Kuzul

This had the potential to be a much, much bigger series.

The fate of the entire universe was supposed to be decided this weekend, but given recent (shocking) events, the Reds find themselves eight games up, and the Cardinals are grasping at straws in the wild card chase.

St Louis recently completed a 2-8 stretch against the woeful Pirates, Nationals, and Astros, and the Reds have taken full advantage of that skid.  Coming off the successful 6-3 West Coast trip, they won five out of six against the Cubs and Brewers at home.

Tony LaRussa’s decision to align the rotation so that Carpenter/Wainwright/Garcia would pitch against the Reds looks bad in hindsight.  They could have used someone more efficient than Jeff Suppan in their series finale against the Astros.

Now, the Cardinals need a sweep. Their season may depend on it. If the Reds even so much as win a game, they would maintain a seven-game lead with less than 30 games to play.

Before we get too overconfident, lets look at the New York Mets as a recent example of a team who blew a huge division lead.  It can happen.  We have to continue to play Cincinnati Reds’ baseball, because nothing is guaranteed until the division title is clinched.

Additionally, as badly as the Cardinals have struggled, we all know how well they have fared against Cincinnati.  Following this weekend visit is a trip to Colorado.  Critics point out that this team doesn’t fare well against winning teams, so this is a chance to silence some of them.

Kick a team while they are down.  Don’t give them an ounce of daylight.  I feel that St. Louis still has a good squad, and all they need is a little momentum to get the ball rolling.  Carpenter and Wainwright have had a lot of success against the Reds, and have pitched in big spots.

Brandon Phillips had his choice comments a few weeks ago about the Cardinals.  I think it’s a bit over the top to suggest that they saw that, and THEN ramped up their efforts in sweeping that series. Athletes are pretty motivated people in general.

However, looking back, did they place all their eggs into that one basket?  Did they leave their heart and soul back at Great American Ballpark? 

Regardless of what’s transpired since then, it should be a fun weekend, and there is still a lot that the Reds need to prove.

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As a life long Cincinnati Reds fan, I’ve heard the stories; I know what this franchise has accomplished, what it stands for, and the deep impact it has left on the citizens of southern Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and scattered points unknown.

However, here’s the problem: as a 28-year old, many of those historical moments happened long before I was a gleam in my mother’s eye.  

That, or I was simply too young to really remember them, such as the 1990 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds.

Like other hardcore Reds fans, I know the names.

I can easily name off the starting lineup for the aforementioned 1990 team.

 However, I only have a basic awareness of their existential struggles, the day-to-day occurrences, and how they stood in comparison to the rest of their competition.

Besides, no amount of baseball back then was going to get in the way of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Fast forward 20 years to the current season. For us younger fans, this is our first real taste of what it’s like to follow a good baseball team.

Dreams of October, for once, aren’t limited to other teams and their respective fanbases.  

Barring a major collapse, in roughly a month from now, the wide screen of FOX will be on a chilly, packed, towel-waving Great American Ballpark crowd.

Maybe 10-20 years from now, people will remember Hernandez/Votto/Phillips/Cabrera/Rolen/Gomes/Stubbs/Bruce and be able to quickly fire off the lineup, just like that.

Maybe they will talk about Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto with the same reverence in which they discuss Jose Rijo and Tom Browning.

Can Miguel Cairo be the next Billy Hatcher, a.k.a. the “unsung hero?”

Who knows what the final legacy will be with this squad? 

However, I’m just thankful for what this season has been up to this point, and perhaps us younger generation fans have a Reds team of our own that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

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I compiled a list of guys who I feel really boosted their performance, or took a big step back in the month of August.  Guys not mentioned “held steady” as compared to their career norms/what they have done this year.

It’s a beautiful, yet frustrating game at the same time.  As soon as one guy puts it all together, someone else is batting their inner demons.  Ah, the joys of the 162, and we are all guilty of getting caught up in the highs and lows.

Want proof?  In May, many Reds fans were clamoring for Jonny Gomes to be an all-star, as he was arguably one of the most productive outfielders in the National League.  Conversely, others were recently calling for Jay Bruce to be sent down to the minors (a ridiculous notion, but I digress) or hoping for a platoon in right field.

Regardless, it was an outstanding month, as we were the best team in Major League Baseball in August.

Without further ado……

RISERS:

-OF Jay Bruce–Hit seven home runs this month after a severe power outage the prior two months.  He was cast into an unfamiliar spot at leadoff, and has produced in the absence of Brandon Phillips.  Granted, the sample size is small, but he’s shown great patience, has hit lefties for a change, and hit a rare opposite field blast. 

