QUESTIONOFTHEWEEK

Lorenzen was not taking one for the team, he was taking one on the chin, both shoulders and both knees. The kid is tired and needs a break. He is in his second year as a starting pitcher and never pitched more than 30 innings as a collegiate closer at Cal State-Fullerton. Just as the errors you’ve made on the football field as an official can’t be expunged, neither can Lorenzen’s numbers. They are there forever.

To score runs, a team needs baserunners. The object is to score runs, so does it really matter how a guy gets on base? Votto takes a lot of criticism for taking walks. He will not swing at bad pitches, something most of his teammates can’t say. If he swung at bad pitches he would not walk or get a hit. To me it is definitely a positive and it’s why he should bat second, not third.

Hewould if they let him. Butwhere isJay Bruce going? It isn’t likely theReds will trade Bruce. Theyhad the chancebefore the trade deadline and didn’t. Duvall is no kid. Heis26and has spent six years in the minors without a sniffofa majorleague game. Heput up big numbers in thePacificCoast League, a hitter’s league. So did BrennanBoesch, andwhere is he now? Duvall is an infielder, but theReds are using him in the outfield at ClassAAALouisville and ifhepans out he ismore likely to replace Marlon Byrdin left than Bruce in right. Personally, I’dlike to see theReds bringback Byrd, a positive clubhouse influence and a leaderon the fieldby example with his all-out hustle. their minor league pitchers, too. Manager Bryan Price says he doesn’t like it, but the team could go to a six- or seven-man rotation and could piggy-back starters, use two or three in each game to pitch three or four innings. Since the Reds are going nowhere after the regular season except fishing holes, golf courses and hunting grounds, they probably should treat September like spring training.

Everybody seems to be on the Suarez bandwagon, but I haven’t hopped on yet. The sampling of his play is too short. And Phillips can’t be traded to anybody without his permission and says he wants to finish his career with the Reds. So, they are stuck with him. The only place he might accept is Atlanta, close to his Stone Mountain, Ga., home. And he is having his normal sensational defensive season and has bounced back to be an offensive force with his

There is tons of talent stuffed into that skinny body and he is far too young for the Reds to give up on him. They’ll continue to work with him on his bunting and trying to get him to hit the ball on the ground. With the Reds rebuilding, a young and inexpensive kid like Hamilton is one they need to keep. For now.

Slim and none and both left town. The experiment of playing Mesoraco in left died quickly in Louisville this year. Mesoraco is a catcher and he’ll be behind home plate next year with Barnhart

I’ve never understood the bobblehead phenomenon, but that’s just me. I’ve seen people (they are not fans) buy tickets, get their bobbleheads then turn around and leave. I’m sure they order the 30,000 they need for giveaways and order some extra for the purpose of selling them to fans who couldn’t make it the day of the giveaway. My advice if you want a free one (for the price of a ticket), get there early.