BIG RED MESS: Longtime Reds observers say this year's team is the worst in more than three decades, worse even than the 1982 team, which lost 101 games. After the Reds won a game Monday, it was mentioned to the newly hired manager, Jerry Narron, that his team had a chance for its first back-to-back wins on the road this season. "What?" said the incredulous Narron. "You mean we haven't won two games in a row on the road this year?"
The Padres are among the clubs trying to persuade Dan O'Brien, Cincinnati's rookie GM, to give away Triple-A outfielder Austin Kearns, who apparently is in the doghouse for being too candid in remarks to reporters.
On Tuesday, when the Reds needed a player from Triple-A, they bypassed Kearns, who the day before had hit three home runs in three at-bats. Instead the Reds promoted shortstop Anderson Machado, who was hitting .136. When Machado showed up, Narron dispatched him to the outfield to take fly balls. Machado was stunned.
"Never in my life have I played outfield, and it wasn't fun, I'll tell you that," he said.
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I didn't like Machado's comment above. I honestly don't know why the guy is even on this team.