Red Reposter - Stupid Brewers, Cueto, etc.

It seems that many in Reds land have the same hangover felt by most people who wrap up a tour of Brewers: disgruntled, confused, and with a headache that you know wouldn't be there had you handled things just a bit more responsibly.  If you'd just said no to that last 10% ABV quintuple IPA, that piercing brain cramp you awoke to wouldn't be there, nor would it be matched by the pain generated from knowing Zach Duke was kept on the mound to face the right-handed Sean Halton with the game - and possibly the NL Central race - on the line.  Sigh.

There is some consolation, however.  If the series against the Brewers was a misguided Friday night, the news that Johnny Cueto will return to the rotation to get tonight's start is the realization that there's some fantastic college football on at 10 o'clock Saturday morning (this is a casual Mountain Time exchange).  Cueto has been out since the end of June, and he's not been afforded the opportunity to test his merit over a rehab stint in the minors given their seasons are over, but he's tossed live batting practice, simulated games, and it's rumored he even helped btcoop throw dogs after last night's game as the final portion of his pregame preparation.  I trust Cueto because Dusty trusts Cueto.  "If he said it, Johnny don't lie," Dusty said.  I'll take it.

C. Trent Rosecrans details the Cueto news, too, and he also jumps into the B-side of the equation:  setting the starting rotation for the crucial upcoming series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It appears that Mike Leake and Greg Reynolds will toe the rubber against the Houston Astros to wrap up this series, leaving Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, and Bronson Arroyo to stack the deck against the presumptive potential potent playoff participants Pittsburgh Pirates.

Jon Heyman interviewed the World Famous, Never Imitated, Always Correct, Eminently Quotable "A Competing Exec" about a few upcoming free agents, and the professional interviewee opined that current Reds' CF and future Free Agent Shin-Soo Choo's hot September could see him sign for 5-6 years and $90-100 million.  Well, crap.  So much for that idea.

Tonight's game against the Astros brings the DH into the equation for the Reds for the final time in the 2013 regular season, and the fact that LHP Erik Bedard is on the hill adds a bit of intrigue into the equation, too.  You'd probably expect  Ryan Ludwick to get the DH duties with Chris Heisey in LF and Todd Frazier at 3B, but you very well may see Jack Hannahan in the lineup at either 3B or as DH.  Hannahan, of course, is 3 for 5 with a HR off Bedard in his career.