This might be my last Reds blog for a while considering the fact our favorite baseball team has no chance of making the playoffs and because football is almost here. So, I’ll effort my best to make it a good one.

First off, credit goes out to the Redlegs for not completely mailing in the rest of the season once it was obvious to everyone that they were eliminated from playoff contention. You know, kind of like how the Pittsburgh Pirates did. Or maybe that’s a bad example and the Pirates just stunk all along and had a lucky first half. But I digress.

On July 28, the Reds fell to a season-worst five games under .500 (50-55), but have played very good baseball since then, going 17-11. They now stand at 67-66 overall, a mere 13 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers who must be getting nervous. (So yer tellin’ me there’s a chance! No, actually I’m not.)

No one is catching the Brewers in the NL Central, but there’s a very good possibility the Reds will pass the St. Louis Cardinals for second, who are currently 2.5 games ahead of the Reds at 70-64. The Pittsburgh Pirates are fourth at 62-71, five games back of the Reds.

And since draft position doesn’t really matter all that much in MLB after a certain point, I’m rooting for the Reds to finish this season strong. If this were football, I would be hoping they would tank every game so their draft position would be as good as possible. But it’s completely different in baseball … and there’s the whole thing about Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals being aliens sent to Earth to pretend as though they invented the game of baseball. So, it’s always fun to beat them. And more-importantly, it could catapult the Reds into a good 2012 campaign.

Speaking of which, let’s take a look at the four key moves the Reds need to make this offseason in order to improve the team and make them the favorites in the Central:

1. Find an everyday left fielder. It’s too bad the Yonder Alonso experiment didn’t go well in left because he can definitely hit and would have been nice going into 2012 knowing that the Reds had Alonso as the starter, as well as Chris Heisey and Dave Sappelt as backups.

However, the team has decided that Alonso doesn’t have what it takes to play defensively in LF and have pulled the plug on the idea. And that’s saying a lot considering this is a team that has put up with the likes of Jonny Gomes, Adam Dunn and Dimitri Young patrolling left field.

Therefore, this team needs to find a LF that can bat in the middle of the lineup – preferably a right-handed hitter since the two-top hitters on the team are left-handed hitters in Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. Could you imagine a legit right-handed cleanup hitter that would also play passable defense in left? That would make this team extremely dangerous – and they’re already a potent offensive club. A lineup of Brandon Phillips leading off, followed by Zack Cozart in the two hole, Votto third, the new left fielder cleanup, Bruce fifth (or cleanup against righties), Scott Rolen sixth (yes, he’s back for one more year – the over/under for games he’ll start is 50), Drew Stubbs seventh, and Ryan Hanigan/Devin Mesoraco eighth would put fear into nearly every pitcher outside of Philadelphia.

To make this happen, the Reds will either need to make a blockbuster trade, or sign a LF via free agency. The former option is the most-likely. Speaking of which…

2. Package Alonso, Homer Bailey and Edinson Volquez for a LF or top-of-the-rotation pitcher. Easier said than done, but maybe this will be the offseason that Reds GM Walt Jocketty actually makes a trade to improve this team. The Reds have a surplus of young talent in the organization and it’s time to package a few of their top prospects together in exchange for a big-time player.

That player would have to be a left fielder (see above) or perhaps even a top-shelf starting pitcher. The Reds would love to go into the 2012 season with a top-three rotation of Johnny Cueto, James Shields and Mike Leake, for example. Getting someone like Shields from the Tampa Bay Rays would be tough, but perhaps Alonso, Bailey and Volquez would be enough.

Listen, I like Alonso, but there is nowhere for him to play with Votto around for at least two more years. That is unless you’re in the camp that believes the Reds should trade Votto for someone like Jose Bautista, which I am not. (And trust me, there are a lot of Reds fans that think the Reds should trade Votto since he can be a free agent after the 2013 season. However, I think the Reds should do the exact same thing the Brewers did/are doing with Prince Fielder. Milwaukee is having a magical season and the Reds have the chance to have a couple themselves if they hold on to Votto. And the Reds would always have the option of trading Votto in July of 2013, but dealing him now would be completely foolish.)

So, with Alonso’s stock relatively high now, I think this offseason would be the time to deal him for something the Reds need – which is a left fielder or starting pitcher.

