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Lance Berkman continues to torment the Reds.

Support Your Local Pitchers! -- (4/26) -- Two more games and two more losses for the lowly Reds as good pitching performances continue to be squanderd with anemic offensive output. Cincinnati is now 9-15 and Brandon Phillips is in a 6-38 slump despite a pinch hit homer in the ninth Friday night. The Reds lost that one at San Francisco, though, by a 3-1 margin, wasting another good outing by Aaron Harang. Harang fell to 1-3 despite 8 K's over 7 1/3 innings only one walk and just two earned runs. Harang was on his own as the Reds mustered just 4 hits and 1 walk. Thursday's game had been no better with the Reds going down 5-3 to the Astros. Johnny Cueto stayed in for seven innings, but was tormented by Lance Berkman who was 3-3 with his 18th career homer at Great American. Cueto walked only 2 and was firing at 96 on the gun but got little support at the plate. . . . Favorite Position? -- Jerry Hairston, Jr. has now played left field, center field, second base and shortstop since his call up. He is hitting .389 in 18 at bats.

Walt Jocketty has been named Reds GM.

Jockeying For Control -- (4/23) -- The Reds announced the firing of GM Wayne Krivsky today after the team's worst start in five years, 9-12 after Tuesday's 8-1 victory over the Dodgers. Replacing Krivsky at GM is none other than owner Bob Castellini's current confidant and special advisor Walt Jocketty, formerly of Cardinal front office fame. Jocketty will also be President of Baseball Operations. Castellini has been quoted by MLB.com as saying, "We had a lousy season last year and we're starting this season not very well" as his explanation for the change. The Reds were 72-90 in 2007 with Krivsky as GM. Unfortunately, Krivsky will be remembered by many for the infamous Senators trade of July 2006 when promising starting position players Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez were traded for relievers Gary Majewski, who turned out to be injured, and Bill Bray. Both are biding time in AAA right now, and throw ins Brendan Harris and Royce Clayton, also obtained in the trade, are long departed from the Queen City.  Hey, We Won! -- Krivsky's last game as GM was a fine 8-1 win over LA. Fresh off the call up bus, Jerry Hairston, Jr. started in the outfield, led off and was 4-5 with 3 RBI and a steal. Joey Votto was 3-4 and Adam Dunn hit his 3rd dinger. Edinson Volquez was impressive, fanning 7 in 7 innings to move to 3-0 on the year.

Matt Belisle is not quite as pleased after Monday.

Belisle Bounced -- (4/22) -- The Reds' hopes for improvement dwindled yesterday as the return of Matt Belisle to the rotation yielded disaster. Josh Fogg was sent to the bullpen and Belisle brought up after going 3-0 in the minors with a 1.09 ERA, as predicted below on 4/17. However, Belisle was bombed by the Dodgers for seven runs, five earned and was unable to get an out in the fifth, so his pitch line shows only four innings credited. The Dodgers won 9-3 and sank the Reds to a miserable 8-12 on the year, including 2-8 in the last 10 games. The Reds had just managed to squeak out a 4-3 ten inning win against Milwaukee on Sunday (4/20) but could carry no momentum. Aaron Harang had again pitched nails for the Reds Sunday, going eight solid one run innings with 8 K's but without the win. Edwin Encarnacion popped two homers in the game, including one in the tenth. Impressive new Red but veteran catcher Paul Bako also homered off Milwaukee closer Eric Gagne in the tenth. The Brewers had won Saturday's game in the tenth in which Gagne surprisingly got his sixth save despite struggles (8.22 ERA, four homers allowed). David Weathers gave up two hits, two walks and two runs in the tenth for the Reds' loss. Hairston Here -- Cincinnati promoted Jerry Hairston, Jr. as widely expected and IF Juan Castro was consequently demoted. Hairston is expected to give some righty pop and major league vet experience. Hairston can play infield and outfield positions and was leading the International League in batting at .421. Castro missed most of the last half of 2007and was 0-10 so far this year. 

Joey Votto finally swings the big bat.

