We’re about where we were a week ago, same situation for the Reds, trade deadline approaching, same usual suspects on the block. Dunn, Junior, maybe Bronon Arroyo (which would send whoever is responsible for those wonderful JTM commericials into a cold sweat) and maybe, please God please, Corey Patterson. OK, who am I kidding with that one. Patterson is ours until further notice. Not a day goes back that some rumor doesn’t pop up about any of those players. The hot one today? Dunn to the Dodgers for Juan Pierre, talented young short stop Chin lun Hu. Pierre is signed through 2011, the Dodgers would throw in some money to buy down his deal. He plays center with Bruce moving to left. And Chin becomes the Reds short stop. Keppinger moves to third. Encarnacion could be dealt for more pitching. Makes a lot of sense. Which means, it’ll never happen.

Junior has been traded more than a bad stock on chat boards from here to California and now we’re hearing of teams with strong pitching coaches who might want to take on Arroyo. July 31st is coming, you’ll hear a lot more talk like this in the coming days.. Believe me, you’re sick of it now? You’ll be hurling by late July. But it seems to me, it’s not a bad time to take a look at one or two of the things that go down at this time of the year. Maybe one trade…

My son, who’s a live and die with the Reds, fan alerted me to something he saw on a web site this other. Someone had a discussion going about ‘the trade’. You know it’s a big trade when it’s referred to as ‘the trade’. Now for veteran Reds fans, ‘the trade’ apparently isn’t Frank Robinson to the Orioles for Milt Pappas and a half eaten bag of chips. It’s apparently not Paul O’Neill to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. Apparently, it’s not the trade that brought Junior here. No, the trade is the one Wayne Krivsky pulled off with the Washington Nationals a couple of summers ago. You remember, the one where Jim Bowden supposedly fleeced him? In this discussion, the game was to evaluate whether or not Krivaky actually got fleeced or did the fleecing. Or if it was just a lose-lose. Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns and Ryan Wagner to the Nationals. Bill Bray, Gary Majewski, Brendan Harris, Royce Clayton and Darryl Thompson to the Reds.

Remember when the Reds pulled that one off. The were actually in a pennant race. I know, tough to believe, they actually had a pulse. The bullpen was the weak link at the time. It needed help. Majewski and Bray were supposedly the answers. So Krivsky dealt two of his every day eight players to get a couple of guys who’d get them a flag. Didn’t happen, Reds bats went into a deep September freeze, St. Louis won the division and the Series. So now, here was are just about two years later. Who won? Well Kearns is on the DL…just had surgery was hitting something like ‘180’ before he got hurt. Kearns, who you remember was demoted before he was dealt, demoted to Louisville for being out of shape, Kearns is hitting ‘250’ so far in the Washington part of his career. Lopez, hitting about ‘250’. Wagner tore his shoulder up, had surgery might be back in late July, he’s won a grand total of three games for the Nationals since the trade. He’s another one of Jim Bowden’s celebrated misses with first round draft picks. If you’re sitting in our nation’s capital today, it’s hard to look at this trade and call it a win. But remember when Majewski showed up here with a bad shoulder Remember when we found out that he had a cortisone shot just days before the deal? Remember how we howled that Wayne Krivsky got fleeced? Well, we should’ve. Because of all the players the Reds got from the Nationals in that deal, Majewski was the center of the deal.

I think it’s fair to call Majewski’s life as a Cincinnati Red ineffective, at best. The mess he made on Friday night in Cleveland is pretty much what he’s done since arriving. Or when he wasn’t working out a demotion to Louisviille. Bray has been both good, bad and hurt. He was the second piece in that deal and was thought of, at one time, to be the Reds future closer. That’s not going to happen. But Bray may turn out to be a serviceable middle relief guy. Clayton, at last check is out of baseball. Bounced around after leaving here, wound up with the Red Sox last year, won a world series ring. Harris was released. Went to the Devil Rays, when they were still the Devil Rays….flirted with 300 there. He’s now the twins second baseman, hitting about ‘250’. On the surface, this would seem to be one of the least significant trades in the history of baseball. Not even a lose-lose, more of a who cares-who cares.

Except for Daryl Thompson, who again acquitted himself well on Friday night in Cleveland. Thompson has not had two solid starts, both on the road since his call up from triple-a. and Thompson only had three starts in Louisville before getting the call to come here. Thompson was a throw in, an after thought perhaps by the Nationals but someone, apparently, that Krivsky wanted. Once again, we see evidence that Krivksy may have known what he was doing and that Bowden still has no clue when it comes to evaluating pitching. Thompson was a single-a pitcher and not a very good one, statistically when the deal went down. And yet, he’s now become the central piece, the only ‘win’ in that deal, that in 2006 was the most talked about deal of that season. I think this good to keep in mind as we move closer to the trading deadline. With the Reds dead in the water and even a winning record a reach, trades are coming. It may not be the blockbuster kind. The one in 2006 wasn’t really that….and those kind of deals usually happen only in the off season. But you will see some players hit the proverbial bricks.

So be careful when you assess the work of Walt Jocketty. Be easier on him than you were on Krivsky. Surely, when and if Dunn or Junior or David Weathers or Paul Bako get the gate, surely there will be some names coming this way you won’t be all that familiar with. Or names that might look like complete busts on their way here. Remember, then the name Daryl Thompson. It can happen. It already did…..

As I watch the NBA draft and wonder if Josh Duncan will become the first modern day former Moeller Crusader (maybe modern or pre-modern day) to be selected, I have here one of the funniest videos I've seen in a long, long time. John Daly, teeing off, ball on beer can...with a guest appearance by Kid Rock.

My kinda golf!

Meantime, back to the Bengals, James Walker has this 'take' in his espn.com column.

And if this column on whatifsports.com is true, yikes! A 2-14 Bengals season ahead?
Personally, I don't think the Bengals will be that bad this season. But I don't see anything better than 6-10. The schedule is brutal and the defense hasn't been fixed all that much. And according to Marvin Lewis, they want to run the ball a lot more in 2008. Great, far too ften in 2007 the running game disappeared. But the Bengals line didn't show a whole lot in '07 when it was asked to run block. Perhaps moving big Bobbie Williams to center would be a start. Too often in '07, Eric Giachuc appeared to be wearing roller skates, getting forced back into Carson Palmer far too much.

Looks like a good hire for my alma mater. Mike DeCourcy of thesportingnews.com among many reporting tonight that Ohio has hired Ohio State's top assitant, John Groce, as the next head basketball coach of the Bobcats. Groce worked with Thad Matta at all of his stops, including three years with Xavier, here in Cincinnati. Go Bobcats!

I've seen worse performances by a starting pitcher than what Bronson Arroyo turned in last night. But I can't remember when. Oh, wait a minute, yes I can: May 4th Arroyo vs the Braves. 1.1 innings pitched, seven earned runs, seven hits. Oh wait a minute, that wasn't as bad as last night: 1+ innings pitched, ten earned runs, eleven hits.


From June 24, 2007 through June 24, 2008 (last night) no major league pitcher has allowed more home runs than Arroyo (66). How ya likin' that $22.5 million that the Reds have tied up in
the remainder of Arroyo's contract now?

I still think Ken Griffey, Jr, retires at the end of this season or works out some sort of deal to remain with the Reds. For those of you who still think Seattle is a destination, remember the Mariners have fired their manager and GM. And now comes this from si.com's John Heyman.

The Adam Dunn-JP Ricciardi saga took another little twist last night when Ricciardi says he called and apologized to Dunn for the disparaging remarks he made about the Reds slugger last week. News to me, says Dunn. I talked with no one named Ricciardi. Ricciardi is adamant that he spoke with Dunn, but offered that he'd be disappointed if he actually talked with someone posing as #44. Ricciardi says he deleted the number he called off his cell phone.

Ricciardi would have more credibility, if he hadn't admitted to falsifying injury reports about players in the past.

As for Dunn's cell phone number, I've got it, if JP wants to call.

I hope you were watching News 5 tonight when we ran this story on Chris Henry. The man is a walking, living disaster.

More to come....let me know what you think. Leave comments, I'll answer every one of them.

It should be an interesting study these next three days. The Reds are in Toronto, home of the 'foot and mouth' general manager, JP Ricciardi. You'll recall last week, Ricciardi opened his yap on a Toronto radio show and said, among other things, that Adam Dunn has no passion for the game of baseball. Dunn fired back, calling Ricciardi a 'clown'.

Now comes foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal who has this 'take' on the Dunn-Ricciardi flap.

Odd that there's been little, in fact nothing, from the Reds front office on the dust up last week or on Dunn's future for that matter. It appears that if they can't trade Dunn, the Reds may be willing to let him walk at the end of the season, and take draft picks for compensation.

I hope you join us every Sunday night at 11:35 on Cincinnati's channel 5 for "Sports Rock!" It's hard driven, sports opinion and only on WLWT. Now check out some "Sports Rock Behind The Scenes". It's a typical Sunday evening in the channel 5 "Sports Rock" nerve center.

