THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

Some random thoughts on 'hump day'.....

The Reds aren't thinking about signing Jason Isringhausen to replace Francisco Cordero...yet. Isringhausen, who impressed Reds GM Walt Jocketty enough in his Tuesday tryout to earn a contract offer, will be strictly for set up, no closing. But, should Cordero falter, Jocketty will have someone in Isringhausen that he knows a lot about. While in St. Louis, Jocketty signed Isringhausen to a free agent deal and the righty wound up giving the Cardinals several good years of game enders......

Since Isringhausen and another recent Reds signee, Russ Springer both played for Jocketty in St. Louis, I'm wondering, can Jim Edmonds be far behind? Just kidding...no really, I am.....

Very interesting move by Reds manager, Dusty Baker in Tuesday night's 8-7 win over the Nationals. Baker pulled a double switch in the top of the 8th with one out, bringing in Laynce Nix to play right field, along with pitcher Arthur Rhodes. Nix replaced Jay Bruce. Both are left handed bats. But Bruce has looked clueless at the plate since late June. Nix, who got to hit in the bottom of the 8th inning, delivered a double......

No first round pick will sign until Sam Bradford gets his deal done in St. Louis. But a few more will have to sign up before the Bengals do business with their first round pick, Jermaine Gresham. With the Bengals due to report one week from today (Wednesday), a Gresham holdout seems likely. But, what do you think? You can vote on the poll that's on the front page of this blog.....

Lou Piniella, who announced Tuesday he'll retire at the end of this season looks like a beaten man, doesn't he? He takes forever to make a pitching change and his dugout demeanor is of a man who looks like he'd rather be anywhere but managing the Chicago Cubs....

37 years ago yesterday (Tuesday), the White Sox Wilbur Wood made history by pitching in and losing both games of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. I know because I was there. Never seen that before or since. I paid $1.50 for a seat down the first base line in the upper deck of the now 'old' Yankee Stadium. Can't imagine what a ticket in that location of the new park goes for....

41 yeas ago Tuesday, man walked on the moon for the first time. If you're old enough to remember that, I'll bet you can tell me where you were on the night of July 20, 1969. I was in a hotel room in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, on my way out to look at Ohio University for the first time. It's mind boggling to think that the man who first stepped on the moon, Neil Armstrong, lives about two miles from where I live today.....

If some major league baseball contending team is looking for bullpen help, they should call the Nationals. Tyler Clippard appears to be the real deal. He was 3-1 as a starter with the Yankees before winding up in DC. All he does is throw strikes, topping out at 96 mph on Tuesday, and his fastball 'moves'.....

Stephen Strasburg mania hits Cincinnati Wednesday night. Can't wait....no really, I mean that.