By “shines” I of course really mean to say “explodes like a super nova.” The ST opener was rather uneventful except for Majewski’s ominous entrance in the 5th inning. At that time the Phillies held a slim 1 run lead. His line shortly thereafter: 1/3 of an inning pitched, 9 batters faced, 6 earned runs, and 4 wild pitches. His spring training ERA is 162.00. Sure these things happen in early games, but this is Majewski we are talking about here. The guy that was given (for what seems like the umpteenth time) a blank slate by management and their paid lackeys in the written media.

Baker on 2/23:

“Majewski’s throwing the ball well. He’s in better shape than I heard he was last year. He’s stronger.”

Reds Notes: Majewski turning heads 2/23/08:

With most of the Reds’ front-office brass watching from behind the cage, including Baker, Majewski provided another encouraging sign. Many of his pitches stayed down and none of the hitters connected too solidly.

In two unremarkable stints with the Reds in 2007, Majewski was 0-4 with an 8.22 ERA in 32 games. He allowed 43 hits in just 23 innings.

Unremarkable? Are you sure about that Mr. Sheldon? I have to disagree. Majewski was very remarkable not only in 2007 but in 2006 as well. Remarkably bad.

Or how about this charming tidbit from John Fay’s Insider last spring 3/9/07:

There is a very happy group of Girl Scouts running around Sarasota these days.
Reds relief pitcher Gary Majewski recently purchased $77 worth of assorted Girl Scout cookies – enough to fill the bed of his pickup truck – at the local Wal-Mart.

UPDATE: Majewski threw 20 pitches off one of the bullpen mounds on the back fields this morning. Word is the session went well.

Look, I hate to beat a dead horse here, but why do these writers insult our collective intelligence like this? We have seen this bum stink up the field now for 3 years. I realize this is just one game. But the man’s ERA is 162! That is how many games are played in a season. I suppose if they trot him out there enough times he might manage to trim it down to something less nauseating, somewhere in the vicinity of 27.00. Nontheless why go to the effort of giving this guy the benefit of the doubt by publishing such pure b.s. like this:

“I kind of figured out what I was doing wrong,” Majewski said of the video sessions. “It stinks it took this long to figure it out. It seems like it’s working now. I just need to keep working at it. A majority of my pitches are where I want them now — down in the zone instead of belt high where they were hitting them last year.”

Incidentally when that quote was originally published on reds.com Majewski used the word “sucks” not “stinks.” Like I said the writers really did their best to make the guy as appealing as possible. Too bad baseball isn’t politics. Maybe Gary can run for Congress or something.

Anyhow let us pray that Majewski’s days with this club are numbered. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice shame on you. Fool me a third time and ummm… err, ah, we won’t get fooled again!

So the boys played 1 game, an intrasquad contest that pretty much equates to playing a game of sloshball with your buddies at your local elementary school yard on a weekend.

Hmmm, not sure if they allow that sort of thing in this day and age, but that’s what we used to do back in college in the early 90s. Put the keg on second base and everytime you round the bag you chug one. The game usually ends when players can’t find a nearby bathroom.

Based on the play by play account of today’s game I am prepared to go on record with some bold — very bold — fearless predictions. Here we go:

• Scott Hatteberg and Norris Hopper both get the starting nod on opening day. Jay Bruce begins the year in Louisville. Votto makes the roster but sits against Brandon Webb. I want professional at-bats from Hatteberg vs one of the leagues toughest pitchers and I am guessing that is what Dusty will want as well. Doesn’t mean Votto isn’t a starter, mind you, but he is gonna get eased into the job.

  This will surely cause an anti-Dusty uproar amongst certain fans who can’t wait to see Bruce and Votto become perennial all-stars, but wait, don’t go berserk yet because in a surprise development Volquez wins a slot in the starting rotation. Affeldt becomes a situational lefty in the bullpen, the same role in which he excelled for the Rockies last season, and Fogg and Belisle fill out the rotation with anchors Harang and Arroyo. Bailey and Cueto start the year in AAA. Cueto will have a strong spring but his inexperience and lack of a full season at AAA will incline management to give him a couple starts in the minors before tossing him into the fire. Bailey will struggle with control this spring and require more time in Louisville as well.

• No surprises anywhere else on offense unless Alex Gonzalez’ knee issue doesn’t go away in which case Keppinger gets the starting nod at SS. If AGON winds up on the DL you will have either Castro or Janish as back up. Maybe both make the roster. They might very well carry 3 catchers again if Bako has a decent Spring. More backlash against Dusty over this issue, no matter which way he goes because this is likely a decision that takes place at the end of camp.
• The bullpen is what can make or break this team as we have witnessed before. Its no surprise that the last time the Reds were in serious contention they had a young hard throwing successful set up guy in Todd Coffey. Will we ever see that Todd Coffey again? I don’t know to be honest but I see him making the club along with Burton, Weathers, Cordero (obviously) and Coutlangus. Stanton gets released, and Mercker’s comeback is not convincing enough to take a chance on him. Roenick wins a job with a good spring and Majewski… I don’t know. Does he have options left? He might get traded. I guess that’s wishful thinking.

