Bengals

  The Bengals today made the following roster moves:
            * Signed free agent DE Wallace Gilberry, a fifth-year player from Alabama. Gilberry (6-2, 275) played from 2008-11 with Kansas City. He signed with Tampa Bay as an unrestricted free agent for 2012 and was released on Friday of last week, after being a gameday inactive for the Bucs season opener. He saw action for Kansas City in 54 games, including one postseason contest, and played in every game from 2009-11. He has 14.0 career sacks, including a career high 7.0 in 2010, when the Chiefs won the AFC West championship. He also has career totals of four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five passes defensed and 46 tackles.
            * Placed DE Jamaal Anderson on the Reserve/Injured list. Anderson, who played in Games 1-2 this season, suffered a torn quad tendon in last week’s game vs. Cleveland.

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Stuff

Steve Sabol, NFL Films president, dies at 69
ProFootballTalk.com
Few people are able to turn their passions into a great professional legacy like the Sabols, who loved football, filmmaking and family and managed to combine them all into one when Ed and Steve started NFL Films together. Ed was just a guy with a movie camera and a vision when he convinced the NFL to let him and his 20-year-old son be the official videographers of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, but before long the two-man video crew had become a part of the NFL. And over the next half century NFL Films became a major part of how America viewed both sports and television.

MLB is studying protective headgear for pitchers
FoxSports
Major League Baseball has seen enough.
The league, alarmed by pitchers suffering serious head trauma when struck by batted balls, is trying to address the problem.
Specifically, baseball is looking into protective headgear that would help pitchers avoid catastrophic injuries, according to major league sources.

(Yahoo)

Pitcher head injuries trigger cry for protection
Yahoo Sports  (2010)
What a pitcher can and cannot control regarding his personal safety is being examined more closely than ever before. No pitcher can predict whether a line drive will make a beeline for his noggin. But experts say anyone who takes the mound can minimize the chance of injury by wearing a protective helmet. Doing so is unthinkable in the pro ranks but is slowly gaining acceptance at the grass-roots level.

Cyclones

Clones offer 'Lockout Relief Package'
CyclonesHockey.com
CINCINNATI , Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced today the “Lockout Relief” Package.
With the NHL having locked out this past weekend, the Cyclones are giving hockey fans the opportunity to still enjoy the game they love at U.S. Bank Arena. While supplies last, fans that purchase the “Lockout Relief” package will receive a six-pack of Cyclones ticket vouchers and a limited edition Cyclones t-shirt – all for just $85! A six-pack voucher can be used for a single game or a series of games during the 2012-13 regular season. Contact a ticket representative now at 513.421.PUCK (7825) for more details.

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Reds

VOTE: Todd Frazier nominated for 2012 Roberto Clemente Award

Playoff Rosterology
Do the Reds go with 14 hitters/11 pitchers, like they did in 2010?
Would they load up with 12 pitchers and only 13 hitters?
I have 23 players that I'd consider locks for roster spots. That leaves two spots to fill, among seven remaining options. Is that one hitter and one pitcher or two pitchers?
Position players/locks (13)
Hanigan, Navarro, Votto, Phillips, Cozart, Rolen, Frazier, Stubbs, Bruce
Ludwick, Heisey, Valdez, Paul.
Remaining options:
One or none from these three: Cairo, Mesoraco, or Gregorious.
Pitchers/locks (10)
SP-Cueto, Latos, Arroyo, Bailey
RP-Chapman, Broxton, Marshall, LeCure, Arredondo, Hoover
Remaining options:
One or two of these four: Ondrusek, Simon, Leake, Cingrani
Bubble Watch:
Last two players in
Leake: Would provide flexibility if they carry 12 man staff. He gives them an option to start/long relieve. He could even be an extra inning pinch-hittiner (.286 in 68 AB) or pinch-runner. He's had just 5 ML relief appearances, without much success (4.2 IN, 14 H, 9 R). If the Reds face San Francisco: Leake is 3-0 in 3 starts with a 0.77 ERA and a complete game last 2 years VS Giants (From listener Jeff). Leake tossed a complete game, allowing 9 hits and 1 run to beat SF on June 29 in SF. Could he start over Homer Bailey? Bailey has a lifetime 5.59 ERA against the Giants in five starts. Although, Bailey did go 6.1 IN, allowing 2 ER vs the Giants at GABP back on April 26.
Ondrusek: He has been better since his return from Louisville: 5 appearances, 3.2 IN, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 R.
Out
Mesoraco: Would provide flexibility of a 3rd catcher.
Cairo: Is there really a role for him? Yes, he has postseason experience (26 games) and he organization clearly has a strong sense of loyalty and respect for him. But he's hitting .176 this year in 136 AB and the Reds have better back-up options at 3B-1B-2B. 
Cingrani: He could offer a 3rd LH arm. But he's pitched just two game above Double-A. He's at 150.1 IN (Bakersfield/Pensacola) for the season. He tossed 108.1 IN in 2011 (Rice/Billings). Giants do have 4 LH bats and 3 switch-hitters.
Splits: RHP/LHP: Belt (.287/.223), Sandoval (.269/.292), Huff (.190/.111), Pagan (.293/.286), Blanco (.232/.246), Crawford (.243/.267), Burris (.255/.100). SF as a team: vs RHP .267-.331-.385-.716 vs LHP .265-..312-.405-.717.
Simon: He can go three innings if a game gets away from the Reds or goes extra innings. But is it worth saving a roster spot for a long relief guy? Leake and LeCure could do that.
Gregorius: Slick fielder, had 3-hit game Sunday and has shown ability to get bunt down. Upgrade over Valdez? Do they take Valdez AND Gregorius if Cozart is not 100%?
What bench would look like
If the Reds go with 12 pitchers they'd have the following bench options:
Heisey or Stubbs
Valdez
Paul (LH)
Navarro (B)

