Groundhog Day

You want to write my blog for me? Seriously? If you do, just give me a call, text, email, whatever. I'd be happy to let anyone take over this thing for me for awhile. It used to be fun writing about the Reds, ya know? Just like it was fun going to the games. Now...it's almost like a burden writing and watching games. I know, I know - stop doing both, right? Yea, like I, Cris Freese, will really stop writing about the Reds. Or stop going to the games, and stop watching them completely. By the way, if you don't want to read a rant, you might want to close out of this window right now. If so, I thank you for your page view.

Round trippers have become few and far between for Votto.
The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger

I feel like I'm Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. I'm reliving the same day over and over with these Reds. We all are. Granted, it's not a loss every single night. No, the Reds are not the Seattle Mariners (wow, I cannot believe they have lost 17 in a row!! Just think about that). But the mediocrity is simply mind-boggling. Seriously, take a look at what they've done since sweeping the Dodgers in LA on Jun 15: 2L, W, 2L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W, 2L, W, 2L, W, 2L, W, L, W, L, W, 2L, W, L, 2W, 2L. Last night was a microcosm of everything that is wrong with this team. In my mind, it was also the lowest point of the season. The offense left guys on base. The starting and relief pitching was too inconsistent. The defense made mental lapses in the field, leading to errors and runs. Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, and Joey Votto (other than his two run homer) largely failed to come through. Seriously, Votto hit 19 homers to left and left-center last year, including 8 at Great American. He's got 4 this year, and just one at Great American. He isn't the same player as last year. And those three as a whole have hit .219 with 2 homers and 11 driven in since the break. There is no life on the team. No energy. No hustle. No passion. Dare I say that this team doesn't care? No, I take that back. I believe they think this thing is just going to be handed to them. Breaking news: no one else in this division cares that you won the division in 2010! You have to prove yourself all over again. The hardest part of winning isn't doing it once. It's doing it twice. Ask the Bengals. Hell, the Reds just have to look at themselves. It took them a month+ to just win back to back games.

Doesn't this picture look awfully familiar? Think October 2010.
The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger

Maybe my Groundhog Day reference is a little off. I mean, like I said, the Reds don't lose the same way every day. And they don't lose every day. So let's call it...Groundhog Week? Whatever it is, it's the same crappy malaise from this team. At this point, I wish Cincinnati would either catch fire and make things interesting, or just collapse so I can stop watching. But don't keep me sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting. In a year where the Reds were supposed to take off and assert themselves as a top flight team, they've never even got off the runway. It's been back and forth all season. But it's easier to talk about the beginning of the second half. They take two of three from St. Louis, including a dramatic walk off by BP and an ace-like performance by Homer Bailey. There was hustle and energy in that series. Joey Votto advanced a base on a pop up behind home plate. Zack Cozart advanced to second on a fly ball to right field. They took a base right in the face of the Cardinals' defense. Then they go to Pittsburgh and lose the first two games a total of 3-0 on a pair of groundballs and a sacrifice fly. And now this home series has left me shaking my head at Dusty Baker. In four out of the five games, he left his starter in too long. He asked Bronson Arroyo to go back out in the 7th inning on Friday when they had just taken a 4-3 lead; he coughed up a homer to tie the game. He sent Dontrelle back out for the 7th inning on Sunday, and he coughed up a one run lead. Now, I know both of those guys were well under 100 pitches, but both had begun to struggle a little. Plus, you had a slim lead. Don't let your pitcher get in a position to lose the game. On Monday, he asked Leake to go back out in the 7th when he had given him 6 shutout innings. He was over 100 pitches, and he, Bray, and Ondrusek gave up the 1-0 lead. Then, last night, after getting a 5-4 lead, Dusty asked Cueto, who had struggled because of bad defense, to go back out there. A few batters later, the lead was gone. The Reds lost 3 of those 4 games that Dusty sent the pitcher back out. Every time you get a little hope in this team, they squash it back down. But whenever they do a little good and get some momentum, it unravels a few days later.

