Red Reposter's Half Remembered Factoid Someone Posted in Last Night's Game Thread: 1999. The last time the Reds stood alone in first place this late in the season (and the last time any of us felt truly whole). That's cause enough to do as Prince instructs, so break out your Y2K survival kits and "Goodbye, Boris Yeltsin, Thanks for All the Memories" unitards.
The Year 1999 is offered as a sub-topic. Post any relevant images, cultural tidbits and recollections of "where were you when you heard" the Reds were still in first place on June 29, 1999. I was in the study. With the wrench.
GMs everywhere spit take in unison as "Super Two" turns out to be sooner than expected
The hometown implications here are that Jay Bruce, called up May 27, 2008, will be eligible for arbitration this offseason. Credit due to boobsinoh (kids, don't read that name) for issuing a fanpost on the matter. The relevant insights are taking place over there, but one salient point - other than the fact that the Reds are going to be on the hook for more money next season than they'd planned - is that this development could be further incentive to lock up Bruce and buy out his arbitration years. Some have been calling for it since Bruce was tagged on arrival as a future franchise. The upcoming off-season is the perfect time to strike, with the Reds staring down four arbitration years, but Bruce's production - most conspicuously his power numbers - still have room to grow. Bruce's current value is tied up in traditionally less arbitration-valued assets like defense and on-base-skills.
Scott Rolen hit the 300th home run of his career last night
And don't look now, but Rolen's tied for 2nd in the NL in HRs with Adam Dunn. Whatever beautiful, insane genius thought Scott Rolen was going to replace the home run production of Adam Dunn please step forward and claim your prize. (Spoiler alert: It's a fountain pen.)
CNATI offers up another of its stellar photo galleries
This one comes in widescreen. You've given Orlando Cabrera quite a start with your baseballing.
Fay has updates on Homer Bailey and Chris Dickerson
I think the Enquirer site was down for a while - or at least John Fay's corner of it. From what I can remember, Dickerson probably isn't coming back soon and Bailey is making some progress. Progress in what, I couldn't say.
Chris Sabo's Goggles becomes another in a long line of supposed video game prognosticators
CSG's MLB 10: The Show season is eerily parallel to this actual Reds season. Expect the Reds to freeze in place for twenty minutes tomorrow while their God-Controller gets a Fresca and some Gushers.
Hall o' Famer Hal gets that scoop
OK here it is - Homer played catch, while Dickerson got sore after batting practice. And Jonny Gomes throws his support behind Evan Longoria in the recent spat between the Desperate Housewives star and Rays' CF BJ Upton:
"Sometimes I think B.J. forgets he is in the big leagues," said Gomes. "And I don’t blame Evan for getting on him because he signed about a nine-year deal and he isn’t going anywhere. That’s his team." Gomes shook his head when he heard that Upton said during a press conference that he "probably should have run after the ball."
Fay asks, "Wood or Maloney?" for Thursday's start
Gotta be Travis Wood, right? Both are lefties, but Wood has been pitching especially well of late.
Brandon Phillips continues to twist the knife on the Indians
who have had a long procession of second basemen since he was traded from Cleveland to Cincinnati. The One That Got Away Syndrome is especially acute this year, with BP having a banner year