I know I’ve done my finger exercises, as well as checked to see if I can indeed carry two alcoholic beverages while balancing a hotdog and nachos with one hand keeping the other one free for that possible foul ball that I’ve yet to catch.

I’ve taken the hit, and paid my dues for another year of MLB.tv, hoping they will get a clue that Indianapolis is not the baseball center of the midwest and we are not the viewing market for anyone.

I wait patiently for the MLB At bat 12 app to come out.

And I’m curious to see how baseball on my xbox will work.

So yes preparation has begun, now let’s hope that Matos, Madson, and the rest of the pitching staff is doing the same.

It’s the worst time of year, the writers have dried up all the topics they held in the wings for the off season. XM radio is actually doing light hearted jabs at Whitney Houston’s death with “If your team was a Whitney song..” All of it done in poor taste.

Pitchers and catchers haven’t quiet yet reported…and the free agent and trade talks are about people I’d rather have a beer with than watch play.

I got over excited just going to my sons little league try outs. Just to go and heckle them for having maybe the worst setup for tryouts I’ve ever seen.

We really need to get some press around Little League by the way, not just the few country towns that always make the world series, but the rest of them. The middle of the road Leagues.

Here comes baseball.

A mere 11 days away for most, we are just waiting to see the sports networks star to change their programming over to signs of baseball. At first it will be meaningless shots of fielders throwing the ball around, and a few guys standing around the batting cage. Then the spring training games will start. The few die hard fans will listen to a radio broadcast of them when available, just looking for some sign that there is a chance the team they left in September is better in March.

We’ve already started seeing the hype articles, read your mlb.com articles for your team. You’ll notice that new writers are spending some time writing some positive article telling you why you should be excited for this season. Where’s your normal beat writer? He’s still sleeping and developing his ideas of the season, he wouldn’t tag his name to these puff pieces. That’s okay though, we need the hype, if we don’t then how can we get the blood flowing toward the season.

All I can say at this point is bring it on.

I need a fantasy league to join.
I need to hear Marty and the gang on the radio.
I need my Opening Day tickets.
I need my MLB At Bat App 2012
I need a hot dog with mustard, relish and onion like true fans have them.

Spring training is a short sprint away.

All the winter trades are almost complete..

You are either sitting there saying “Yeah the Reds are going for it, and they look like this could be the year” or you’re saying “Walt just sold the future for a dream of today, I wander what I should do instead of watching this train wreck”

Call me someone who has turned over a new leaf..I’m optimistic.

Yeah I’m not a fan of the cost of the trades we did, but we did them and now we have to make sure they pay off. I’m ready for a good season!

So what’s a good season?

Not coming in last? No, the central got worse over the winter not better. We got better, not worse. Anything other than 1st or 2nd in the division is tragic.

Wild card spot? Ok, let be realistic I’d wouldn’t turn in my fan card if we just made it to a wildcard spot.

NLCS: Yes, that’s the short term goal. I’ll put some money away for those tickets, but that’s just when the party starts right?

NL Champs: Yes, going to the World Series. That’s it. That’s the goal. If we are over .500 come all star break I might be looking at my 401k for ticket assistance, but it maybe a once in a lifetime chance right?

What I will do is give my opinion and hope to spark some interesting conversation about what these trades do for or against the 2012 season.

Let’s start positive.

If you ever listened to legendary HOF sportscaster Marty B or anyone one else on the telecast you are well aware of the Reds desperate need for good, reliable pitching. Each year we look, retool and attempt again at building a rotation that “should” hold up. Sadly this method has failed more often than not. The good is that Walt has seen this, and has taken the weakness in the NL Central to heart and put some money on the line to make this rotation the best it’s been in some time.

This mixture of young and seasoned arms will put some assurance that the pitching staff is coming to win. Which only brings us to making sure our offense (which historically is good) stays on track for another good season.

Now down the dark path

We sold out folks, we broke the financial bank and our farm system for this year. We traded a lot for our new rotation. I know it takes something to get something, but yes I am one who would say we paid a higher price than I think we should of for Latos, and I’m not sure where our heads were on the Cubs deal. It all makes me want to say those famous lines in so many movies We’re in deep now boys, no turning back..

So tell me what you think?

So what do we have to talk about? Ok it might be simpler to say what are we not talking about?

We’ve got a 2012 season that may not be a lock for us to win the division, but the odds definitely got better.

We have us being nice to the Cubs and the Padres trading our farm system to them. (ok it just felt like it)

We’ve got bad news for Pete, with two more years of Bud (and I’m not talking about the beer or the narcotic)

Those should be good enough starts to get my 2012 writing bug some focus.

You know what’s in store for you when you are a duck

All the same I thought it best I should at least listen to the game online, and post a quick report of how happy I was to see this game go all the way with Arroyo.

My hopes of a .500 season are close, if I my math is correct we need 4 wins with 6 games left to play.  It secretly the goal all along.

Only a week left in the season, and then the post season starts.  I’m not sure what to make of that.

More to come…

So who do you think is going to be in it to win it?

Who are you rooting for and why?

This is a pic from maybe my last minor league game of the year.