Barry returned to Cincinnati with ESPN on Sunday.
The Enquirer/Nick Hurm

Even with the inconsistencies, the Reds won the series against the Atlanta Braves. Then, they turned around and have lost the first two to the New York Mets. All of the games have been winnable, but different things have done them in. Poor pitching, lack of clutch hits, bad defense, and poor management decisions. I thought the Stubbs walk off homer on Sunday night on ESPN in front of a national audience was the turning point. Did you see all those people that stuck around after the game behind the desk? Wow, it looked electric down there. I thought the Reds were poised to take off. After all, their two best pitchers were going the next two days. And Mike Leake and Johnny Cueto both gave the Reds good outings. Cueto, despite giving up 6 runs, did not give up an earned run. Cincy could have won both games. Instead, they lost both. Last year, the Reds pulled wins out of losses all year long. This year, they've turned wins into losses. Where's the urgency? There's 59 games left in this season. At 50-53 and 5 games back, do you think the Reds are going to put it together? They haven't in 103 games. Why can they do it now. After starting 25-17, Cincinnati is 25-36. They are 11 under in their last 61 games. If there has been no indication this team can come together over the last 61 games, then why would we think they can come together for the last 59?

Jonny had a good run here.
The Enquirer/ Ernest Coleman

Last night, the club dealt the poster child for their division winning team from last year: Jonny Gomes. He was energetic, came up with big hits, played with a chip on his shoulder, and mostly played above his head all year. This year, Jonny came plummeting back to earth. He was second on the team in RBIs last year. This year he was the focus of the Reds' frustration. He didn't hit much or field all that well this year. Personally, I think that first few weeks messed him up. Remember all of the homers he was hitting? And all of the walks he was drawing? He was being patient and looking for a pitch to pull. Last year, he was aggressive, looking to swing early and drive the ball to right field. Why did he go away from what worked? Now, I wish Gomes all of the best. I hope he does well in Washington, and wherever else he may find himself in baseball. He's a good man. A class act. He just never was consistent enough to play every day. The Reds caught lightning in a bottle with him. Unfortunately for them, that type of thing rarely lasts. Gomes had this to say about his time here, "What an opportunity to play in such a baseball-rich community. You don't take anything for granted in 2008 at the end of that season, I was kind of left in the weeds. Walt Jocketty and Dusty Baker gave me the opportunity. Came over here -- started out of in Louisville -- and had a great run....I'm bitter about leaving. I love these guys. I love where this team is at. I love where it's about to go. But as you see it's a business." Good luck Jonny. Thanks for the memories. The following are some special moments of Gomes in Cincy: 8/13/09, 4/8/10, 5/8/10, 5/17/10, 6/1/10, 6/12/10, 6/15/11.

Whether he's the answer or not, Yonder
Alonso can flat out hit.
The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger

Now, what does this move mean? It means Yonder Alonso is going to play left field with Chris Heisey for the remainder of the season. Yes, I believe it means that the Reds are not going to acquire a big bat for left field. I won't rule out the possibility of getting a top flight pitcher. I think that could still happen. But Jocketty clearly believes some of the offensive solutions can come from inside the organization. I also think that means we could see Ramon Hernandez dealt to the San Francisco Giants in the coming days, with Devin Mesoraco coming up to catch. My gut feeling is Jocketty will not make a big move. He'll stand pat and bring up some kids to try to energize this team. Why? Because when you have a sinking ship with multiple holes and only so many plugs, you can't really stop the sinking ship. Fix the starting pitching? Well what about the lack of clutch hits? Fix the offense? Then what about the rotation and the up and down bullpen? And none of that can fix the mental lapses of this team. The only way this team gets going is if they figure it out themselves. Now, like I said, I won't rule out a pitcher. I think James Shields of Tampa would fit nicely here. And it gives them an ace to pair with Cueto for the next two years. Kind of like the Scott Rolen deal from a few years ago. Don't be surprised if that happens. But don't be surprised if nothing happens, either.

So how does the rest of this year shake out? In my mind, this is the Brewers' division to lose. St. Louis will collapse, as they do every year. Lance Berkman will slump in the heat, and he has already begun to develop a shoulder injury here of late. The rotation, with Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook will falter, while Jaime Garcia becomes fatigued with the workload. Today, they traded Colby Rasmus and relievers PJ Walters and Trever Miller in a three team deal with the White Sox and Blue Jays. The Cardinals' will get up and down starter Edwin Jackson, relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, and outfielder Corey Patterson (haha). Not a good trade for St. Louis. Now, they will most likely move Kyle McClellan back to the bullpen. Problem is he has already thrown more innings than he ever has in his career, so I don't know how effective he will be. Jackson is either really good or bad, and if he's bad, St. Louis will have issues. Finally, when St. Louis dealt away Ryan Ludwick to make room for Jon Jay last year, Jay tanked and the Cardinals' offense sputtered. Well, with Rasmus gone, Jay will play every day in center. Look, Jay's ceiling is as a .300 hitter with maybe 15 homers and good defense. Rasmus' ceiling is similar to Jay Bruce's: .300+ hitter, 30+ homers, and 100+ RBIs. Colby was the better player. But he didn't get along with Tony LaRussa. Just like Scott Rolen and JD Drew. When did the manager become more important than the players?