-C Ramon Hernandez–led the team with a .368 average during August as him and Ryan Hanigan make for a frighteningly productive catching tandem.  A bevy of clutch hits have come courtesy of Hernandez as well.

-SS Paul Janish–He’s cooled off a bit, as fatigue has set in from an extended run of starting time, but has stepped up big time in the absence of Orlando Cabrera.  Everyone knows about his fielding, but he has shown an ability to handle the bat as well.

-1B Joey Votto–He just keeps getting better and better as the season goes on.  If he’s not a National League MVP frontrunner, then I don’t know who is.  His huge RBI hit in San Francisco ensured them of an extremely successful west coast trip, one in which many people didn’t think they could handle.

-P Nick Masset–Has basically become unhittable.  A lot of us were screaming for his head on a platter early in the season.  He has shut everyone up, as he just goes out there and gets people out.

-P Francisco Cordero–Saves are no longer becoming an issue for big Frank.  He claims to have discovered a flaw in his mechanics, fixed it, and has started to hear that hefty $12 million salary of his

-Bronson Arroyo–In five August starts, compiled an excellent 2.97 ERA.  Critics claim we don’t have any aces to make an extended postseason run, but I’ll put Arroyo up against anyone.  

Fallers:

-3B Scott Rolen–Looked tired at times, though in Tuesday night’s game against the Brewers, showed signs of coming out of it.  I have no doubt he will have a fine September.

-P Mike Leake–Hit the wall, and has been shut down due to shoulder fatigue.  Early in the season, he was integral to the success of the team, but the brakes have wisely been applied to this kid, who has no reason to hang his head for what he’s done in 2010.

-OF Jonny Gomes–Slowly has started to emerge from his tailspin, but just when you want to praise him for his opposite field home run Tuesday night, you see the crap he pulls out in the field.  He’s probably the weakest link in the starting lineup, but at the very least, is capable of jacking it out of the yard each and every time up.

-P Edinson Volquez–It’s not working out for Volquez.  Coming back from Tommy John surgery is a process, and we were badly fooled by what he did in his first start against Colorado. Right now, he has no command, and has been sent down to Louisville.

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I have two words for a series like this: “Trap series.”

Be careful. Be very, very careful. Wear a hazmat suit and safety goggles in a situation like this one.

Why do I say this? Look at the rest of the Reds’ division, as an example. This week alone, the Pirates captured a series from the Cardinals, and the Astros are on the verge of sweeping a four game series from the Phillies.

Even a few short weeks ago, the Cubs went into St. Louis and came away as the winners of two out of three.

There is no secret as to why this happens. Teams struggle, and the axe starts to fall. It could be the manager, or it could be players getting dealt away. Everyone becomes accountable, and jobs are on the line for next season. Not to mention, some guys still have incentives in their contracts to reach.

The Cubs are a prime example of this. Lou Pinella is gone. Derrek Lee has been dealt. They are trying to figure out which direction to go. At this point, it’s just guys out there playing baseball, free of pressure from division races, but eager to maintain their own individual status and keep making those major league dollars.

The 2009 Reds were a team with nothing to play for in the last six weeks of the season, but strapped it up and built a lot of positive momentum that has carried over this season. What you do in the final stanza of a lost season isn’t meaningless by any stretch of the imagination.

A lot of the remaining schedule is against sub .500 teams.  Being in a close division race, how the Reds fend off the spoiler teams will play a large role how things shape up in the end.

While I’m on this theme, lets hope the Nationals are out there “just playing baseball” against the Cardinals this weekend.

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The Reds are starting to receive some nationwide recognition for the first time in years, but with that comes scrutiny as well.

Simply put, some people on a national level don’t believe that what they are seeing is legit.  Some of the criticism is founded, and some not so much.

A lot of what I hear is people just simply hitting the “high points.”  Stats can be found everywhere, but they don’t tell the whole story.

Chances are, a lot of people still don’t know this team, and I will try to provide some valid reasons as to why the criticisms are not entirely correct.

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I love this guy.

To me, he is the definition of a true “gamer.”  No true role has been defined for him.  He plays all over the outfield, is asked to do a variety of things, and never receives consistent playing time.

No complaining, either.  Probably a tough deal for a young guy used to playing everyday in the minors.

Instead, he just plays baseball and in the bit he has played, has put together a fine year.

The recent acquisition of Jim Edmonds complicates things, in terms of divvying up playing time.  For those keeping track at home, outfielders on the ballclub include the aforementioned Edmonds, Jonny Gomes, Laynce Nix, Drew Stubbs, Jay Bruce, and Heisey.

Bruce seems to be emerging from a long slump, his .298 average this month an indicator of that.  When he plays well and catches fire, the whole ballclub is that much better, so he looks to be a lock for the majority of time at right field the rest of the year.

