Bye Bye Hobbs, Hello Edinson

The Cincinnati Reds traded OF Josh Hamilton to the Texas Rangers for SP Edinson Volquez and a minor league pitcher.

I have mixed feelings about the deal, however, i realize the largest need for the Reds is starting pitching. Therefore, this trade delivered a guy that is only 1 year removed from being the Rangers top prospect.

Volquez, 24, has been well regarded for some time and posts an impressive 92-97 mph fastball, a plus changeup and a developing curveball. He began last year, after a disappointing finish to the 2006 season, on the single A minor league team for the rangers and moved all the way to the majors by the end of the year.

However, Josh Hamilton was and still is one of my favorite baseball players and i admire his ability to come back from his past last year. He will be missed but this clears a hole for Jay Bruce, minor league player of the year, to come up and play CF next year.

Either way, the Reds and Rangers addressed needs of their own and the argument could go either way. I do know that the price of starting pitching is high and what Krivdawg did was risky but had to be done.

More about the Trade

Dallas Morning News Texas Rangers blog

Newberg Report: Texas Rangers fan's take, really good article, in my opinion

Back To Work

This week he dropped the books, literally, and began working at the job he has held for (now) three years, 86 days, eight hours, and 22 oh, 23 minutes.

The transition should have been easy but it is easy for one to forget the stress and strain of standing and walking around all day at a eight hour-a-day job.

But, this time it wasn't so easy. Mainly due to the fact that he hasn't worked since August, and also that he hasn't done much in terms of physical activity in the last 3 months. The first day was moderately painless but after the second day his feet began to throb like, well like feet that aren't stood on for long periods of time.

It's funny what this job that he has held for over three years does to him, every time he comes back to it after a given time at school. He noticed just the other day his grammar changes, his stress level drops, and he cares less about becoming an elite member of society and tends to feel more a part of the blue-collar group he associates with at work.

He also noticed that the outlook from people in a professional setting such as Reid Hospital and Health Care Services, is different. Little to look forward to, paying bills, and what is for dinner that night. It is a far cry from: what we're doing this weekend, having a test to study for and switching facebook statuses.

Yes, going back to work is always an adventure. It offers a familiar setting with a refreshing sense of non-compliance. Work, delivers money easily without as much stress as school. It provides a break from what he "wants" to do with his life. And, it gives him time to think about what is coming up next.

Redsfest 2007

Red Leg Nation has a cool link to Red Hot Mama's take on Redsfest 2007, which I was lucky enough to attend.

P.S. check out the first comment on Red Leg Nation, that's me!

Beer

I have been interested in knowing the different types of beers. In my opinion, it is clearly amazing the processes that go into the entire process from the straining, to fermentation, to the bottling.

There are; Ales, Lagers, Pale, Dark, Reds, Stout, and many regional types. However, most are broken into the Ale or Lager category.

According to Wikipedia:

Ale

A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature.

Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts (most commonly Saccharomyces cerevisiae), though a number of British brewers, including Fullers and Weltons, use ale yeast strains that have less pronounced top-fermentation characteristics. The important distinction for ales is that they are fermented at higher temperatures and thus ferment more quickly than lagers.

Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24 °C (60 and 75 °F). At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum, or prune, among others. Typical ales have a sweeter, fuller body than lagers.

Lager

Lager is the English name for bottom-fermenting beers of Central European origin. They are the most commonly consumed beers in the world. The name comes from the German lagern ("to store"). Lagers originated from European brewers storing beer in cool cellars and caves and noticing that the beers continued to ferment, and also to clear of sediment. Lager yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces pastorianus), and typically undergoes primary fermentation at 7–12 °C (45–55 °F) (the "fermentation phase"), and then is given a long secondary fermentation at 0–4 °C (32–40 °F) (the "lagering phase"). During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. The cooler conditions also inhibit the natural production of esters and other byproducts, resulting in a "cleaner" tasting beer.

Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red colour, in Vienna in 1840–1841. With improved modern yeast strains, most lager breweries use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1–3 weeks.

Lambic beers: spontaneous fermentation

Lambic beers, a speciality of Belgian beers, use wild yeasts, rather than cultivated ones. Many of these are not strains of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and may have significant differences in aroma and sourness. Yeast varieties such as Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Brettanomyces lambicus are quite common in lambics. In addition, other organisms such as Lactobacillus bacteria produce acids which contribute to the sourness.

Pale and Dark Beer

The most common colour is a pale amber produced from using pale malts. Pale lager is a term used for beers made from malt dried with coke. Coke had been first used for roasting malt in 1642, but it wasn't until around 1703 that the term pale ale was first used.