And those Pittsburgh Pirates will not hang around much longer. Their rotation has a 3.60 ERA, the best in the division. Yet, they rank 2nd to last in the NL in K/BB at 1.86. And they are dead last in strikeouts per nine innings at 5.50. In other words, their pitching staff pitches to contact. Fine and dandy if your defense holds up the entire year. And so far, they have been tremendous. Their fielding independent ERA is 4.17. More than half of a run higher. In other words, their defense has helped out what is really a mediocre pitching staff. Without that defense, they have the fourth worst rotation in the NL. Also, their opponents average on batted balls in play is the 2nd lowest in the NL, which means opponents hit into bad luck against the Pirates. That will turn around. And so will the Pirates' season. It's been a nice run. And a good story. Probably the greatest story ever for a team that will finish in fourth place.

I don't have anything else to say about the Reds. I'm done speculating with this team. All I know is what my eyes tell me. And I don't see the same enthusiasm as I did last year. You win when you have fun. Not the other way around. The Reds aren't having a whole lot of fun right now. Seriously, when's the last time you saw a bunch of smiles out of that dugout? It's been a long summer.

Reds Start Second Half with a Bang

Phillips played hero for a night...and maybe for the season.
AP Photo/Al Behrman

Did you hear that? Last night? Around 10:16 PM? It wasn't the cheers of exuberance from a sold out Great American as Brandon Phillips' screaming line drive banged into the seats in left. It wasn't the groans of Cardinals' fans as they saw their beloved team beaten by public enemy number one at the eleventh hour. It was the collective sigh of so many, including me, who realized the Reds may have saved their season last night. Sometime between the Cardinals' 7th inning rally that was made up of bloop hits and infield choppers, and Albert Pujols' mammoth homer in the 8th, I realized this was a game the Reds could not lose. Last night's game became the tipping point of the season. Had the Reds lost last night, things would have been bleak, knowing they had to face Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia the next two days. A chance to win the series probably would have been gone. Things would have been even worse knowing that Cincinnati would have to travel to face the now first place Pittsburgh Pirates next week. Now, though, the Reds look poised to win this series against St. Louis, and carry momentum into Pittsburgh. It's not going to be easy to win these next two games, but we've seen this same setup between the Reds and Cardinals. Remember back in May when the Reds and Cardinals locked up in Cincinnati, and the Reds walked off on Friday night? They then battered Kyle McClellan and Carpenter the next days. Maybe, Cincinnati can do it again. Maybe, this is the magic starting to appear again.

Johnny came up aces again.
AP Photo/Al Behrman

For the longest time last night, the game looked like a microcosm of the Reds' season. Johnny Cueto threw a brilliant game, up until an inning where bad luck struck. The bullpen, so reliable early on, blew up when Aroldis Chapman surrendered a homer to Pujols. But they kept them in the game in the 9th inning, preventing St. Louis from blowing it open. It still looked like the Reds would lose, wasting another good start by Cueto, and a ton of offensive opportunities. They loaded the bases twice in the game, once with one out and once with none out, and managed nothing. The Reds lacked the big hit that they had gotten so often last year. They lacked the hit that never came on the road trip, and hasn't come all season. Then, with two down in the 9th, Phillips came up clutch. It was the biggest hit of the season, and the biggest win, too. It's the type of game that could be the catalyst for the rest of the season. Hopefully it wasn't just a teaser. I don't think it was. Now, I'm not about to declare this team as being back. I'm not going to say they will win the division. But they are in a good spot now. Five games against two teams in front of them, while the other, Milwaukee, continues to labor playing on the road. It's time to make something happen. Last night was the first time I saw some fight in the Reds since May. We've seen the Reds get knocked down once, and get back up swinging. They can do that. But it's when they are faced with adversity again. It's when the other team swings back. That's when this team has rolled over, this year. Not last night. Hopefully, not for the rest of the season.

We'll find out how tough this team is tonight. They face nemesis Chris Carpenter. Bronson Arroyo goes for the Reds.

