4 in a Row

The Reds are on a 4 game winning streak that includes a sweep of the Astros in Cincy. Jay Bruce homered twice as Bronson Arroyo threw a complete game 4-hitter. Next up for the Redlegs are the Brew Crew who are currently a half game ahead of them in the Central. The Reds have a great opportunity here to make an early move back to the top of the division.

While the AL East ship has righted itself, the Sox are in first and the Yankees only percentage point behind now, the Red Sox have dropped two in a row to the Twins and have another one in Minnesota this afternoon. Youkilis is back and Ortiz has been dropped to 6th in the lineup. This weekend the Sox head up to Toronto for another series against the Jays. Let's hope they get things back on track in a hurry.

Inter-League Play

I have to admit, I was not a big proponent of interleague play when the idea was thrown around some years ago. The traditionalist in me thought for sure this would hurt the World Series and the All-Star game. Those thoughts have since gone out the window. Baseball used to be two leagues under one umbrella. The entire season was played without even a mention of the other league. There was a MLB and a MLB2 (you can designate which goes with which league). Other than the very last game of the season, they may have well been on different planets.

Interleague play has allowed fans of teams to see teams they wouldn't normally get to see right in their own park or better yet, you can now travel with your team to parks that you would normally never see. It's no longer a league comprised of our league and there league. Now you keep an eye on the standings for the other league as well as the league that your team is in so you know what to expect when interleague play rolls around.

I think MLB has managed it very well also. I would hate to see a team like the Reds have to play the Dodgers every year while the Cardinals got to play a team that doesn't necessarily have a winning season most years like the Nationals. What happens then at the end of the season when the Cardinals edge out the Reds in the Central division by 1 game. The way MLB has set it up to where every team from one division in the NL plays teams from one division in the AL is a great way to have interleague play and make it as fair as possible.

Interleague play has also allowed for some new rivalries and rivalries are good for any sport. Now teams like the Reds play their Ohio foe the Cleveland Indians and teams like the Mets get to play their cross town rival Yankees. Every fan has to enjoy the opportunity for their team to play for bragging rights for the year.

In my opinion, MLB has definately got this one right. Now let's work on the All-Star game.

Quarter Season Mark

The quarter season mark has reached us already. It seems like just yesterday we were watching the first pitch of the season and smelling the newly mown field for the first time. The two teams have taken different paths to their current standings. The Reds hiccuped out the gate before finding their stride in week 3. Behind some great pitching and surprising hitting the Reds pulled into a four way tie atop the NL Central just over a week ago. Unfortunately, the injury bugs has struck and performance has fallen off. After losing 5 of their last 6, the Redlegs now find themselves 21-19 and 4.5 back. Not to worry, there is plenty of season left. The good news about Votto is that it is just an inner ear infection causing his dizziness and he should be back soon. Now let's keep our fingers crossed for Edinson Volquez.

The Reds Sox started slow as well and took until the 4th week to get things going. They have swept the Yankees in their 5 games so far but struggled with Tampa and to some degree the lowly Indians. After finishing the sweep of the first place Blue Jays (who would have guessed that in March), the Sox have pulled to within a half game of the lead and have a 25-16 record. Big Papi hit his first HR of the season on Wednesday and Josh Beckett has struggled by his standards. Once they get those two headed in the right direction, look out!

MLB note: I personally think the All-Star balloting should not start until the quarter season mark. How can you honestly vote for the most deserving players when they haven't had a chance to prove themselves this season. I realize that this game is for the fans and they should be able to have the most popular players there, but I believe it should be a reward for the players that have proved themselves thus far. And if you are going to 'make it count', shouldn't you give your league/team the best chance possible by voting for the guys that are playing the best right now and desrve to be there.

Injury Updates

Injuries abound as the MLB season wraps up the first quarter of the season. Dice-K who has placed on the 15-day DL back on April 15th with a mild shoulder strain is slated to return for the Sox opener at Citi Field in New York on Friday. Kevin Youkilis had a short stint on the DL with a strained oblique as is due back today.

Edwin Encarnacion, out since April 28th with a wrist fracture, is expected back possibly by late May. Edinson Volquez, out with back spasm, is listed day-to-day. The Reds need him back quickly. Joey Votto has been undergoing exams to figure out why he is having dizziness and headaches. He is also liste4d day-to-day and is sorely missed.

Latest stat: The Reds are currently on a 4-game losing streak after being tied for first in the central only one week ago. They can ill afford these injuries.

Red Sox note: Tim Wakefield has been spectacular this season with a 5-2 record, a 3.59 ERA and 30 strikeouts including 2 complete games.

Manny and Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)

I wanted to wait before ranting about Manny Ramirez testing positive for PEDs and the current state of PEDs in baseball. It's sad to say, but I expect to hear names come out almost daily now regarding steroids. In my opinion Manny should have been suspended for blatant lack of effort in his final days in Boston. Shoeless Joe 'supossedly' help throw a game in the World Series and was banned from baseball. What Manny did wasn't much different. Can athletes now decide when they are going to be traded by standing at the plate with the bat on their shoulder?

But anyway, I would never have thought that manny was using PEDs until I heard the news. I think it's great that MLB suspended him and I think they are heading in the right direction as far as punishment for the crime. My only problems with how MLB has handeled the situation are (1)why did it take Congress getting involved to get things done? MLB needs to police itself and (2) perhaps most importantly, how can MLB wait around and let the 2 greatest records in baseball and perhaps all of sport be broken before taking action (career HRs and single-season HRs)? This is a travesty for the sport. Don't tell me they didn't know about it. When a guy plays in Pittsburg and weighs 180 lbs then goes to San Francisco and his head gets twice as big and he ballons to 280 lbs, you know something is going on.

