was worth the risk (Saarloos settled arbitration for $1.2 million, so he’s a bargain and definitely more upside than risk).  Hopefully a few of these journeyman pitchers will make the leap and pitch great for the Reds next year.  Krivsky’s trying the “throw a lot on the wall and see what sticks” strategy.  It may make more sense than the strategy many other teams try (aka the Texas Rangers) – the  strategy of dumping buckets of money out the window on high-priced underperforming free agents.

Because we’re dealing with Billy Beane here, I’m asking myself a) what did he see in David Shafer that the Reds were missing and b) what didn’t he like about Saarloos?  It’s like dealing with the Libyans in “Back to the Future,” in that you never know when he’s going to backstab you.  Run for it Marty!

By Thaq Diesel

I feel like a broken record, but I feel like this team is still stuck in the rut of “maintaining” while other teams are adding depth to their rosters (albeit at what feels like a mega-premium).  Perhaps Krivsky is remaking this team in the mold of Oakland and Minnesota where you get production out of players that people don’t necessarily value (and then lose in the first round of the playoffs).  We’ll see.  It doesn’t feel like the Reds are going to be competitive this year.  That’s exactly how it felt last year too.  Maybe they’re World Series contenders and I don’t see it.  Perhaps the farm system has something brewing.  Ugh – I’m really starting to dread this season.  I need a deal, Wayne!  Anything – perhaps a utility infielder?  Haven’t seen that in about 12 days. 

By Thaq Diesel

Not a peep about the Reds these past couple weeks.  On the bright side, Griffey didn’t drop a hammer on his big toe and break it.  At least not that we know about.  Perhaps he’s trying out for a remake of the “Three Stooges.”

Krivsky is going to make a move for at least one more pitcher, but I’m sure it will be a subtle one.  Well, at least I’m setting myself up for that so I’m not disappointed.  My gut tells me Homer Bailey will get a hard look in Spring Training and that the money the Reds have left over will be spent on a closer or closer candidate (as in, “someone who hasn’t done much closing duties, but who has potential.”).  It might be a couple months before that happens however.

In closing, I am getting on a plane in two hours to catch the National Championship game in Arizona.  I’m really starting to get excited about tonight.  Go Buckeyes!

By Thaq Diesel

I have officially become an old man.  “Back in my day, we didn’t pay $2.5 million per year for mediocre set up men!  We had our starters pitch 250 pitches per start until their arms fell off – AND WE LIKED IT!”

Yes the Reds signed Weathers for $2.5 million per year for two years today.  He seems like a nice enough guy, but there was a point last year where I was absolutely disgusted with Weathers – he gave up two or three home runs in an inning and then took himself out of a game because his arm or some other body part which I won’t name here hurt.  It’s either a sad state of the free market in baseball, a sad state of the Reds bullpen or both.  Weathers had decent numbers at the end of the year – 4-4 with a 3.54 ERA and 61 hits in 73 2/3 innings.  Those numbers shock me.  They seemed much worse during the year and I distinctly remember getting a queasy feeling when he came to the mound because of how the year started (when he was the closer, then he wasn’t, then he hit that rough patch). 

It’s almost certain Weathers is not going to be a closer for the Reds and they have not offered arbitration to Eddie Guardado, who is recovering from season-ending surgery.  This could be a tactical ploy aimed at paying Everyday Eddie less money to be the closer when he’s recuperated, if that day ever comes for the 37-year-old.  More likely, Krivsky is going to make another deal for a closer.  At least I hope that’s what’s happening. It’s rare to see “closer by committee” work, the 1990 Reds notwithstanding.  Right now the Reds are middle-relief heavy and lacking a true closer.  It’s a long way to April so I will sit tight and watch hopefully.

Rich Aurilia turned down his $2 million option with the Reds and he’ll now test the market.  This isn’t earth shattering or anything.  Aurilia was solid but we have other guys who could easily replace him.  In any event, I expect him to come back into the fold and resign with the Reds.  You can’t blame him for wanting to see who else might want him at a better price.

Aurilia joins David Weathers, Royce Clayton and Jason Johnson as free agents.  Outside of Aurilia, none of these guys are worth putting too much effort into.  Weathers was solid but replaceable.  Clayton was a throw in with the Kearns/Lopez trade and he won’t be back.  Jason Johnson played for three teams in 2006 but he had a couple of fair seasons for the Tigers in 2004 and 2005.  I don’t see him having a spot on the team next year though.

By Thaq Diesel

I feel like I just saw my ex-girlfriend at the mall with her new beau.  I didn’t think I would feel either way about who won the National League Pennant, but I’m officially mad that it was the Cardinals.  Sigh.  I wonder if they even have a shot against the Tigers.  Part of me thinks they do if only because everyone thinks the Tigers have already won it without having thrown the first pitch. 

I don’t care what he told Chris Myers -Scott Rolen still hates Tony LaRussa.  That’s because LaRussa is a jerk.  I like how they had bud light backdrops and locker covers in the locker room for the champagne. 