Cordero, Reds Implode in Milwaukee

Nyjer Morgan killed the Reds all weekend.
AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

In my short time in writing, I have created this little thing called the 24 hour rule. I only use it when a loss or moment has me upset to the point that I truly believe I cannot write unless it involves pounding out every single negative feeling that I have at that moment. Yesterday was a day when I had to implement such a rule. Now, I don't need it all the time. The Reds' collapse in the playoffs was stunningly sobering to me, and I was able to take it fairly well. However, the entire series against Milwaukee was not one where I could step back right away. And I hate to lead off by saying that I agree with former and part time Reds announcer George Grande on something, but it is true when he said, "You're never as good as you think, and you're never as bad as you think." I had to keep that in mind, because my initial reaction after yesterday was, this team stinks, the season is over. Granted, I've had the gut feeling that this season is going nowhere for a few weeks now. But, my confidence, and not my faith, in this team is what is shaken. I still believe in them. I just wouldn't bet on them right now, or pick them to win it.

It's time to drop the smile and get a little mean.
Associated Press/Jeffrey Phelps

I don't like to put a lot of blame on managers. That's one thing that I've slowly learned over the years. Of course I think that also means that a manager shouldn't get as much credit as they do, too. A lot of people may gripe over Dusty Baker's decisions, but a lot of that is hindsight. And we all know that is 20/20. Overall, I think Dusty is a pretty good manager. He isn't terrific, because he isn't always willing to shake things up when the team needs it. And this team needs it something bad. Riding with what you've got worked in 2010, when most everyone on the team was playing well. This, though, isn't 2010. And not everyone is having a great year. Some people need to go or find a spot on the pine. That's why I was excited to see the arrival of Zack Cozart and Dontrelle Willis. They are fresh blood and energy. They are new faces and something different than what we already had. That's important, because what we already had (Paul Janish and Edinson Volquez) wasn't getting it done.


Anyway, back to my original point. I don't like to put blame on a manager, but Sunday in Milwaukee can't be pinned solely on Francisco Cordero. Blame him for Friday's walk off loss, and I'll agree with you. Blame him for the blown save in St. Louis, and I'll agree with you. Blame him for Sunday's walk off loss, and I've got to shake my head. Cordero has been good all year, save for the last four appearances. He had blown only two save chances this season, until he blew three this past week. It's called a slump. He's still your closer, and you throw him out there. If he hadn't pitched on Saturday. That's the key. And that's where Dusty Baker has to be pinned with some blame. Francisco threw a combined 51 pitches between Friday and Saturday. He didn't look good in either, and he didn't look good in St. Louis. With a five run lead on Saturday, why is Cordero pitching? Why not Sam LeCure? Or Jose Arredondo? Don't burn your closer when you could need him on Sunday. Now, that being said, Dusty shouldn't have used Cordero then Sunday. If you make the decision to pitch him Saturday, then either Masset closes the game on Sunday, or he pitches the 7th and allows Chapman to pitch the final two innings. But just because Cordero has had a bad day four days in a row does not mean you remove him from his role or cut him. That's ridiculous. Like I said, it's a slump. Even Joey Votto has slumps. You don't bench him. He doesn't lose his job. Up until this most recent run, Cordero had allowed the fewest base runners in the National League among closers. His walks are down. His batting average against is down. He has been harder to hit than in his most recent years. Like him or not, he should be the closer.

Now would be the time to prove you truly are an All Star, Jay.
AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Now, it's the All Star break. And the Reds are desperately underachieving at 45-47 and 4 games back. They have the players to compete with Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh down the stretch. None of those teams are imposing enough, or scary enough, to make me think the Reds can't get hot and win the division. Of course, that's vice versa too. The Reds aren't all that scary. Would the Phillies or Braves fear this team in the playoffs? I don't know if Cincinnati will put it all together and come back. My heart says yes. My gut says no. So you're not going to get an answer from me, or a prediction. I will say that I think they are talented enough to do it, but inconsistent enough to fall apart. We saw a team that was on the brink so many times this first half. They were always so close. Two steps forward and one back. One step forward and two back. In many ways, this team will go as Jay Bruce goes. The day that he develops into a consistent ball player is the day the Reds will even out and play good ball all the way through. Is that this year? I don't know. It could be. But I'm not going to play out scenarios that get this team into the playoffs, or leave them out. John Fay of the Enquirer can do that for you.