Shifting over to center, Stubbs, who earlier looked to be a likely candidate to be benched, has stepped it up as well.  His speed and pop, when he’s going right, are crucial elements for this ballclub.

Left field is where it gets bad.  Jonny Gomes has completely lost it, and it’s not even just his approach at the plate.  He looks lost and distracted in the field as well.  And this is a guy who certainly cannot afford any sort of slippage in the outfield to begin with.

The argument that Gomes should start against lefties should go out the window.  He doesn’t hit them anymore either.  I’m sorry, but Chris Heisey should get the majority of the playing time from here on out in left field.

With games currently being as important as they are right now, you have to go with your strengths.  Heisey is a better, more well rounded player than Gomes.  Can’t worry about hurting egos.

It just seems like whenever Heisey steps on a baseball field, good things happen for the Reds.  His suicide squeeze last night against Arizona really showed what this ballclub was all about.  Get ’em on, get ’em over, and get ’em in.  No matter what it takes.

Regardless of what the Reds decide to do with Heisey, I think he will be a valuable contributor down the stretch.

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And so it begins.

The Dreaded West Coast Trip (yeah, that deserved all caps) is upon us.

After yesterday afternoon’s finale against the Marlins, the Reds packed up the WV bus, and began their cross-country jaunt.

Whether Dusty Baker (he’s the manager, so he’ll be driving, duh!) has a preference for I-70, I-40, or route 66, I can’t speak of that.

The conclusion of the classic, American cross country trip, in my mind, must always end end with the glorious ocean that is the Pacific. After all, it’s where Forrest Gump ran all the way to.

On the path to California will be their first stop, Phoenix, Arizona.  No Grand Canyon visit is scheduled, though. More important matters must be tended to.

Granted, Chase Field in Phoenix is canyon-like, with its sheer size and all.

Against a weak Diamondbacks team, one would hope that the Reds take two out of three. It would behoove them to keep the momentum rolling into Dodger Stadium, a place that is very tough for them.

The West Coast visit concludes with a visit to San Francisco to take on a good Giants team with their array of great pitching arms. They have also added offense in recent weeks, most notably former Royals OF Jose Guillen last week.

In that same time span, the Cardinals will be facing a weak Brewers team for a quick two game series, host the same Giants team, and travel to Pittsburgh to face the lowly Pirates.

Needless to say, it looks like the Giants will play a fairly significant role in how the National League race shapes up as in a matter of weeks, the calendar turns to September.

Reds fans know what happened in 2006. It’s the same scenario all over again. That trip ruined their season. The bus broke down a few times, some of their luggage was stolen, and there were bed bugs in the hotel bed sheets, essentially.

However, I believe that this Reds team is a more mature, fit unit to deal with this pressure. The majority of this squad wasn’t around back then. Meaning, they don’t care about past failures. No psychological baggage for them.

At the bare minimum, I think a 5-4 trip would be considered a success. That way, they could fondly look back on their California road trip.

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Much has been written and said pertaining to the events at Great American Ballpark this week.  A two game Reds lead has now turned into a one game deficit.

Additionally, the national media is starting to pile on them as well.  In light of recent events, Brandon Phillips, in particular, is looking like the kind of player who goes out and talks a big game, but can’t back it up with his play.

Okay, enough is enough.  I highly suspect that as trained professionals, some of which have been at this for a long time, the team has moved on.

Scott Rolen knows it’s a marathon, as does Jim Edmonds, Bronson Arroyo, and Arthur Rhodes.  

You know what?  Bad stuff happens sometimes.  Adversity pops up.  You fall on your face sometimes, and endure losing streaks.

I have watched this Reds team all year.  The fundamentals of the game have been performed to a high degree by this unit.  I don’t believe for a second that in the span of three days, the team has forgotten how to pitch, hit, field the ball, and run the basepaths.

St. Louis isn’t the main concern.  I highly suspect that the Wild Card will come from a division outside of the National League central, so if the Reds finish behind them by only a game or two, then we can look back at the head-to-head play.

The bigger concern is dealing with our upcoming travels out west.  There are five cities in the pacific time zone we have yet to visit, whereas the majority of the games vs. the Cardinals have already happened.  What’s done is done.

I just don’t look too much into what happens in individual series, and make declarations as to how the rest of the season will turn out.  St Louis intentionally set up their rotation so that their aces would be going in this series.

I don’t think that many teams will emerge from a series successful after facing Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and Jamie Garcia.

I’m still hopeful, and though I’m very disappointed by recent events, it’s refreshing to have meaningful baseball in August.

