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Dunn is no trade til June 15th then he can pick 10 teams to restrict a trade. Basically that's just a leverage ploy, though. Most guys will ok a deal if the team is in the race or the money is right. Junior has a $4 mil buyout or 16.5 million to keep him another year. Probably Junior is gone, Dunn too. With Bruce coming up the Reds will just need to acquire a guy for LF - although there is talk about Encarnacion going to left with Keppinger at third, or less likely Votto to left if Dunn leaves. I guess it would depend on who the Reds could acquire to replace Dunn's bat. None of that will matter if they don't solve the 4th and 5th starter dilemma pdq. Arroyo's collapse is hurting big time. Basically the Reds are getting a chance to win 3 of 5 games when Harang, Cueto and Volquez pitch and getting completely blown out the other 2 games. Some really nasty rumors coming out of K's firing. Mistreatment of employees, lots of friction. I think most of it's bull. Castellini wanted Jocketty in there. I think that's the gist of the real reason.

Speculation is that Krivsky had friction with Reds FO personnel (several like Johnny Almaraz had quit); that Castellini was upset that he'd had to eat so many bad contracts -the latest Stanton and Castro; that Dunn's slow start after being extended last season upset Cast, and that Castellini wanted Jocketty last winter but Walt said "Not yet". The disaster that has ben our 4th-5th starters also may be a factor as WK lost out on deals to acquire Bedard and Haren. Most speculation seems centered on WK's inability to "get along", however. As a diehard Reds fan I'm torn. Jocketty prefers veterans if his stint in St Lou is any indication, and the one thing the Reds have going is a strong farm system. Really, though, Reds fans are mostly in shock right now.

Frustrating when your ace gets hurt. But I agree with Sheets. More than one pitcher has ruined their career by trying to gut it out. Position players can do that but not pitchers. I really hope its nothing serious, I enjoy watching him pitch.

Please. Convince Yost that Hall needs to sit, at least when the Brewers play the Reds! I reserve that intense loathing and hate for Bill Hall...the kind you have for a guy who seems to single handedly kill your team every time. He flat out destroys the Reds regularly. Here's how you can make Bill Hall a Hall of Famer. Buy him glasses with imprints of a Reds pitcher on the lenses. He'll see a Reds pitcher every game and flat out rake. Sheesh. Bill freakin Hall....muttering...under breath...dang Bill Hall....

Sheets with a changeup? Great. And we have to face him tonight.

Okay as a Reds fan I'll participate. 1. Yep. For about 2 seasons. Seems to turn teams around THEN they go south on him. 2. No. He got a bad rap, imo. This is endlessly discussed on RedsZone seeing as we have 2 young pitchers and a third in AAA, its a topic of hot debate for Reds fans. I'll forgive him anything else, like the stupid Patterson leading off thing, but high pitch counts for the young pitchers would have most of Cincy calling for his head. 3. You can't be serious? Dusty was the reason the Cubs didn't win it '03? Laughable. They're the Cubs. They just can't help it. Neither Dusty Baker, or Lou or barbecuing a goat is going to help them. 4. This question is more for the Brewer fans than me. Looks to me that Yost has done a solid job but you guys know that better than me. As for the Dusty hates young guys junk, its not true. Some things just get told so much people start to believe it. Votto is the first baseman now, everyday. Dusty told Hatte in Chicago. I don't blame him for the early platoon because I actually thought Votto looked so bad in ST that he should have gone to Louisville to start. Bruce did end up in Louisville - he looked shaky in ST, too. As for Paterson, the only part of him that bothers me is him leading off. He's been a terrific CFer - something the Reds really needed with Junior and Dunn in the corners. I can't blame Patterson, who should be hitting 7th or 8th where he'd be a decent low end bat, because Dusty is dumb enough to bat him leadoff. Dusty's lineup construction kills me. Brandon Phillips cleanup? Adam Dunn 5th? Dunn gets no protection and his high OBP is largely wasted there. He has handled the bullpen adroitly so far, given what he's working with and has limited the Reds young pitchers pitch counts. A terrible offensive start for several players, and terrible defense have killed us so far. The pitching has been solid outside of a couple Fogg Starts and a rare bomb by Harang last time out. All in all I still look for the Brewers and Cubs to fight for the top spot, the Cards to fall off their pace pretty soon, the Reds to push but probably too young in too many places yet. The Pirates and Astros after that.