Perhaps Dontrelle is the missing piece to the
rotation?
Associated Press/Jeffrey Phelps

I do, however, like the pieces on this team. I like everyone in the rotation, now, finally. Even Dontrelle Willis, who seemed to find a groove yesterday in pitching a very fine 6 innings and allowing just two runs. Homer Bailey and his proneness to lapses in concentration does scare me, though. I hope that Travis Wood can get it together and give them innings in the second half, if need be. I still love this bullpen. Aroldis Chapman being back lengthens it considerably. And with the run that Bray, Masset, and Ondrusek have been on, I think they can help keep this team in a lot of games. The offense bothers me some, though. One day I think Drew Stubbs is ready to turn it on, the next he looks lost. Heisey needs more playing time, and Gomes, less. Zack Cozart looks like a quality player in the field and at the plate, where he is worlds better than Janish. I worry less about Scott Rolen every day, knowing that, quite frankly, Miguel Cairo is a better offensive player than he is right now. Rolen going down shouldn't hurt this team. As long as he is present, I think that is what's important. The key to this whole thing lies with Jay Bruce. If he hits, they will win. If he slumps, they will lose. He and Joey Votto together are like Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Perhaps not at that caliber, but you understand my point. It's that presence in the lineup. One that strikes fear in the other team. If Bruce doesn't hit, why pitch to Votto?

However it plays out, I think it will be a very interesting second half for the Reds. I know that I will enjoy not watching this team play for a few days. Never thought I'd say that.

GM for a Day

Cueto deserved a better fate on Monday.
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Another lackluster series for the Reds. Granted, most of that was due to Edinson Volquez's inability to pitch with anything near a level of competency and a bullpen implosion tonight. Monday night's 1-0 loss was a game between two masterful aces in Chris Carpenter and Johnny Cueto. The Reds lost on a squibber down the third base line where Rolen made an unbelievable play to just knock the ball down and have a chance at throwing the runner out. He couldn't, the Cardinals scored, and the Reds lost. That game would have been a lot different, though, if Lance Berkman is in right, instead of Jon Jay. Berkman has no shot at making this play, as well as this one. Bruce's fly ball would have been a home run, and the Reds probably win the game. Tough game to lose, but it happens. Ask Chris Carpenter. On April 14th, 2006, he pitched a beauty of game, giving up one run on 4 hits in 8 innings against the Reds. That one run was a bloop single into center field by Reds pitcher Aaron Harang. The Reds won, 1-0. It happens.

Watching Volquez get lit up, though, is absolutely unacceptable. It's incomprehensible how they can continue to run him out there. It's unwatchable. And like the Indians' series, the offense was tough to watch, too. They looked bad against Carpenter, and even worse the following night against Jaime Garcia. Also like the Indians' series, they rebounded to rev up the offense in the finale, in an attempt to salvage a game, and successfully doing so. But this isn't about salvaging anymore. The Reds have to start winning series. Now. Coincidentally or not, the Reds won Sunday's finale and jumped out big tonight, before blowing the lead and having to win it in extras, with Chris Heisey starting. He happened to homer in both games, and seemed to ignite the offense. Maybe he is the key to getting the offense kick started. Maybe he isn't. But you won't find out until he plays every day. What we do know is that Drew Stubbs striking out 118 times isn't going to ignite the offense.

This plays into my real topic. What can Walt Jocketty do to fix this team? Eighty-eight games into the season, the Reds are still stuck in the mud at 44-44. They aren't going to pull themselves out of their own rut. That's a fact considering they were 15-15 and then 30-30. There needs to be some outside help, and here's what I would do:

We've seen quite enough of this from Volquez.
Associated Press/Jeff Roberson

1. Designate Edinson Volquez for assignment. I don't know if he is finished or not. I don't know if he will ever be an All Star again. I do know that he shouldn't be given that chance in Cincinnati. They have given him every opportunity for just about a year now, and has failed miserably. From getting blown up in start after start this year and in July/August last year, to the Opening Day and Playoff failures, it's time to throw in the towel. Call up Dontrelle Willis to start in his place. Let's find out if he can regain some resemblance of the form he once had in Florida. If he can't, no harm done. He probably isn't any worse than Volquez. You then let him go, and get Wood back up here.

2. If Willis and Wood both fail, or Bronson Arroyo, who pitched fairly well against St. Louis tonight until late in the game, cannot get it together in the second half, it's time to make a deal for a starting pitcher. A Dodgers starter would be easiest to pry away, because of their bankruptcy situation. He's not great, but someone like Ted Lilly could slot in and give the Reds innings and quality starts in the second half. Trading Yasmani Grandal and Todd Frazier should net a solid middle of the rotation starter. However, I expect Arroyo to get it together in the second half of the season, so it will be down to Willis and Wood. If they fail, time to go get someone.

