Illya Harrell Article Archive

B/R Articles

What the Cincinnati Reds Can Do with $8.5 Million

A couple of days ago the Cincinnati Reds dumped $8.5 million by not picking up the option year of catcher Ramon Martinez. Now let's say that the Reds don't go all nutters and start trading like a stockbroker on crack...

Written by Illya Harrell about 19 days ago 203 reads 4 comments
B/R, How Much Money Do I Owe You?

To the fine folks who run this site, I need to apologize. Honestly, I had no idea we were suppose to pay for the privilege to post our articles on your servers. The recent bickering over how the site is run has led to my newly acquired knowledge...

Written by Illya Harrell about 20 days ago 31 reads 9 comments
Cincinnati Reds' Offseason: So Far, So Good

Reds' fans should be digging the offseason so far. First, Diamond Dick Pole was sacked—well, that was during the last week of play (the unofficial start of Reds offseason). Anybody would be better than Pole...

Written by Illya Harrell about 20 days ago 182 reads 0 comments
New York Yankees: Bad for the Bronx, Bad for Baseball

In the not so distant past the New York Yankees embodied everything good about baseball and America. Slowly that faded. Yankee lore officially died on August 19, 2006—ground breaking day of New Yankee Stadium...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 653 reads 63 comments
Eating Another Plate of Crow

Eating crow is a fine meal when it benefits one's team. Scott Rolen has been nothing short of fantastic since joining the Reds. And all I did was whine and complain when first hearing the trade rumors...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 85 reads 4 comments
Yankee Fans 1935: Celebrating Almost 75 Years of No Class

Yankee Stadium, Sept. 14, 1935, the Detroit Tigers came to town for a double header. Hank Greenberg, a native New Yorker, and the first formidable Jewish baseball player did not gather a hit in either game and struck out five times...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 311 reads 46 comments
Innocent Joy: Opening a Fresh Pack Of Cards

Is that not the most incredible Eric Davis baseball card ever? Man, I loved that guy, easily my all-time favorite Reds' player. "The Class and the Ass" was the immediate title that came to mind when I saw the Don Mattingly and Mark McGwire card...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 85 reads 20 comments
College Football is the Best Thing About Loving a Cruddy Baseball Team

I'm a Cincinnati Reds' fan. They are nowhere near contention for a spot in the postseason...per usual. One would think I'd be upset over this. Not the case. It's Saturday morning, and I haven't slept a wink—I'm way too excited...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 45 reads 5 comments
Bar Chief? I'll Have One Ball Player with a Twist of Character, Please

I was reading an article earlier today that mentioned John Kruk. What a corporate shill he has become. May as well put Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse ears on his head. I'm ashamed he's a fellow West Virginian...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 26 reads 7 comments
Pirates, Reds, September, and Pop Culture

Any U.S. white kid who went through puberty during the 1980s and is not familiar with the work of the recently deceased film director John Hughes is either Amish, has a brain more than a tad addled by booze and/or drugs, or is currently in a coma...

Written by Illya Harrell about 2 months ago 44 reads 4 comments
I Am In Love With GnomeGirl

Meet GnomeGirl, my future wife. Sometime last week while Googling myself, I noticed another enlightened site (GnomeGirl) had paid B/R a couple a million for the right to print some of my work...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 104 reads 24 comments
Milton Bradley: Borderline Personality Disorder?

Is Milton Bradley a jerk? Well, it's probably safe to say that not many baseball (especially Cubs) fans would invite him to be a FriendFace buddy. But back to the question—yes, Bradley is a jerk...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 533 reads 14 comments
Pete Rose Killed Mario Soto's Career: Part II—Evidence For Naysayers

Since yesterday's article, "Pete Rose Killed Mario Soto's Career," a few folks have doubted the validity of my argument. For some reason, I cannot let go of this...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 183 reads 13 comments
Pete Rose Killed Mario Soto's Career

Today is the 20-year anniversary of Pete Rose waking up, knowing he would not drive to the ballpark and manage the Reds...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 408 reads 47 comments
Baseball Gods: Please, Hear Us Out

