After much anticipation (OK, maybe not that much), the Reds have finalized their contract with David Weathers. To make room on the roster, they've DFA'd Brandon Claussen.

Marc has some quotes from Claussen if you're into reading the unconquerable spirit that lives on in even those who should be feeling pretty conquered.

It's true that Claussen failed to live up to his high expectations last season. Coming out of spring training, he predicted that the Reds starters would be going 7-innings deep, which was true of a couple of them. Not him of course, but a couple of them.

What I'll miss most about Claussen is the relentless pickle jokes Bellyscratcher loved to make at his expense. Maybe the Cardinals will pick him up. I bet she would relish that.

The podcast was supposed to go down yesterday, but I was out-for-the-count after blacking out (multiple times) in the shower sent me to the ER. I'm OK, but yesterday was defined mostly by me sleeping on the couch.

The podcast would have gone down today, after watching my kid's Christmas program at school, if not for the fact that he's been vomiting all night. (And when you have an hour-long commute home with a vomiting child in the back seat, there's also a lot of laundry to do when you arrive.)

Tomorrow would be the Crack Technical Staff's turn to get sick, but I don't think that's going to happen. For one thing, he's far too dedicated to the podcast to let a little stomach flu get in the way. For another thing, and perhaps more importantly, he's much more prone to injury than illness. So, no, the podcast won't be pushed off for anything like pneumonia tomorrow, but I wouldn't rule out him cutting off a toe or something.

Regardless, there's been some actual activity on the Reds' roster, so I probably ought to say something about it. And I'd better do it quick before I black out again, find I have regurgitated Popsicle to clean up, or gross you out any more than I already have.