3. Send Paul Janish to Louisville. I've never liked Janish. If you know me, you know that. I love guys that play good defense, but if they don't hit a lick, there's some issues. This wouldn't be a problem if the Reds were getting solid production out of center field, left field, and third base. But they aren't. Those spots have been up and down, and it makes the light hitting Janish stick out like a sore thumb. Time to go. Especially since this is the easiest fix the organization can make. Renteria is hitting better than Janish, so Paul has to go. Get Zack Cozart up here and let's find out if he can hit. If he can't, then you have to find someone outside of the organization. My guess, though, is he will be much better than Janish with the bat. That would be huge, especially considering Janish isn't playing tremendous defense right now anyway.

4. Send Drew Stubbs to Louisville. He's got to figure out how to shorten that swing and drive the ball into right field again. Stubbs is too talented to continue to struggle like this. The strikeouts are unacceptable. He simply has to put the ball in play, end of story. I'd play Heisey every day in center for a month to find out if he can be an everyday player. My guess is you will find out he is worthy of an everyday spot.

He's not a big name, but the one time Red could help this team.
San Francisco Chronicle

5. Trade Ramon Hernandez to the Giants for Cody Ross straight up. Look, I don't know if the Giants would do this. And I love Ramon. He's a great player, and has been wonderful for this team since coming over here. I don't want to trade him, but he has far more value than Ryan Hanigan. Plus, the catching position is a spot where the Reds are blessed. Yasmani Grandal and Devin Mesoraco are both top prospects, and Mesoraco is probably ready for the Major Leagues now. Cody Ross, meanwhile, is a fine player who can hit the ball out of the ballpark, hit for a decent average, be patient, and drive the ball into the gap. I like him. He also can play all three outfield spots, and hit in the clutch last year in the playoffs. The Giants might be willing to deal him because it would open up a spot for them to play Nate Schierholtz in right, since they are stacked with outfielders. They trade away a luxury for a need, because of the injury to Buster Posey, with the acquisition of Ramon. Then, Cincinnati can stick Ross in left for the rest of the season, and let Jonny Gomes go, who does less for the club than Fred Lewis. Call up Mesoraco and let him play pretty much everyday.

6. Lastly, fix the lineup. Tonight's lineup against St. Louis was pretty much what I'd like to see. Here's my lineup:

1. Chris Heisey CF
2. Cody Ross LF
3. Joey Votto 1B
4. Brandon Phillips 2B
5. Jay Bruce RF
6. Scott Rolen 3B
7. Devin Mesoraco C
8. Zack Cozart SS

Of course, as much as I'd like to believe that these moves will work, I have absolutely no idea if they will, or not. I don't think the Reds will jeopardize too much of the future with these, however. A Jose Reyes deal would be far too much. If the Reds don't make a trade for a pitcher, and only deal Hernandez, I think the team wins overall. They get to play their top prospect everyday, and get a better left fielder. Nonetheless, as I have previously postulated, I'm quite afraid this team may be running out of time anyway. And are destined to miss October. Tonight's disastrous finish to the game, whatever the outcome may be, has almost certainly highlighted that.

Reds Send Trio to the Desert for Midsummer Classic

Bad Bronson showed up Friday night.
The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II

Alright, I'm going to attempt to keep my ranting on the Reds to one paragraph. I think I can do that, because if you need to know how I feel about this team, you can go to some older posts. Despite today's sudden outburst against the Cleveland Indians, to quote Bob Brenly, former Diamondbacks manager and current Cubs announcer, "This is a dead-ass team." Now, he was referring to the Cubs of last year, as well as their current team. Obviously, I'm referring to the Reds. Where's the energy? Brandon Phillips was playing like the only guy who didn't know what the score was on Friday night, as the Tribe blasted the Reds 8-2. Then, Cincinnati stranded 12 men in Saturday's 3-1 loss, where they were seemingly just one hit away. That hit never came. Quite frankly, outside of Ramon's homer on Opening Day, that big hit hasn't come very often this year. Now, today was a little different. Suddenly the Reds could score some runs, and they looked like a team that could win the division. Mike Leake pitched much better than his 6 inning 4 run line indicated. He struck out 8, earning his 8th win of the year, but he often made the Indian's lineup look silly. His start, combined with Homer's solid outing from Saturday, and the ace-like pitching of Johnny Cueto gives this team a ray of hope. That, along with Arroyo's career 53-38 mark in the second half (to go along with his 3.66 ERA). Today, the Reds were fueled by Leake and the Reds' backups. Miguel Cairo, Edgar Renteria, Chris Heisey, and Fred Lewis energized the team to a win. Renteria hit the first homer by a Reds' shortstop this year (thank God). They each had 2 hits. They are scrappy players. Scrappy players that took extra bases defined this team last year. They cleared the way for Votto, Bruce, Rolen, and Phillips to do their thing. But if Bruce and Votto don't hit, this team is done. They will hit. But they aren't right now, and are a combined 17 for their last 90. This team is so close to clicking all the way. Until they do, the energy isn't there. The enthusiasm is lost. The Reds are letting the game come to them, instead of taking it to the game. They set tones last year. The only tone that is being set this year is that of mediocrity.

