Yowch. I guess the Reds aren't coming home with the sweep. However, they're in good position to turn the table on the Phillies by scoring fewer runs over three games but winning the series.

The Crack Technical Staff and I were a little snippy with each other tonight, which has nixed a few podcasts in the past, but we pushed through (and later edited out) our awkward silences to discuss what’s going on with the Reds lately. Which, in case you haven’t noticed, is all Ken Griffey, Jr.

• Mr. Griffey Goes to Seattle
• Mr. Griffey Wants to Retire a Mariner
• Mr. Griffey Second in National League All Star Voting
• Jerry Narron: Still Manager even now
• From the mouthes of babes: an interview with a 6-year old Reds fan
• Cardinals in Cincy this weekend (and us as well)
• Giants in Cincy after that (but we’ll have gone home by then)
• Around the Central

We also note a new podcast for the Pirates by Pat at WHYGAS? He’s only three episodes in and already skipping weeks because there’s nothing left to do but rehash what he’s already said. Welcome to baseball podcasting, Pat!

Episode 62: There’s Something About Griffey (23.4MB, 34:08)

The Reds dropped yet another series today to the Mariners when they lost 2-3 in Seattle. As is a tradition with the Cincinnati club, they lose two of the three games, but outscored their opponent 19-13 over the series, thanks to the 16-1 drubbing they administered in the opening game on Friday.

Bronson Arroyo took the mound after a little more rest than usual, and he certainly did seem to hold up better than he has been. Still, it was he who allowed the three runs (earned) on 10 hits that were his undoing. Marcus McBeth pitched the eighth and didn't allow a run. Todd Coffey was constantly warming up in the bullpen but never saw the mound.

Ken Griffey, Jr. titillated the Seattle fans with two solo home runs that accounted for all of the Reds' runs. Griffey's tenure in Seattle was, by definition, before I started watching the sport--the Crack Technical Staff returned to the sport because Griffey came to Cincinnati--so I didn't know to expect the kind of reception that they gave him there. If there was any negativity at Safeco, it was drowned out by the standing ovations. Every time I see Griffey play, it seems like there's someone yelling at him about how he doesn't hustle or makes too much money or something. I know it's far from home, but I'd have to wonder if Junior doesn't have some nostalgia after this weekend's trip.

One more thing: there was finally room in the line-up for Javier Valentín tonight. He went 2-for-4 on the night. The CTS told me that he's more enraged about the way Javy's been mis-utilized than the way that the pitchers have. I'm not prepared to go quite that far, but he has a point. Javy is the best bat off the bench, so every time Juan Castro or Chad Moeller has been used to pinch hit is a sort of abuse of Javy.

You could also make an excellent point that debating which deficiency of the management is the worst isn't terribly useful. This loss brings their record to 29-47. They take tomorrow off to travel back east to Philly before coming home for the weekend series with the Phillies. It would seem that Narron needs to come back with a sweep to continue to keep his job (but then, I would have thought that a month back). Homer Bailey goes up against Kyle Kendrick.

Just got home from the movies to see the score. Ah, these are the Reds I know.

This is SO awesome. :):):)

Someone tipped me off to a story in the Enquirer in April that mentioned Adam Dunn having gotten married. I asked around, but got the cold shoulder from the people who would know (jerks) so I didn't have much to report.

Thank you Internet Movie Database for coming to the rescue (and thanks to the loyal reader who sent the tip). As you can see here, Dunn is listed as being married to one Rachel Brown as of November 27, 2006. It also lists him as bearing a resemblance to Will Ferrell, so you know the info is good.

Tonight on the podcast, we actually put together a pretty detailed agenda, and I think it shows in the quality of the content. We talk about:

The Reds’ record
- 28-45
- Still on track for 62-100 season
- Royals now have a better record
- Rangers still have a worse record, but won the series and clearly have less talent

What’s it going to take to get Narron fired?
- He freaking pinch-hit for Hamilton with Castro today
- Who would be next?

Dunn trade rumors
- Have these all fizzled out?
- Would it even make sense for anyone to trade for him?