The Reds were the first team to take to the field this year in a thrilling intrasquad game. Wait, or is it intersquad? No, no, it’s definitely intra, just like the opposite of the highway system. Those go between states, you see, which means that when the Cubs play the White Sox, it’s intra. Or something like that.

Anyway, isn’t it great to see some baseball action? Or at least read about it hours afterwards, considering there was no radio or television of this non-event. The score of the game, in case you’re wondering how long I was going to bury the lead, was home-Reds 8, visiting-Reds 2.

Sadly, no quotes from manager Dusty Baker about “clogging the bases” or any other moronic things. Instead, he sounds like every other manager upon seeing young players for the first time.

“I saw good things. Jerry Gil looked good. Anderson looked great. (Chris) Dickerson looked good. Janish made the three nice plays. No missed signs. That’s what I like.”

And I like seeing Janish do well. My son got his autograph on a baseball last Spring, and it would be nice for Janish to still be around when we make it down to Florida next month.

Proceeds from tickets to the scrimmage went to the Reds Community Fund. Real spring training games start tomorrow afternoon.

OK, finally here’s an update on player transactions in the NL Central. Egad, Feb. 11, has it really been that long? How time flies. Fortunately, many of the deals that have transpired since have already been reported by my colleagues here on RHM and there were a few “slow news days” so hopefully this won’t be too painful if I move along quickly

Yes, Feb. 11 – the Pirates signed 1B Doug Mientkiewicz to a MLCWSTI.

Feb 15 – The Pirates invited nonroster C Steve Lerud to spring training, while the Reds locked up their probable 2008 cleanup hitter for the next four years by signing 2B Brandon Phillips to a four-year, $27 million contract through the 2011 season with a club option for 2012.

Feb. 18 – The Cubs signed IF Alex Cintron to a MLCWSTI (Also on this date, Leatherpants Vampire added Bret Boone to his collection of former Reds).

Feb. 19 -  The Cardinals signed LHP Ron Villone, a former Red, Brewer, Astro, and Pirate, to a MLCWSTI – and Bubba copped a job.

Feb. 20 – The Astros signed free agent RHP Shawn Chacon, a former Pirate, to a $2 million, one-year contract. The Brewers signed LHP Mitch Stetter to a one-year contract and signed 3B/OF Russell Branyan, a former Red Brewer, and Cardinal, to a minor league contract (Incidentally, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel erroneously reported that Branyan was with the Reds, Padres, and Cardinals last year. Oops. Well, two out of three ain’t bad, right? Russ was with the Phillies, Padres, and Cardinals last year and hasn’t worn a Reds uni since 2003. You Brewers fans might want to tip off Tom Haudricourt about the existence of Baseball Reference).

Feb. 21 – The Brewers signed C Lou Palmisano to a one-year contract. The Reds signed RHP Josh Fogg, a former Pirate, to a one-year, $1 million contract, placing LHP Bobby Livingston on the 60-day DL to make room for Fogg on the 40-man roster.

Feb. 22 – The Reds released OF/1B Craig Wilson after he reportedly failed his physical. Wilson spent most of last year on the DL with shoulder problems and even had surgery to try to clean things up. I wish Craig the best of luck.

Feb. 24 – As previously reported here on RHM, the Pirates signed RHP Byung-Hyun Kim to a one-year, $850,000 contract.

What wasn’t reported is how they made room for Kim on their 40-man roster: They DFA’ed Little Ray Ray.

🙁

I hope they finish in the cellar…but then, what are the odds of that? Oh, wait…

That’s a wrap. You’re now caught up on all the wheeling and dealing in the NLC since our last update. I’ll have more to contribute soon, if I don’t completely trash my computers upgrading the operating systems later this week (it really is about time for me to ditch Windows ME, don’t you think?).

HMZ

This week on the podcast we talk fantasy baseball with Brad Stewart of MLB Front Office. I’m no fantasy expert, but the advice he gives sounds pretty sound, and the breadth of information available on the site sure couldn’t hurt your extensive baseball research time.

Dusty Baker should stop talking

Prince Fielder is a Vegetarian?

• “I tell people I don’t eat meat, and they’re like, ‘Oh!'” Fielder said, raising his hands and making a sour face. “They forget there’s so much other food out there. Beans, rice, tofu. You’ve got a lot of good food, baby!”
• Fielder made the decision to cut out meat after reading a bestselling book, Skinny Bitch.

The Cubs Mark DeRosa is undergoing heart tests

The Pirates signed Byung-Hyun Kim

• A $1 M Major League deal.
• Ray Olmedo DFA’d to make room.

The Astros signed Shawn Chacon to help with their rotation

The Cardinals signed Ron Villone.

Cincinnati signed Josh Fogg.

Joe Nuxhall didn’t win the Ford C. Frick Hall of Fame award

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