A couple days ago, Cincinnati Reds starter Mike Leake was arrested for shop-lifting. Today, there was a report from Cincinnati’s WCPO Channel 9 that Leake had paid for the shirts.

The report is written oddly, like that of a middle-schooler trying to write a paper and sound impressive by using a thesaurus for every mundane word. For instance, the article starts by stating, “delicate negotiations will be undertaken shortly to hopefully remedy the Mike Leake imbroglio to everyone’s satisfaction.” Okay. I’m sure that couldn’t have been worded in an easier to read manner.

But getting past that, here’s the meat of the story.

A reliable source tells me that Leake did indeed pay for T-shirts some time prior to yesterday’s episode. And only in the process of clumsily trying to exchange them, did he run afoul of, if not the law, then certainly the dictates of common sense.

That Leake somehow thought that he could affect what is termed an “even exchange” without benefit of a store employee presiding over the transaction.

So this source is saying that Leake previously paid for the shirts and walked in the store later to exchange them without talking to a store employee. It sounds ridiculous, but given that this is a world where a diner can sue a restaurant after eating an artichoke, it’s certainly possible. But if true, what a dummy Leake is.

Boxscore

Ouch. Make the losing stop!

Listen, I know it’s early and everything, but I’m tired of the losing. Remember when the team started out by winning their first 5 games? Remember how they seemed like an unstoppable juggernaut, hell-bent on storming back to the postseason? Yeah, that was awesome. I want that team back. I want that confidence and determination back. For the last few games, it’s been nothing but a faint memory.

The Cincinnati Reds lost again tonight. The return of Brandon Phillips to the lineup helped, as he drove in a run, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome the lackluster pitching. Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto can’t return from the disabled list soon enough.

Sam LeCure started and at least did better than any of staff ace Edinson Volquez’s starts. So there’s that. And LeCure also blew the pants off Travis Wood’s last start. LeCure went 5 1/3 innings and allowed 5 earned runs. It’s so messed up to think that’s an improvement.

Still, the season is long, and the Reds will bounce back. Hopefully soon. This team isn’t fun to watch right now.

Now, if you follow baseball, you see your share of arrests. Not as many as if you follow football, but nary a season goes by when someone isn’t booked on a DUI. You even hear your occasional domestic violence or attempted rape charge. But this is the first time I can remember someone being arrested for shoplifting.

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that pitcher Mike Leake was booked on a charge of theft today around 2 p.m:

Leake, of Ludlow, was arrested after Macy’s department store loss prevention employees stopped the Reds pitcher today after they say he took $59.88 in property from the store.

Police said the incident was caught on security cameras at the Downtown Macy’s.

The theft is listed as a misdemeanor. Cincinnati police didn’t immediately respond to e-mails asking for more information about Leake’s arrest.

If found guilty, the charge could mean as much as 180 days in jail. But who knows if he’s guilty. They aren’t giving any details yet, and for all we know he might have accidentally walked out with something. I know I’ve almost done it.

Despite the mugshot, the story does not say Leake was stoned at the time.