This and that

• This and that is a little on the lean side today because I was working on my thesis, which is posted on OMGReds.com. Not much else going on with the Reds today, aside from the next bullet.

• Juan Francisco has 9 home runs for Cibao, a new Dominican Winter League record for a lefthanded batter. The previous record for HR by a LH batter in the DWL was 8, established by Rafael Batista in 1974 and tied by Batista in 1975.

• This story from the San Francisco Examiner about the price of Giants' tickets is crazy. In an experiment the team says may forever change the way its fans buy their tickets, some ticket prices will be jacked up next season on the day of a blockbuster game, and dropped in the lead-up to a lackluster game.

In other words, the price of a ticket could increase $2-$3 when Tim Lincecum is pitching.

Normally, this would be the non-local link of interest ... but I have a feeling that this is something all MLB teams - including the Reds - will explore.

• No Bengals named to the Pro Bowl, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh was named a second alternate. He responded by saying, "That's OK. I'll go next year. I'll go next year wherever I am." Nice and subtle.

• Watch out, UC: Virginia Tech's curfew during a six-night stay in south Florida will be midnight. "We're not going to be there to get drunk and party, we're going to win the Orange Bowl," senior defensive end Orion Martin said.

• Former UC Bearcat Kenyon Martin is talking about his new lips tattoo on yahoo.com.

• Non-local link of interest: Not sports related either. I just found it fascinating that this guy is making a legitimate attempt to pay a traffic ticket with rolls of pennies and they refused to accept them.