Where are the fans?

I wonder where the Reds fans are.
Cincinnati has a first-place team, a bunch of young players who haven't realized they should be playing for their next contract, not for the love of the game (that'll change) and an empty stadium.
OK, not totally empty. But Tuesday's comeback win over Milwaukee was witnessed by around 17,600 fans. The ballpark was 41% full, but I suspect it was only around 20% full when the bottom of the ninth began with the Reds losing by a pair.
Capacity at GABP is listed at 42,059 and through 22 home games, the Reds are averaging 21,535. Only 7 teams are averaging fewer fans and I don't think any of those teams are in first place. In fact, all but 5 of the teams ahead of the Reds are in first place (duh).
I can't figure it out. I have made it pretty clear that I'm not a big Reds fan. But I have to admit, they are exciting to watch and so far have a knack for comebacks. That's cool. There should be larger crowds.
I don't buy the "small market" argument. More than 2.1 million people live in the Cincinnati metro area and throw in the Dayton area you have another 700,000 fans who live within an hour of the park.
I realize Tuesday was a day game but there's still plenty of people who could have gone to the game. And they have had only a handful of day games during the week. Except for the Diamond seats, prices are not outrageous.
Let's hope some fans start showing up while the Reds are still in first place because it won't last. Remember, Dusty Baker is their manager.

Is Hanley Ramirez the new Milton Bradley?
What in the world is the Florida Marlins ultra-talented shortstop thinking? He accidentally kicked a ball Monday then moved at a snail's pace to try to get to it. Ramirez blamed it on a nagging injury and said he tried his best.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't buy it and benched Ramirez Tuesday.
 Let the fun begin.
According to a story published by the Associated Press, Ramirez said: "That's OK. He doesn't understand that. He never played in the big leagues."
Quipped Gonzalez: "He's right, but I know how to play the game."
Someone needs to remind Ramirez. He is supposed to be the marquee player as the Fighting Fish get ready for a new stadium. Now they may be the In-fighting Fish.
Veteran Wes Helms was not happy with Ramirez and demanded an apology. Ramirez said he won't.
Most of the players are siding with the Skipper. No, not that Skipper. Gonzalez, the skipper of the Marlins. But now that I mention it, Ramirez is pretty much being a Gilligan right now.

Take a back seat LeBron
The whole world is talking about where LeBron James will end up (and here's hoping it's in Chicago WITHOUT John Calipari as his coach).
King James is being called the best player in the planet. Maybe he's the best player in the planet not named Kobe.
Yeah, I went there.
Kobe Bryant has 5 rings and is still playing in the NBA playoffs. LeBron is done for the year, again.
I'm almost 100% sure Bryant's 40-point outburst against Phoenix in the Western Conference finals opener was sparked, at least in part, to all the LeBron talk.
Good for Kobe. James will surely lead some NBA team to a title or two, but until he gets a few rings and single-handedly leads his team to big playoff wins (which he hasn't yet) LeBron is not even a top-15 all-time player yet.
Whose better? Michael, Kobe, Magic, Kareem, Russell, Larry Legend, Dr. J, The Big O, Wilt and Cousy. Then there's Pippen, West (Jerry, not Delonte), Duncan, Hakeem the Dream and Elgin, just to name a few.

Speaking of the NBA
The league needs to go back to the old way of conducting the draft lottery. Throw ping pong balls in the hopper and draw three teams. Those teams get the first 3 picks. The team with the worst record gets more balls than the rest, and on down the line so the team with the best record of non-playoff teams gets the fewest balls.
The way they do it now is more confusing than filing self-employment taxes. They draw 4 numbers, then match that 4-digit number up to the
team that was assigned that exact 4-digit number. Then they do that same thing again two more times.
The team with the worst record was assigned the most 4-digit codes, and so on and so on.
Huh?
Maybe it's just me but that seems like an awful lot of work.