I would certainly love to see a Reds’ rotation that included Cueto, Shields, Leake, Aroldis Chapman and Bronson Arroyo. (The Reds have Arroyo under contract for another two years – he’s not going anywhere. And I think he’ll rebound with a solid season next year.)

They would also have Travis Wood as insurance, and perhaps Dontrelle Willis if they decide to re-sign him. And just in case you didn’t catch that mention of a certain Cuban Missile (sans the crisis), let me make this clear:

3. Make Chapman a starter. He’s either going to be a starter or closer and I think he should be a starter. I want him pitching 150-plus innings per year, not 50. Plus, he was always a starter while pitching for the various Cuban national teams that he participated on.

This is a guy that throws 100 MPH (on a bad day) and was signed to a 6-year, $30-million contract. It’s time to make him a starter and see what happens. They can always move him back to the pen if need be.

4. Find a closer. If the Reds aren’t going to make Chapman their closer, that means they need to find one. There is no way in the world that Cincinnati will pick up the $12 million option on Francisco Cordero next year – even though Cordero has been solid this season. This will be Coco’s final year with the Reds and it will be time to find his replacement.

Could that be an in-house option like Logan Ondrusek? Or maybe even Nick Masset? (Although the thought of Masset in that role leaves me uneasy to say the least.) Also, Triple-A reliever Brad Boxberger might be ready for the Show next year and he’s another candidate to be the long-term starter for the Reds.

But for 2012, I think the answer might be to find a veteran closer on the free agent market and sign him to a one-year deal. Perhaps they can find one they can sign for around $6 or $7 million that would give them the same production they’ve received from Cordero. That would free up money to address other needs, while not completely ignoring the important closer’s role.

The bottom line is that the Reds are not far from being a formidable team, but Jocketty needs to get off his ass and make some good moves (and internal decisions) this offseason.

Hey, it was just against Carolina Panthers – who will likely be even worse than Cincinnati this season – but the Bengals finally showed signs of life in their 24-13 preseason victory Thursday night.

There is still no question in my mind the Bengals are headed for a dreadful season, but there are a few things to be excited about.

* Andy Dalton is looking more comfortable each time out and I think he’s going to be a solid NFL quarterback at the very least. Probably not this year as a rookie, but Dalton is a long-term investment and that’s what we have to keep in mind.

* The running tandem of Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott is impressive, and they compliment each other well. Benson is more of a power runner, while Scott adds more of a speed element.

* Rookie wide receiver A.J. Green and second-year tight end Jermaine Gresham are extremely-enticing athletes and it’s going to be fun to watch their progression. As the last two first-round picks of the team, much is expected from them, but there are sure to be rough moments as they grow with a rookie quarterback.

* Defensive tackle Geno Atkins was an absolute steal in the fourth-round of the 2010 draft and has really stood out in his new role as a starter. I’ve always been very high on Domata Peko, so I’m feeling good about the starting tandem at DT.

* Carlos Dunlap – who might be the best defensive player on the roster – hasn’t even played yet this preseason. Once he returns, the Bengals will have the makings of a formidable front four. Dunlap is expected to return for the regular-season opener.

* The linebackers are much-improved this season. Third-year pro Rey Maualuga looks markedly better following his move to the middle (you know, with that being his natural position and all) and will be a huge upgrade over Dhani Jones. Also, the free-agent outside ‘backers the Bengals signed this offseason – Manny Lawson and Thomas Howard – have been good, especially Lawson. I also like Brandon Johnson as the top backup. The team might cut bait with 2008 first-round pick Keith Rivers who has been a complete bust. He’s hurt quite often and even when he plays he never makes a big impact. Rivers just isn’t a physical player and that’s a big problem for a linebacker in the NFL.

* The kicking and punting tandem of Mike Nugent and Kevin Huber looks outstanding. Huber in particular has been impressive as he's boomed nearly every punt this preseason. And Nugent drilled a 55-yard field goal against the Panthers and reports are he's been extremely accurate in practice as well.

* We’ll see how the Bengals look against the Kerry Collins-led Indianapolis Colts in the preseason finale this Thursday … and then the games start for real on Sept. 11 when Cincinnati will travel North on I-71 (or perhaps take a train depending on Mike Brown’s level of cheapness that particular day) to take on the Cleveland Browns. Stay tuned to TWC in the coming days for our 2011 season predictions.