Hopefully this isn't like watching sausage get made. Hope to see you this Sunday night. And if you don't live in the greater Cincinnati area, we always post "Sports Rock" the internet only edition every Monday on wlwt.com. Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Would you trade Bronson Arroyo if you're Reds owner Bob Castellini? His salary this season is manageable. But next year it will go through the roof. The New York Daily News has this story on a possible Arroyo to the Yankees scenario. I don't see it happening....



Clark Judge, the fine national football writer for cbsports.com was one of my guests Sunday on 700 WLW's Sunday Morning Sports Talk. He doesn't care much for Chad Johnson and says Rudi Johnson holds the key to whether or not the Bengals have a successful 2008 season. He told me he likes the Bengals young cornerbacks. But apparently they're not in the NFL's Top5, as Clark writes in this latest article.


For my two cents, I think Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall have a ways to go, before being mentioned with the NFL's elite. Hall got schooled by several big time receivers last season, most notably Hines Ward. Joseph has dropped too many interception chances.


My buddy Mike Florio, from profootballtalk.com, also moonlights for The Sporting News and has a strong 'take' on the NFL's code of conduct policy in this send up.

Trolling this evening, I found this feature the NFL Network did on former UC quarterback and Bengals first round pick, Greg Cook. It is a great 'what might've been' reflection.

The NFL Network On Greg Cook

If Cook had not had his injury problems, the Bengals would've have never drafted one of their greatest quarterbacks, Ken Anderson. But Cook had a chance to be an all timer.

This is a riot. Apparently, in anticipation of last weekend's Cubs-White Sox inter-league series, White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillen and Cubs manager, Lou Piniella
teamed up to tape a car commercial. Check this out

Rap
Uploaded by bsap11

Piniella appears to be a grandfather, trying his best to be 'hip'.

It’s a tricky thing in the world of professional sports. Sometimes when it appears that you’re on the verge of figuring it out, putting it all together, you’re really on the edge of a cliff. The Reds were there. Remember 1999? The day after losing that one game playoff to the Mets, the prevailing opinion was: add another big bat, find just one more starting pitcher and this team is there. No way it doesn’t contend if we could get one more bat and maybe one more decent arm.

The Reds added more than that. They got Junior and Dante Bichette. And Joey Hamilton wasn’t far behind. That was nine years ago. How did all of that work out?

Sometimes, you just know you’re on the verge of figuring it out, putting it all together. Of course, the opposite of that is true. Sometimes, you just know things are in total disrepair. The future seems hopeless and the present need to be torched. I’ll bet you think that’s where the Reds are today. It’s not a tough opinion to form. They have a line-up right now that appears to have four automatic outs. Their ‘ace’ is 3-10 and Bronson Arroyo’s best work this year appears to be JTM commercials. And as bad as those are, that’s not saying a whole lot. Until three months ago, the franchise hasn’t developed a decent starting pitcher since Tom Browning. The Reds minor league system hasn’t produced a decent catcher since Joe Oliver and there appears to be no major league ready outfielders within three years of patrolling Great American Ball Park.

It would appear that the the present is in need of torching.

And yet, anyone who’s watched this team play the last two nights knows it might be a good idea to put down the matches. I’m a big believer and have said here on this radio station numerous times, I don’t think you should ever trade a player who can win a game for you every night, for one who can win a game for you every five days. I don’t believe you should ever trade an everyday player for a pitcher. But I would do the Hamilton for Volquez deal again in a heartbeat. Volquez was simply electrifying on Friday night. Aaron Harang may be the ‘ace’ of this staff. But the crown sits on his head, precariously. Edinson Volquez has the uncanny ability to pitch well under the glare of big city lights, and behave as if he’s tossing a game of backyard whiffle ball. He’s that unaffected.

Darryl Thompson threw too many pitches for five innings of work Saturday. But the Yankees still haven’t hit many of them. In his big league debut, in that same big city glare, Thompson was terrific. In a trade that was brutal for both teams, turns out that deal with the Nationals may be a win for the Reds. Thompson was a throw in, which again proves the point that Jim Bowden wouldn’t know good pitching, even it hit him in his leather pants.

And today, Johnny Cueto gets his turn against the Yankees. Yep, he’s been erratic. His fastball can go flat at times and his breaking ball doesn’t always break. But his ‘stuff’, the catch all baseball term for pitching repertoire, his stuff is big league. Volquez, Thompson, Cueto.

Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips. Jeff Keppinger for that matter too. I heard Chris Welch say this Saturday: In his 17 years in and around Reds baseball, this is best group of young talent he’s seen.

Here’s my point: the best deals are often the ones a general manager never makes. And when I heard this week that a New York newspaper was reporting that Walt Jocketty was on the verge of a fire sale, I cringed, then laughed.

Most of the names that were mentioned, for one reason or another, are untradeable. The numbers may suggest otherwise, but I don’t think this team needs a housecleaning.

The Reds are seven games under ‘500’. They’re 13-and a half games out of first place. They aren’t going to the playoffs this season and they may not deliver to us a winning record. But as we sit and talk here today, we should be thinking like we did in the fall of ’99.

What if the Reds find another arm to go with Harang and the three young guns? What if they can find another good bat, right handed even better, for that line-up…best case scenario a right handed hitting catcher? What else would they need besides ‘that’?

My guess is, there won’t be much of a house-cleaning. Jocketty will be tempted, all general managers are. Maybe Junior leaves, maybe he retires. Maybe they let Dunn walk. Maybe not.

Team owners, GM’s and manager like to say ‘we’re only one or two players away from being a contender’. And the punch line, of course is, yeah and those two players are Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones.

But the feeling I have today is this team is a lot closer than we think to being pretty good, maybe good enough to be something really special next season.

I haven’t felt this way in awhile about our Reds. But that’s what the last couple of games have made me believe. At least I think they have. It’s either that….or last night’s dinner coming back on me.

Where are you on all of this?

At the ceremony honoring him for hitting career home run number 600, Ken Griffey, Jr, hinted last night, he'd like to stay in Cincinnati. I'm not so sure that won't happen. Junior, as I'm sure you know is under contract through the rest of this season and the team has a $16 million option on him for 2009. I've said for awhile now, that a likely scenario would be for Junior to remain with the Reds through the rest of this season and the team would decline to pick up his option for 2009. But, negotiations would begin soon after the Reds decline that option to keep Griffey, Jr in Cincinnati Red for awhile, at a reduced salary.

If those negotiations falter, the Reds would simply pay him the $4 million buyout and let him walk. His trade value right now is minimal. Griffey isn't have a particularly good season and his salary is rich for just about any except the big market teams. Knowing how Bob Castellini feels about hometown pride and knowing that Junior is from here, my guess is my scenario is at least in the mix of options for 2009. We shall see...

Chad Johnson finally had his ankle surgery today. It went well. But surgery just five weeks before the start of training camp? It's far too late, so says our friend Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News in his recent "Ludwig At Large" post.

Who knew? Tiger Woods has played the last year with a torn ACL. Now, as he announced on his web site today, he's gone for the rest of this season.

And you've got to love the Bengals refereces in this piece by espn.com's Gene Wojciechowski on the Tiger-Rocco playoff. Will the Bengals ever be able to climb out from under the garbage they've buried themselves under?

Speaking of our men in stripes, 2008 first round draft pick, Keith Rivers, has a rookie diary that he's posting on foxsports.com. They're picking up his blog and reposting it....which, I guess is what I'm doing here.

One of the funniest post game interviews after the Celtics beat the Lakers in game 6 last night, turned in by the Celts' Brian Scalabrine. Check this out.

I'll see you tonight at 6 & 11p only on Cincinnati's Channel 5 WLWT!

Good Morning!

I was thinking about this, as I was driving in from Columbus. I’ve been out of town the past couple of days. Our daughter graduated Saturday from our alma mater, Ohio University and with family in from all over the country, we were using Columbus as a base…largely because hotel rooms in Athens that go for about 35-bucks a night were 150-a night with a three night minimum. Believe this if nothing else, unless you’re attending OU, there’s absolutely no reason on earth to spend three days at 150-per in Athens. But, that’s a whole nother story.

I was thinking that every so often, we get to see the good and the bad in sports all in one week. And we got that this week. We are witnessing the things that drive us to games and things that drive us away from them.

We saw Junior reach another milestone this week. 600 of anything in sports is a monumental accomplishment. But when you’re talking about the quintessential play in baseball, the home run, 600 is amazing. I was listening Saturday, driving from Columbus to Athens on one of the channels XM radio has, an all baseball channel. And they were playing a one hour special that XM had pieced together about Ken Griffey, Junior’s career. It had all the high notes, the home runs, the great catches, scoring the winning run against the Yankees in the 1995 playoffs. And it occurred to me that one of the reasons you have trouble embracing Junior is because we never got his best here. His best was when he was in Seattle, when he was young and healthy. And while the promise was great when he arrived back in Cincinnati, remember he was not 30 and still considered one of the 25 greatest players all time in baseball, injury would rob him of his greatness. If you add the numbers up, it’s staggering: Junior has missed the equivalent of three full seasons here in Cincinnati because of injuries. And because of that, some fans around here became frustrated and took that frustration out on Griffey, either by booing him at games, railing on him on radio stations like this one or simply not going to see games.

But yet, his body of work in baseball is unrivaled, certainly by contemporary comparison. Bonds and Sosa hit more home runs. But they played at least under a cloud of suspicion of HGH use. Junior? You ever hear anything about him away from the field? Anything?

