All-Star Break Boredom and Early College Football Talk

The All-Star break stinks for me. I loved the All-Star game as a kid, so I'm not sure at what point I lost interest, but it happened. I'm not even juiced about it deciding home field advantage in the World Series. That has had no bearing on Cincinnati since Bud Selig instituted that silly gimmick. I mean really, why should the All-Star game have any bearing on the fortunes of individual teams in October? It's ridiculous, but like I said, it doesn't have a bearing on Cincinnati. I know the Reds needed a break, but I want games that matter. Well, never mind the part about "games that matter", but Reds games still interest me. But how much longer will that last? They are teetering on the edge, and another 10 games like the last 10 and that will just about do it. But that will just about get me to Bengals training camp, and that seems to be the goal each summer.

As for what the Reds should do, see my previous post. Even without Jay Bruce, I feel that way.

A lot of people are down on Bruce, but I still think that once the kid gets it, he's going to take off. I'm not saying he's the next Mike Schmidt, but it's interesting to note Schmidt's batting average his first full season in the major leagues. Schmidt hit a robust .196 in his rookie season of 1973. He also had 18 home runs in 443 plate appearance at the tender age of 23. Bruce has 18 home runs already this season in 333 plate appearances, at the tender age of 22. Schmidt did have a better on-base percentage (.324 to jay's .283) by taking more walks. But Michael Jack Schmidt struck out 136 times, about once for every 3.3 plate appearances. So far in 2008, Bruce is striking out about once for every 5.2 plate appearances. That's enough stats for now.

As I write this, the home run derby is going on. Thank goodness there's not a gun nearby, since Berman just uncorked one of those annoying "back, back, back, back..." calls. If I had a gun, I'd have lead in my temple before this post was finished. But he does seem to be calming that tired act down some from years past.

There is an All-Star game in Cincinnati this week. The Cincinnati Steam host the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League All-Star game Wednesday night. If you haven't seen the Steam play, it's really worth checking out. They keep the game moving, and the baseball is good. They expect a healthy amount of scouts from major league teams at the All-Star game. It's Wednesday at 6:35 p.m., at Western Hills High School.

The latest Sporting News Magazine has the rankings for all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (Division 1-A, why can't it still be good old division 1-A?) college football team in the country. It's really a very cool read. They have Florida at #1 and Texas #2. They have a comment from Carson Palmer regarding Texas. Carson says he has Texas number one and believes Colt McCoy is the best quarterback in the county.
Ohio State is ninth, and U.C. is all the way down at 46. They have a quote from former Buckeye Bobby Carpenter saying that U.C. at 46 is by far the biggest travesty in the poll. Bobby says coming off their first Big East championship, the Bearcats deserve at least a top 20 ranking. It's good to hear a Buckeye have the Bearcats' back. But you should know Bobby's younger brother Jon is a grad assistant for U.C. and played for the Bearcats from 2004-2007. By the way, I think U.C. will prove to be better than 46th.
Some more teams of interest: Kentucky was ranked 61, Louisville 73, Ohio U. 100, Indiana 103, Miami Oh 104, and the team picked dead last by the Sporting News is Western Kentucky at 120. It's the Hilltoppers first season in the FBS.