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Unless you’ve forgotten to pay the electric bill, by now you have seen the Jay Bruce monster shot that gave the Cincinnati Reds their first division title in 15 years.

But just who are these guys that some team’s fans will watch for at least three games?

I am an expert when it comes to this team.

This season, I have lived vicariously through all of them, I’ve tried to call them, I send them gifts, I’ve stalked, and currently I wear an ankle bracelet.

So if you’re interested in reading the greatest scouting report ever, follow your old buddy Illya on over to the next slide and let’s take a look-see at the lineup the Reds will use in their first playoff game.

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Jay Bruce and Joey Votto are not yet household names among baseball fans. Soon, they will be.

In about a week’s time the Cincinnati Reds will be playing in the National League playoffs for the first time in 15 years as the 2010 NL Central Division champions.

The Reds have endured some of the worst seasons the franchise has ever seen the last 15 years. All the hardship was washed away last night as the Reds clubhouse was soaked with champagne for the first time in the history of the Great American Ball Park.

The method for the Reds’ success was a patient approach to building a winner.

Cincinnati’s great start to the season was not taken seriously. They couldn’t last the whole season—not a young and inexperienced team. However, not only did they play a full season of winning baseball, the reigning NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals were the team that collapsed amidst their own high expectations for 2010. 

The engine driving the Reds is their first baseman, Joey Votto. Votto, the leading MVP candidate among experts, means more to the Reds than any other player in the National League. Joey is having a monster season, batting .325 with 37 HR and 111 RBI, ranking in the top three in the NL for each category.

Votto is just one of the many talented young players the Reds have received major contributions from this season.

Jay Bruce, last night’s hero with a walk-off home run vs. Houston, has had his struggles in 2010. Dubbed a surefire All-Star by baseball scouts, Bruce has had a very inconsistent MLB career since an impressive debut last season.

The Reds’ patience in Bruce is not just good for the franchise, but also sends a message letting players know they’ll get their shot, a welcoming thing for drafted players and free agents.

The majority of Cincinnati’s best players under 30-years-old, including a quartet of quality pitchers: Johnny Cueto (24), Aroldis Chapman (22), Homer Bailey (24), and Edinson Volquez (27).

The youth of the Reds will keep them a contender for many years to come, but they are not lacking experience, a flaw many in the mainstream media think will be their downfall come October.

Cincinnati has been brilliantly directed by veteran manager Dusty Baker, who last night became the ninth manager to lead three different teams to the playoffs (Giants and Cubs, previously).

On the field, former World Series champions Orlando Cabrera and Scott Rolen will provide the leadership and knowledge to guide the young players through the postseason.

Cabrera’s story is unique, as he helped end 86 years of baseball torment for Boston in 2004, while Rolen, after failures in Philadelphia, finally helped the St. Louis to glory in 2006.

Sports is not a patient business, and with an economic recession, teams are pressured to make risky moves now.

The Reds have showed us taking a patient approach to developing talent, building team character, and mixing youngsters with veterans is a great recipe for success.

This plan will not only help the Cincinnati Reds’ 2010 campaign but will also give them many, many years of championship-level baseball.

Are the Reds baseball’s new dynasty in the making?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Congratulations to the Cincinnati Reds for winning the National League Central and advancing to the postseason for the first time since 1995.

The Reds are one of baseball’s young, up-and-coming teams with tons of future superstars in Joey Votto and Aroldis Chapman.

They have excellent veteran leaders in Scott Rolen, Orlando Cabrera, and Brandon Phillips.  Cincinnati’s manager is also one of the game’s best in Dusty Baker.

This team should be a contender to dethrone the Phillies as National League champions in 2010.

Unfortunately, the Reds starting pitching will be their demise.

The Reds do not have a number one pitcher to rely on once the postseason begins next week. Who are they going to throw out there, Bronson Arroyo? He would not be the best pitcher to send out onto the field in an elimination game.

The Reds rotation also remains a question mark even though their starting pitching has tons of depth.  Which Johnny Cueto will show up? Is Edison Volquez back to full strength?

Seriously, this team can not send out Homer Bailey to start a playoff game.

This team will be in major trouble if they have to face the Phillies or the Giants in the NLDS. 

The Phillies are going to send Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt to the mound in their first three games. The Giants have Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez ready to pitch come next week.

Who are the Reds going to send to the mound for games one through three? An average Arroyo, an inconsistent Cueto, and an unhealthy Volquez is not a recipe for postseason success.

Cincinnati’s offense is one of the best in MLB.  They are currently first in the National League in runs (768), home runs (181), and batting average (.271).

Unfortunately, just a good offense is not going to carry a team to a title. Ask the 2007 Phillies or the 1997 Indians if you want proof.

