Gloom, Despair and Agony

 Listening to the Reds game tonight has reminded me of an old show I watched with my dad when I was a kid.  First we would watch Disney, then I would suffer through Lawrence Welk and his little bubbles, till finally we would watch Hee Haw.  (The order of shows may not be right but I was a little kid so give me some  slack.)  As the show would meander along with silly jokes, country music and other variety I always anticipated one song.  Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me.  It always made me laugh.  Well after the last 3 days I imagine no one in the Reds organization is laughing much.  Let’s take a look at the chronology.

• 9/9 around 8:30 PM Dayton Dragons forced into a 1 hour and 37 minute rain delay that forces starter Josh Smith out of the game after pitching 5.1 innings allowing 1 hit, 4 walks (season high), 8 strikeouts and a single earned run.
• Drew Stubbs strikes out once in the loan bright spot of the weekend, a 4-1 victory over Colorado.  Stubbs now has 186 Ks on the season.
• 9/9 11:32 PM Dragons Drew Hayes gives up a 2 out, 2 run walk off HR to light hitting Matt Nuzzo who only had 4 homers during the regular season.
• 9/9 11:35 PM Marcus Brister taunts Dragons dugout. Had to mention this, as if the Dragons needed incentive to win this series, this bush league move deserved a rebuttal.  Tony LaRussa should take note and work with the Blue jays to orchestrate a trade as he looks like the perfect candidate to fit into the TLR style of play.
• 9/10 Reds hit 5 home runs but still get crushed by the Colorado Rockies 12-7.  Rockies make efficient use of 13 hits and 4 walks to score 12 runs, 11 of them earned.  Drew Stubbs strikes out once, total now of 187.
• 9/10 Kyle Lotzkar gets the start but from the games beginning the show little life aside from a few scattered hits falling 4-3 and suffering elimination at the hands of the Lansing Lugnuts.
• 9/11 Reds lose the rubber match against the Rockies 4-1 handing Edinson Volquez his 5^th loss of the season in spite of allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in 5 innings.  Reds record just 4 hits and 2 walks plus a hit batter but hit into 2 double plays.  Stubbs strikes out once more; total to 188.
• 9/12 Chris Valaika scheduled for knee surgery to reattach his ACL in his right knee.
• 9/12 Zack Cozart scheduled for surgery to clean out debris in his right ankle now that his left elbow has healed enough for him to use crutches.
• 9/12 Reds Third Baseman Juan Francisco hits the longest homerun in the majors in 2011 followed by a 2 run shot off the bat of Brandon Phillips to tie the game only to see balls begin flying out of GABP like a meteor shower and currently trail 12-7 at 10PM as they move to the 9^th inning.  Another 12 run game?  Really?

As I said gloom, despair and for Valaika and Cozart and all of the Dayton Dragons, some agony.  Oh, did I mention Nick Masset is entering the game.  That should help.

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