There have been quite a few little things going on, but nothing major in terms of leaks when it comes to negotiations.

• A rumor circulated from a Japanese source that former Red Jeremy Hermida was headed for the Yomiuri Giants. Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors indicated Hermida’s more likely to stay stateside.

• We signed Corky Miller to a minor league deal. Hurrah! 

• We also picked up Daryl Jones, who was a minor leaguer with the Cardinals. A 3rd round 2005 draft pick, Jones still has some upside, but at 24, hasn’t yet delivered on his potential. More importantly, his name is Daryl, which we needed to fill the absence left by Daryl Thompson and Daryl Harang. Thankfully, Walt Jocketty isn’t crazy enough to let us face the 2012 season without a Daryl – which would have been the first time since 2005.

• MLBTR also thinks we’re unlikely to offer arb to Francisco Cordero.

• ESPN’s Jayson Stark says that CBA talks are going well – and we could even see an agreement this week. Internet folk wisdom and common sense indicate that some GMs might be unwilling to finalize big contracts or trades until the CBA is done.

As the Reds duck back below .500 again, we can take hope from the forthcoming arrivals of some key players. The first, timewise-not-importance-wise, is Mr. Fred Lewis who was  activated  today to provide another outfield-bat. Lewis will replace Hermida who, although he had a nice homer against his former team, the Marlins, was pretty terrible – only 2-18 in his time with the Reds. Lewis should provide a nice bat off the bench – and I wouldn’t mind seeing him spelling Gomes against RHP.

Homer Bailey, finally back after a long shoulder impingement rehab, will get the start Thursday, the postponement of Monday’s game. Homer has been excellent in 3 AAA starts – allowing only 1 run in 16 2/3 innings. Although this isn’t exactly predictive – afterall, Bailey’s dominated AAA before, only to falter at the major league level – it certainly is somewhat comforting.

Cueto, Bailey’s partner in spring training injury, is also coming back, and will start Sunday night’s game against the Cubs. Johnny hasn’t been as good as Homer in his 4 rehab starts, but has been pretty decent since his April 21 8-run 1 2/3 inning meltdown. Now, as Bailey and Cueto rejoin the rotation, Mike Leake and Sam Lecure are the odd men out as the rotation returns to the original plan. John Fay’s most recent report sends Mike Leake to the bullpen, but other reports say that Sam LeCure will be moved to the bullpen. I’d rather send Leake to AAA where he can get work as a starter, rather than rotting in the pen as a long reliever.

Lastly, in the far, hopefully not so far, away category, team leader Scott Rolen reportedly took some illicit practice swings this week. Ok, Scott. We really, really, really really want you to come back soon. This whole Miguel Cairo-Edgar Renteria business is just not working for us full-time. But, for the love of baseball gods, please, please don’t re-injure yourself again. Please, please, please. (Please.

The Reds this year in a position where most of the roles have been filled, and spring training is not being used as a time to make too many decisions. I’d say the biggest question left unanswered is Leake vs. Wood in the starting rotation, and I think most people have been leaning Wood for quite awhile now. (I’d be reasonably happy with either, though.)

So fans are left to ponder such momentous questions as “will Dontrelle Willis not suck?” and “who will the be our backup outfielders?” Now, we already know we have a solid starting three of Gomes/Stubbs/Bruce. Yesterday, John Fay reported that Dusty had all but said that Heisey had made the team as the fourth outfielder.  This isn’t that remarkable, as Heisey’s the only real candidate that can play centerfield. He also handled himself well as a rookie last year, and has had a pretty good spring, for whatever that’s worth.  This does put him above Sappelt, as Dusty told Fay, despite Sappelt’s awe-inducing spring, but at Sappelt should spend at least a good part of the season in Louisville where he can play every day.

Of course, either Lewis or Hermida will also probably be on the opening day roster, filling in Laynce Nix’s old role. Those two, although Lewis is four years older, have pretty similar bats. Neither should wow, but they’re both lefties, who quite honestly, I wouldn’t mind seeing start for Gomes against RHP occasionally.

Lewis has the benefit of a better recent performance (2010 OPS: .745 vs. Hermida’s .619), but I’d take Hermida on his history and that he’s only 27, which should be approaching his physical peak. On the other hand, Lewis does have a running game, which Hermida essentially doesn’t, and I think we’d all like to see a late innings pinch runner who isn’t Bronson Arroyo. (No offense, Bronson, but we aren’t paying you that 13 million to run.)

In conclusion, if this entire post has seemed rather ambivalent, I suppose that’s because it is. Not that I’m not excited about what I think is going to be an excellent season for the Redlegs, I just don’t really care who it is we see for what I hope is a pretty limited role.