It took sixteen games, but David Eckstein finally got his first extra-base hit, an HR leading off the game today against Texas. Eckstein is walking a lot, but he's not getting hits. He was batting .204, but with an OBA of .343 entering today. The OBA's okay, but Eckstein should be hitting better than that.

A-Rod is up again. A-Rod's next HR will be his 300th. I bet he'll be the youngest to 300.

Update: Jon Miller just said that Foxx is the youngest to 300 until now, meaning to me that A-Rod will be the youngest. I'm checking with SABR.

Update: Dave Vincent at SABR sends the following information. Foxx is the youngest at 27 years, 328 days. A-Rod tonight is 27 years, 246 days. Barring injury, he'll destroy the record.

A-Rod, who would now like to be known as "The Rod," just hit a long one into the left field stands. Looks like the disc is okay for now.

Michael Young records the first HR of the season. The bottom of the order putting three hits together for a 4-2 Texas lead.

ChannelCincinnati.com has a very optimistic outlook for the Reds power game this year:

Don't look now, but the Cincinnati Reds could be among the power-hitting elite in 2003. Through Wednesday, the team had 33 homers in 24 spring training games, tied with the New York Mets for highest among NL squads this preseason.

Ken Griffey Jr. has Reds fans hopeful that he'll show the prowess he showed in the 1990s as a Seattle Mariner. His six home runs this spring have kept him among the Grapefruit League's top producers. And his three-homer effort in a game against Pittsburgh early this month showed he might be ready to reclaim his spot among baseball's most prolific sluggers.

Adam Dunn, preparing for his second full season after displaying great potential in a late season callup in 2001, reportedly is trying to simplify his swing after slumping for much of the second half of last year. Regardless of where he bats in the lineup, he could threaten to hit 40 homers this year.

Brandon Larson and Austin Kearns each have battled injuries this spring, but if they're healthy, each could hit 30 home runs.

The Reds were 4th in NL home runs last year, 31 behind the leader. The Reds centerfielders hit 25 HR last year. So if Griffey can get back into the 50's, he'll make up the difference all by himself. But to project Dunn to 40 and Kearn and Larson to 30 is probably a bit of wishful thinking. We shall see.