Finally – I just saw the premiere of “The Prestige” tonight.  It’s strange how the reviews I read either loved it or hated it.  There was no in between.  I LOVED it.  It’s probably about 30 minutes too long, but the story is great and I was really struck by the ending.  I didn’t get it at first, but after about 10 minutes I finally figured out what was going on.  I don’t think the (final – there are many) gotcha was as good as the Sixth Sense, but  there was more substance to the final ending.  Anyway, I hope my friends see the movie because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but I’d really like to talk to people about it.

1976 National League Championship Series Game 3
October 12, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium
Reds 7, Phillies 6  Reds Win Best of Five Series 3-0

The Reds came from behind and beat the Phillies to lock up their second straight World Series appearance.  Jim Kaat started the game for the Phillies and he went head to head against Gary Nolan.

For all of the drama of this game, it started out pretty slowly.  Neither team scored in the first three innings, and it was the Phillies who got on the board first in the fourth when Greg Luzinski doubled home Mike Schmidt.  The Phillies padded their lead in the seventh when Garry Maddox doubled home Larry Bowa and Mike Schmidt doubled home Maddox to make it 3-0.  Similar to game two, the Reds managed only only one single through six innings and that base runner was eliminated on a double play.

The Reds finally struck in the seventh.  Ken Griffey led off with a single and he moved to second on Joe Morgan’s walk.  Tony Perez singled and scored Griffey to make it 3-1 and then George Foster drove home Morgan on a sac. fly to make it 3-2.  Johnny Bench walked to put runners at first and second before Dave Concepcion lined out to second base.  Then Cesar Geronimo came up huge with a two run triple to give the Reds a 4-3 lead.

In the top of the eighth, the Phillies answered against Rawly Eastwick.  Larry Bowa doubled home Jay Johnstone to tie the game at four, and then Dave Cash hit a sac. fly to score Terry Harmon which gave the Phillies a 5-4 lead.  The Reds went down without much of a threat in the bottom of the eighth and then the Phillies scored again in the ninth on Jay Johnstone’s triple.  The run was set up by Pete Rose’s fielding error.  The Reds entered the bottom of the ninth down 6-4.

Little time was wasted in the ninth.  George Foster and Johnny Bench led off with back to back solo shots and the game was tied 6-6.  Dave Concepcion singled and he moved to second on Cesar Geronimo’s walk.  Both baserunners moved over a base on bunting specialist Eddie Armbrister’s sacrafice and then Pete Rose was given a free pass to load the bases.  Then, Ken Griffey drove home Concepcion with a single to win the game.

For the second straight season, the Reds were headed to the World Series.  This time it was against the New York Yankees, who needed all five of their games to get past the Kansas City Royals.  That gave the Reds three days off in between their come from behind win and game one of the World Series.

By Thaq Diesel

I waited until the season was over to announce it, but I had my mind made up by mid-year.  Brandon Phillips has taken over from Sean Casey the moniker of “Thaq Diesel’s favorite Reds player.”  A trophy should be in the mail to Brandon by early next week.

Phillips has an easy-going way about him that is infectious.  When he hits a double, he does the two handed point across his chest to the dugout to some mysterious person, probably Griffey, with whom he likely had $20 bucks riding on the at bat.  I like his home run trot – he runs at an angle, like a rickety ship that has taken on too much water and is listing to the leeward side.  In the field, Brandon has a unique style and agility that allows him to make spectacular plays, if not a few errors.  He throws the ball early when running down a ball in the hole or turning a double play.  It’s this early motion that reminds me somewhat of Andre Agassi when he would return a serve – it looks unorthodox but works very well.  He has home run power and has great overall speed.

I was going to keep this a secret, lest the front office decide to deal him like they did Sean Casey last year.  I’m hoping Phillips is in the long-term plans for the Reds. 

By Thaq Diesel

I’m reminded of the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays, who choked away the final seven games of the season to miss the playoffs in lieu of the Detroit Tigers.  In my twisted mind, I’m substituting “Cincinnati” for “Detroit” and St. Louis for Toronto.  It will probably be Houston playing the role of Detroit if it happens at all.  Still, a boy can dream.

• The way Cincinnati has played the Cubs this season is pretty representative of the Reds season. They’ve hovered around .500 against them and should have beaten them more than they have, all things being equal.  Oh, and they had six errors against them on Saturday.  And the Reds scored 75% of their runs off a homer.  It’s like a picture snapshot of the season!
• Sunday, Aaron Harang threw 87 of his 110 pitches for strikes.  That’s what you call rearing back and throwing it.  Suffice to say, he didn’t walk a batter. 
• I like the name Norris Hopper.  It’s like a cross between a hockey division and an evil grasshopper character from A Bugs Life.  My next kid is getting that name, boy or girl.
• “He was about crying in the dugout that it wasn’t a legal game, and I told him there’s no crying in baseball,” second baseman Juan Castro said.  That tells me a) that Norris is a rookie and b) that Juan Castro really is a leader in the clubhouse.  My favorite Castro moment of the year is when he sat near anyone in the dugout who hit a home run so his kids could see him on TV when the Reds were at an away game. 
• One more week of baseball left.  Man that was fast.

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