[I hope you’re in a sarcastic mood cause I sure as hell am.]

Forget about the embarrassing preseason loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL, the Detroit Lions.

Forget about another blowout loss on Sunday against the New York Jets.

Forget about Mike Brown taking his extreme cheapness to even new levels this season, pocketing the money that would have been owed to Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Antwan Odom and Tank Johnson. Not to mention the money that it would have taken to re-sign Johnathan Joseph. The Bengals even admitted that Joseph was their No. 1 offseason priority. Fail.

Forget about the fact that the Bengals might have the worst quarterback tandem in the NFL this season with Andy Dalton and Bruce Gradkowski. OK, second worst – Seattle has quite a disaster on their hands with the ambiguously bad duo of Charlie Whitehurst and Tarvaris Jackson. And to be clear, I still think Dalton will be at least a decent NFL quarterback and maybe better. I love his poise for a rookie and his accuracy has been impressive at times. But even the best quarterbacks struggle their rookie season (Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, etc.). No matter what, Dalton is going to have serious growing pains this year. The offense is going to be extremely frustrating to fans for most of the season. That’s not even up for debate.

Forget about the fact that the defense has not looked up to par yet (although they did look better against the Jets, but the Jets aren’t a very good offensive football team). And forget about the fact that defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is so upset about Brown going all cheapass this year that there is no way Zimmer will be back next season. (His contract runs out after this season if he signed a two-year extension as reported after the surprisingly-successful 2009 season.)

Forget about all of that stuff. The bottom line is that the Bengals just traded a sixth-round pick (or maybe seventh, specifics haven’t been released other than “late-round pick”) for safety Taylor Mays. Pay no attention that the San Francisco 49ers made it obvious to everyone in the league that they wanted to dump Mays. This is unquestionably the guy that will lead the Bengals to the promised land. Weaklings in the AFC like the Patriots should just step aside now. Move, bitch, get out the way.

Mays is built more like a linebacker at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. However, he ran a 4.4 40 leading up to the 2010 draft and the 49ers jumped on him in the second round. There were rumors the Bengals coveted Mays, but he was taken a few picks before they "settled" for defensive end Carlos Dunlap. (Wheew, one actually went our way for a chance.)

Mays' rookie year was a disaster and new 49ers head coach Jim Dickface, er, Harbaugh, has been telling people behind closed doors for over a month that he wanted nothing to do with Mays on his team. If the Bengals or another team hadn’t traded for Mays, he eventually would have been released by San Francisco.

All joking aside, the Bengals do need help at safety since the only legit player they appear to have at the position is Reggie Nelson. Chris Crocker’s time as a good NFL player (OK, as a “not horrible NFL player”) is over. This year’s fifth-round pick, Robert Sands, is an extremely impressive athlete, but the jury is still out on how good (or bad) of a football player he is.  The other safety that was expected to be in the mix is Gibril Wilson. I’m not actually convinced this person actually exists, but there are those that swear there really is someone named Gibril Wilson on the Bengals’ roster.

Hey, listen Taylor Mays, this is the bottom line: You are now playing on a team that is further under the salary cap than USC was when you played there. (An Ohio State guy making jokes about another college football program? Really? Yeah, that’s right. Don’t even get me started about the Miami Hurricanes. Or the entire SEC beginning with Auburn.)

Also, Mr. Mays, don’t even think about messing up our chances to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. When 0-16 is a legit possibility you have to go balls-to-the-wall and make it happen. Course, even if the Bengals do end up with the worst record in the NFL and are guaranteed to have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Luck will probably decide to return to Stanford for a fifth year rather than play for the trainwreck himself, Mike Brown.

Or maybe Luck would just pull a Carson Palmer and retire.

Hey, at least the Cincinnati Bengals got blown out by one of the NFL’s juggernauts in the 2011 preseason opener.

Oh, it was the Detroit Lions, who have jostled for position with the Bengals and Cleveland Browns for the proverbial “worst franchise in the NFL” award over the last two decades? Never mind.