Actually, Reds fans pretty much feel the same about he Brewers. If it can't be us then much rather the Brew Crew than the Cubs, Cards or Astros. Well - now the game is done (nice start by Suppan btw) what do you think of our young Mr. Cueto? Very much looks like a ML pitcher, no? Except for Bill Hall, the all-time consummate Reds killing machine (I hate that guy! Please trade him to us). Second observation. When did the Crew start flashing leather like that? Some nice plays - don't your guys read the paper? They aren't supposed to field like that. Oh well, there's always tomorow night. Here's to the forlorn hope that Josh Fogg pulls a Suppan on you.

I gotta laugh at your comment. When Dusty came out and said that he didn't like walks "because all it does is clog up the bases" I thought our board at Redszone would come unglued! I think Dusty says a lot of things before he really thinks about he said. As long as he keeps coddling our young pitchers (so far so good) he can say what he wants.

For the Reds it's lefties who kill em. Serious deficiency of RH hitting. Reds biggest weakness.

I'll give Ben the best an opposing fan can - I am soooo glad we are missing him in this series!

Coco gives the Reds what cost them 10-15 wins last year, a way to straighten out the BP. Weathers goes to setup (he did a decent closing job last year but the 7th and 8th innings killed the Reds. They were the worst team in baseball in scoring differential in the 7th and 8th innings. Now Weathers can handle the 8th and Burton the 7th). I'm just amazed the Reds came up with 46 million. The way we understand it Cincy, Coco's agent was more responsible for him not getting back with the Brewers. Least that's the way its presented here. As for Dunn. Yeah $9 million is too much for a guy who has 4 straight years with 100 runs 100 rbis 40 homers and an OBP around .400. Who cares if he strikes out? Do you really give a hoot when Prince Ks? An out is an out. Period. Two things drive offense. First OBP. Even when Dunn slumps he's valuable because he walks about once a game. 2nd Power. Dunn has that to spare. His defense is better since he got his knee cleaned out - he played on a gimpy knee all last season, easily his worst defensive year. Yep, he's worth every penny. Cincy is past the really bad contracts. Junior won't be extended after this season and the Reds have a slew of young talent. This year the Reds will do what the Brew Crew did last year when they emerged. I know - They still have to prove it on the field. Johnny Cueto will start that tonight. Anyway, I have to hand to your FO. When you guys lost Coco, then a couple more relievers I thought your staff would be shot. They've done a heckuva job reassembling your bullpen.

As a Reds fan I'm hoping Prince stays in his power drought for oh...say 3 more games. At least your slugger is hitting for avg right now. For the Reds, Dunn is cold, Junior is just starting to get untracked, Encarnacion looks completely lost although he's walking so his OBP is alright and vaunted rookie Joey Votto is struggling badly. Only reason the Reds are 4-3 right now is the pitching has been solid outside of Fogg's start. Kinda funny that two teams that historically are renowned for offense are looking to their pitching right now. Although Suppan's numbers against the Reds aren't good he is catching them in a funk so this could end up a pitching duel tonight.

Hello Brewers fans! A Reds fan aboard. Cueto is the real deal. Command throughout the minors, sick stuff, level headed beyond his years. But you're right, he's young and will certainly have his down nights. As a Reds fan, I'm actually wanting to see how he handles that. It will tell me more about the kid than when pitching well. This should be a fun series against the team I see as the Reds main rival for the next few years. This should be a real test for Cueto. The Brew Crew has a much tougher lineup than Arizona, imo. I'm only looking for 2 of 3 because we're in your park and even as a Reds fan I don't see ANY hope tomorrow night when Fogg pitches. Hope you don't mind me dropping in to say hi - even though I 'm rooting the other way. Of course, if it helps I loathe the Cubs!