Why you shouldn’t be upset with Tyler Eifert…blog.

Alright lets cut the crap and get right to it. Stop complaining about the Bengals taking Tyler Eifert at number 21 in the draft. Coming into the draft the Bengals were in a great spot and they did what they needed to do by taking Eifert.

The two guys I think the Bengals were targeting were Kenny Vaccaro and Eric Reid. Those two were taken just before the Bengals and their attention switched. A lot of folks wanted Eddie Lacy but they didn’t need to take him there because he will be there at 37. Folks also wanted FS Johnathan Cyprien from FIU, but it just didn’t seem like the right time to take him.

Also with Andre Smith yet to re sign with the Bengals, folks were also thinking offensive line. However, this draft was offensive line heavy, literally. Eric Fisher, Luke Joeckel, Lane Johnson, Johnathan Cooper, Chance Warmack, DJ Fluker, and Justin Pugh. After Fluker and Warmack it was obvious the Bengals were not going to go offensive line.

The best available player on their board at the time was Tyler Eifert. Eifert caught 50 balls for 685 yards and 4 TD’s in 2012. Eifert is 6’6 250 lbs and can be another weapon for Andy Dalton. I like this pick because it means the Bengals can utilize a 2 TE in set with Gresham and Eifert, along with second year TE Orson Charles from Georgia. Long story short this is another weapon for a guy named Andy Dalton who can never get enough weapons. Now he has AJ Green, Mohamed Sanu, Jermaine Gresham, Tyler Eifert, BJGE, and Marvin Jones.

Marvin Jones will be a star. Putting it out there now.

So this is good for the Bengals, and it sets them up for the rest of the draft when they can go and get the other guys. I see them taking Eddie Lacy at 37, and taking a Safety in the third round.

What will the #Reds do?

Going into the 2013 season, the Reds knew they would not be as lucky with injuries as they were in 2012. On Opening Day, left fielder Ryan Ludwick tore the shoulder labrum in his right shoulder. Today Ludwick will undergo surgery to repair the labrum, and C Trent Rosecrans tweeted yesterday that the Reds set no timetable for his return. It could be 6-8 weeks or 3 months. Or maybe even longer. With it being his right shoulder, it will affect his arm, and his swing. The Reds are expected to make a move today to replace Ludwick, who will be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

There’s been a lot of speculation about what they are going to do. Marc Amazon from 700 WLW said he had “sources” that say the Reds will be making a call to Scott Rolen, and moving Todd Frazier to Left field. That’s the ludicrous, and not even worth talking about…but I’ll talk about it anyway. If you want to move Todd Frazier to left field, that’s fine. There is however, no reason to bring the old man back. Why? Because they signed a really good defensive 3rd baseman with an okay left handed bat to come off the bench. If that’s the case, expect to see Jack Hannahan a lot more.

Here’s what I think: Expect to see a lot of Xavier Paul. We all know how Dusty Baker is, and we know how he gets about some players. I think Xavier Paul is one of those guys Dusty likes. I think Xavier Paul has the potential, but I’m not sure he’s the best option. I’m also not sure Chris Heisey is the best option. This all really depends on how long Ludwick is out. Allow me to stop you right there….NO they are NOT bringing Billy Hamilton up. He’s not ready. Stop. Right now. Moving on, C Trent also tweeted yesterday that he spoke with Walt Jocketty, and Jocketty said that moving Shin-Soo Choo to left field is not an option.

So your options are this:
1) Todd Frazier/Jack Hannahan
2) Chris Heisey/Xavier Paul

This also affects the lineup, and how Dusty will throw the guys out there every day until Ludwick returns. If it were me, which it’s not…this is only my opinion, here would be my lineup for tonight against the Angels:

Choo CF
Phillips 2B
Votto 1B
Frazier 3B
Bruce RF
Heisey LF
Cozart SS
Hanigan C
Latos P

I think this is the lineup we will see a majority of the time with Heisey and Paul obviously splitting time, and the occasional Todd Frazier/Jack Hannahan combination. Also don’t forget about the other old man, Cesar Izturis who can also play the infield and who is another veteran player Dusty likes.

Todd Frazier was taking some balls in left field during batting practice on Opening Day.

Let me know what you think the Reds should do by leaving a comment on the blog, or tweeting me @AutyElmore. Thanks for reading, and Go Reds.

Opening Day

Baseball. It’s finally back. Yesterday was Opening Day across the league, and more importantly, in Cincinnati. Obviously you hear all the time about how the city of Cincinnati and Reds fans celebrate Opening Day, but you really can’t understand it unless you’re there. If you call yourself a Reds fan or a baseball fan in general, you have to experience Opening Day in Cincinnati. Yes it’s cold. Yes it’s windy. It’s baseball. America’s pastime.

Three years ago over spring break my father asked me if I wanted to go to Washington, D.C.. I told him that I would rather go to Opening Day. For a very long time my dad went to many Opening Days. So on my first Opening Day we experienced the parade and the whole city being Red and the whole atmosphere in general. It was incredible. Then the game began, and the Reds were trailing in the bottom of the 9th when Ramon Hernandez came to the plate. Ramon deposited a ball into the opposing bullpen and Great American Ball Park exploded. It was so loud. The loudest I’ve ever heard anything, ever. I was jumping up and down and screaming. I high fived an 80 year old woman. It was so crazy. Such a beautiful scene, all of it.

