Mo Egger

Mo Egger

Mo Egger delivers his unique take on sports on Cincinnati's ESPN 1530!Full Bio

 

Some Stuff: Focus On The Guys That Matter.

I wrote something about Homer Bailey for The Athletic this morning. Do me a favor and read it.

Then do yourself a favor and forget about Homer Bailey.

Instead, focus on Reds players that matter.

Like Sal Romano, for instance. Will Sal be a part of a rotation on a winning Reds team? I have no clue. But he's one of they guys getting an audition now, and with his spot in this team's rotation perhaps hanging in the balance, he tossed the best ball of his career last night, going eight innings, surrendering just one run, and helping the Reds to a 5-1, ten inning win over the Royals in Kansas City. 

You read that correctly, by the way, a Reds starter pitched eight innings in a game.

Other Reds who matter mattered last night as well....

Jesse Winker made a nice running catch in left, and while he went hitless on the night, his manager claimed that Winker reminds him of Mark Grace. Two weeks ago, Jim Riggleman was calling Winker the "odd guy out." Now, he's Mark Grace.

Winker has played often, and he's played well. Equally as important, his team is trying to find the best possible role for him. Good for him. Good for them.

Joey Votto delivered the game's second-biggest hit, bases loaded triple that gave the Reds the lead in the tenth.  Votto matters, still maybe more than any other Red. He's having a good season, although because we've gotten so spoiled by his otherworldly seasons, it feels like an underwhelming one. 

Joey Votto is the victim of his own success.

Also, he DH'd last night. Man, it'd be cool if the Reds had that option at their disposal. 

Amir Garrett shut the door with a quiet 1-2-3 ninth. He matters. Billy Hamilton did some baserunning wizadry (after being asked to bunt for some reason, and not being able to get one down). He matters, because what he does well can't be replicated, but also because what he does poorly limits how often he can do what can't be replicated. Tucker Barnhart tied the game with a big fly in the ninth. Scott Schebler got a couple of hits, including one that aided the rally in the tenth. Those guys matter.

Homer Bailey, not so much.

Here's some stuff....

Carlos Dunlap is at Bengals minicamp, and he wants you to know that he's not a selfish guy. Which is fine, because I certainly don't think Carlos is a selfish guy. He didn't come for OTAs, which I guess rubs some people the wrong way, but as someone who believes that OTAs only exist for players to skip them, his absence didn't bother me one bit.

His contract talks with the Bengals, though, are of interest. Namely because I'm wondering what kind of dough Carlos is looking for, and how much less of a priority he'll be to re-sign than Geno Atkins. 

Atkins is great. Dunlap is good. The Bengals surely will offer fair deals to both, but if Carlos is looking for money that'll pay him like he's a great player, then, well, meh.

Tyler Eifert was not practicing yesterday. If your 2018 hopes are being pinned on Tyler Eifert playing and being healthy like it's 2015, then you're pinning your hopes on the wrong thing.

I like Tyler. I'm glad he's here. I'm wishful for big things from him. I'm not counting on them.

FC Cincinnati has a game tonight. In the USL. Which they have a chance to win. Yes, the club's future is fun to talk about and questions abound about what the stadium will be like and how moving into Major League Soccer will work. But there's little reason to be cavalier about the club winning in a league they've yet to capture a playoff victory in. 

And with everything swirling around the team, plenty of roster turnover for Alan Koch to deal with, FCC is having an excellent season, having picked up as many points as could be expected on the road, with nine of their next 11 coming at Nippert. FC Cincinnati's future is bright. The present ain't looking so bad either.  And I'm pumped to get a chance to check them out in person this evening.

Here's some other stuff....

This video is why we need every player and official in every sport wired....

This is a good podcast: Chad Dotson an Doug Gray discuss the Reds draft.

This is good podcast as well: THE CINCY SHIRTS PODCAST EPISODE 18: KENNEY WALKER FROM FC CINCINNATI

Excellent stuff on Billy Hamilton: The Reds Should Find a Place for Billy Hamilton to Run

This is a good Q&A with Ice Cube

This is just for me: What the Knicks can learn from the 2018 playoffs

Radio Show: We talk FC Cincinnati/Bethlehem with FCC voice Tom Gelehrter at 5:45. We will discuss Cincinnati's World Cup possibilities. And the Reds. And the Bengals. The fun starts at 3:05 on ESPN1530.

Follow me on Twitter @MoEgger1530.

Email me: mo@espn1530.com

Like me on Facebook.

(Photo: Getty)


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