Joy to the Reds, Roy Hobbs has come

There's this place I like to eat dinner every once in awhile not too far from where I work called Luna Grill and Diner. It's just across Dupont Circle from another place called Luna Cafe. The two places are worlds apart but share certain traits that make me like each of them, kind of like my affinity for the Reds and the Nats, the latter being more like the cafe than the diner, as they are a cheaper, lower quality alternative to the fresh, homecooked food of the Reds.

Anyway, it being a late game for the Reds and not wanting to spend two innings trying to find a proxy address to get around the Nats blackout that I am experiencing for the first time in three seasons, I decided to go to diner Luna. They have a delightful spinach salad they call a "Popeye" with grilled portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, onion, egg, and a tasty vinegarette dressing. Oh, and bacon. I picked most of that out. Not that I don't like bacon, but I like health more, I guess.

Todd Coffey is kind of like bacon for me. He has been less-than-impressive thus far in this fledgling season. I really like the guy - I wanted him for closer last year - but I'm starting to wonder if he's good for the Reds' health. After several seasons with the Reds, I think this is the season when he either shows he's turkey bacon or the artery-clogging, heart-stopping, death of the bullpen variety.

But I did not intend to compare Coffey to bacon when I started writing this. No, I was going for an even wackier comparison. For some reason, diner Luna still has Christmas decorations up. I was thinking the box wrapped in Santa paper above Christmas lights was a good comparison to Josh Hamilton.

Now, before you blame it on the half pint of draft Anchor Steam I'm having for dinner, just think about it. The guy is like a forgotten Christmas present with ugly wrapping paper gathering dust in someone's closet. A little spring cleaning causes a rediscovery of the package, and it is finally given to its intended recipient. As it turns out, the gift was exactly what the receiver needed, a five tool miracle with the potential to transform a rather meager offense into a championship.

Dude gets his first Major League start tonight. Here's a toast to him getting the first of thousands of Major League hits.