Today, April 15, is your yearly reminder that Uncle Sam is awaiting your contribution. You can get an extension, but today is the day known by Americans as “Tax Day” so if you haven’t yet filed for an extension, you’d better get your federal income tax in the mail before midnight tonight or else.
Ah, the mere mention of the word tax or taxes is, to the great majority of us, rather depressing. I don’t know of a single soul who enjoys paying taxes, and they are imposed on nearly everything in our everyday lives these days.
Just think for a moment just how many different types of taxes we currently pay. In addition to individual income tax, there’s sales tax, payroll tax, property tax, vehicle tax, estate tax, gift tax, capital gains tax, city or local tax, excise tax, state tax, and the list goes on and on and on.
It’s enough to make you feel that if the government discovers a way to levy a tax on taxes, that will be the next tax we will be expected to pay. The worst part about taxes is they’re never reduced despite empty promises from politicians, meaning they’re sure to rise.
No news not good news at Kentucky
As we refresh our Twitter/X pages to try to find the most up-to-date recruiting reports, it’s obvious that the Kentucky basketball program had better get busy building a new roster.
As this is being written, head coach Mark Pope has signed exactly zero new portal transfers, and the news on high school recruits is silent as well. Keep in mind that by the time I finish writing and submitting this piece, the Cats may have agreed to terms with BYU transfer guard Rob Wright and/or high school phenom Tyran Stokes. I wouldn’t hold my breath however.
If Pope can somehow bring in both of those players – and we already know money talks when it gets right down to it – Kentucky should be able to attract several other pieces to what is currently a less than desirable 2026-27 roster.
Wright is considered by most college hoops observers as the top point guard in the portal, while Stokes has been hyped as the nation’s No. 1 recruit for months. Wright is considering a return to BYU as well, and if he goes back to the Cougars, Pope will have to settle for a lesser option. It may still work itself out in the long run, but Cats fans are getting increasingly anxious as they await some positive news out of Lexington.
The 6-foot-7 Stokes was thought to be a certainty to sign with Kansas, but who really knows at this point? He has also been linked to reports that had him fighting with teammates and being a selfish player, but his talent is unquestioned. It does make wonder however if Stokes is worth the trouble, and if Pope can handle his reportedly volatile behavior and become a team first player.
Reds make one right move; more on the way?
Despite opening the season with a 9-7 record, the Cincinnati Reds have struggled to hit the ball on a consistent basis. They rank near the bottom of Major League Baseball in every offensive category, and apparently their patience with one player has expired.
Noelvi Marte, a player the team regarded as the answer in right field, was sent down to Triple-A Louisville, and Rece Hinds was recalled to take his spot. A quick look at the numbers explains why, despite it being an extremely small sample size this early in the season.
Marte was batting .138 (4-for-29) with no extra-base hits, no RBI and 10 strikeouts. On the other hand, Hinds, who had a superb spring training as well, was batting .354 with an incredible 1.246 OPS, five home runs and 16 RBI in 16 games for the Bats. He is also considered a major upgrade defensively in right field, and deserves a legitimate shot at the position. That means keeping him in the lineup for a while, and finding out if he can cut down on his strikeouts, something he struggled with in his previous brief call-ups.
Another outfield move that may occur in the near future involves swapping the struggling Will Benson with Louisville outfielder JJ Bleday.
Benson hasn’t fared much better than Marte to this point, batting .179 (5-for-28) with 10 whiffs. Bleday, like Benson a lefthanded hitter, is hitting .302 at Louisville with 10 runs scored, a pair of homers and nine RBI. Like Hinds, the Vanderbilt product also had an impressive spring.
The production of the Cincinnati outfield has been atrocious, and changes appear to be necessary, but it also makes wonder why it has taken the organization so long to figure that out. TJ Friedl – a .153 BA with 18 strikeouts from a leadoff hitter — appears to be on the decline both at the plate and in center field. Newcomer Dane Myers has earned increased playing time with his speed, but is he really the answer?
The offseason was when the front office should’ve made a move or two to improve the outfield, so now the club is just hoping someone steps up. There is still a long way to go of course and perhaps some of these guys get it turned around, but hoping has not proved to be a great strategy for the Reds.
The much-ballyhooed starting pitching rotation is also having its issues, with Andrew Abbott battling to find any consistency. He’s 0-2 with a 5.85 ERA. He’s looked brutal since a solid performance on Opening Day. Brady Singer is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA going into the Tuesday night game vs. the Giants, and the Reds need him to be their veteran anchor in the rotation.
Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder were lights out in their first two starts, but both Wake Forest products got knocked around in their most recent appearances. Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28 ERA) is inconsistent at best, and of course, there’s Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene on the injured list. Lodolo should be back soon, and the Reds desperately need him to lead the staff. Greene won’t be back until July at the earliest, and he simply cannot be counted on.
With 146 games still left to play, there remains ample time for the Redlegs to figure it out, but you have to wonder if this team is much better than a .500 club that is counting on hope more than a real contender ever should.
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“I shall never use profanity except in discussing home rent and taxes. Indeed, upon second thought, I will not even use it then, for it is unchristian, inelegant, and degrading – though to speak truly I do not see how house rent and taxes are going to be discussed worth a cent without it.” – Mark Twain
One more from Mr. Twain: “What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin.”
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