It’s only the preseason, but the Bengals 34-3 thumping at the hands of the Lions at Ford Field Friday night was embarrassing and likely a sign of things to come for Cincinnati in the 2011 season. Let's take a closer look:

* As usual, head coach Marvin Lewis failed to have his team prepared. Yes, the Bengals were dealing with more injuries than the Lions (18 Bengal players were held out; only eight Detroit players didn’t suit up) but that’s still no excuse to get completely manhandled by a team like the Lions. Yes, they have some nice young talent on their team, but the Lions aren’t going to the playoffs this year. So, the Bengals didn’t just get dominated, they got slaughtered by a mediocre squad at best. Lewis continues to prove he's one of the worst coaches in the NFL. If they ranked all the head coaches, he might finish 32nd.

* Also per usual, the Bengals were destroyed on special teams. It’s like they’re trying to keep alive the “Al Roberts” tradition under Darrin Simmons, who continues to have a job as special teams coach despite the Bengals being horrible in nearly all aspects of special teams most seasons.

* I love what I see out of rookie wide receiver A.J. Green. Not only is he a deep threat, not only is he a guy that can go up and snatch the ball away from defensive backs thanks to his 6-foot-4 frame, but he’s also a fluid athlete that will get yards after catch. The problem is that he’ll be catching passes from a fellow rookie, so the days of Green putting up big stats are probably at least a year or two away. But man does he look good.

* I’m trying not to be too down on quarterback Andy Dalton, but the second-round draft pick couldn’t have looked much worse for his first professional appearance. He did settle down a bit and looked crisp on a couple crossing routes, but there are going to be serious growing pains for this guy. No question he’s going to make a good long-term backup for Andrew Luck though. I’m kidding. But not really though.

* I thought Ced Benson looked really good. When he just busts it up the field and runs hard, he's impressive. If he can do that this season -- like he did two years ago -- and the Bengals really commit to the run (which one would think they'll have to), Benson will have a big year.

* I love second-year defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who was a fourth-round draft pick by the Bengals. It’s rare to see a DT that pressures the quarterback as well as Atkins. He’s extremely quick at 6-foot-1, 300 pounds (had added 10 pounds since his rookie season). I hope second-year DE Carlos Dunlap will be on the field next week (he missed the Lions game with a minor injury) because I think he’s going to be the team’s defensive MVP this season.

* I like the move of Rey Maualuga to the middle and it was long overdue. He’s going to be an upgrade over Dhani “I’m The Self-Proclaimed Seventh-Best Linebacker In The NFL  Right Now … But No One Wants To Sign Me” Jones. That said, Maualuga needs to do a better job of recognizing plays and getting off blocks earlier. There is no question Maualuga “leaves a mark” every time he makes a tackle, but he needs to make more stops near the line of scrimmage if the Bengals are going to be a quality defense this season. The defense will need to be the strength of the team considering the youth on offense this season.

* The Bengals won’t play again until Sunday, Aug. 21 when they travel to face the New York Jets. It’s scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Bengals final two preseason tilts will be at home – against the Carolina Panthers (hey, they might actually win that one) and Indianapolis Colts.

Then the real games begin on Sept. 11 when the Bengals travel to face their in-state rival, the Cleveland Browns. The Browns aren’t going to be good this season either, but they might be a step ahead of the Bengals at this point. Either way, that should be a pretty close game in the opener and if the Bengals can steal a win, maybe they might surprise some people this season.

And by “surprise some people” I mean finish 6-10 and not 3-13. Thanks for another quality offseason Mike Brown! Have fun pocketing that money that would have been owed to Carson Palmer. The Bengals will be so far under the salary cap this season that it won’t even be funny. It will be so unfunny you would think you were at a Dane Cook concert.

Remember that moment of euphoria when it was announced that there would be a “salary floor” in the NFL, which meant Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown would be prevented from being the cheap piece of shit that he prides himself on being? Yeah, too bad they didn’t inform us immediately that said provision in the new collective bargaining agreement doesn’t kick in until the 2013 season.

There is a league-wide salary floor right away, but individual teams are not subjected to any type of salary floor until ’13. Therefore, get ready to see Brown try and pocket as much money as possible the next two seasons. When the salary cap numbers are released for each team this season, what do you want to bet the Bengals will check in at No. 32? They will be dead-last in the NFL in terms of spending.

Carson Palmer was owed $12 million this season. You think Brown is going to re-invest that cash in the team? Hell no. He could have out-bid the Houston Texans for cornerback Johnathan Joseph, but decided not to. Joseph had two relatively similar offers to choose from, and picked the franchise that isn’t run by monkeys. (Apologies to any bonabos that read this blog.)