Baseball Gods, you know that we prayed, fasted, and flogged for you to hear our cries. All Maria and I asked was that Cincinnati Reds' manager, Dusty Baker be fired...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 112 reads 24 comments
1986 Cincinnati Reds: Tom Runnells

This is the second in a series of 34 player profiles of each member of the Cincinnati Reds' 1986 season. Details of the project were described in this article...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 41 reads 0 comments
No NFL For Me This Year: Besides Very Limited Occasions

Alright, I used to be one of "those guys" who would get up at the break of dawn—well, not really. But I would damn sure set the alarm so to get up and make coffee by the time the ESPN pregame show started...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 165 reads 29 comments
1986 Cincinnati Reds: Mike Smith

This is the first of 34 player profiles described in yesterday's article. Most likely it will start with minor players and work up to the key players...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 45 reads 0 comments
Bingo! I Have a Project

As my good buddy Cliff Eastham will vouch, we "Featured Columnists" have many a responsibility. Well, not really. But we did agree to write three weekly Reds related articles during the season and two a week in the off-season...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 75 reads 8 comments
How Bleacher Report Saved Me from Myself

I am an ex-junkie. It is not a part of my past that makes me proud. Nevertheless, and for better or worse, it has shaped my mind into what my fellow bleacher creatures read every time they click on one of my articles...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 89 reads 30 comments
Salary Dumping With the Cincinnati Reds

Rejoice ye Reds fans. The team just dumped some smart salary. Alex Gonzalez, the injury-plagued, slick fielding shortstop has been traded to Boston...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 231 reads 0 comments
Scott Rolen Proves His Wussiness

Scott Rolen, the Cincinnati Reds' disabled listed third baseman, made a trip to the St. Louis Cardinal offices and gave the Cardinals' manager, Tony LaRussa, a heartfelt apology. There is a special title for guys who do things like this: wussy...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 471 reads 12 comments
What If Josh Hamilton Was Black?

Josh Hamilton is a crack-addicted drunkard. A big deal was made in 2008 about his "journey to hell and back," the "demons" on his shoulder, and how he found Jesus who was to help him leave the past behind...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 545 reads 119 comments
Hal McCoy: Not So Funny When It Happens To Your Family

If video killed the radio star, then the Internet—sure as war—has killed the last of the great baseball beat writers. Hall-of-Fame journalist Hal McCoy will retire at the end of the 2009 baseball season...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 170 reads 37 comments
Justin Lehr is No One Hit Wonder

Reds and Cubbie fans got a look at the real Justin Lehr on Wednesday night. His ball was moving like a Solid Gold dancer after a handful of diet pills...

Written by Illya Harrell about 3 months ago 140 reads 6 comments

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Illya Harrell Article Archive

What the Cincinnati Reds Can Do with $8.5 Million

B/R, How Much Money Do I Owe You?

Cincinnati Reds' Offseason: So Far, So Good

New York Yankees: Bad for the Bronx, Bad for Baseball

Eating Another Plate of Crow

Yankee Fans 1935: Celebrating Almost 75 Years of No Class

Innocent Joy: Opening a Fresh Pack Of Cards

College Football is the Best Thing About Loving a Cruddy Baseball Team

Bar Chief? I'll Have One Ball Player with a Twist of Character, Please

Pirates, Reds, September, and Pop Culture

I Am In Love With GnomeGirl

Milton Bradley: Borderline Personality Disorder?

Pete Rose Killed Mario Soto's Career: Part II—Evidence For Naysayers

Pete Rose Killed Mario Soto's Career

Baseball Gods: Please, Hear Us Out

1986 Cincinnati Reds: Tom Runnells

No NFL For Me This Year: Besides Very Limited Occasions

1986 Cincinnati Reds: Mike Smith

Bingo! I Have a Project

How Bleacher Report Saved Me from Myself

Salary Dumping With the Cincinnati Reds

Scott Rolen Proves His Wussiness

What If Josh Hamilton Was Black?

Hal McCoy: Not So Funny When It Happens To Your Family

Justin Lehr is No One Hit Wonder

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