Frustrating Saturday

While my wife is traveling on business in Costa Rica, I'm playing daddy daycare to my kids, and have limited sports watching time. So why then did I waste what I have on last night's Pacers and Reds games? The Blue and Gold going down was obviously more significant because it all but signified their exit from the playoffs. I realize that getting our ass kicked by Boston was no one's idea of fun, but long playoff runs are built on the back of such things. The great teams of the 90s had a couple of first-round flameouts before ascending to new heights. I wanted to see them play with pride down the stretch (which they mostly had until last night), and get rewarded. Instead, the highlight of my spouseless Saturday night ended up being an Ashton Kutcher skit on SNL? Sheesh...

As for my beloved Reds, they make me want to put my head through a plate glass window. Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion are hitting back to back and if you add their batting averages together, you can maybe scrape .300. They are the 5/6 hole equivalent of the banjo hitting catcher and the pitcher's spot. My aggravation has been made worse by the fact that I also have Dunn on fantasy team for the first time since his rookie year call up. When he goes cold, he can flat KILL a club. I'm not exactly panicking on the Reds, mainly because several guys are hitting now (Votto is showing signs of life), and the pitching is still great. But it's annoying to be cursing two inexcusable 1-run losses to the Pirates (while stranding some 20 odd runners in two games) instead of celebrating a great start to the season. What's the cure for my ills?

Johnny Franchise starts today.