We’re witnessing this weekend, what could be one of the most remarkable accomplishments in the game of golf. I watched a little bit of the US Open on Saturday. If I’m not mistaken, Tiger Woods has taken the lead on one leg. If I’m not mistaken, Woods at one point Saturday, was using his three wood as a cane, walking up a fairway. Wincing on most of his shots, Woods is taking on the greatest golfers in the world right now and winning a race on one leg. It is compelling television, the kind of stuff that will live forever on places like ESPN Classic, if he wins this thing. It’ll be right up there with Willis Reed leading the Knicks past the Lakers dragging a leg behind him and Kirk Gibson limping around the bases after a game ending home run in the 1988 world series.

Last night, 74-thousand racing fans had the Kentucky Speedway bursting at the bolts that hold that facility today. If I’m not mistaken, it was the largest crowd ever to witness an event at that facility. And if so, it would be the largest crowd ever to witness a sporting event in the Tri-State. Maybe it was a farewell and thanks to the money and brains behind the place, Jerry Carroll. Maybe it was a show of force to the new guy who bought the track and NASCAR that has constantly turned its back on the facility. Or, maybe, it was just another indication that the Tri-State is one of the best sports areas in the world. All I know is this, the population of Gallatin County doubled for about five hours Saturday. People drove from Cincinnati, Louisville, Dayton, sat in traffic got there early and left late and by all indications had a blast.

Those were the things that happened this week that told us all again why we get interested in athletes, storylines and games.

And then, we got to see the under belly.

The NBA has a major problem. It could be a cataclysmic problem, if a former referee is telling the truth about game fixing. The NBA has shouted down Tim Donaghty. But shouting won’t win any battle in federal court. And as Donaghty awaits sentencing, he may only have to prove, softly, that one or two of his former compadres were complicit in game fixing. And if you have that, you have a conspiracy that goes right to the heart of the NBA’s credibility. And if that happens, professional basketball will become nothing more than Vince McMahon’s WWE in shorts.

And then, we witnessed the entire Chad Johnson soap opera this week. As I like to say, with the Bengals, you never just get football. There is always drama. Always.

I feel used today. Every journalist in this town should feel used, Channels 5, 9, 12 and 19, the Enquirer, this radio station, Homer, pick one. We were used this week by Johnson and his mouthpiece (he’s not talking to anyone locally you know, not since Halloween, ironically)….Johnson and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus used us. They wanted to create a circus atmosphere, get it caught on tape and in print and then wave it under Mike Brown’s nose. Because if there’s one thing Mike Brown doesn’t like, other than getting beaten in a contract negotiation, it’s a circus involving his team.

Maybe, after the past four years, he should be used to it.

Johnson showed up, avoided the $8 thousand dollar fine. He didn’t practice at first. It was an ankle, a back it could have been both. The accusations flew: the team said he reported no problem with either during his routine physical, Rosenhaus said he had documents that the team wanted Johnson to have surgery on the ankle, the team said Johnson refused. All of that played out over the course of minutes, culminated with an arm and arm walking and talking picture of Rosenhaus and Johnson leaving the practice field.

That’s why Rosenhaus came to town. That’s what he and Johnson wanted. That’s why every journalist who covered that fiasco should feel a little dirty today.

We in the media lapped it up. Our bosses told us to get the story, get the picture and get it on the air. Because, we were told, that’s what you want. But do you? Was it that big a deal?

The good with the bad. It doesn’t often happen to the extent it did this week.

You gotta loves these Bengals. They can't just play football. They always gotta give you something extra. Today, the start of the annual mini-camp, turned into the Ocho Cinco Show. Yep, Johnson showed up, avoided the $8,000 fine he would have had to pay if he skipped the camp and completely dominated the news cycle. Oh yeah, a willing media played right along.

Johnson was late to the practice field. Didn't participate in drills because, he told the medical staff, he had a bad back. Wait a minute said the team, you didn't say anything about that when you passed your physical this morning. The Bengals then issued a statement that Chad "refused to practice". Wait a minute, said his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who flew to Cincinnati to preside over the circus, Chad had a bad ankle, a left over from last season, that the team wanted him to have surgery on. Well, yes, said the Bengals front office, we did but Chad refused to have that done. Each side said they had the documents to prove it.

Oh, by the way, the rest of the team went through two spirited drills in high heat and humidity.

Welcome to your 2008 Cincinnati Bengals.

Read all about it, in this offering from espn.com.

Of course, no one has a 'take' on things like our pal Chick Ludwig in his latest "Ludwig At Large".

Meantime, up in Buffalo, the Bills Marshawn Lynch has his own problems. Our pal Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com has more in this video


Meantime, the Reds finally beat the Cardinals tonight. Bronson Arroyo should have gotten the win, but had to leave in the 7th with an muscle cramp in his arm. Jeremy Affeldt took care of thing for Arroyo, giving up the lead to the Cardinals and ending Arroyo's chance for a win. The Reds came back with four in their half of the 7th. The Red Sox are in town this weekend. It's the first time that franchise has played a game in Cincinnati since the 1975 World Series.

Meantime, interesting 'take' on the Reds continuing problems at short stop by si.com's Gennaro Filice.

I'm off for the weekend. My daughter is graduating from my alma mater, Ohio University, and there's nothing better in life than watching your kids succeed. Wait a minute, yes there is: the end of tuition payments.

Talk to youthis Sunday morning on 700 WLW's Sunday Morning Sportstalk on 700wlw.com, XM Radio channel 173 or on the 50,000 watt flame thrower itself!

Will he or won't he? Chad Johnson. Will he or won't he report for the start of the Bengals mandatory mini-camp Thursday? Johnson was adamant in the winter that he wanted to be traded and said he wasn't reporting to anythuing. Then, in ESPN The Msgazine this week, he said "I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid" and hinted he'd be here.


Here's an even better question: do you even care? I don't. Frankly, I don't care what any football player does in June, so long as it doesn't involve a criminal offense. Call me in late July when the real deal starts.


And in case you're fearing that Johnson may be traded, check out what Clark Judge writes this week in his cbssports.com column.


Maybe Chad could sit out the year and help Sam Wyche get elected to a council seat in his South Carolina district. SI.com has the story of Sam's primary win Tuesday night.

Meantime, our pal Chick Ludwig has a great idea, if the Bengals are going to take a risk (no not on a reformed criminal). In 'Ludwig At Large' the Chickster is floating the idea of the Bengals buying a Bentley.

Junior has finally hit his 600th, but the controversy has nothing to do with him. It's all around the baseball and who caught it, or didn't. Check out this story in the Miami Herald.

I like Scott Miller's take on Junior reaching 600 in his cbssports.com column.


The NBA has a major problem on its hands right now with its disgraced former referee Tim Donaghty on the verge of getting thrown in the federal pen. Donaghty is the referee who admitted to taking bribes to fix the outcome of games. He's now claiming other referees were in cahoots with him and that NBA playoff games were fixed. Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Stars puts this whole thing into proper perspective, I think, in his column.


Right now, Donaghty is just a rogue ref. But if he gets only one more of his former compadres to come forward, you now have a conspiracy. And the NBA as we know it could cease to exist if tht happens.

I'll see you with more tonight at 6 & 11p on Cincinnati's Channel5 WLWT!

Let me now raise the names of Dunn, Junior and Johnson.

It occurred to me this week that most of us in this town have a problem with at least one of the big three. Some of us, with issues, have problems with all three. What got me thinking about this, was the conspiracy theory that was floating around our town that the real reason why Junior was out of the starting line up three games our of four in Philadelphia, was that he really wanted to hit his 600th home run in Florida, where his family would be in attendance. The fact that he pinch hit in those three games, drew walks and swung away mightily and missed in the fourth game should be enough to debunk that theory. Mix in the fact that Junior has been nursing a sore knee for the last month and that it had really flamed up in the last week would be more evidence. So too should the knowledge that below the waste, Junior doesn’t have a body part that hasn’t been rebuilt at least twice.

And yet, there are people in our town that don’t buy it, don’t buy him and would sell him to any major league baseball team right now, Japan if they were interested. And you know who you are.

Adam Dunn has been consistent in his stats over the last four seasons. 40 home runs and 100 rbi. He’s on his way to the same kind of season this year. He plays, on the average, over 150 games per season. He rarely gets hurt. His defense isn’t the greatest. But statistics and a pair of eyeballs tell us that he’s playing better in the field this year that any. Yet I hear constantly, a lot on these Sundays, that Dunn isn’t worth the 14 million he’s making this season. Like it’s their money. Someone called in last weekend and suggested the Reds dump Dunn in this off season, let him walk, and pursue Pat Burrell, a potential free agent who could leave the Phillies.

Forgetting for a moment that the Phils are always in a dog fight with the Mets and Braves for the NL East division title and would be fools to let Burrell walk, why would the Reds play that game? If you look at the numbers, Dunn and Burrell are about as similar as hitters get. And if you look at the numbers, Dunn, at his age, compares favorably to Harmon Killebrew and Reggie Jackson, who just happen to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Dunn’s in no danger of getting to Cooperstown anytime soon. But at 28, to give up on that kind of talent is something that championship teams don’t do.

