Sunday, July 4, 2010

Votto Snubbed, Ejected, and Reds Keep Rolling!

No question Joey Votto should have made the All-Star team. Yes, first base is a crowded position but he should still go. Maybe he will. I have to think he has a decent shot of winning the "Final Vote." You can vote for Votto with this handy link supplied by the Reds. But either way, I'm not one of those setting my hair on fire over Votto not making it. One: Anyone can use a four day break in the middle of a long season. Two: the All-Star game is a joke. It counts for home-field advantage in the World Series but doesn't take the best players from each league. If the game is going to count, then scrap the rule that says each team has a representative, scrap the fan voting, and all of the rest. Or just go back to the days of it being an exhibition and scrub the home-field advantage thing. I'm all for the latter. I know people get all fired up for the All-Star game, but I'm not one of them. Especially with the Reds in the middle of a division race. I would rather see the Reds play the Pirates in a game that counts in the standings than the All-Star game. I know I'm the exception and not the rule. With all of that being said, congratulations to Brandon Phillips and Arthur Rhodes on their first All-Star appearances, I know it means plenty to them. Also congrats to Scott Rolen for making it again. Hopefully later in the week Votto will be getting his congratulations too.

It's easy to make the leap that Votto's frustration at the All-Star game may have carried over into the first inning of Sunday's game when he was ejected for arguing a called third strike. Who knows? But the important thing is how the Reds responded. Paul Janish enters the game in Votto's third spot in the lineup and proceeds to rip off a career-high four hits, a home run, 3 rbi, and he scores 3 runs. The Reds rout the Cubs and take 3 out of 4 in the series. Before this road trip started I felt if the Reds went 5-6, I would be more than okay with that. Now they can turn it into a real springboard to the rest of the season. If they just win three in the final seven, they have a winning trip. They certainly want to shoot higher than that, but barring a complete collapse, this team is in the race for the long haul.

The LeBron saga in Cleveland might be wrapping up soon. Could it turn on the Cavalier's "Family Guy" style cartoon the Cleveland brass whipped up, starring LeBron and his friends? That was reportedly part of their pitch on Saturday. The Cavs need to do whatever the can, because if the King leave Cleveland, the Cavaliers are toast. One of the fun ways to keep up with the LeBron happenings is to check out this LeBron-O-Meter from the Cleveland.Com website.

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