And in typical Bengals fashion, Brown has tried to make up for it by signing big-name players whose careers are unquestionably on the decline. We haven’t seen anything to the extent of Richmond Webb yet, but you get the idea.

As someone who follows Ohio State, I’ve always been a Nate Clemens fan. But he’s a huge drop-off from Joseph at this point in his career. Furthermore, if Clements or Leon Hall get hurt, the Bengals have pathetic depth at corner. A good team would have re-signed Joseph and then signed Clements as the nickel. I know, that sounds ridiculous to a Bengal fan, but it’s how good teams operate. Clements is not a top-shelf starter any longer. But again, this fits the classic Bengal blueprint for free agency: Find a former first-round pick (or big-name player in general) who can be signed somewhat on the cheap because he’s lost a step or two. Or in the case of Terrell Owens last year, because no one else in the NFL wanted to put up with an extreme diva, no matter how talented he still was. The only thing Clements is missing is a rap sheet and he would fit every one of Mike Brown’s criteria for signing a free agent.

The only good news is all of this is at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. At least there will be a salary floor for individual teams beginning in 2013, which means Brown will have to spend at least 89 percent of the cap. He’ll certainly make bad signings along the way, but at least we won’t see any more seasons like this one where the Bengals are going to be dead last by far in the NFL in team salary. Even the $6 million that was owed to Chad Ochocinco hasn’t been talked about enough. What is Brown doing with that money? Oh yeah, pocketing it. Same with the cash that was owed to recently-cut defensive end Antwan Odom.

The Bengals did sign a few outside free agents like Clements, linebackers Thomas Howard and Manny Lawson, offensive lineman Max Jean-Gilles and quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, but those are more stop-gap moves than anything else. They also re-signed running back Cedric Benson (only for one year though – the Bengals and Benson are like the couple that can’t decide if they really want to get married, but they never break up), linebacker Brandon Johnson and safety Gibril Wilson, but that didn’t come close to making up for whiffing on their No. 1 offseason priority: re-signing Joseph.

The amazing thing is that the Bengals could have franchised Joseph before the old CBA expired (like good NFL teams did with their good players – like Logan Mankins from the Patriots for example) and would have removed any risk of losing him. But that would have required a front office that didn’t have their collective heads up their ass. In other words, standard operating procedure for the Bengals.

Brown has to be pissed that the NFL will be forcing him to spend more than he wants to beginning in 2013, so dammit, he’s going to ratchet up the cheapness these next two years. I picture him sitting in his dorm room at Georgetown College right now with the tune “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangster” blaring in the background. Sans air conditioning, of course.

It was the easiest prediction in the world to make: The Bengals were going to be the big losers of the frenzied NFL free agency period.

On Thursday evening, cornerback Johnathan Joseph signed with the Houston Texans, who outbid the Bengals for his services. Joseph was the Bengals’ first-round draft pick in 2006 and is an excellent player when healthy.

Not only is Joseph skilled at playing the ball (14 interceptions in 5 years, including 6 in 2009 when he was a Pro Bowl alternate), he’s also effective in run support with his physical style of play.

This is inexcusable for a Bengals franchise that clearly has plenty of money to spend. And it’s going to be very interesting to see what the worst owner in all of professional sports, Mike Brown, does to reach the NFL’s new salary floor. (A rule that forces cheap-assed owners like Brown to spend more than they actually want to.)

Also, is Brown just going to pocket the $12 million that would have been owed to Carson Palmer this season, if he hadn’t taken his ball and ran home? Since Palmer won’t be paid that money, it shouldn’t count against the Bengals’ salary cap.

For all we know there could be a loophole in the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement that will allow Brown to use Palmer’s 2011 “salary” when factoring the Bengals’ overall cap number for this season. Hopefully that’s not true, because it would make a mockery of the whole “salary floor” aspect of the CBA.

As for Joseph, the Bengals could’ve kept their solid cornerback tandem (along with Leon Hall) in tact for several years. Instead, they will now spend years – and probably several draft picks – trying to find Joseph’s replacement. Once again, Mike Brown is pissing down the legs of Bengals fans and telling them it’s raining. But at least he’s doing so at the Bengals’ indoor practice facility. Oh wait.

