The Beat(ings) Roll On - Reds 14, D-Rays 5

REDS ROUT RAYS

Casey Fossum liked like a pitcher in pain, lobbing junk towards the plate, and the Reds made him pay, coasting to a 14-5 win and sweeping the Stingers out of town. Much of the excitement over the Reds 3-game sweep was tempered, however, by news that the Reds 'Big Offseason Splash' will remain in the rotation. Much of the credit that the Reds' brass gets for shipping D'Angelo and "Fifty Saves" Danny Graves out to sea is completely squandered by their insistence that Milton continue to pitch every fifth day, despite being 1-5 in his last seven starts with a 9.16!!!! ERA. DanO did make one self-incriminating comment, however, admitting that Milton's stuff is "of the same quality it's been throughout his career." Which is why some people felt that a 3 year, $25.5 million contract was a teeny weeny bit of a leap, Danny Boy.

WILDCARD UPDATE

With the Reds going into a stretch where they play the current AL East leaders, the defending World Series champions and the defending NL champions/current NL Central leaders, I figure that I'd better do this while I can. After last night's win, the Reds trail NL Wildcard leader Philadelphia by a mere 8 games. Of course, only Houston and Colorado trail the Reds in that NL Wildcard race at the moment, but I'll take what I can get at this point.

HOUSTON TRAFFIC

In Houston, if you are so cowardly as to leave more than a single-car length of open space on the freeway between the front of your car and the rear of that car which you are trailing, it is not 'defensive' or 'safe' driving; instead, it is advertising to the cars in the lanes on either side of you that you are hoping that they will wedge their vehicle into that space, no matter their current speed or the traffic conditions.

LOST, BUT NOT GONE FOREVER

Chip Cosby reports that Aaron Miller's mom believes that her son will miss the 2005 football season, but will re-enroll at UK in January 2006. I don't like to speculate about 'personal business' that requires young kids to make such drastic decisions, so here's hoping that Miller gets it turned around and can return to campus and enjoy what should be some of the most exciting years of his life.

TEATER WATCH

The Pride of the Bluegrass, Josh Teater, settled for a 1-over par 72 in the first round of the Hooters Tour's First City Classic in Savannah, GA. Always with a flair for the dramatic, Teater made 4 birdies and 5 bogeys. It's only a matter of time until some of those bogeys begin to diminish, and JT enteres the Hooters Tour winner's circle, in my humble opinion.