Starting pitching gets the job done in the postseason and the Cincinnati Reds do not have it this season.

Enjoy the postseason Reds’ fans.  Your team may be eliminated before you know it.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Major League Baseball’s regular season is about to end, and the postseason is about to begin. BetPhoenix has the latest odds for the MLB playoffs, and the odds of each team to win the World Series. Once the playoffs begin, any team can make a run for the World Championship.

Here is a look at the teams in the National League, and their chances to win a World Series.

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The 2010 Major League Baseball season is winding down. Here is who should win the major awards for each league and who will actually win the awards.

For each league, I’ll examine the Most Valuable Player awards, Cy Young awards, Rookie of the Year awards, Silver Sluggers, and Gold Gloves.

Also included is the fringe players who should also be considered for the awards.

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There are now less than 10 games left in the marathon that is the Major League Baseball season. There were many lessons taught this year: One of which is that 2010 was the year of the pitcher, with so many pitchers throwing absolute gems.

We learned that even though its been three years, somebody can reach the 50 home run mark again (even though Jose Bautista only had 59 total HR for his career. Suspicious? Kind of. I like to give him the benefit of the doubt though).

I personally learned that every year I keep telling myself that this fantasy baseball year will be more fun, and every year its just as boring/frustrating as ever.

What we didn’t learn however is who will be this years National League MVP? It’s been a while since an MVP race has been so close. Usually, it’s only between two, or at the max three people who have a legitimate shot at wining the title. This year it seems that nobody wanted to take control and pull away, so five players can now win it. The real question now is: Who wants it more? Let’s take a look at the five trying to take home the MVP award.

Albert Pujols:

Why he will win: Always an MVP contender, this year is no different. He leads the NL in home runs with 41 and is second in RBI with 112, not to mention he is hitting .310. If he ends up leading in two of the three NL triple crown statistics, won’t it be hard NOT to give him the award?

Why he won’t win: Well, as good as his .310 batting average is, his career is mark is .331, so he isn’t living up to his machine-like expectations. Also, the Cardinals faded big time down the stretch even though they are gifted with Pujols, Holiday, Wainwright, and Carpenter. With the Cards struggling and Pujols always winning the award, the voters might take into consideration and hold it against him.

Carlos Gonzalez:

Why he will win: A few weeks ago, I would have said CarGo was a lock for the MVP award. Then, his teammate, TULO, started going ballistic with the bat. However, CarGo has the best numbers in the NL hands down. He is hitting .342 which is first, has 34 HR’s, and leads the NL with 113 RBI. So, as of right now he leads in two of the three triple crown numbers. Did I also mention that he has 25 stolen bases and is two triples shy of completing the quadruple double? (Quadruple double: 10+ HR, 10+2B, 10+3B and 10+SB; only Shane Victorino has that in the NL right now.)

Why he won’t win: The four game losing streak the Rockies just experienced, making their run to the playoffs that much more unlikely, certainly did not help. Also not helping CarGo’s cause is Tulo. Tulowitzki is getting so much attention for his September hot streak that it is taking away from CarGo’s amazing year. The last negative you can see is that CarGo’s home stats are so much more gaudy than his away stats, also known as the benefits of playing at Coors Field.

Troy Tulowitzki:

Why he will win: TULOOO is on a Ruthian like tear in September, hitting home run after home run. He and Carlos carried their team to a long win streak in September, which put the Rockies right back in the race for the Wild Card and pennant. While his numbers don’t equal the others, because of his injuries, it really is his late surge that has everyone talking. If he can bash another five home runs in these last nine games and help Colorado make the playoffs, you could be looking at the new MVP.

Why he won’t win: Just like with CarGo and Pujols, his team not making the playoffs is really going to hurt. Also, like I mentioned, he does not have the yearly numbers the other candidates have because of his injuries. Two other questions to think about: how much will CarGo and Tulo steal each others votes, thus hurting the others cause, and how much does playing at Coors Field inflate their numbers?

Joey Votto:

Why he will win: At one time he was the runaway favorite to win this award, especially when everyone thought he could win the triple crown. While he doesn’t lead in any, he is in the top three in all the categories. The other aspect really helping Votto out, is that he led his team into winning the division, even though they might not have the most talent. Votto is hitting .323 with 35 HR’s and 106 RBI. That with the remaining nine games to add on, equals an MVP-like year for me and has my vote.

Why he won’t win: His numbers aren’t as good as Pujols and CarGo, and he has had a relatively bland September unlike Tulo. Either Pujols or CarGo, will win two of the three triple crown stats, with RBI being up for grabs. There should be an asterisk here because Howard would have easily won the RBI race if he didn’t get hurt for those 2 1/2 weeks. Can Votto win the award if CarGo or Pujols have two of the three triple crown requirements under their belt?

