Early last month Jeff Polman–the baseball fanatic/alternate history enthusiast who runs the blog 1924 and You Are There!! (”a complete ‘fictional replay’ of the 1924 season using Strat-O-Matic Baseball, then reported daily in the language of the time through two characters”)–contacted me about being an absentee manager for another baseball simulation he had in mind. He wanted me to put together a lineup and rotation for the Reds. The 1977 Reds.

Now, I wasn’t born for the 1977 baseball season, so I pretty much expected to be arranging my lineup in order of mustache awesomeness, but as it turns out, there were a few big names on the team back then.

Here’s the result; see what you think. I think you stat heads will appreciate the consideration for OBP that went into deciding this somewhat nontraditional batting order. It’s a pretty balanced group, so we’re starting the season sending out the same guys against righties and lefties and see how it goes. Might need to mix it up as the season goes on.

On the Field
1. Joe Morgan
2. George Foster
3. Pete Rose
4. Ken Griffey
5. Johnny Bench
6. Dan Driessen
7. Dave Concepcion
8. Cesar Geronimo

On the Mound
1. Tom Seaver
2. Fred Norman
3. Paul Moskau
4. Doug Capilla
5. Jack Billingham
6. Mario Soto

The season will start later this month. There’s supposed to be a Twitter feed or something. Whatever the technology, we’ll get the updates to you. I know how entrancing pretend baseball can be.

If the Colts have to lose, I’m glad it was to my old college classmate.

Last week, the Reds signed Orlando Cabrera to be their shortstop for the 2010 season. The Reds officially announced it on Monday, with a press conference and everything.

My initial thoughts on this signing are, to be nice, less than positive. It feels too much like the Willy Taveras signing from last off season. Cabrera is a light-hitting shortstop who was once known for his defense. However, he has slipped in recent years, and will be 35 in 2010. That’s not a good recipe for success.

But really, my primary concern has to be how “manager” Dusty Baker will use him. The man tents his pants for veterans, and Cabrera qualifies. Plus, since he’s the shortstop, he will bat second in the lineup. That’s where the shortstop bats. Clearly. Even when he gets out 69% of the time. It’s the only logical conclusion.

I have had a little time to think about the deal and am not as negative as I was originally. Unlike Taveras, there was a need for a shortstop. As much as I wanted to see what Paul Janish could do, he was the only option the Reds had. That’s dangerous when embarking on a 162 game season.

I do wish that Walt Jocketty had been better able to down-play Baker’s major weaknesses. But when you have as many as Baker, the only real way to get rid of them is to rid yourself of the entire manager. Hopefully, Cabrera will bounce back and prove my misgivings unwarranted.

Thunderbird, my open source email client, *always* thinks that email from the MLB.com Shop is an email scam, but this time, I have to agree: you have to spend $75 to get free shipping?? Jeez, MLB, break the bank why don’t you.

Thought I’d share this press release from the MLB Network, in case you’d like to tune in for some pre-season play. The team from Venezuela will feature veteran-of-the-Reds-minor-league-organization, Jackson Melian.

Live coverage begins Tuesday, February 2 at 2:30 p.m. ET with Puerto Rico vs. Dominican Republic

SECAUCUS, N.J. – MLB Network today announced its broadcast schedule for the 52nd annual Caribbean World Series in Porlamar, Venezuela from February 2 through February 7, 2010. The event draws the region’s top talent as well as current MLB players, including San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim third baseman Freddy Sandoval and Kansas City Royals catcher Brayan Pena, who competed in the 2009 tournament. The countries participating in the 2010 tournament are Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
The telecast of the Caribbean World Series will mark the first live games telecast on MLB Network in 2010, with MLB Network’s Victor Rojas, Greg Amsinger, Mitch Williams and Dan Plesac calling each of the 12 games. In between games, MLB Network will air game Hot Stove, its live nightly studio show during the offseason, airing at 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

“MLB Network is proud to continue to be part of the Caribbean World Series,” said Tony Petitti, MLB Network President and CEO. “We’re excited to provide fans with live baseball as we prepare for Spring Training and the 2010 MLB season.”

“The Caribbean World Series showcases the region’s best in baseball and offers fans the opportunity to experience competitive international play. We are pleased that the tournament will continue to reach a broad audience of baseball fans through the MLB Network,” said Jim Kern, Cultiva Entertainment.