End the Agony -- (4/17) -- Newcomer Edinson Volquez helped put an end to the Reds' miserable five game losing streak today in fine fashion as Cincinnati (7-9) took one from the lovable loser Cubbies 9-2. The game sent Chicago ace Ted Lilly to 0-3 on the year. Volquez (2-0, 1.17 ERA) gave up just one earned run and had 7 strikeouts in five effective innings, though he totalled 112 pitches. The Reds finally powered their good young pitching with a breakout three run double and two run homer from rookie Joey Votto. Ken Griffey, Jr. homered as well, leaving himself four short of 600 HR for his career. Fogg Lifting -- The rumors of Josh Fogg's impending departure from the Queen City may be greatly exaggerated, but don't discount the possibility of seeing Jeremy Affeldt or even Homer Bailey (!!) slip into the starter's role, especially given the 2+ inning 9 run thrashing Fogg took Wednesday night against the Cubs in Chicago. Whispers also include Matt Belisle who is 3-0 and 1.09 ERA down below. Puttin' in Time --Veterans Jolbert Cabrera and Jerry Hairston, Jr. are also pushing for the big league roster, though invitation space is limited. Both are infielders, which hasn't been the problem this year, and of course the Reds are eyeing the comeback of SS Alex Gonzalez while replacement Jeff Keppinger from all appearances may be the best pure hitter on the team. However, Hairston is hitting .429 with two homers and 10 RBI and Cabrera is batting .359. Wayne Krivsky has some interesting early decisions to make, especially as Hairston can bolt from his contract if not promoted early. 

Francisco Cordero is happy to be a Red.

Welcome Home -- (4/10) -- Francisco Cordero made a triumphant return back to Milwaukee, closing out the Reds' 4-1 victory over the Brewers, who scored only eight total runs in losing the series at home to Cincinnati, which now stands at 6-4 through the first ten games. Cordero was booed by the locals, who are stuck with oft-injured French Canadian Eric Gagne at closer now as managment let Cordero slip in the off season. Aaron Harang pitched eight solid innings for his first win, and the two walked zero Milwaukee batters. Edwin Encarnacion broke his slump and hit what was the game winning homer in the seventh. Johnny Come Lately -- There's a new kid in town, and you guessed it, it's Johnny Cueto. The rookie followed up his masterful first win with another notable performance on Tuesday, tossing 6 1/3 innings without a walk again, notching 8 K's and giving up only two runs. David Weathers lost the game for the Reds in the tenth 3-2 after newcomer Corey Patterson (four homers on the year) tied it with a bomb in the ninth.

Johnny Cueto's first start was a masterpiece.

Ups and Downs -- (4/7) --  A 4-3 start to the season is by no means a disaster, and there have been obvious bright points especially with Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, the stud young pitchers, yet the Reds smack of disappointment already after losing 5-3 to Philadelphia Monday with Bronson Arroyo giving up 4 home runs, a career high. The Reds offense has been anemic, with just one Junior homer (Sunday, first inning) and Adam Dunn going 3-21 with no dingers. A Reds comeback Monday was stifled when insert Javier Valentin took a called third strike in the ninth. Catching On? -- Valentin's role as a pinch hitter was a microcosm of the season so far -- a catcher by trade, he was hitting for IF Juan Castro. Veteran 38 year old spring invitee Paul Bako has been doing the catching with David Ross on the DL. Bako walked and scored in the unsuccessful ninth on Monday, and has played in 6 games with a .400 on base percentage. Bako has been praised for his pitch calling as well, yet it is now widely rumored that the Reds are scouting Texas catcher Gerald Laird for acquisition as the Rangers expect the promotion of former Brave phenom Jared Saltalamacchia. Laird, by the way, had two homers and 6 RBI for Texas on Sunday . . . Young Guns -- As noted above, the most notable Reds of the year have been pitchers Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez. Volquez beat the Phillies on Sunday, giving up 1 run in 5 1/3 while walking only 2 and striking out 8. More impressive was Cueto. Signed a few years ago straight from the Dominican Republic, Cueto swayed the national media and the league by defeating Arizona 3-2 last Thursday, taking a perfect game into the sixth. He gave up only a solo homer, no walks and fanned 10 in his MLB debut. Many happy returns!!

Good line but bad opening loss for Harang.

Hitter's Park '08? -- Opening Day Solo Homers Ruin Reds -- Aaron Harang and the Reds waited out the gloomy showers to get in the season opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the ghost of home runs present ruined the city's sold-out unofficial holiday in a 4-2 commencement loss. Arizona rode three solo homers and an early unearned run to post the victory. It was the battle of the Brandons as Cincinnati 's Phillips had an early RBI three bagger but as Arizona's Brandon starters and closers Webb and Lyon shut down the Reds, particularly with a perfect ninth. It was Lyon's first save after Jose Valverde was dealt away in the off season. Chris Young and Eric Byrnes homered off Harang and sub Jeff Salazar continued to feast on Reds pitching with another solo shot in the seventh. Both Reds runs came in the fourth as Brandon Phillips gained an RBI and a run. Each team managed only a total of 7 hits and walks apiece, while there were 19 total K's. Harang's line was impressive -- a WHIP under 1.00, a 3.00 ERA and a strikeout per inning, but he's going to need some offensive support to post many wins this season. The Reds and Diamondbacks take the field again Wednesday night and Thursday, and I'll try to give an end of series wrap-up then.  

Tags: baseball, cincinnati reds, mlb