Arroyo concert canceled
- Just when I thought I might go
- The real reason: to avoid people asking why he wasn’t home, practicing to be a better pitcher

Jay Bruce promoted to AA Chattanooga

Check in with the rest of the NLC

Episode 61: Time for Narron to Move Some Massage Chairs (26.4MB, 38:26)

Lest you think that I was finally going to get to confront Bronson Arroyo about him being such a jerk to me, his July 1 concert has been canceled. You know, Arroyo has said that the Red Sox didn't support his musical endeavors; I wonder whether the Reds are putting the pressure on hm to focus solely on his pitching.

CINCINNATI -- The second annual Perfect Pitch concert, scheduled for Sunday, July 1 at the Madison Theater in Covington, Kentucky, has been canceled.

Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo, the featured performer at the concert, said, “The timing isn't good right now. My body is a little banged up, and I'm trying to help us win baseball games.”

Arroyo is slated to perform at Kahn's Redsfest, presented by Great American Insurance, benefiting the Reds Community Fund. The event returns to the Duke Energy Center downtown Dec. 7-8.

The Perfect Pitch concert was slated to feature Arroyo, Chad Perrone and Screaming Mimes. It was to be hosted by local comedian Josh Sneed.

At a May 27 concert downtown, Arroyo helped generate more than $6,000 in charitable proceeds that benefited the Reds Community Fund and Homes for our Troops program. Arroyo is also donating $100 for each strikeout this season to Homes for our Troops, an organization that provides homes at no cost to injured or disabled servicemen and servicewomen and their immediate families.

Fans who purchased tickets to the Perfect Pitch concert will receive a full refund and two tickets to a 2007 Reds home game.

Congratulations to Dunn. May he be very happy with whatever AL team can offer enough for him.

Adam Dunn, who led the National League with 25 total bases and a 1.042 slugging percentage last week, has been named Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week for the period ending June 17th. Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the National League and American League Player of the Week Awards, which reflect Bank of America's long-standing tradition of promoting and recognizing higher standards of accomplishment.

The 27-year-old left fielder finished the week tied for first in the N.L. with four home runs and 12 hits. Dunn posted a .500 (12-24) batting average, collected eight RBI and recorded an on-base percentage of .538. The left-handed hitting slugger hit at least one home run in three consecutive games against the Texas Rangers, including a two-homer effort on June 17th. Adam added three multi-RBI performances and recorded at least one RBI in four consecutive games (June 14-17). This marks the second time that he has been named Player of the Week, with the previous selection coming in May 2002.

Other nominees this past week included Atlanta's Chipper Jones (.474, 9 H, 2 R); Miguel Olivo (.500, 1 HR, 7 RBI) of the Marlins; New York's Oliver Perez (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 SO); Chase Utley (.500, 1 HR, 6 RBI) of the Phillies; Washington's Ryan Zimmerman (.360, 3 HR, 6 RBI) and Micah Bowie (2-0, 3.75 ERA, 8 SO); Derrek Lee (.500, 2 HR, 10 RBI) and Carlos Zambrano (1-1, 0.53 ERA, 14 SO) of the Cubs; Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. (.318, 3 HR, 7 RBI) and Scott Hatteberg (.407, 1 HR, 3 RBI); Brad Ausmus (.526, 1 HR, 6 RBI) and Mike Lamb (.500, 2 HR, 10 RBI) of the Astros; Milwaukee's Johnny Estrada (.400, 10 H, 2 RBI), Bill Hall (.529, 1 HR, 5 RBI) and Corey Hart (.333, 3 HR, 8 RBI); Jose Bautista (.458, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and Ian Snell (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7 SO) of the Pirates; Chris Duncan (.308, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and Adam Wainwright (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SO) of the Cardinals; Garrett Atkins (.318, 3 HR, 10 RBI), Brad Hawpe (.304, 4 HR, 9 RBI) and Matt Holliday (.480, 2 HR, 7 RBI) of the Rockies; San Diego's Mike Cameron (.421, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Adrian Gonzalez (.364, 2 HR, 8 RBI), Justin Germano (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO) and Jake Peavy (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO); and Barry Bonds (.400, 2 HR, 3 RBI) of the Giants.

In recognition of this honor, Tourneau, the world's largest watch store, is proud to award the Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week Adam Dunn with a Tourneau luxury Swiss timepiece.