Talk to you today at 3:05

With baseball season returning I return to afternoon's on ESPN 1530 (3-6pm). I'm back Monday. I host afternoon's when the Reds play at night and then host the Reds pregame at 6:05 on 700 WLW. When the Reds are off or play in the afternoon I've got Sports Talk on 700 WLW (6-9pm) and Mo handles afternoons on ESPN 1530.
I can't wait.
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Reds-Cards
Thinking about heading to St Louis next week for Reds vs Cards?
Here is a discount ticket deal.
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Stuff
The Sporting News: How Urban Meyer broke Florida football

NKU and Covington (Pendleton County HS) product Nate Jones make his ML debut for the White Sox Sunday night. He pitched a scoreless inning, with 2 BB and a strike out of Josh Hamilton.
Watson finds glory in Augusta's piney woods
Mickelson gives away a green jacket
Butler move to A-10 far from certaint, trustee says
Classic from last year
Ben Crane, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, & Hunter Mahan formed the PGA's exclusive boy band . . . "Golf Boys". Farmers Insurance will donate $1,000 for every 100,000 views of the "GOLF BOYS" video. The charitable proceeds will support both Farmers and Ben Crane charitable initiatives.
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Reds
Not a bad start.....
Reds take 2 of 3 from Marlins
They won Opening Day in front of a record crowd
They won Sunday in walk-off fashion
They sold out the first two games for first time since 1969
They drew 108,157 for opening three games series (42,956/41,662/23,539)
Rolen delivers walk-off winner off the bench
Reds used revenue sharing money from last 10-years for Votto
NY Daily News
Say this for Reds owner Bob Castellini: He took a big market risk on Votto, who would have surely commanded a Pujols-like deal when he hit free agency after 2013, but did so by using the $25 million per year revenue sharing money he’s been saving up over the last 10 years. That’s what revenue sharing was designed for.

Relax on Mat Latos
It was one start...in front of the home crowd...after a major offseason trade....in a month he's always struggled....vs a team he's always struggled with. Even Mat admitted he was trying to do too much to impress the fans.
If you are in panic mode after one start then move out of the city because you are dragging the collective Baseball IQ of the city down.
Latos Saturday night
4.2 innings, 7 hits, 4 earned runs
Just 2nd time last 18 starts Latos has allowed at least 4 earned runs.
First time in 29 starts he failed to get thru 5 inning....since April 16, 2011
(4.1 innings vs Phil).
Latos career: Record/ERA/starts
March/April: 1-7 5.79 (9 starts)
May: 7-3 2.41 (12 starts)
June 5-3 3.55 (10 starts)
July 5-3 2.54 (12 starts)
Aug 5-7 3.55 (17 starts)
Sept/Oct 4-7 3.87 (13 starts)
Latos by the calendar
March/April: 1-7 5.59 46+ innings
Rest of year: 26-23 3.16 384+ innings
Latos career vs Marlins
0-3 in 4 starts, 8.82 ERA, 16.1 innings, 24 H
Marlins 1 of 4 teams he has faced without beating.
St Louis only team he has higher career ERA against (10.80/3starts)

No longer coming up short?
Zack Cozart has a double, triple and HR in his first two games this season
Cozart in 2011
12 for 37, .324, 2 HR, 3 RBI (11 games)
Production from other Reds SS in 2011
.233 BA (137 for 588)
.279 OBP / .308 SLG / .584 OPS
5 HR, 56 RBI, 38 BB
Overall ML rank of Reds SS production in 2011
BA T-26th
OBP 26th
SLG 27th
OPS 28th
R T-25th
RBI T-18th
HR T-21st
BB T-22nd
SB T-23rd

Marveling at Votto's opposite field power
Votto's HR Saturday night was to left center field. He has the best opposite field power of any hitter in my lifetime. Here is a breakdown of the direction of his 120 career HR's.
LF 29 (24%)
CF 23 (19%)
RF 27 (23%)
L/CF 16 (13%)
R/CF 25 (21%)
(Baseball-Reference.com)
Reds’ All-Time Homers, First Base
249 Ted Kluszewski.............. 1947-1957
141 Tony Perez.......... 1964-76, 1984-86
139 Lee May........................ 1965-1971
117 Sean Casey................... 1998-2005
116 JOEY VOTTO................ 2007-2011
115 Dan Driessen.................... 1973-84
Includes home runs hit only as a first baseman
(Courtesy Elias Sports Bureau)
(US Presswire photo)
Veteran Rolen a role model for younger Reds
Hal McCoy, FS Ohio
Right fielder Jay Bruce is another who idolizes the 6-foot-4, 247-pounder who turned 37 one day before Opening Day.
"His presence, on and off the field, without even saying anything — because he doesn't say a whole lot — just solidifies this team when he is in the lineup," Bruce said. "You know you are going to get quality out of him, you know he is going to work hard and you know he will be a professional about everything. Guys on this team are starting to take after him, because he is a great guy to watch and understands how to play this game. You watch him and you listen to him and neither can hurt you."
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Great time!

Thanks to everyone that stopped by the Harrison Road Meijer on Saturday.
What a blast hanging out with former Reds OF Eric Davis. Eric did a cooking demonstration with Meijer Nutritionist Janine Faber. He prepared chicken nachos.
Then he signed autographs. The place was packed. Eric signed for two hours.
Thanks to Jeff Cole and everyone from Meijer for their help and for the invite.
Thanks to Sue Inkrot from Empower MediaMarketing. Always a good time doing these Meijer events!

Eric getting the chicken nachos whipped up!

Eric did Q/A with Jeanine and the audience

The line for autographs stretched around the Meijer Seasonal Deparment

Eric was fantastic with everyone that showed up

Eric still looks like he could play CF for the Reds today

Eric signed autographs for young and old

Chris Trimborn was on the scene with David helping whip up chicken nachos for everyone in the crowd

Me and Gapper!
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Check out the cheap shot at 2B
Yavapai Community College vs Scottsdale Community College
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Commandos win
Tyler Sheehan threw for five touchdowns and ran for another as the Cincinnati Commandos remained unbeaten with the 76-20 victory Saturday over the Western Pennsylvania Sting at the Cincinnati Gardens.
Sheehan, who added six two-point conversions in the victory, finished the game 12-of-21 for 175 yards and just one interception. He completed five passes each to Nez Mincy and Mack Ogletree for 75 and 71 yards, respectively. Mincy and Ogletree added two touchdown receptions apiece. Demetrius McCray, in his first game, had 32 yards rushing with two touchdowns and one receiving score.
Cincinnati (5-0) will return to action on April 22, when the Commandos travel to Erie for a first place battle
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