MLB Network’s live game schedule for the Caribbean World Series is as follows (all times Eastern):

Since 1949, the Caribbean World Series, a 12-game round robin tournament between the best teams from the region, has crowned a champion within this group of nations, and has served as a platform to showcase the best competition of Winter League Baseball. Major League players who have participated in the Caribbean World Series include legends such as Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Fernando Valenzuela; and active Major League players such as Pedro Martinez, Rafael Furcal, Carlos Beltran, Ivan Rodriguez, and Miguel Cabrera, among others. The Caribbean World Series is sanctioned by Major League Baseball. Cultiva Entertainment is the exclusive agent for the Caribbean World Series.

The Reds have traded Willy Taveras and Adam Rosales to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Aaron Miles and a PTBNL or cash.

Of Miles, Mark Sheldon says:

Miles, acquired by the A’s along with Jake Fox from the Cubs on Dec. 3, was also a disappointment in 2009 after he signed a two-year contract with Chicago, batting .185 in 74 games. The 33-year-old is due to make $2.7 million this season.

Over his seven big league seasons with the White Sox, Rockies, Cardinals and Cubs, Miles is a .282 career hitter with a .322 on-base percentage.

The Cincinnati Enquirer paints a brighter picture:

However, in his two previous seasons in St. Louis, he hit .317 (2008) and .290 (2007).

Olney reports the Reds will save $1.3 million on the deal, which will help offset some of the money they just committed in signing shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

“I’m happy to be reunited with Aaron, who played a key role in our World Series championship in St. Louis,” said Reds GM Walt Jocketty, who will be available to the media today at 3:00 p.m. “He’s a quality infielder, a quality person and will be an asset to our club.”

Jocketty’s quote explains a lot. Not that I’m super thrilled about Miles, but I *am* thinking about how nice it’ll be not to have Taveras to be so frustrated about all the time.

For their part, the A’s couldn’t DFA Taveras fast enough, according to ESPN.com:

In separate moves, the A’s agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with outfielder Gabe Gross and claimed infielder Steve Tolleson off waivers from Minnesota. They designated Taveras for assignment, along with left-hander Dana Eveland, to create space on their 40-man roster.

The Red Hot Family is on the way to Stoops Automotive in Muncie to see the Reds Caravan, now that the hotly contested third grade basketball game is done. (Bobcats win!)

Listening to the extravaganza on AM 1340, and you can too if you’re in greater east-central Indiana. Hope to see you there.

Am I wrong, or are there exceptionally long bills on these caps? I’m no headwear fashionista, but I think I would have noticed if the bills were 2/3 of the total length of the hat.

If the long bill trend continues, just think of the wacky high jinx that could ensue. Players looking down while running, hitting the bill of their cap against the ground, and catapulting themselves 15 rows into the stands. Or dashing to make a catch at the wall, only to suddenly impale the cap in the wall where it would stick like a dart in a dart board.

Over the years, the faces of the managers–both general, field, and otherwise–for the Cincinnati Reds have changed. But one thing has remained the same: their absolute disgust with the arbitration hearing process.

To that end, the Reds make it a priority to deal with any arbitration-eligible players before a hearing is ever needed. 2010 is no different.

The Reds had two players eligible for the ol’ Arby’s this year: Nick Masset and Jared Burton. Masset’s name sounds familiar, but I don’t actually remember much about him last year. He was a reliever who apparently pitched quite a lot, appearing in 74 games. I guess I know which games I was watching. Anyway, the Reds signed the 27-year-old to a 2-year deal worth about $1 million this year and about $1.5 million next.

As for Jared Burton, him I do remember. And I’ve always been impressed by his relief skills ever since the Reds selected him from Oakland in the 2006 Rule 5 draft. He’s had problems staying healthy, but is usually very effective when he’s not on the DL. To him, the Reds gave a 1-year deal worth $810,000. Hopefully, he’ll stay injury-free in 2010.

Arbitration is one area the Reds excel at. They haven’t gone to a hearing with a player since Chris Reitsma in 2004, whom they beat. They haven’t lost a hearing since 2001 with Sean Casey. That one, they should have seen coming. Who can arbitrate against the Mayor?