In terms of sales volume, most of today's beer is based on the pale lager brewed in 1842 in the town of Pilsen, in the Czech Republic. The modern pale lager is light in colour with a noticeable carbonation, and a typical alcohol by volume content of around 5%. The Pilsner Urquell, Bitburger, and Heineken brands of beer are typical examples of pale lager, as are the American brands Budweiser, Coors, and Miller.

Dark beers are usually brewed from a pale malt or lager malt base with a small proportion of darker malt added to achieve the desired shade. Other colourants — such as caramel — are also widely used to darken beers. Very dark beers, such as stout use dark or patent malts that have been roasted longer. Guinness and similar beers include roasted unmalted barley.

Something interesting due during the holiday season

Some brewers have used champagne yeasts to increase the alcohol content of their beers. Samuel Adams reached 20% abv with Millennium^[44] and then surpassed that amount to 25.6% abv with Utopias. Samuel Adams is to produce 12000 bottles for the 2007 holiday season.

Famous. . .

Lagers
- Budweiser
- Corona
- Molson
- Coors
- Yeungling
- Dos Equis
- Harp
- Negra Modelo
- Sam Adams Vienna Style

Ale
- Newcastle
- Guinness
- Killian's Red
- Bass Ale
- Dogfish Head 60 and 90 minute
- Sierra Nevada
- Blue Moon
- Boddington's

Cool Bar in Muncie, Ind.

Here is a site reviewing a bar here in Muncie, which I ventured over to this past weekend. I aksed myself the same thing, the reviewer did; "What the hell is a bar like this doing in Muncie?"
http://indianabeer.com/bars/heorot.html

Source: Wikipedia.org

Reds still serious about Bedard

According to one of John Fay's sources within the organization the Reds are still actively pursuing Erik Bedard from the Baltimore Orioles.

Fay would not release how the Reds plan on acquiring Bedard, or who gave the rumor. However, the main feeling is that neither Johnny Cueto nor Jay Bruce would be involved. This leaves Homer Bailey, who some have said is expendable considering the upside Cueto is supposed to bring the table.

A package including Bailey, Joey Votto or Josh Hamilton and another prospect, is what Fay and most other analysts believe the Orioles are looking for.

I believe if the Reds get a chance they should do this deal. However, I am very skeptical on some grounds. First of all I am torn between Votto and Hamilton. My obvious gut says trade Votto before Hamilton due to all that surrounds Hamilton including the wealth of talent that was displayed after nearly 4 years away from the game. However, the Reds have a wealth of OF talent, Votto is 3 years younger than Hamilton, and Hamilton's issues dealing with reoccurring injuries cause conflict. Another problem is the fact of who the other prospect or player is. Idealy if you can move Ryan Freel, I say GO! But, that is highly unlikely. I do not know who the Oriole's have their eyes on but it is probably a SP Mattew Maloney type.

One final problem is the fact of Bedard's contract. Bedard is set to be arbitration eligible this year and next and becomes a free agent in 2009. I believe a monumental mistake will occur if the Reds trade for Bedard and do not lock him up to a long term deal. Bedard has said he wants out of Baltimore and has hinted he wants to test free agency. The Reds would make a huge mistake trading Bailey, Votto or Hamilton and more, only to lose Bedard to free agency in 2 years.

This would test the franchises stability and Wayne Krivsky's ability. it would also test my patience and faith in the executive branch of the Cincinnati Reds, Inc.

Reds getting Bedard?

Paul Daughtery is reporting a trade in the works that would send Homer Bailey to the O's for Erik Bedard.

Although I do not know what to think about this rumor, it could be just that, a rumor. However, as Bailey is only one year removed from being arguably the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, it would be hard to swallow.

It would be a monster move for the Reds of now though, as Bedard led the AL in K's most of the year, ending up with 221. Couple that with an ERA of 3.16 and you have one of the most productive pitcher in the Majors.

However, stick around to hear more if there is more.

God isn't it great hearing that the Reds are actually in on stuff during winter meetings.

Reds interested in Lincecum, Willis

As the winter meeting got underway this week, the Reds made their first inquisition into top Giants pitching prospect, Tim Lincecum. Not to be outdone, the Reds have also been in the rumor mill for Florida Marlins SP Dontrelle Willis.
Lincecum spent the majority of the year in the Giants' rotation last year, but is only 23 years old. However, as this is only a rumor, do not get too excited Reds fans. Even with the rumor, the Reds will have to pay a very high price, in my estimation for Lincecum, perhaps a combination of an outfielder, infielder and pitcher.
For the Reds to land Willis, I assume it will take a similar price, however, I wouldn't part with as much for the D-Train, considering his inconsistency the past few years.