No way the Captain should be an All Star, let alone starting.

Now, on to the All Star Game rosters. For the first time in awhile, I think the fans got the starters mostly right. Starting with the American League, obviously Derek Jeter has no business playing in this game, and it should have gone to Asdrubal Cabrera. A-Rod is another questionable pick, but it's passable, as he is having a decent year at a weak position. Josh Hamilton, though he is my favorite player, also has no business being in the game, having missed so much time due to injury. Jacoby Ellsbury deserved the start. As for snubs, I was very surprised that CC Sabathia and Paul Konerko didn't make the roster. Jhonny Peralta has also been listed as a snub, but I honestly had to look up his numbers to know that he was having a good year. Looking now, yes he should probably be an All Star. But he just isn't recognizable, which is why he was left off. Alex Gordon from Kansas City also probably deserved a nod, but could get voted in via the final vote, like Konerko.

Good to see the MVP an All Star again.
AP Photo/Al Behrman

As for the National League, I think the fans nailed it, other than Placido Polanco at third. It has been a weak position in the NL, too, but I think Chipper Jones deserved it a little more than Polanco. And even as a Reds fan, I believe that Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks should be starting over Votto and Phillips. Fielder is the MVP of the league right now, and Weeks has been consistent from the start of the year, while Phillips has been a little up and down. I think Brandon and Joey are better overall players, and Phillips is far superior defensively, though no voter looks at defense. The Jay Bruce selection was mainly chosen purely on his month of May. Is it right? Probably not. But I'm happy to see him there, and I do think he is fairly deserving. Also, look at it this way, would you rather have Bruce or Andrew McCutchen (who was certainly snubbed) of the Pirates come off the bench late in the clutch? Despite Bruce's ups and downs, he's more of a threat than McCutchen is. Lastly, it comes down to star power, which Bruce has much more of. My true beef with the National League is Bruce Bochy's picks as manager. He took three of his five starters from his rotation in San Francisco. Lincecum? Fine. Cain? Fine. Ryan Vogelsong? No. He only has 84.1 innings this year, and Tommy Hanson (9-4) from the Braves would have been a much better selection. Vogelsong is having a fine year, but he shouldn't be on the team. Neither should the Giants' closer, Brian Wilson, who primarily made it because of his famous beard. He's having an average season, and Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves, who has struck out 67 in 42 innings deserved it more. He might be the best closer in the NL right now, and shouldn't have been denied. Even the Reds' Francisco Cordero deserved it more than Wilson, as he has a better WHIP (0.85) than all of the NL relievers, and a better ERA (1.49) than all but one reliever. Unfortunately, his lack of saves probably hurt him.

Lastly, I have to go off a little on the Cleveland fan that was sitting behind me on Saturday's game. After the Indian's starter, Fausto Carmona fell running down the first base line, and had to leave the game, the fan had this to say, "Who wants to watch pitchers run the bases and hit? I hate the National League." Later, he would say, "No one wants to watch guys pitch around the 8th hitter to get to the pitcher, and that's all that happens in this league. It's stupid." Of course, if you know me, I am not a fan of the American League, in the slightest bit. That is putting it quite lightly in fact. I believe that the nine who take the field should be the nine that bat. I'm not a fan of the designated hitter. It takes the strategy out of the game, which I find enjoyable. It makes the game more difficult having to deal with a pitcher in the lineup, and needing to double switch every now and then. I just feel there is less strategy in the American League. If your pitcher is so un-athletic that he cannot run 90 feet without tripping over his own feet, then that is his own fault. And you know what, I enjoy it when an opponent pitches around the 8th hitter, and then gets burned when the pitcher bangs a base hit. Mike Leake and Travis Wood are two phenomenal athletes, and I enjoy seeing them hit and run the bases, because they're good. I'll take that over watching David Ortiz move station to station if he doesn't hit a home run. Plus, you know you love it when Bronson Arroyo would slug one out. And who could forget Micah Owings? It's part of the fun of the game. I'd rather see guys who are paid to be total baseball players, instead of just hitters.