The only good news out of this is the Bengals are now the clear early favorites in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Although, I liked the Andy Dalton pick a lot and think he’s going to be a very-effective NFL quarterback.

Adios, Ochocinco

Well, it was fun (most of the time) but the Chad Johnson/Ochocinco era has finally come to an end in Cincinnati. Unlike the way I feel about Palmer, I’ve got nothing but love for Chad. Is he a complete clown? Yes. Did I want the Bengals to go in a new direction and now allow Chad to “mentor” first-round pick A.J. Green? Yes. Do bats say things to each other like “That Ochocinco is humanshit crazy”? Yes.

But Chad is also one of the most-talented wide receivers I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. He made several unbelievable catches throughout his Bengals career and holds every important receiving record in team history. We’re talking 751 receptions, 10,783 yards and 66 touchdowns.

The Bengals dealt Ochocinco to the New England Patriots for two late-round draft picks (one in 2012 and one in 2013). And hopefully “late-round” means the fifth and not the seventh. And to think the Redskins offered a pair of first-rounders for Chad two years ago. But like he’s doing with Palmer, Brown’s stubbornness prevented him from making a move that would help the team, because he didn’t want to allow the player to “win.” Word is the Bengals could get at least a second-round pick in exchange for Palmer, but Brown is not going to budge.

See, as every Bengal fan knows, Brown is always willing to sacrifice winning for other, more-important things, such as his unbridled cheapness. In the Palmer case, he’s not being cheap, just stupid. (In the Joseph case, he was cheap and stupid, a hallmark of Mike Brown's career.) It’s always something disappointing when it comes to Brown. What a disaster of an owner he is in every way.

The NFL appears close to being open-for-business once again, and there will soon be a flurry of free-agent signings like we’ve never seen before.

It’s going to be exhilarating … well, unless you’re a Bengal fan.

That’s right, we can all expect the Cincinnati Bengals to stand pat and not make any big moves when the wave of free agency begins. Hopefully they will at least re-sign cornerback Johnathan Joseph if he’s ruled an unrestricted free agent under the new collective bargaining agreement, but signing one of your own players doesn’t really count when talking about “going out and signing free agents.” You know, the kind of thing that real NFL teams do.

Under the rules of the old CBA, Joseph would be an restricted free agent, and a team would have to give the Bengals a first and a third-round draft pick if they signed Joseph to an offer sheet that the Bengals did not match.

The Bengals need to sign Joseph or they will spend years (and several draft picks) trying to find his replacement. Leon Hall will be a free agent at the end of the 2011 season which also plays a role in all of this. However, if the Bengals are smart (something they’ve never been accused of being before) they will just sign Joseph and Hall, and then not have to worry about the cornerback position for years. But they’ll likely find a way to screw it up.

It will also be interesting to see what happens with free agent running back Cedric Benson, who is fresh off his latest arrest. This time for a drunken dispute with a family member. Hey, at least it should bring his asking price down. That’s just the type of bargain Mike Brown is looking for. Someone with legal trouble (or just a bad reputation in general) which automatically pulls their price tag down. It’s a Mike Brown Special.

But really, the Bengals need Benson. I like Bernard Scott, but even with him, the Bengals need another competent back. Say whatever you will about Benson, but he’s been an effective player since joining the Bengals in 2008. He dropped off a bit last year, but the entire team was a mess. I loved watching him in 2009 when the Bengals were AFC North champs and it would be interesting to see what new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden could do with Benson.

And since the Bengals did not take a running back in the draft, they need to retain the tandem of Benson and Scott. They really don’t have anyone else they can rely on.

Although, maybe if they lose Benson, they'll be a major player in the free agent market for running backs. You can stop laughing now.

After months of clamoring from fans for the promotion of Zack Cozart, the Cincinnati Reds finally made the move on Thursday.

The 25-year-old shortstop – who was the Reds’ second-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2007 – was batting .310 with seven home runs, 32 RBIs and nine stolen bases at Triple-A Louisville. In 323 at-bats, he laced 26 doubles, two triples and had an OPS of .825.

The Reds are wasting no time when it comes to Cozart’s role on the big club. He is in the starting lineup – batting in the seven hole – in tonight’s game at Milwaukee.