I’m sure the four teams below Cincinnati in the National League Central would love to trade places.

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We all remember the horror show that was Jimmy Haynes, the maddening inconsistencies of Kyle Lohse, and the general awfulness of Eric Milton.

Looking at what this franchise has now, that seems like a long-ago era.

Quality arm after quality arm is being pumped out by this organization, to the point where Homer Bailey and Aaron Harang may not have starting rotation jobs for the rest of the season.

Remember, Aaron Harang used to be our ace, and though he’s not what he once was, he’s still an adequate pitcher that is capable of being a No. 3 starter for many teams.  Just not this one.

As for Homer Bailey, he’s 24 with a great arm.  Sorry, Mr. Bailey, but you gotta wait your turn.

Too much pitching?  Well, that’s like complaining about too much food to choose from at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

As of right now, the rotation is led by the experienced and savvy Bronson Arroyo.  He never gets hurt, and never gets tired.  He will have a disaster outing from time to time, but you pretty much know exactly what you will get out of this vet, who has seen it all.

Behind him, Johnny Cueto is putting together a banner year.  We saw the potential in 2008, grew impatient as he went through the struggles that young pitchers do, and are now reaping the benefits.

Rookies Travis Wood and Mike Leake have also been key elements to this staff.  Leake is falling off a bit, and may end up being the most likely candidate to be replaced.  In terms of innings and workload, he’s entering an area in which he’s never been.

Remember, he’s had zero minor league experience.  A straight jump to the pros from college.

Unlike Leake, the book isn’t out on Wood yet.  He’s yet to face the same team twice.

He seems to be a guy who never gets rattled.  A country boy from Arkansas, he approaches the game with a workmanlike effort.  No messing around.

Then, there is Edinson Volquez.  This guy is a real “wild card.”  I have no doubt he will be a future player in this rotation, but there are times when it has appeared that maybe 2010 isn’t the year for that. 

Great against Colorado, and has struggled a bit since then.

Remember, he’s coming off Tommy John surgery.  It may take him some time to come around.

Still, any time he takes the ball, he is capable of doing what he did against Colorado.

So, there you have it: Arroyo, Cueto, Leake, Wood, and Volquez.

Arroyo and Cueto appear to be set.  Should the Reds make the playoffs, those are the guys I want in the first two games. 

Should the others falter, the aforementioned Bailey and Harang can step in.  Additionally, guys like Sam LeClure and Matt Maloney are solid pitchers who have done good work in limited spots this year.  Don’t forget about them.

Oh yeah, and there’s also some guy named Aroldis Chapman.  Perhaps you have heard of him.

He looks about ready to go, and while he may not figure in the rotation plans for 2010, no hitter can like the idea of trying to hit a guy that can throw it 103 mph. 

This organization has not only done an outstanding job of fielding a rotation capable of winning a division this season, but the work of Walt Jocketty, and those behind the scenes, had the foresight to build for the future, as well.

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As we approach the stretch run, in what has been a banner 2010 season thus far, much has been made of the struggles of Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce, and how their trials and tribulations may affect the Reds chase for the postseason.

Oh, if I had a dollar for every Stubbs strikeout, or every time Bruce was badly fooled by offspeed stuff…

Seemingly lost in these struggles is the third man in that outfield, Jonny Gomes.  Because his at bats are frighteningly quick, we are not given much time to psychoanalyze him.

A few months ago, Gomes was arguably one of the most productive outfielders in the National League.  

He has fallen off since, and heading into Wednesday, sits at .268, with 13 home runs and 65 RBI’s. A .227 average post-all star break has knocked that average down from the .300 mark he was at.

Anyone who watches the Reds on a regular basis knows Gomes is all about.  

Patience isn’t one of his virtues. He is very aggressive at the plate, often hacking away very early in the count. That’s good if he manages to get a hold of something, but the majority of his at-bats lately have ended in pop-ups or strikeouts.

Additionally, Gomes is no maestro of the glove. I can think of numerous times this season where ill-advised decisions on his part have hurt the Reds.

It pains me a little bit to write this, as I think Gomes is one of the most likable guys on this team.  

Fact is, a few years ago, his baseball career was on serious life support.  Kudos to him for picking up the pieces. He put together a nice year last season, and got off to a good start this year.

Additionally, his mohawk and theatrics when up to bat have been major hits with the fans. 

It was a stoic, serious clubhouse when Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn were in charge. With guys like Gomes, everyone has loosened up a little bit. That has certainly played a role in what the Reds have managed to do.

However, I believe the time has come to platoon Gomes with Chris Dickerson, who has been tearing it up in the minors. Gomes may pick it back up, but with the Reds in such a tight race, that’s a chance they can’t take.

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