- From the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Barack Obama couldn’t do it. Victoria’s Secret models failed, too.
But Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan delivered in the clutch for comedian Ellen DeGeneres by luring George Clooney onto her daytime talk show.
The actor and huge Reds fan – he tried out for the team twice after graduating from Augusta High School in 1979 – will appear on “Ellen DeGeneres” on Monday (10 a.m., Channel 9) with Bench and Morgan.
The show was taped Thursday afternoon at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, Calif.
In these days of depressing Reds news…anything to do with the Big Red Machine is newsworthy, IMO.
- Also from the Enquirer:
Nine games – including Jay Bruce’s debut and Joey Votto’s three-home run game – will air at 8 p.m. Mondays on Fox Sports Net Ohio well into the spring exhibition season. Jeff Piecoro hosts the series.
The lineup:
Monday: Joey Votto hits three homers out of Great American Ball Park as the Reds beat the Cubs 9-0 on May 7 last year.
Jan. 26: Ken Griffey Jr. singles in the winning run in a 10-inning home victory over the Brewers on April 20 last year.
Feb. 2: Game 7 of the 1975 World Series in Fenway Park, when the Big Red Machine wins the first of its back-to-back World Championships on Oct. 21, 1975.
Feb. 9: Griffey hits his 600th home run against the Marlins in Florida on June 9 last year.
Feb. 16: Eight Reds hit a total of nine home runs in a wild 22-3 win over the Phillies on Sept. 4, 1999.
Feb. 23: Jay Bruce goes 3-for-3 in his Major League Baseball debut – plus gets on base twice more with walks – in the Reds’ 9-6 win over the Pirates at GABP on May 27 last year.
March 2: Game 3 of the 1976 National League Championship Series, when the Reds sweep the Phillies at Riverfront Stadium on back-to-back ninth inning homers by George Foster and Johnny Bench on Oct. 12, 1976.
March 9: Game 2 of the 1976 World Series, when the Reds’ beat the Yankees 4-3 at Riverfront Stadium on Oct. 17, 1976.
March 16: Game 4 of the 1976 World Series, when Johnny Bench’s two homers power the Reds sweep of the Yankees 7-2 in Yankee Stadium on Oct. 21.
I think it’s a pretty good lineup, some BRM, some highlights of Junior, and some of our new “Young Guns”.
- And from John Fay:
David Weathers and Edwin Encarnacion filed for arbitration. The Reds will likely try to settle in both case before they go to a hearing.
No surprise here.