General manager Walt Jocketty apparently reached his boiling point when it came to the platoon of Paul Janish and Edgar Renteria at short. It remains to be seen how well Cozart plays, especially as a wide-eyed rookie, but there’s little doubt he will be an upgrade over Janish and the washed-up version of Renteria that Reds’ fans are seeing this season. (He once was an outstanding MLB player.)

It should be pointed out that the year Cozart had with the Louisville Bats this season is by far his best offensive campaign since beginning his professional baseball career. Prior to this year, his best season came in 2008 at Single-A Dayton when he batted .280 with 14 HRs and 49 RBIs (.787 OPS in 418 at-bats).

As for Cozart’s defense, it’s considered at least above-average at the MLB level (and perhaps better). He’s probably a step down from Janish in that department, but his offense will likely more than make up for it. The interesting thing is that when Cozart was drafted, scouts had no question about his glove; they just wondered if he would ever hit well enough to make the big leagues. And to be clear, Cozart’s defense is solid, it’s just that his bat developed in the minors more than anyone expected.

Hopefully the Reds have found their shortstop of the future. It will be intriguing to monitor his progress to say the least. What a talented, young roster the Reds are putting together. They should be a contender for years to come.

UPDATE: To make room for Cozart, the Reds optioned Janish to Louisville. Also, Edinson "I Can't Believe We Traded Josh Hamilton For This POS" Volquez was sent down to Louisville, and Carlos Fisher was recalled.

Well, so much for Reds fans having to worry about any All-Star snubs this year. Griping seems like a rite of passage when discussing the selections for the Mid-Summer Classic, but that won’t be the case this season.

Three Cincinnati players – right fielder Jay Bruce, second baseman Brandon Phillips and first baseman Joey Votto – were named to the team on Sunday. All of the players will be reserves (voted in by their peers) and this will mark Bruce’s first All-Star game. Phillips and Votto – the 2010 National League MVP – will each be making their second appearances. They participated in their first All-Star game last year.

Entering Sunday, Bruce was batting .267 with a team-high 18 home runs and 51 RBIs. Phillips was batting .296 with eight homers and 45 RBIs. The two-time reigning Gold Glove winner is also playing his usual spectacular defense. (And it should be noted Bruce is clearly one of the best defensive RF in all of MLB.)

Votto’s stats have dropped off a bit this season, due in part to opposing teams pitching around him more often, but he’s still putting up excellent numbers. Entering Sunday, Votto was batting .316 with 12 HRs and 51 RBIs.

The All-Star game will be played in Phoenix on Tuesday, July 12.

We're less than a month from training camps beginning around the NFL. (OK, maybe we're not, but let's pretend like the CBA will get taken care of in the next couple weeks for a moment.)

The Cincinnati Bengals will certainly have a new-look offense this year with rookie quarterback Andy Dalton -- who they nabbed in the early second-round of the draft out of TCU -- and coordinator Jay Gruden. The team will also likely part ways with wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who holds nearly every meaningful team receiving record in the book. Therefore, rookie first-round pick A.J. Green and 2008 second-rounder Jerome Simpson are the projected starters, with 2010 third-rounder Jordan Shipley slated as the No. 3/slot receiver. (To be clear, the team has not relased Ochocinco yet and he has one year remaining on a contract that pays him $6 million per year. I think the Bengals will look to trade him -- and they aren't going to get anything better than a fourth-rounder for him -- or flat-out release him.)

Also, it will be interesting to see if the team re-signs running back Cedric Benson, but most signs point towards that happening. Both sides seem to need each other to a certain extent. And it's easy for the Bengals to sell Benson on the fact that they are going to lean on the running game with a rookie quarterback and young wide receivers. So, I expect Benson to be re-upped for three years or so. And Cincinnati has a good backup in third-year pro Bernard Scott who could be waiting to break out at any time.

Defensively, Carlos Dunlap is a star-in-the-making at end ... and the team might decide to release one of the veterans at the position like Robert Geathers or Antwan Odom. The tackles are in very good shape with Domata Peko, Tank Johnson and up-and-comer Geno Atkins who is a great pass-rusher for a D-tackle.

At linebacker, I think it's time to say farewell to the well-dressed but washed-up Dhani Jones and move third-year pro Rey Maualuga to the middle. We'll see what the team does there; for some reason Jones has them tricked into thinking he's actually a good player.