Roy Halladay

Why he will win: He is in the dark horse in this race. With the Cardinals fading, the Rockies looking like non-playoff contenders, and Votto having a weak September, Roy has stepped into the picture. He, most likely will win the Cy Young. He is the leader of the Phillies, who are the best team in the NL, and while all the Phillies have been hurt this year or struggled from time to time, Roy has been the rock who has held steady. He’s the leader in the NL in Wins, CG, SO, IP, K’s, and is third in ERA. Not to mention his K’s to BB ratio is by far the best. Oh yeah, he also threw a perfect game this year. Roy only has two maybe three starts left, so he has to be outstanding in those starts to prove it.

Why he won’t win: It’s rare for a pitcher to win an MVP. I’m a big proponent to pitchers only winning Cy Young’s because that is basically their MVP award and leave the MVP for the everyday players. Can a pitcher who only plays 38 games total really win the Most Valuable Player award over players who played 150+?

If the players can’t decide who wants the MVP more, then it is up to you (Actually it’s up to the sports writers).

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2010 Major League Baseball season is quickly winding down to the final 10-plus games, and the race for postseason play—and postseason awards—is in full swing.

And with those final two weeks of races coming down to the wire, it’s time to take a quick look at the 10 biggest contenders for one of baseball’s most prestigious awards: Most Valuable Player.

So, from the likes of Cincinnati’s Joey Votto to Texas’ Josh Hamilton, who are the 10 players with the highest probability of bringing home the 2010 MVP hardware?

Let’s begin…

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Joey Votto, nor any of the Cincinnati Reds, needed a hit to cut their magic number to seven on Monday afternoon as the St. Louis Cardinals were shut out by the Florida Marlins in a make-up game played due to an early August rain-out.

Lucky seven.

Quick definition of the magic number: Any combination of Reds wins or Cardinals losses. For example, if the Reds win on Monday night in Milwaukee the number drops to six. If they lose, it remains at seven.

Either way, if one is looking for some longshot odds—take the Cards as the NL Central champs.

As mentioned earlier the Reds start a three-game set in Milwaukee on Monday night. After an off day, they play three in San Diego. After another off day, they come back home for three against Houston and a regular season-ending series, again vs. the Brewers.

Thus far this season, the Reds have a combined record of 22-6 against the aforementioned clubs.

Contrary to the Reds rest and favorable record against the opposition, the Cards, who have not had an off day since Sept. 2 and will not have that luxury for the remainder of the regular season.

In large part due to Monday’s make-up game, St. Louis will have played a nearly unprecedented 31 games in a row to finish the season.

That’s a lot of jet setting with minimal rest. Making matters worse on Tony La Russa’s team, they have a combined record of 16-17 against the teams they will face in their final 13 games.

The Reds are winners of only five of their last 15 ballgames. Still though, thanks in large part to Mother Nature’s cruelty and the Cardinals schedule, they are primed for their first divisional championship since 1995 when they were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series.

Unlike the American League, where it does not take an MIT mathematician to get a general idea of who will be playing where and against which teams, the National League is a jumbled mess.

In the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies are easily the hottest in all of baseball. Starting Monday night, they go against the second-place (and wild card hopeful) Atlanta Braves.

They also play the Braves in their final season series. Not a good time to be playing the Phils.

The Reds have all but won the Central. It would take a Reds collapse of Roman Empire proportions combined with a Cardinals streak of Robert Opel proportions for the Reds to lose.

The NL West is either belongs to the Giants, Padres, or Rockies.

The NL Wild Card probably will not be decided until the final weekend of the the regular season. And the post-season schedule can not be determined until then.

It’s ironic that the coldest contender has pretty definitely clinched their division.

Can the Reds win it all? Of course they can.

All it takes a party invite and three series wins to be crowned World Champions.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Starting in Feburary, when spring training begins, MLB experts and fans begin their preseason predictions by selecting Division, MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year winners.

But there are many twists and turns during an MLB season.

Most of the time these predictions go sour (unless you’re me who correctly predicted all four AL playoff teams and at least two NL playoff teams—once in a while a person gets lucky with these things). 

With just over a week remaining in the season, here are five storylines MLB experts and fans didn’t see coming.

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The 2010 MLB season has been the year of the pitcher. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been plenty of elite performances on offense.
 
Home run totals may be down across the board, but there have been plenty of players that have a legitimate argument for MVP.
 
The list is very exclusive—all of these players should receive at least a few MVP votes. Some of these players have carried their respective mediocre team for the majority of the season. Others are leading the way into the postseason.

In no particular order…the top sluggers in 2010.

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