Reds postseason roster for 2010 NLDS: 
Pitchers (11): 
Edinson Vólquez, Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Travis Wood, Homer Bailey
Bill Bray, Aroldis Chapman, Nick Masset, Logan Ondrusek
Arthur Rhodes, Francisco Cordero
Position players (14): 
Jay Bruce, Orlando Cabrera, Miguél Cairo, Juan Francisco, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Hanigan, Chris Heisey, Ramón Hernández, Paul Janish, Laynce Nix, Brandon Phillips
Scott Rolen, Drew Stubbs, Joey Votto

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Bengals

Handicapping AFC North
ESPN
Williamson: The Bengals don't resemble a .500 team to me and I think they're in for a long season. The offense scored 34 points on Sunday, and that side of the ball seems to be growing up, but it was against a Cleveland defense that struggled getting receivers on the ground after the catch (and was without Joe Haden to help with A.J. Green).

Vote Andy Dalton: FedEx Air and Ground Player of Week

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Show preview
6:05, Sports Talk, 700 WLW....7:05 Inside Pitch


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Reds

Leading off
From listener Jeff
In 16 games batting leadoff, Brandon Phillips is hitting .209 with a .254 OBP.
With BP hitting leadoff: Reds are 8-8 and avg 3.37 runs per game.
Without BP hitting leadoff: Reds are 80-51 and avg 4.37 runs per game.

Time to dance
From Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
Mister Perfect, Tom Browning, will lead thousands of partyin’ poultry in the World’s Largest Chicken Dance at Oktoberfest. The carousing will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 at historic Fountain Square in Downtown Zinzinnati.

Cingrani sails to Cincy
FanGraph
Projecting Tony Cingrani’s future role is difficult due to his being a rather unique left-handed pitcher. With a fastball-dominant arsenal, one would expect bigger velocity than a fastball which may not average 90 MPH throwing every fifth day. Of lefties who threw 150 or more innings in 2011-2012 while averaging 89.0-90.9 MPH, only Wade Miley and Joe Saunders threw more than 70% fastballs. In most cases, fastball usage was in the 50-60% range. This tells me Cingrani will either need to rely on off-speed pitches significantly more than he does now, or wind up a reliever at the big league level.
Regardless of the outcome, this pick has already paid off for the organization and will continue to do so in some capacity barring injury. Cingrani is not as good as the numbers would indicate, but a floor of a left-handed reliever and ceiling of number four starter leaves plenty of wiggle room for a long big league career.

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Bengals


Clint Boling and Andrew Hawkins joined us for fantastic conversation.
Thanks to everyone that stopped by. Fun night!
Hope to see you next Monday night from 6-9pm.

HERE is podcast of our talk with Clint and Andrew

 

Clint Boling signs autographs for the fans.


Andrew Hawkins talks with fans during a commercial break.

Yes, that's Batman looking on, restoring law and order.

Cool story
I received this email from Michael Bowling last week:
"I am a Bengals season ticket holder. At the end of last season I received an online survey request from the Bengals to assess my game day experience. At the end of the survey I made a suggestion. Two weeks ago I received a call from Jeff Berding.
Per my suggestion,  he asked if I was interested in being the Bengals first `Long Distance Fan of the Game`. Of course I accepted . This Sunday I am to arrive at the VIP room, get my credential and go out on the field for pregame festivities.
Round trip I travel appx. 260 miles. I am excited and don't know what to expect but I appreciate that after fifteen years of doing this the Bengals are reaching out to we the season ticket holders, especially those that travel from afar to do so."

Follow-up........

"I was left alone for over an hour to roam the sidelines, take pictures,etc. I did get to meet Issac Curtis and Mike Martin. Mr. Berding sought me out and thanked me for my suggestion. The best part was being right there for player introductions. I'm forty-one and felt like a giddy kid. Overall great time and great to be recognized.
And we won. Thanks, Michael.

Congrats

(ESPN)

Per Elias: Nate Jones (NKU/Pendleton County) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings Monday vs Detroit. He improved to 8-0 on the season. Jones becomes the first White Sox rookie to win eight straight relief decisions. Hall of Famer Goose Gossage won seven straight relief decisions in 1972.

Jones leads White Sox bullpen to crucial success
CSNChicago.com
Jones, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last 15 appearances, needed only 23 pitches to record the eight outs.
“Nate picked the bullpen up big time today going those couple innings,” reliever Brett Myers said. “He dominated them today. That’s huge. That’s a big step for us to have him throwing the ball well right now.”

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Listener photo

From Steve in Milford: Just thought I'd share a picture from Sunday's Browns game tailgate.  Had my 16 month old grandson down there for about 1 1/2 hours.  Oma (grandma) bought the Bengal shirt and gave him the blackout under the eyes and brought him down for a bit.  LOL.  He had a great time getting Bengalized by us and eating tailgate food.