At cornerback, the Bengals gave Johnathan Joseph the highest possible tender, so under the old deal he will be a restricted free agent and a team would have to give the Bengals a first and a third-round pick if they signed Joseph to an offer sheet that the Bengals didn't match. I can't imagine the new CBA is going to be drastically different in that regard, so it sounds like J-Jo will have at least one more season in Cincinnati. And hopefully they will lock him up with a long-term deal because good corners are hard to find. If they let him go, they'll end up spending a bunch of future draft picks trying to find someone to replace him. So, just pony up and sign him ... although that's not how Mike Brown is known to do things of couse.

Anyway, without further ado, here are the Bengals' projected starters on both sides of the ball (and yes, I have a whopping four rookies listed as starters, including three on offense) the top reserves and a prediction of what their 2011 record will be.

2011 CINCINNATI BENGALS

Offense

QB: 14 Andy Dalton (6-2, 215)

RB: 32 Cedric Benson (5-11, 227)

FB: 36 Chris Pressley (5-11, 260)

WR: 18 A.J. Green (6-4, 212)

WR: 89 Jerome Simpson (6-2, 195)

TE: 84 Jermaine Gresham (6-5, 260)

LT: 77 Andrew Whitworth (6-7, 335)

LG: 65 Clint Boling (6-5, 308)

C: 64 Kyle Cook (6-3, 316)

RG: 63 Bobbie Williams (6-4, 345)

RT: 71 Andre Smith (6-4, 365) … or … 73 Anthony Collins (6-5, 324)

Defense

DE: 96 Carlos Dunlap (6-6, 286)

DT: 94 Domata Peko (6-3, 320)

DT: 99 Tank Johnson (6-3, 315)

DE: 98 Antwan Odom (6-5, 275) [might be cut] … or … DE: 93 Michael Johnson (6-7, 268)

OLB: 55 Keith Rivers (6-2, 242)

MLB: 58 Rey Maualuga (6-2, 255)

OLB: 59 Brandon Johnson (6-5, 240)

CB: 22 Johnathan Joseph (5-11, 190)

CB: 29 Leon Hall (5-11, 195)

FS: 20 Reggie Nelson (5-11, 206)

SS: 49 Robert Sands (6-4, 217)

Special Teams

K: 2 Mike Nugent (5-10, 186)

P: 10 Kevin Huber (6-1, 210)

KOR: 28 Bernard Scott (5-10, 197)

PR: 12 Quan Cosby (5-9, 190) … or … 24 Pacman Jones (5-10, 188)

LS: 46 Clark Harris (6-5, 260)

Top Reserves

QB: 8 Dan LeFevour (6-3, 230)

RB: 28 Bernard Scott (5-10, 197)

RB: 33 Jay Finley (5-11, 203)

RB/FB: Brian Leonard (6-1, 225)

WR: 11 Jordan Shipley (6-0, 190)

WR: 87 Andre Caldwell (6-0, 195)

WR: 88 Ryan Whalen (6-2, 205)

TE: 80 Chase Coffman (6-6, 250)

OT: 74 Dennis Roland (6-9, 320)

OG: 66 Evan Mathis (6-5, 302)

OG: 62 Nate Livings (6-5, 332)

C: 61 Reggie Stephens (6-3, 320)

DE: 68 Jonathan Fanene (6-4, 292)

DE: 91 Robert Geathers (6-3, 280) [might be cut]

DT: 97 Geno Atkins (6-1, 290)

DT: 90 Pat Sims (6-2, 325)

MLB: 56 Roddrick Muckelroy (6-2, 240)

OLB: 52 Dontay Moch (6-1, 248)

LB: 51 Dan Skuta (6-2, 252)

CB: 24 Pacman Jones (5-10, 188)

CB: 21 Brandon Ghee (6-0, 190)

CB: 25 Morgan Trent (6-1, 193)

CB: 38 Corey Lindsey (5-10, 194)

FS: 42 Chris Crocker (5-11, 202)

SS: 31 Roy Williams (6-0, 222)

SS: 41 Chinedum Ndukwe (6-2, 224)

Head coach: Marvin Lewis

Offensive coordinator: Jay Gruden

Defensive coordinator: Mike Zimmer

Record prediction: 6-10