I'm going to miss the game tonight, at least the beginning, but after that down-in-the-dumps entry I just posted, I thought I'd better put up a little bravada for anyone who comes here looking for some smack.

You Cards fans better watch out. Rich Aurilia is at second base tonight, and that can only mean trouble.

Not that Kriv-dawg had anything to do with Dmitri Young or Sean Casey leaving the organization, but seeing a photo of those guys, so happy playing for the Tigers and leading the ALC by 10 games, I can't help but think of a time when it seemed like the overwhelmingly powerful Reds needed just a couple starting pitchers to completely dominate.

I mean, our boys are second in the division. They're tied for the wild card. It seems kind of silly to complain. But at the same time, Krivsky has gone to such extreme lengths to bring in his own people, that the players on this team hardly feel like my people anymore.

Unlike a lot of you, I haven't been a fan for life. There is no power of tradition in my bloodlines. So maybe that's the reason why I find myself wondering whether a pennant taken by Royce Clayton and Gary Majewski is one that I'd really feel like was won by my team.

I suppose that's not really likely to be a problem, though.

Go Reds!

The Reds sucked hard on Monday as they opened a four-game series with a 13-1 loss at the hands of the Cardinals.

Elizardo Ramirez, who usually gets the hard-luck loss, was well-deserving of the loss this time around. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits and two walks in one and two-thirds innings.

New guy Ryan Franklin looked better in long relief than his line indicates. He allowed three runs (earned) on five hits and two walks through four and one-third innings. Todd Coffey and Kent Mercker each pitched a scoreless inning on two hits in the seventh and eighth. David Weathers allowed three more runs (earned) on two hits and a walk in the ninth.

The Reds' one run came on a solo shot by Javier Valentín. Valentín went 2-for-4 and Royce Clayton went 2-for-4. Ryan Freel, Ken Griffey, Jr., Edwin Encarnación, and Scott Hatteberg had a hit apiece. Freel and Hatteberg also walked. And that's all there was, offense-wise.

Ugly.

The loss brings the Reds' record to 57-55. They're not four and a half games back on the Cards and share the wild card with the Dodgers. They try to pull their heads out of their asses tonight as Eric Milton takes on Jason Marquis.