And although there may not have been anything specifically written in the rules of the game regarding steroids and PEDs, isn't it illegal in the U.S.? Should we include murder in the rules just in case?

I've never been a fan of the asterisk and perhaps since MLB allowed this to happen, they should just live with their mistakes but I suggest that everyone that played during the 'steroid era' (to be determined by the powers that be) should have an asterisk next to their name. The records will still go in the record book but will be noted that this person played during an era know as the 'steroid era'. It's unfortunate that it has come to this. Perhaps next time, MLB will jump on the situation berfore it gets out of hand.

Man of May

Brandon Phillips may have started out slow but since the calendar has changed to May, it's a different story. On Cinco de Mayo, Phillips busted out with 3 hits in 5 at-bats and 6 RBI. In his last 6 games he is hitting .480 with 12 hits, 5 runs and 11 RBI. For the month of may, Brandon is batting .386, has scored 8 times on 17 hits and batted in 15 runs....and the month is only 12 days old and he took 2 games off. Project those numbers over a full season and his numbers might look like this: .386 average, 130 runs scored, 275 hits and 243 RBI. I'd say that's a pretty nice season. Over the same time period the Reds are 6-4, that projects to a 97-65 season. I don't know a Reds fan that wouldn't take that and run. Postseason?

The Splendid Splinter

Ted Williams has to be the greatest hitter ever to play the game. First and foremeost, he did it cleanly. None of this steroids crap! Secondly, you have to remember that he missed nearly 5 seasons while serving his counrty in WWII and Korea. So the numbers that you know today that already put him in an elite class would actually be even better. I have done the math and here are the results. Obviously an average would remain the same so his career .344 batting average and his .634 slugging percentage would remain the 5th and 2nd best all time respectively. He would be 2nd in runs with 2247, 11th in hits with 3300, 8th in doubles with 655, 5th in HRs with 640, 2nd in RBI with 2276, 4th in total bases with 6054 and 2nd in walks with 2535. Toss out Bonds, like we'd all like to do, and he moves to 4th in HRs and 1st in walks. He is also the last player to hit .400+ in a season and 1 of only 2 people to win the triple crown twice-1942 and 1947 (Rogers Hornsby). And the icing on the cake, he hit a homerun in his last career at bat.

Keep Your Brooms Out!

The Sox continue their domination of the Yankees by taking both games of a two game series in their first visit to New Yankee stadium. Boston jumps out early with 4 runs in the first before being shut down by Joba Chamberlain who had 12 Ks in only 5 1/3 innings. The 7-3 victory last night and the 6-4 victory on Monday night ran Bostons' record against the Yankees this season to 5-0. On a side notes, Youk and Ellsbury are both ailing. Now we wait to see what the diagnoses is.

The Reds shut out the Marlins last night on another stellar performance by Edinson Volquez who pitched eight only giving up 3 hits and striking out 7. This runs his consecutive scoreless innings to 16. Brandon Phillips decided to get in on the action and provide 6 of the 7 RBI. Maybe thios will be the spark Phillips need to get his season on track. Volquez has given up a total of 1 run in 3 of his last 4 starts and struckout 20. Let's hope this trend continues.

Red Sox All Decade Team

Here is yet another All-'something' team that is just one guys opinion. I find it hard to be objective when it comes to guys that are still playing. We live in a 'what have you done for me lately' society, so recent accomplishments often weigh on our minds more so that things that happened only a few years ago. All that being said, here is my All-Decade Team for the Boston Red Sox.

The easiest of course is catcher. There has only been one (no offense to Doug Mirabelli) and that is Jason Varitek (Tek) the captain. At first, I'm going with Yooooouuuuuk! He may be a new comer, but he is lighting it up. Second goes to Dustin Pedroia and that is mainly because who else is there? Shortstop goes to Nomar. He put up good numbers in the late 90's and early 2000's. He was once considered one of the 3 best shortstops in the game. Third is tough. I gave the nod to Lowell, one major factor being that he has the best fielding percentage for a third baseman of all time. That's all time. Ever. Bill Mueller came in a close second for his accomplishments during the first championship season. Unfortunately, left field has to go to Manny. Aside from 'Manny being Manny' and his disrespect for the game, fans and teammates at the end of his tenure in Boston, he put up some amazing numbers. Center goes to another traitor in Johnny Damon. Who else are you going to give it to? You can't give it to Coco, all you can do is hope Jacoby sticks around and continues to improve. Right goes to Trot Nixon. The Designated hitter is another easy one, going to Big Papi David Ortiz. No explanation needed.

Pitching: I suppose the ace would be Pedro for what he did in the early part of the decade. Other starting pitchers include long-timer Tim Wakefield, bloody-sock Curt Schilling, Derek Lowe and current ace Josh Beckett. The closer role no doubtedly goes to Jonathan Paplebon.

How's this for a batting order:
Johnny Damon
Dustin Pedroia
Nomar Garciaparra
Manny Ramirez
David Ortiz
Kevin Youkilis
Trot Nixon
Mike Lowell
Jason Varitek

A Tale of Two Cities

The Reds have won 3 of their last 4 with 3 shutouts to improve their record to 13-11 overall and tied for second in the central while the Red Sox have lost 3 of their last 4 and were outscored in those games 24-5. While not as bad as last season, the two opponents are from opposite ends of the baseball spectrum. The Pirates, whom the Reds just took the series from, have been struggling for years although the '09 club appears to be making strides in the right direction. The Tampa Rays, the Sox newest divisional rival, have once again taken 2 of 3 and won the second series of the season. After sweeping the Yankees, the Sox have gone 3-4 and start a 2-game series in the Bronx today. Not good timing. The Reds pitching has been on fire as they head to Florida for a 2-game series with the Marlins.