by David Zalubowski - AP

not Wladdy Balentien

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I hope everyone had a nice long weekend.  The Reds certainly did.  A weekend sweep of the Braves stretched the winning streak to 7, only to be broken in a narrow defeat to the Rockies yesterday.  Since that last 5 game losing streak, they are 13-5.  

• Homer Bailey pitched another decent game yesterday
  He now has a 1.66 ERA in his last 4 starts. He's not satisfied though. "It’s one of those games where there’s a lot of ifs," Bailey said. "I’ve got to take blame for a lot of them. Walking five guys and throwing that last one away is pretty unacceptable." He threw the ball away on a little roller off the bat of Chris Iannetta with 2 outs in the 6th. If he makes the play, it would have been the final out of the inning. Instead, Nick Masset came on to get the out. Homer's looking like he should have a rotation spot locked up to begin next season, but he's averaged 115 pitches these past few outings. I'm not a pitch-count Nazi, but it just seems excessive given the meaninglessness of these games.  He's still only 23 years old.

• Justin Lehr was supposed to start yesterday
  but he has a sore groin so Homer tore it up instead. Matt Maloney will come up to start for the Reds today. All you fans of the International League Pitcher of the Year need not fret though, as he should only miss this one start.

• Micah Owings does not have a concussion
  but he does have a busted eardrum. He cant fly for a while, but luckily he lives in Atlanta so he can stay at home with his family. He's hoping to be back with the team on Friday in Chicago, even if he has to drive there.

• Rawlings has made a new helmet that protects players from concussions better
  but Scott Rolen and many others (presumably Micah Owings as well) think it is uncomfortable. It's supposed to protect players from fastballs up to 100 mph. I'd like to have been there to test that. Minor League Baseball will be mandating the use of these helmets beginning next season. I think with all the dirty stuff coming out about concussions this is the right thing to do, but comfort should be priority #3, right? (Safety is #2 with a right-handed run-producing LF still #1)

• Jay Bruce says he's ready to play for the Reds (be forewarned, the link has that awful video of his injury)
  but ol' Dusty told him to hold his horses. "I wish there was more time," Baker said. "I wish there was another week (in the AAA season)." I dont understand why the Reds didnt keep Bruce in L'ville for the playoffs if they didnt think he was ready to play in the bigs. I guess it's parliamentary at this point though. It'll be cool to see The Next Big Thing, Jay "The Boss" Bruce Almighty take the field for the Reds again. I've missed that guy.

• Jinaz the Basement Dweller attended the Baseball Prospectus event at PNC Park
  and had a great time. He got to ask a few questions of Pirates GM Neil Huntington and Director of Baseball Systems Development Dan Fox. He came out of it a bigger fan of the Pirates than when he went in.

• Drew Sutton played LF for the Reds on Saturday night
  and Darnell McDonald started both Sunday and Monday.  Wladimir Balentien didnt.  He's hitting .269/.367/.436 in only 90 PAs since coming to the Reds.