Chad Johnson is allegedly coming back to town this week to participate in the Bengals annual mini camp. He missed voluntary workouts because he’s in a snit with the Bengals front office. First, they didn’t have his back when some un named Bengals personnel were anonymously bad mouthing Chad to the media. Then it was because the Bengals didn’t get enough…quote here from Ocho No show…difference makers on defense in this off season. The hot rumor is that he’s broke, too many lawsuits, too big a traveling posse or he has a new agent that wants a new deal so the agent can get paid. That’s the trouble with things like this: in the absence of information, anything can be true.

I mention all of that, because there are people in this town, some who work on this radio station, who think the best thing for the Bengals to do is give Johnson what he wants and trade him to another team. Maybe not now, but certainly before the draft this past April.

No.

Like Junior who’s one of the 50 greatest baseball players of all time, like Dunn who gives you 40 and 100 every year, you don’t let a wide receiver who gives you 1400 yards a season take a hike.

All of this got me thinking this week about a topic I raised here back in the winter. It seems to me, in Cincinnati, we embrace the team, but are wary of the superstar, wary at best. In the bigger markets, LA, New York, Chicago, they manage to love both. In LA, it’s the Lakers and Kobe, New York it’s any franchise and pick a star. In Chicago, the Bulls and Mike, the Cubs and Zambrano. Here, it seems like we can’t wait to run the stars of our teams out of town.

Admit it, we were over Boomer long before he was dealt away to the Jets. Before Cory Dillon threatened to ‘flip burgers’ a lot of the fans around here were done with him. Junior and Dunn both could have slinked away in the night three years ago, and a boat load of fans would’ve been happy. I know, I here the calls, I get your emails. My guess is, another 7-9 season, and a lot of fans will be plenty happy to says adios to TJ and Rudi.

Maybe it’s not so surprising. Maybe it’s the fallout from neither the Reds nor the Bengals being legitimate contenders since 1990. My guess is, if the Lakers went 18 years without a title, Kobe would be getting rung up like Dunn, Junior and Johnson are around here. Maybe that’s the logical answer.

But don’t tell me the barometer you’re using is 1975 and the Big Red Machine, or the 1980 Bengals super bowl team. And please don’t tell me it’s the ‘dirty uniform syndrome’, that you know a player is hustling because his uniform is dirty. That was one player, at one time and there haven’t been a Pete Rose since..

If you’re going to run a player out of town, have a legitimate reason for it. But here’s a better idea. When you embrace the team, embrace the players who make up the team. You don’t have one, without the other,

The Cup has come home to Cincinnati. Not the Stanley Cup. We don't have an NHL franchise. Ken, tell the story about how we could have had an NHL team here but the owners of the Cincinnati Stingers...one of whom now owns the Reds, took the money instead of the franchise....please, make the voices in my head stop.....

Anyhow, we have the Kelly Cup now. The Cincinnati Cyclones won the Cup last night, in a 3-1, game 6 win over the Las Vegas Wranglers. Then, the Cup made its way to Cadillac Ranch in downtown Cincinnati, where the team and fans gathered to celebrate the win. This would be me drinking from the covted Kelly Cup.

10 years ago right now, I was covering the Stanley Cup playoffs. Working for a television station in Washington, DC, we were hot on the trail of the Capitals, who were swept in four games by the Red Wings. No swigs then, of course. But last night? Plenty...

Gotta thank #1 son for sending along this video of the Reds top draft pick, Yonder Alonso, the left handed hitting first baseman from the University of Miami. The dancing scenes are priceless...

The word is, he'll be tough to sign, wanting a big bonus and a major league contract. We shall see.

I'm talking sports Sunday on 700 WLW. I'm on the air from 9am-12:40p EDT. You can catch me on the 50,000 'flame thrower', or on line at 700wlw.com, or on XM Radio channel 173. Reds, Bengals and a lot more this Sunday.

Hmmmm, interesting 'take' by our old pal Jerry Crasnick on espn.com about Dusty Baker's youth movement in Cincinnati.

And over at si.com, John Heyman weighs on on Jay Bruce.

If you live in the greater Cincinnati area, Sports Rock! this Sunday night will feature, among other things, the Cyclones complete with an in house visit by the Kelly Cup. The fun begins at 11:35p only on Cincinnati's channel 5.

Have a great and safe weekend! And check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Now that Chad Johnson has at least dangled the possibility of reporting for mini-camp next week and has quieted the masses, Ken what are you nuts? Who in the hell gives a rats patooty about Ocho-No Show anyhow? This guy thinks he's the face of Cincinnati? He must have himself confused with the Banks Project....anyhow, enough talking to myself. Now that Johnson says he may grace himself with his presence, why not check out this si.com story on the Bengals second round pick, Jerome Simpson. Good stoof, as we used to say in the old neighborhood.

When Homer Bailey arrived on the major league scene about a year ago this time, he was touted as the best Reds prospect in decades. Bailey proceeded to not only fizzle on the field, off the field he was, to put it gently, a handful. He snapped at the media and reportedly wasn't so keen on taking instruction from his coaches or veteran teammates. Thursday, he made his 2008 MLB debut, after starting this season in the minors. He gave up five runs in 6.1 innings, but only two of those runs were earned. And later, among the people he impressed was Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News in his game report.

Junior played today, over his 'general soreness' that apparently is centered in an aching knee. The Philadelphia Inquirer has a nice story on Griffey, who just his week was voted the most popular active major league player by his peers in a Sports Illustrated poll.


That's it for now. Back with more later. Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Well, Chad Johnson says he'll probably be back in time for next week's Bengals mini-camp. I guess that's good news. Read all about it here, on espn.com.


Of course, like anything Chad does, it's all about money, as expertly laid out by espn.com's James Walker.


Johnson has zero leverage in this deal. There is no way Mike Brown is going to be bullied by any player with a contract that runs through 2011. Remember, Brown is the man who beat the IRS in tax court, twice. If I'm not mistaken, that's two times more than any other human being has beaten the IRS in anything. Johnson, reportedly, is strapped for cash. So he won't run the risk of getting fined some money for missing mini-camp and big money for skipping the real deal in Georgetown next month.


Ken Griffey, Jr. is out of the Reds line-up again tonight. He jokingly said he didn't want to hit home run #600 in Philly, because his family wouldn't be traveling there. He said, jokingly, he wanted to wait until the team got to Florida, later this week. Now, I'm not so sure he wasn't being serious.


But, they still love Junior in Seattle, as we read today in the Seattle Times.

More coming.....

Now, maybe we know the rest of the story. Here's the exclusive tonight from si.com on what may possibly be up for former Bengal Odell Thurman.

If this is the case, then the Bengals had no choice but to cut ties. Thurman seems to be a troubled man, on a collision course to a very short life. The Bengals, because they took on so many troubled players under Marvin Lewis and now seem intent on cleaning out their locker room, couldn't afford the luxury on waiting to see if Thurman would ever be well enough to play again. But, they should've known when they drafted Thurman, this could be the outcome. Very sad.

Former Red, Josh Hamilton has been named the American League Player Of The Month for the second straight month! Hamilton says his dream, before becoming a professional baseball player, was to win the Home Run Derby at the all star game. He's going to get that chance. Hamilton leads all AL outfielders in voting. It's great that Edinson Volquez has made this trade a 'win win' for both the Rangers and Reds. But think about this: if the Reds under general manager Jim Bowden had been able to develope starting pitching, the Reds would've been able to keep Hamilton because they would've already had pitchers the cablibre of Volquez.

Of course, if Jay Bruce keeps this up, he may make us forget about Hamilton and a lot of other former Reds.

More Jay 'love' today from USA Today.

Cast your vote at the top of my blog for the most likely scenario for Bruce this season.

Check this out. Do you think the pitcher and catcher in this Georgia high school game were out to get the umpire?

If they weren't out to get the umpire, they missed a helluva chance.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll have this week's "Broo View Podcast" posted midweek. But you can access and download the archives in my "Podcast and More" section.

See you tonight, at 6 & 11p on WLWT Channel 5 in Cincinnati!

The only thing missing was Glenn Close in a white dress, standing behind home plate with the sun setting behind her and Jay Bruce’s home run ball shattering an outfield light bulb.

He is straight out of central casting. Wanted, one young ballplayer who looks and acts the part. Clean complexion and sparkling white teeth required. Must be able to hit the major league curve. Must be able to hit for average and power, deflect post game compliments and heroics to fellow team mates. Must possess speed, throwing ability and excellent defense. Commonly referred to a as a five tool player by former general manager who liked to wear leather pants. Do not confuse with Brandon Larson.

There it is, the job description that Jay Bruce Almighty is a living, breathing poster boy for.

You feel like giving thanks to someone today for all of this. Thank Dan O’Brien and his front office staff. They drafted Bruce in 2005. O’Brien took on a lot of water in his short stint as general manager, although that made Wayne Krivsky’s tenure look like a change of planes. But O’Brien knew good, young talent. He couldn’t make what he had at the major league level work. But he helped set the table for Walt Jocketty and the guy who fired O’Brien, Bobby C.