The night before, my dad and I just drive around downtown Cincinnati and listened to Lance McAlister on sports talk taking calls about Opening Day memories. Caller after caller talked about coming to all these Opening Days. I knew then, that I never wanted to miss another Opening Day ever.

So I’ve been coming ever since, me and my dad. Making new memories every year. It never gets old. Ever. That whole city is Red. That whole city is baseball and it’s just a beautiful thing. I don’t really know how to put it. Then you walk into the stadium and you know that this is part of Opening Day or Major League Baseball all across the country, but you are standing on the birthplace of professional baseball. That’s what makes Cincinnati so special. That’s what makes the whole day so special.

I love the NFL more than anything, and I’m by far a football guy but there’s nothing I look forward to more than Opening Day in Cincinnati every year. It’s simply incredible and as I’ve said before no one does it like Cincinnati does it. Yes there are questions about the Reds this year, yes they are one of the best teams in baseball, yes the manager makes questionable decisions at times, but just sit back and look at the city. Look at the history and the game and the ball park. Smell the beer and the hot dogs. Go grab a coney or a slice of LaRosa’s and enjoy the yard. Enjoy being a part of the best fan base in baseball, and enjoy watching a really really good baseball team.

Happy Baseball, everybody.

-Auty

Ahhh yes, baseball season…

Today is February 25, 2013 and we are 35 days away from Opening Day. The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl, the NBA had its All Star game and now Spring Training has begun. The World Baseball classic is back this season, which means an extra week of Spring Training. No one seems to be complaining. The Reds have started off 0-3, but no one cares because its Spring Training.

Those of you who know me know how much I truly love the game of football and the NFL, and as expected…my eyes have been glued to the NFL Combine on NFL Network all week. That’s just who I am. But here’s the thing. My eyes have been on the combine, but my ears have been on the Reds. Like I said, I love football, but baseball season is very, very special to me. Obviously the city of Cincinnati is a baseball city. It’s not a football city, it’s not a college sports city, it’s the Reds’ city. That’s what happens when you have 5 championships and the greatest baseball team in the history of sports. That’s what happens when the city is the birthplace of professional baseball.

Aside from the wins and the losses, aside from all that…there’s a reason baseball is special. It’s the feeling you get. It’s the atmosphere. It’s being at the yard with hot dogs and your dad. It’s bombs over the fence and foul balls right next to you. It’s Americas Pastime. And to me….it’s radio. I didn’t grow up in the era where I hid the little radio under my pillow and listened to the Reds until I fell asleep. The Reds sucked when I was growing up, and as expected…I was all football all the time (yes, I know the Bengals sucked too).

Anyways, the things I remember the most are the drives at night with my family, before all hell broke loose, and we would go get ice cream in the summer and listen to the Reds, listening to Marty and Joe on the radio. It just painted a picture. Everything was perfect. It’s just such a beautiful thing. I’ve told the story about why and when I knew I wanted to get into sportscasting. I give a lot of credit to Brad Johansen doing the Bengals games when I grew up, but we all know that there’s no one better than that of the Hall of Famer, Marty Brennaman. The man has had a huge impact on me. He’s just a legend. And he happens to be broadcasting for my favorite team, and has been for a very long time, at a very high level. Marty always painted the picture beautifully, and in my opinion…he’s the best ever (Sorry Vin Scully). But going back and listening to old broadcasts and listening to games like I do today, and am doing right now, it just does something to me. I really can’t explain it. There just seems to be something so perfect, so “right” about listening to baseball on the radio.

So I couldn’t be more excited for this baseball season. A few reasons of course. The Reds are going to be a darn good baseball team, the city is going to be excited and jumpin’ about the Reds, and we get another year to listen to Marty and the Cowboy on the home of the Reds, 700 WLW. So this year, when you’re out fishin’ or getting ice cream with the family, or just driving around, turn it on the Big One. Take a listen. Put yourself there, in that ball park, with those people watching a beautiful game and think about how special it is and how great the game is. Take a step back and be thankful that its baseball season, and be thankful your team is really good.

It’s that time of year again. Super Bowl time. On Sunday, the 49ers and Ravens will square off in the biggest game of their lives. They will be playing in front of thousands of people at the Superdome in New Orleans, and Millions at home.

People fail to realize how big the Super Bowl is. The last three Super Bowls have set television viewership records, and last years game between the Patriots and the Giants was the highest rated TV show in US history, with 111.3 million people watching. That’s 35% of the United States population.

That goes to show how big the National Football League is in the US today. It’s the number one sport in America. The NFL makes more money in one season, than the NBA and MLB combined.

Yes, many people watch the Super Bowl just for commercials, but if you really think about it, there’s a reason companies put their best ads out there during the Super Bowl, because everyone is watching.

In San Francisco, a 2nd year QB has lead the franchise to their sixth Super Bowl.

For Baltimore, they are following their fearless leader, Ray Lewis, the greatest linebacker to ever play football, into his final game.

So this Sunday, when you settle into your couch to watch the game, think about the enormity of it. Think about how big this league and this sport is. And watch a great game by teams that have been working their tails off since March.

Happy Super Bowl weekend, Sidney High.