Reds 9, Astros 5, big win?

Someone asked David Weathers whether Thursday's 9-5 win over the Houston Astros could have a lasting effect, a sort of carryover to build confidence.

"You hope," he said.

That's all they can really do. If they go on the coast and get beat around, Thursday's win will be forgotten before sun-up Saturday. If they play well, hope stays alive.

We shall see. I talked with Wayne Krivsky about Jerry Narron, and I talked with Bob Castellini about Narron and Krivsky. No shakeup is coming. The players they've got right now are going to determine the fate of this season.

Are they good enough to turn it around? We'll know by May 21 is my guess. That's the day they return from the monster, nine-game, 10-day, L.A., San Diego, Cleveland road trip to play our old friend, Jim Bowden's Washington Nationals.

My man, Kevin Kelly, is doing the first two legs of trip. Why go to L.A. and San Diego when Cleveland beckons? He has the keys to the blog. I'll check in from time to time.