Finally, we’ve got a first round draft pick who has hit it out of the park, literally. Maybe some of Krivsky’s picks will do the same thing. Jury is out on Drew Stubbs and Devan Morasaco.

Leather Pants? That group whiffed more in the first round than a guy with gold chains and a leisure shuit at La Boom, circa 1986. Ty Howingson, Chris Gruler, Richie Gardner, Ryan Wagner, the aforementioned Larson and, oh, how could we forget, the tantrum pick of the new millenium, Jeremy Sowers. But we digress.

Jay Bruce has done more in one week to rejuvenate Reds baseball than any player on any Reds team in the last nine seasons. This team was dead in the water, on the field and at the box office until he arrived on Tuesday.

You think I’m lying? Did you see those crowds Friday and Saturday? 37-thousand and change Friday night. 38-and change yesterday. Another near sellout Sunday. Good weather?

Braves in town? Junior closing in on 600? Sure to a degree. But those numbers are about Bruce, and a team that’s had a life transplant in the last two weeks.

The series sweeps of the Marlins and Indians gave us a hint this team was on the verge of a pulse again. Bruce made the corpse sit up. Now, the Reds appear to be a living, breathing contender again. They’re scoring runs. Lots of runs. The starting pitching seems to be settling down. The team is winning, and more important perhaps, winning at home.

It’s my opinion, that the Reds were bordering on the most dangerous territory for any sports team: apathy. The opposite of fan adulation isn’t anger, it’s apathy. You might want to consult Mike Brown about that. Like a generation of Bengals fans, close to a generation of Reds fans had grown up knowing nothing but losing baseball. The Bengals had one trip to the playoffs between 1990 and 2005. The Reds had one trip to the playoffs between 1990 and this year. Think about it. If you’re 30 years old, what have you seen from the Reds in your lifetime. You got that great wire to wire run in 1990...a division series win over the Dodgers in 1995....and a lot of Joey Hamilton, Jimmy Haynes and Pokey Reese. Your dad can tell you about the Big Red Machine. Your grandmother can fill you in on Gene Freese, Joey Jay and Wally Post and the ‘61 Reds. But what have you seen with your own eyes that got you geeked besides 90 and 95.

When you’re missing that, you find other things to do. Movies, video games, mall escapes. Going to baseball games, downtown, for how much a ticket? Not so much, not if they don’t win. That, is apathy. And that’s any team’s greatest fear. That’s the turf I saw the Reds dancing far too close to.

Look, I’m not saying Jay Bruce is a savior. There are no saviors anymore. There don’t seem to be very many heros anymore. You can thank guys like me for that. We in the media have done a pretty good job of tearing down good stories. We’ve become obsessed with finding warts. Just wait around for that to happen. Somewhere, out there, is morther of all slumps waiting for Jay Bruce. It happens to every ballplayer, even the great ones. We’ll all be waiting to jump on that one.

But even the worst cynic this week has to admit this: Jay Bruce has kicked this team’s game up a notch. Maybe the rest of the club played off the buzz of his call-up, Maybe some guys don’t want to be the next Scott Hatteberg or Corey Patterson. Maybe this team was going to wake up and play this way, anyway.

But what we’ve witness this week is something we, you and I, may not witness again: a phenom in waiting, legend proceeding him, an underachieving major league team still lurking around with the other contenders, salivating for a kick start. How many times has that happened around here?

Bruce is no savior. The mother of all slumps may be here before you know it. The Reds may revert back to pretenders instead of contenders.

But it’s been a helluva week, hasn’t it?

As we cruise on into another weekend, we remain status quo. We know know neither if the Reds are alive and contending or slipping into the land of the also rans. They took two of three from the Pirates, but fell into their bad, old ways in the series finale. Aaron Harang was pitching on only three days rest. He was no Bronson Arroyo.

But let me ask you this: if the Reds declared Josh Fogg the starter for Saturday's game BEFORE the series finale against the Pirates. Why not start Fogg Thursday, allowing Harang to slide back to his normal start?


Jay Bruce arrived this week and Ken Griffey, Jr still needs two more home runs to reach 600. Are the two inter-twined? Danny Knobler from cbssports.com thinks they could be.



And then, there's this from Scott Miller from the same cbssports.com. Sounds like 600 means a heckuva lot more to his team mates and fans, than Griffey, Jr.


I won't be running onto the field at Fenway Park anytime soon, and you shouldnt either, after watching this video from the other night.

One of the best national football writers is Jarrett Bell, from USA Today. I got to know him, during my time in Washington, DC. Good writer, funny guy, good guy. Here's his take on the Bengals. Bell isn't predicting playoffs. But he says it's not out of the question.

Sunday night on Sports Rock, our guest, live from Las Vegas, will be Cincinnati Cyclones head caoch, Chuck Weber. The 'Clones, are we call them here in Cincinnati, are up 2-1 in their best of seven Kelly Cup final series. Game 4 is tonight. Former Bengal Eric Thomas and 1530 Homer's Mo Egger will be in as well.

Sunday morning, I'm talking sports, as always on 700 WLW. If you not within the coverage area of this 50K flame throwing, you can listen on line, at www.700wlw.com. If you have XM radio, we're on channel 173. My guests will include Hal McCoy and Chick Ludwig, both from the Dayton Daily News. I'm on from 9am-Noon EDT.

And for the best in sports, check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Have a great weekend!

As Cincinnati is gripped by 'playoff fever'.....OK, slight over-statement, but at least there's a baseball pulse again....how much can we divert our attention away from Chad Johnson? The mini camp showdown is now just two weeks away. Will Chad show? Will he skip the camp and take the fine? My thoughts on "No Show Cinco" in today's installment of "Ludwig At Large", courtesy of my good friend Chick Ludwig from the Dayton Daily News.

Meantime, back to the Reds. It may turn out, Wayne Krivsky will get the last laugh with Jim Bowden. Two years ago, Bowden fleeced the Reds and Krivsky by sending a sore-armed Gary Majewski to the Reds, along with Bill Bray, infielder Brendan Harris and short stop Royce Clayton, in exchange for outfielder Austin Kearns and infielder Felipe Lopez. Majewski and Bray have been hurt ever since, Harris was released as was Clayton. The fact that Lopez and Kearns have fizzled in DC has nothing to do with Majewski coming here under the pretense of being completely healthy. He wasn't, having had a cortisone shot to his pitching shoulder not a week before the trade went down. The Reds have filed a greivenace with the MLB Commissioner's office. But there was a 'throw-in' player the Reds got in this trade. Pitcher Daryl Thompson has now worked his way up to the Reds "AAA" club in Louisville. He was 'lights out' at "AA" Chattanooga. And here's the story of his "AAA" debut, courtesy of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

If Thompson stays this sharp, he could be in Cincinnati soon.

You think Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory's opening day first pitch in 2007 was bad? Take a look at diva Mariah Carey doing the honors in Japan.

Which calls to mind one of the worst throws anywhere, anytime. And no, Mallory doesn't have that honor. This guy does.



Sounds as though the recently departed Scott Hatterberg won't be out of work long. mlb.com reports there's interest in Hatteberg. Anything the Reds could get for him (he was DFA'd which means the Reds have 10 days to trade him or release him) would be a bonus. But it sounds as though the Mets may just wait out the 10 days.

Who's out there, if teams are looking for immediate help. Our old buddy, Jerry Cranick of espn.com (and looooong ago from the now defunct Cincinnati Post) say not much.

And finally, if your fantasy baseball team has taken a turn for the training room, here's some good advice from The Sporting News' expert, Brad Pinkerton.

And just posted on my web site: www.kenbroo.com is the latest "Broo View Podcast" It's on the front page. In the "Podcasts and More" section, you can download past episodes.

See you tonight at 6 & 11p on WLWT Cincinnati's Channel 5!

Yet another angle here on Jay Bruce's elevation to the Cincinnati Reds. If indeed, the answer to all of our questions in life is "money", then this story in Beyond The Box Score may lend a lot of truth to it.

I don't know if he's going to be a major force this season, but I think Jerome Simpson, the player the Bengals took in round #2 of this year's draft, will be a very good player here for a long time.
Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News plays 10 questions in this latest installment of "Ludwig At Large".

It's tough to say what Reds fans are more excited about: Jay Bruce's opening night or Corey Patterson getting demoted to the minors. Bruce's arrival has been eagerly anticipated. Patterson's awful play has been eagerly denounced, almost universally, by Reds fans.

To call Bruce's major league debut good, would be like calling a steak from the Precinct satisfying. Great is the operative word for both.

I don't think Bruce will single-handidly make a difference to whatever the Reds do this season. But he will provide a lift, and quite possibly a key hit that the Reds weren't getting with Patterson in the line up. If he keeps the Reds in the race, it will quell some of the trade talks that are beginning to simmer. Check out what Ken Rosenthal writes today at foxsports.com.

My money is still on Dunn re-upping with the Reds. Griffey may simply play out the season, take the $4 million buyout he has coming and retire.

But I could be wrong....

Vince Young contemplated retirement, after one season? Really? My pal Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com has a 'take' on this. Watch...


Shut up and play....

About time doesn't cover it. It's more than about time that the Cincinnati Reds called-up their best prospect,outfielder, Jay Bruce. Whty he wasn't on the opening day roster is beyond me. Yes, Bruce struggled in early exhibition games. But to send him back to the minors and go out and sign Corey Patterson for $3.5 million was either a bad deference to Dusty Baker or flat out stupid on the part of management.

