Quick Takes On A Busy Week

I would have liked to have seen the Reds make their player moves a little sooner, but at least they haven't waited until it's too late. Mike Leake will get another chance, but I would be all for Dontrelle Willis if he were healthy. Chris Heisey needs to take advantage of the extra at-bats now if he wants to become an everyday player in the major leagues. No matter what happens on the rest of the road trip, the Reds will still be a player in the N.L. Central. Good Luck to Francisco Cordero getting career save number 300. He picked up his 299th Tuesday night in Philadelphia. It means a lot to the big guy. He will become only the second pitcher from his homeland of the Dominican Republic to reach that plateau. Cordero tells us that is a huge deal in the Dominican, and a big deal to his family. Coco almost becomes misty-eyed when he talks of being in the 300 saves club with fellow Dominican Jose Mesa. Mesa finished his career with a total of 321, so there is a chance Cordero can become the all-time leader among Dominicans before the end of the season.

I don't think it is posturing from Mike Brown. He will not entertain trade offers for Carson Palmer. That is silly and stubborn and in spite of what is good for the team. However, I believe should Carson sit out the upcoming season, Brown will begin entertaining offers before next year's draft. Mike probably figures he will only be getting picks in the 2012 draft for Carson anyway, so make #9 put his cards on the table.

By the way, the fact Carson had a chance to talk to the media at a golf tournament last weekend but declined tells me ta lot. He condones and agrees with the "trade or retire" demand we have yet to hear come from his lips. What we don't know is why. I'm sure he doesn't like a lot about the way the organization is structured and probably feels there is another way that would make winning more of a possibility. But the timing of the leak of the trade demand, and his silence about the rehiring of Marvin Lewis tells me he might have a problem with the coaching situation and that might be what drove him over the edge.