Season Ends....Remember When?

The Reds season ended last night on what was a picture perfect October day. Everything was beautiful, and downtown and Great American Ballpark was rocking with 44,599 fans. And the fans were into it. They did everything they could to urge Johnny Cueto to keep them in the game. They got behind the players. It was exactly the kind of atmosphere anyone could have asked for. But the offense never showed up.

The team that led the league in almost every offensive category disappeared for the final month and a half of the season. It was May and June when they surged, behind the hot bats of Scott Rolen and Jonny Gomes. But when they slumped, everyone else did. Good pitching got them through a terrific August, and they slept walked to the division title in September.

But despite the emergence of the offensive presence of Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs, the offense struggled. Why? Gomes didn't do that badly late in the year. Votto held up his end of the bargain.

The answer is Scott Rolen. After the All Star Break, he resembled more of the old, broken down third baseman he was in St. Louis than the MVP candidate he was in the first half of 2010 in Cincinnati. His bat slowed while his shoulders and back ached, and as if overnight, his power disappeared. From July 1st on, Rolen hit just 3 homers after knocking out 17 in the first 3 months.

Then the playoffs came. Joey Votto got nothing to hit, because the Phillies knew they could get Rolen out. And they did. Rolen went a miserable 1 for 11 with 8 strikeouts. And that's from the cleanup hitter. Throw in the fact that Votto was 1 for 10, and the Reds never had a chance.

They really didn't have a chance. 11 hits was all they could muster, which is a record low for the Divisional Series.

Remember when we said the offense would be there, and that the pitching had to hold up their end of the bargain? They did. It was the two things this team could rely on that let them down: offense and defense.


Nonetheless, what a season it has been for the Reds. I mean really, consider all of those amazing (both good and bad) moments over the course of the year:

Do you remember....

Drew Stubbs' grand slam on the first weekend of the year that beat the Cubs?

All of those wild last at bat wins in that first month plus of the year, including the 5 walk off homeruns over the whole year?

That the Reds actually started the season 7-11? How many thought they were dead in the water then?

Chris Heisey, Orlando Cabrera, and Ramon Hernandez teaming up to throw out Skip Schumaker at the plate to win the Civil Rights Game against St. Louis?

Bronson Arroyo tossing a complete game and driving in two runs as the Reds took first place from St. Louis in mid-May?

Beating Trevor Hoffman in the bottom of the 9th, where he could not even record an out?

Johnny Cueto's one hitter, followed by Homer Bailey's 90 pitch shutout?

Scoring just one run in three games in Seattle?

Bronson Arroyo's 5th career homer, a three run shot against the Dodgers?

Joey Votto's game tying three run homer off of Brad Lidge with two outs in the 9th inning against the Phillies?

The Reds rallying for 4 runs after being down 3-0 to Roy Halladay?

Travis Wood's near perfect game?

Being swept in Philadelphia before the All Star Break, including a pair of extra inning losses, along with two 1-0 losses?

Edinson Volquez's return to the majors?

Chris Heisey robbing the Braves of a homerun to keep the game tied?

Getting swept by St. Louis, and the brawl?

Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs' three homer games, each against the Cubs?

The 6-3 West Coast swing, including a dramatic game in San Francisco, where they blew a 9 run lead, and rallied back to win?

Aroldis Chapman's debut?

Travis Wood's homer off of Adam Wainwright?

Joey Votto's walk off homer on the night the Reds honored Pete Rose?

Jay Bruce's walk off to win the division?

The Reds' season is over. But the memories will last until March 31st, 2011. When a new season dawns, and the defending NL Central Champs will look to make another run at a Reds October.