Read this, by espn.com's Rob Neyer on Bruce's call-up. It's about a third of the way down the page.

Reds owner, Bob Castellini can bark at his former GM, Wayne Krivsky for some bad deals, like signing Mike Stanton, Rheal Cormier and Juan Castro, but the Patterson deal is on the owner. Krivsky said in his farewell news conference that he was told to sign Patterson, 'whatever it takes' Krivsky says he was told. So far, no one named Castellini has denied it.

With Bruce now a Red, where does he play? Probably centerfield for now. Depending on what happens with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr., Bruce could eventuall wind up as a corner outfielder. He's a left-handed bat, problematic for a team that can't hit left-handed pitching. But Bruce needs to play. He can't sit. And you don't want to platoon this kind of talent. I wonder where that leaves Ryan Freel?

I think David Beckham is more sizzle than steak. Like a lot of European "football" stars who've come to America throughout our many dabbels in professional soccer, Beckham arrived past his prime. But this is still impressive. Check it out.

And remember the Kobe Bryant commercial, jumping over an on rushing car? There was a parody of that, the car running down Kobe. Now the crew from the cable show "Jackass" has come up with their own spin on it. And Kobe plays right along.

Random thoughts....I don't care if you can't tell me if a puck is vulcanized or stuffed, you have to be caught up in what the Cyclones are doing. They're single-handidly revitalizing hockey in Cincinnati, exorcising the deamons from the Mighty Ducks, Tigers and Stingers.....I wish Ben Mauk well, but if he doesn't get an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA, I don't think the UC football team will be hurt all that much....UC's baseball team deserved an NCAA Tournament bid....My new favorite TV show is "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" on the Food Network. I'm surprised the guy who hosts the show, Guy Fieri, doesn't weigh 400 pounds with all the free food he consumes.....I think my pal Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News is a bit hard on him in "Ludwig At Large", but I'm disappointed in Willie Anderson not participating in the Bengals 'voluntary' workouts. I expect more from Willie, I guess.

That's it for now. Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com for the best in sports. I should have my next "Broo View Podcast" posted by Wednesday.

As we begin this Memorial Day weekend, a departure from sports. This is my wife of 33 years has been battling. It's her story, a difficult journey that has an unknown ending.

So far, the chemo has worked. But we know with cancer, you are never out of the woods.

Interesting study of off season trades and how they're panning out by John Heyman of SI.com. He's got a look at the Volquez-Hamilton deal.

But I'm not buying this, from USA Today about Hamilton.

As my buddy, Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com likes to point out in this video, June 1 used to be a big day in the NFL. But not anymore. Take a look.

I'm talking sports this Sunday again on 700 WLW from 9am-Noon. Lots of talk about the Reds and Bengals, sure. But also about the sale of the Kentucky Speedway that was supposed to bring a Sprint Cup race to Kentucky in 2009. Not so, says NASCAR. Too late to get on the 2009 schedule, apparently. Tune me in or listen on line at 700wlw.com or on XM Radio channel 173.

Sunday night on WLWT's Sports Rock, our special guest is Kentucky Speedway (soon to be) former owner, Jerry Carroll and the winner of the Indianapolis 500, whomever he or she may be.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend and check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Just came across this from Pete Prisco of cbssports.com. It's his latest NFL power rankings. The good news, the Bengals are moving up. The bad news? So are the Browns and Steelers.

The latest "Broo View Podcast" is up and running. You can download it on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. It's on the front page. If you go into "Podcasts & More", you'll be able to download past "Broo View Podcasts". This latest one deals with the Bengals release of Odell Thurman and how Rudi Johnson wants to make 2008 his 'comeback' season.

When you're in the media and you have a problem, it's hard to avoid the glare of the spotlight. Charles Barkley has a problem. He's incurred gambling debts at a casino in Las Vegas. Wisely, Barkley chose a venue he's comfortable with to discuss his problem.

This is a particularly dicey (no pun intended) problem for the NBA, which is watching the trial of former official, Tim Donaghy get under way. espn.com has this 'bombshell' that the disgraced ref dropped on Tuesday.

I dealt with this topic on News 5 last night, but here it is from the Baltimore Sun today. The Bengals lost draft of 2005. You simply can not have a draft this bad and expect to win. Compounding this is the fact that the Bengals have lost the back end of their 2006 draft, Picks in rounds 5-7 are gone. And from the draft in 2004, only Chris Perry (the often injured one), Robert Geathers and Stacy Andrews remain. Add it up, from 2004-2006, three draft classes, only ten picks, ten of a total of 26 remain with the team. Now factor in how frugal the Bengals are on the free agent market and it's no secret why this team continues to play losing football.

Good Morning!

My friend Eddie gave me a call the other day. I've known him all my life but don't see him much. Works in the oil industry down in Texas, started as a roughneck, now just about runs the company. Anyhow, Eddie and I grew up together. He's a huge sports fan, like me. And we spent a good part of our formative years getting under each other's skin, arguing about sports. He liked Mays. I liked Mantle. He thought Clyde Frazier was the greatest thing ever in sneakers. I was a Big O guy.

So when the Reds were stinking it up last week, Eddie phoned me up. He just came from a bar where he heard a friend of a friend of a big time sportswriter in Houston who says the Reds are about to deal Adam Dunn to the Astros. We were apparently going to get a couple of minor league suspects and a broken down Brad Ausmus in this deal. I could tell Eddie had been drinking, because he was actually believing this stuff. Sober, he's not go gullable.

I listened for about three minutes and then reminded him he's always been a moron. That's the way every one of our sports arguments ended back in the day.

For openers, I told him, Dunn or anyone of any significance isn't going anywhere yet. No deals get done this early in a season. Two, I said, Walt Jocketty was born at night, but he wasn't born last night. He's not going to send a 40-home run, 100-RBI guy to a team he has to face 12 times every season. And I told him the last time I checked, the guy in charge at Great American Ball Park seems to have a man crush on Dunn. So my guess is, it's going to take more than a couple of minor league pitchers named Fred and Mendoza line native Brad Ausmus to pry Dunn away from the Reds. Eddie and I laughed about a couple of other things and then he hung up and went back to work, bilking you and me out of our life savings, which is now going into our gas tanks.

But it made me realize that we are now approaching baseball's silly season. And it seems to come sooner year after year. You know what baseball's silly season is, right? The trading game. Stand by, it's about to hit us square in the jaw.
The Reds aren't out of the chase for the National League Central title. They're 6 out as we speak and arguably, playing their best baseball of the season. In this joke of a division, any win total in the low 80's can win you a title. But log onto just about any web site today, and you'll find half of this Reds roster traded to a lot of unsuspecting teams. On espn.com, baseball expert Steve Phillips, (that's what they call him anyway. Maybe he looks in the mirror and calls himself the same thing too. I dunno) But Phillips, who incidentally GM'd his way out of a good gig with the Mets, has ten things the Reds can do right now to fix the team. Seven of the ten involves trading anyone not named Volquez. He actually think the Yankees would part with Phil Hughes for Jeremy Affeldt and Jared Burton. They might, if Phillips were the Yankees GM.

It's not just him. it's just about everyone who writes baseball for a living. Ken Rosenthal is one of the best baseball insiders. He's floating this week, that the Rockies are willing to trade Matt Holliday. You know, because you own a fantasy baseball team, that Matt Holliday is one of the best pure hitters in the game. Well, then why would the Rockies want to get rid of him? Money? Really? Less than a year after getting to the World Series?

Here's what the last week has taught us. Teams that are in first place today, won't necessarily be there on October first. Teams that are within eight games of the lead today, aren't out of it yet. Teams get hot, players get hurt, pitching gets better.

But when I hung up with Eddie, it made me think. Would the Reds trade Adam Dunn this season? Sure. If they're out of it, they'd be crazy not to. Would they trade Junior? If they're out of it, absolutely. That's four million to Castellini's bottom line.

But is it going to happen? I don't know, Neither do you or anyone else at this point. It's way too early to be wrapped up in this game. But I do know this: if the Reds play the rest of this season like they've played this past week, they've got a legit chance to make a run at this thing. And if they do, what's going on in this silly season will be all moot. And then, we'll have to talk about some really dumb stuff: like Chad Johnson's state of mind.

Normally, when you bring up the Dayton Daily News and baseball, Hall Of Famer Hal McCoy is the first name that pops up. Every so often, the great one steps aside for a day and allows the talents of Doug Harris to shine. Harris has this take on what the Reds should do with Ken Griffey, Junior.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Hal takes the entire day off. "The Real McCoy" offers some tales from the battle for the Ohio Cup. It's Reds vs Indians weekend around here.

We got into this discussion last Sunday on 700 WLW. Where would the Reds be right now, if they had the ability to develope decent starting pitching? The last legitimate starter the Reds have developed (other than a half season from Jack Armstrong in 1990) was Tom Browning. And that was almost 23 years ago. Think about how much better the Reds would be this season if they didn't have to trade Josh Hamilton to the Rangers. In return, they got a terrific young pitcher in Edinson Volquez. But if the Reds had done a better job of developing their own pitching, they'd have had a pitcher the calibre of Volquez AND Hamilton. And check out this article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram about Hamilton, who's off to a great start with Texas.

