Sports

CINCINNATI — The Boston Red Sox and The Mayor of Baseball are in Great American Ball Park tonight (June 13) — Boston's first visit since the 1975 World Series and Sean Casey's first visit since 2006 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker pulled a scouting report from a pile of papers on his desk and said, "It says, 'Hot,'" said Baker. "He's 6 for 12 and hitting .376, so I guess he is hot."

Casey has been a designated hitter, but Manny Ramirez has a sore right hamstring and has been DHing and Kevin Youkalis is playing first base. It remains to be seen how Bosox manager Terry Francona uses him.

"I love The Mayor (Casey)," said Baker. "The Mayor will get a big welcome here, won't he? When I first met The Mayor it was in the (Arizona) Fall League playing for the Sarge's (Gary Matthews) team and he said, 'Watch this kid, he is going to be a good hitter.' The Mayor was all giggles and smiles even then."

Asked what he remembers about the 1975 World Series, Baker said, "I was going to go the World Series in Boston, me and my wife, because I'd never been to Boston or a World Series. But my agent advised me not to go because they were having racial tensions. I watched on TV and rooted for the Reds because I'm a National League guy."

Baker managed the Cubs in 2006 when the New York Yankees visited Wrigley Field and, "I kept the lineup card and laminated it because it was the first time they'd been to Wrigley since Babe Ruth (the 1932 World Series when The Babe called his home run, legend says)."

Bruce's day off

Jay Bruce, 3 for 17 (all singles), got his first day off Thursday, replaced in center field and at leadoff by Corey Patterson.

"I think it is about time," said Baker. "I see him going after pitches he wasn't going after earlier. He's been playing every day since he has been here and I just decided, 'OK, today's the day.' I'm sorry for some fans who came to see him play, but we have to do what's good for him and what's good for the team."

Baker paused and added, "Plus Patterson has had good success against the guy today (Joel Pineiro). Hopefully it will help both of them."

Bruce took it philosophically and said, "I always want to be in there playing. But Dusty talked to me (Wednesday) night and explained some things. I come in here and do what he tells me."

What if he tells you to get four hits? "I do my best," he said.

Bruce, who hit .417 in May for the Class AAA Louisville Bats, was named Topps International League Player of the Month.

Reds hire Walker

Jerry Walker, one of the most highly regarded baseball personnel people in the game, has been hired by the Reds to be a special assistant/player personnel to general manager Walt Jocketty.

Walker was Jocketty's player personnel guy with the St. Louis Cardinals for 13 years.

20 draftees signed

The Reds have signed draft picks No. 4 through No. 23 from last Thursday's free agent draft. No. 1 pick Yonder Alonso is playing in the College World Series for the Miami Hurricanes, the Reds didn't have a No. 2 pick and No. 3 Zachary Stewart, a pitcher from Texas Tech, is unsigned.

No. 4 pick Tyler Cline, a high school pitcher from Cartersville, Ga. is signed, as is No. 5, Clayton Shunick, a pitcher from North Carolina State.

Quote of the day

The Cubs and Braves had a throwback game Thursday in Wrigley, wearing 1948 uniforms and the first two innings were televised in black-and-white. Dusty Baker had it on in his office and said, "I watch a lot of old stuff in black-and-white, like the Twilight Zone, and my daughter says, 'That's old, old, old, old, old,' and I stop her and say, 'That's enough olds.'"

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