Ty Howington, Richie Gardner, Ryan Wagner, Jeremy Sowers are just some of the first round picks the Reds have made in the entry draft. Howington and Gardner were both injured early in their careers and are gone. Wagner flamed out as a reliever and was shipped to the Washington Nationals. Sowers was nothing more than a temper tantrum pick by then GM Jim Bowden, who drafted Sowers knowing there was no chance then owner, Carl Lindner would pony up the bonus money (about $2 million) to sign him. If Bowden was proving a point, he did so at the expense of the franchise.

Interesting reading in this story by Si.com writer, John Heyman. Nothing new, just a little texture to where the Reds are right now.

I'll be talking sports thi Sunday morning again on 700 WLW. On my Sunday Morning Sports Talk Show, we'll have Geoff Hobson from bengals.com and SI.com's John Donovan. And, we'll also take your phone calls. Sunday night at 11:35, it's another rousing edition of Sports Rock! Jeff Piecoro from FSN and Eric Thomas join in on the fun. It's all on Cincinnati's Channel 5. And, we'll also be joined by tennis legend, Martina Navratilova

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Have a great weekend!

If...and it's still a rather large 'if'....Ken Griffey, Junior is on the trading block, his return to Seattle won't hinge on money. In "The Real McCoy" blog today, Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News has the story. He's also got the story behind Junior delivering about a half ton of pennies to Josh Fogg this afternoon.

Meantime, in New York, the paper Newsday has this story on what it believes is the impending trade of Adam Dunn.

I'm on the record saying this: I don't believe the Reds will part with both Dunn and Junior. One, or the other, will return. My money has been on Junior, for a number of reason. If Bob Castellini has the slightest inkling his team will contend later this summer, there's no way he'll let both go.

What the Reds are waiting for in promoting Jay Bruce from "AAA" is beyond me. In an afternoon game today, Bruce went 3-3 with a couple of walks. He had a double, triple and a home run. He's now hitting .366. Most of the players in the upper echelon of round one of his draft class are in the majors now. He needs to be brought up right now and left in centerfield for the next ten years.

My buddy Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com moonlights for The Sporting News. Check out Number 10 on this list.

The first time I saw this, I could not believe it. Manny Ramirez completes the big trifect: tracks down a fly ball, "High 5's" a fan in the stands and then doubles a runner off first. All within the span of about 10 seconds. Look at this!

I'm not a big Manny fan. But even I know greatness when I see it!

I'll see you tonight at 6 & 11p on WLWT, channel 5, in Cincinnati. And, check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I've got some cool audio posted, interviews and "The Broo View" podcast.

It clear to me, the Seattle Mariners are infatuated with the thought of bringing Ken Griffey, Jr, back to their club. Monday, I gave you a link to "The Real McCoy", Hal McCoys blog in the Dayton Daily News. Now today, fresh copy and some confirmation from The Seattle Post Intellegencer.

But for every 'ying' there's a 'yang'. And the P-I's competition, the Seattle Times is pointing out that a lot of Seattleans (Seattleites? That would be too close to satetllites, wouldn't it?) don't recall Thomas Wolfe's You Can Never Go Home. Check out the Times' take on a Junior reunion in Seattle.

As for McCoy, Hal is barking today about breaking up the Reds, now! Must reading in today's "Real McCoy"

There could be some pressure not to do anything inside that Reds organization. Foxsports.com has an interesting post on how Dusty Baker could play into all of this. But remember, Bob Castellini wants to win now, as in last month.

The Bengals veterans, most of them, are in town for those 'voluntary but be here' workouts. As for former Bengals, my buddy Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com has some thoughts about where Chris Henry may wind up (no jail jokes, yet, please!). Check out his video

Maybe he's busy working out with Chad and TJ. You never know.

See you tonight at 6 & 11pm on WLWT on Cincinnati's channel 5. Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com

For those of you who frequent cbssports.com, the OJ Mayo story should come as no surprise. Way back when, our good friend and my former Sunday Morning Sports Talk co-host, Gregg Doyel had ESPN's story sniffed out, when he wrote this. Full disclosure, profootballtalk.com was the first to remember.


I have no idea if Mayo is cupable or not. But trouble seems to trail this guy, back to the two years he spent playing basketball for North College Hill High School in Cincinnati.


As for our under-achieving Reds, always some good fodder available in "The Real McCoy", penned daily by Hall Of Fame baseball writer, Hal McCoy in the Dayton Daily News. The Reds may be only 7.5 games out of first. But they're light-years away from being a contender.

One of our favorite guests on Sports Rock!, Sunday nights at 11:35 on WLWT Channel 5, is sports-trubadour Ryan Parker. Here's his latest lament, about the death of sports journalism. Like all of Parker's songs, it's wickedly funny and right on the old dinero.

Since I'm blogging, I guess I'll be spared. At least for another day.

See you tonight at 6 & 11p on Cincinnati's channel 5. And check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Podcasts, pictures and some cool audio!

Good Morning!

So, Ken Griffey, Junior thinks the Reds may try to trade him this summer. Junior shouldn’t feel special. Just about everyone of his team mates could say the same thing. It reminds me of the old line the Pittsburgh Pirates delivered to a young Ralph Kiner, holding out for more money. We finished in last place with you, the line went, we can finish in last place without you.

Junior made his comments to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, a terrific baseball writer, who’ll join us on the show later today. What Junior said to Nightengale isn’t new. It’s just fresh copy on an old story. I can tell you personally, every spring for the last three, Griffey has answered my question to him this same way: I don’t know, he’d say when asked if he expected to be in Cincinnati the entire season. It’s not up to me.

I don’t know if its insecurity on his part, failure to feel love from you, me Bob Castellini or the guy who sells Junior his lottery tickets. Maybe it’s all of us. But I do know this, trading Ken Griffey, Junior or letting him ‘walk’ at the end of this season won’t fix this team. I’m happy they won two of three from the Cubs this week. I loved the way they played last night in New York. But this Reds team needs more than just launching one or two big contracts to get healthy again.

Here’s your starting line up.
Junior
Adam Dunn
David Ross
Javy Valentin
Paul Bako
Scott Hatteberg
Jerry Hairston Jr.
Corey Patterson
David Weathers
Jeremy Affeldt
Kent Mercker
Mike Lincoln
Josh Fogg

They all have something in common. They’re all free agents after this season. It’s the most free agents on any major league roster.

Together, those players tie up $43 million dollars of salary this season, much more if they all re-sign for 2009. Who off that list do you keep? Paul Bako? Who else?

The good news for the Reds latest in a long line of short term general managers…that’d be Walt Jocketty, is that dealing with everyone on that list, other than Junior and Dunn, will be real easy.

He’ll probably let ‘em all walk. That is, if he can’t dump them on some other team.

Remember the line: we finished last with you, we can finish last without you.

More than just trying to unload big dollar contracts, this team needs a culture change. Too many players have been around too much losing. There’s a comfort zone athletes fall into when losing become habitual. It’s a lot harder to change that culture in baseball than say football, where players exist on year to year deals. In baseball, there is guaranteed money. The Reds have to dole out over 46-million on guaranteed money next season…to just six of their players.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think they’re out of it yet. The Reds play in the worst division in baseball. Dunn hasn’t started to hit yet, but he will. The light didn’t go on for Arroyo until last night and Harang, Cueto and Volquez all appear to be the real deals. Chicago’s pitching is in shambles. St. Louis is playing way over its head. It could still happen. And if it does, and the Reds are contending in late July, then all of this is moot.

But if it doesn’t, Jocketty has an opportunity that neither of his immediate predecessors had: a chance to change the culture

People have asked me all week, ‘well, what do you think? Do they trade Junior. What about the White Sox, they wanted him a couple of years ago. Would he got to the Yankees Remember, Steinbrenner mistreated Griffey, Senior. What about the Mariners, they want to bring Junior home.

You know what? I don’t know. And if anyone in the media tells you today that they know, don’t believe them. Bob Castellini doesn’t know. Jocketty can’t pull the trigger right now. No deal involving the contracts the size of Dunn and Griffey gets done at this time of the year. The only thing Dusty Baker knows is that he likes veteran ballplayers. That’s why Jay Bruce is in Louisville and Corey Patterson and his ‘200’ batting average is here.

I don’t know what the Reds are going to do. But here’s what I’d do.

I’d keep Griffey. I know that runs counter to what a lot of people in my profession are saying. But I’d keep him and try to figure out a way to extend his deal, without having to pay him 16-million next season.

I don’t know how many tickets Griffey sells. Maybe a lot. Maybe not so many. But I know this. Our economy is in the dumper and gasoline will be five bucks a gallon a year from now and people aren’t going to be going to see a ballgame so quick, unless there’s a reason to go. Winning would be a reason. This team has had one winning season in the last eight plus. Are you really betting on that for 2009. You want to go young? Great. Young teams don’t win all that often. So you’ll need box office appeal. Griffey fits that. I’d sign him…and move him to first base.

I’d trade Dunn. I know that’d be a tough pill for Castellini to swallow. He genuinely likes the guy. But here’s how Jocketty sells it: Mister Castelllini, Bob…you’re off the hook for 60-million. Because that’s the kind of pay day Dunn is looking at after this season, about 60-mil over four years. My guess is, Castellini swallows that like Graeters.

With Dunn gone, move Joey Votto to left field. Jay Bruce, despite the ruse that we were handed in March about him being a corner outfielder…he’s not, he’s playing center in triple-a….despite that, Bruce is my center fielder. Right field? Bring up Chris Dickerson. You’re paying Patterson three and a half million for roughly the same numbers that Dickerson will probably put up. Put him in right field.

Homer Baily got smacked around Saturday night in Triple-A. But I'd bring him up. New season, new GM, fresh start. Bailey in the rotation, Matt Belisle out. Sorry Matt, we’ve seen it several times over the last three years. It’s not working.

Harang, Cueto, Volquez, Bailey…you can shop Arroyo. But unless he starts stringing together five or six nights like last night, I’m not sure you’ll get what you want from him.

That’s my idea of how it might go. You might think I’m out of my mind, that’s OK. You’re not the first. There’s a long line out the door on me.

But here’s what I absolutely flat out know: talking about the Reds, and how they should fix this, or change that, or make this better is a topic that we seem to discuss earlier and earlier every season. And I know I’m getting real tired doing that.

The Junior story won't die. A lot of reaction from around the country to the article this week in USA Today which quoted Junior saying he expects the Reds to try and deal him this summer. The love fest last summer in Seattle would make you believe the Mariners may want to bring Griffey, Jr, back. But in this Mariners' blog, a great point is raised: would Seattle be willing to part with the crown jewels of its minor league system?

And will the team acquiring Junior be willing to pick up his $16 million option for 2009? If a team isn't willing to do that, it'll be a deal breaker. Peter Gammons has more on that in his blog.

I still maintain the Reds will eventually figure out a way to extend Griffey, Jr's deal, for less than the $16 million and keep him in Cincinnati for the rest of his career. But, I could be wrong....

Former Mets GM now ESPN baseball 'expert' Steve Phillips has some interesting ideas on how to fix the Reds in his blog. It's interesting reading. But none of this is going to happen.

My work schedule is such that I normally get home around 12:30am. But here's one of the perks: I'm awake to watch the best studio show in sports, the TNT NBA wrap-up show. Great cast, good info and a lot of fun to watch. Here's a classic moment from this week.

Years ago, I had a classic interview moment with Barkley. The Bengals were playing in Phoenix on a Sunday. Saturday night, the Suns were playing against former Xavier University star Brian Grant's team. I got a media pass, went into the Suns' locker room and asked Barkley about Grant. He gave me an answer, something along the lines of "...he'll see tougher defenses here than he ever saw at Xavier" I guess I was zoning out, because my next question to Sire Charles was..."will he see tougher defenses now". He glared at me and said..."did I not just say that? Did I not just say that?". Then, looking at the cameraman, he asked, "did I not just say that?". Rookie mistake on my part: never think about the next question until you hear the answer from the one you're getting.

I'm talking sports again this Sunday (Thanks George Vogel for filling-in last week while I covered Cincinnati's Flying Pig Maraton for WLWT.) Among my guests, Bob Nightengale from USA Today who wrote the story about Junior this week. Tim Dierkes from mlbtraderumors.com will join me as well. You can too. We'll take your phone calls. You can listen online at 700wlw.com, or on XM Radio channel 173 or on the 50K "flame thrower" 700 WLW-AM.

Sunday night at 11:35 on WLWT's Sports Rock! our guests will include "Wildman Walker" from WEBN's Dawn Patrol, Wayne "Box" Miller, from WDBZ, "The Buzz" here in Cincinnati and the pole winner for this year's Indianapolis 500.

And check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I've got my latest "Broo View Podcast" posted on the front page for your downloading and listening. In the "Podcasts and More" section are past episodes and some terrific interviews. I've posted the audio version of our Sports Rock! interview last Sunday with top Bengals draft picks Keith Rivers and Jerome Simpson.

And of course....have a great weekend!

Ken Griffey, Jr. may not be in play, yet. But apparently the Reds new GM has been working the phones. According to mlb.com, there could be a Fogg warning again in Denver.

For the record, I believe Reds owner, Bob Castellini will go 'kicking and screaming' into any discussions that involve trading Griffey. And it would be wise for Jocketty, a Castellini favorite at the moment, to bring more to the table than just the 'usual suspect minor league players' to any meeting that involves Junior trade talk.

As to what they're saying about Junior possible returning to the Mariners, here's John Hickey's take in today's Post-Intelligencer.

Scratch Tampa Bay off the list of potential landing sites for former Bengal Bad Boy Chris Henry (I think he has a copywrite on that moniker, BTW). profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio says the Bucs aren't interested. But in this story posted by espn.com, Henry thinks somebody could use him. Buyer beware.

The Reds finally came out of their season long coma Wednesday afternoon, banging out nine home runs against the Cubs. By the way, until and if the Cubs fix their pitching, they're going no where this season. Anyhow, 9 homers is the most in any one game since 1999 for the Reds. So it wasn't a first. But this might've been. Check it out.

I'm sure to a lot of people, this is the equivalent of finding out there is no Santa Claus. Real people, inside those costumes? You mean, they're not real? Really?

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

It's not a new story. Just fresh copy today in USA Today, in a story written by their national baseball writer, Bob Nightengale. Ken Griffey, Jr. is talking about the possibility of leaving the Cincinnati Reds. Junior has been singing this since spring training. He's a 10-5 guy (ten years in the league, five with the same team) so he can veto any trade. My gut tells me the Reds will look for a way to restructure his contract and avoid paying him the $16 million they owe him next season. Perhaps, they'll do a long term deal (three years) and allow him to retire as a Red. But everything is in play, when a team is under achieving. Even trading its hometown superstar.

For all you 'trade Chad now and get the draft picks' moaners (and you know who you are) comes this today from Marvin Lewis in a give and take with Peter King of SI.com.

Those who claim the Bengals will eventually trade Johnson do not know Mike Brown. Brown will trade Johnson ONLY when Brown wants to, and he doesn't remotely right now. History, people: it took Corey Dillon four years of whining to get out of Cincinnati and Carl Pickens five.

No way Chad gets out of town in four months. Remember, the Bengals can fie Johnson $14,000 per DAY for any time missed at mandatory events, such as training camps, practices and game days. Mike Brown will MAKE money, if Johnson elects to sit out.

Meantime, the Bengals pursuit of hometown hero, Shaun Alexander got a bit more complicated. NFL Network's web site says Alexander may have options.

OK, here's the story. Mom wanted a day on her own, Dad takes kid to ballgame. Now, click the video below to see some great parenting.

I wasn't aware that Anheuser-Busch made baby formula.

You know, I lived through the 70's when 'streaking' was a big deal. At Ohio, it was almost a right of spring. You'd see streakers on Saturday nights all the time. It even happened once, at the Academy Awards, when David Niven was attempting to present a trophy. His 'shortcomings' joke is Oscar lore. I thought it'd died down. But apparently not at the World Pool Championship, where the contestants were 'snookered' shall we say. Take a look.

And now, I can see, I've seen it all. I'll see you tonight, at 6 & 11p on WLWT Channel 5 in Cincinnati.

I just had a chance to meet the top two picks the Bengals made in this year's draft. Terrific guys. And if they play as well as they come off in public, this team has hit a couple out of the park.

Keith Rivers is the number one pick, a linebacker, who spent Friday in mini camp lined up on the 'weak' side, the side of the ball away from the tight end.

Check out this piece of video on the Southern Cal linebacker

Jerome Simpson has enormous hands, Johnny Bench hands. And with his leaping ability (he says he could touch the ceiling by the time he was eight), Simpson could be delivering some spectacular catches this season.

You can see and hear them both, this Sunday night, at 11:35pm on "Sports Rock", on Cincinnati's channel 5.


I'm guessing he's in it for the long haul (although he is a college basketball coach). But Indiana's Tom Crean has to be wondering what he's gotten himself into. In today's Indianapolis Star, Crean paints a realistic picture of his team's situation.


And this is why the whole college basketball thing is out of whack. An 8th grader, committing to UK, BEFORE he commits to a high school? Read all about it in the Louisville Courier-Journal.

OK, I know 'Big Brown' is unbeaten and a 3-1 favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. But, if he wins, he'll be the first Derby winner in almost 80-years to win from the 20th post position. THEREFORE, my pick to win it all is "Pyro". "Pyro" starts from the nine chute and has two wins in his last three starts, including the Louisiana Derby. Throw out his 10th in the Blue Grass. That wasn't a great race for any Derby entry, except the BG winner Monba. "Pyro" to win the Derby. You heard it here first.

I'll see you Sunday night at 11:35p on Cincinnati's channel 5's "Sports Rock". And remember, you can always get the best sports coverage on my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

I'm working the "Flying Pig" Marathon for Channel 5 this Sunday morning. So I won't be doing my regular Sunday Morning Sportstalk Radio show on 700 WLW. George Vogel will pinch hit for me. Tune him in, beginning at 9am EDT. Have a great weekend!