Well, I couldn't help but put in a pair of highlights of Reds' pitchers hitting homers off of Cardinals' pitching. I've got another one, too. Why? Because it's Reds vs. Cardinals from St. Louis starting tomorrow night at 6:15. Johnny Cueto vs. Chris Carpenter. Can't wait to hear the Cardinals' fans reactions. It should be a good one. Gotta love kickin' it with Johnny Cueto.

Visions of 2009

I can't live through another crushing moment like
this, again.
Associated Press

The Reds, well, they continue to do a whole lot of nothing. And we're 82 games into the season. That ain't good, folks. With every passing day, the 2011 Reds remind me less and less the team that went on last year's magical ride. Instead, they look a lot like the 2009 version of the Reds: a team that mostly had the pieces to contend in a weak division, but never put together a significant streak to take advantage. They hung around .500 into July, but fell apart shortly after this. I'll never forget that, because it was after a brilliant performance by Homer Bailey, and the bullpen just blew up. The Reds would rally to tie the game before losing, and never recovered, tail spinning out of contention in a hurry. So you might understand why I began to worry, when getting off of work Tuesday night, I got in my car only to learn that this had happened. Granted, Cincinnati nearly won the game, and would go on to win the series against Tampa. Big deal. The Rays play terrible at Tropicana Field. Beating them there is like beating the Milwaukee Brewers outside of Miller Park. It's like taking candy from a baby. Seriously. Tampa bats .225 at home, and average 3.1 runs a game (27th out of 30 in the majors). Evan Longoria (.195), Ben Zobrist (.227), Johnny Damon (.221), and B.J. Upton (.156) all fail to hit well at home. So pardon me if I don't hop on to the bandwagon after the series victory.

With all that said, I'll continue to support the Reds, cheer for them, go to games, live and die with every victory and loss. But I already know how this season ends, and it's not in October. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope that I am wrong. I hope the Reds will turn it on, go on a streak and take control of a division that is up for grabs. Perhaps they will. After they play Cleveland this weekend, they get 13 games against the three teams ahead of them in Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh. And as well as Cincinnati has played against their division, one can only hope they will pick it up in the second half. Dusty Baker and the players have continuously talked about how close they are to making a run; how close they are to putting it all together. I feel like I've been hearing that for weeks. As shown by Milwaukee's futility on the road, as well as St. Louis' lack of health and pitching depth, Cincinnati will hardly go away in the division race. But their lack of focus in a series against Baltimore, and then their strong play against Tampa is absolutely maddening.

Walt may need to find a veteran to save this team.
Getty Images/Elsa

Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently suggested in his blog that Walt Jocketty needs to spin a similar deal to what he did in St. Louis in 2001. The Cardinals were a middle of the pack and destined for .500 baseball that year. At the trade deadline, Jocketty acquired veteran righty Woody Williams, who was 8-8 with a 4.97 ERA in 23 starts for the San Diego Padres. He wasn't an ace. He wasn't even a number two starter. But, the guy could provide quality starts, keep his team in the game, and give depth to the rotation. St. Louis took off when he arrived, finishing 93-69 and making the playoffs. Williams went 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 11 starts down the stretch, and pulled the team out of their underachieving funk. The Cardinals were too talented to fail. I see the Reds the same way, which is what's so frustrating. And for those who might argue that Cincinnati is simply not that good, take a look at their runs scored versus runs allowed differential. Only the Phillies, Braves, Yankees, and Red Sox have a better differential than the Reds at +41. That's fairly telling, considering I would argue those four teams are the best in baseball. So yes, Cincinnati is underachieving, and horribly so.

Yes, Johnny, I am as baffled as you.
Associated Press/Chris O'Meara

The question is, does the Reds' brass believe they can pull themselves out of their funk? It's fairly obvious that they will stick with Renteria and Janish at short, for better or for worse. The logjam in left field continues to be puzzling, as Heisey, Gomes, and Lewis have all been tearing the cover off the ball of late. Was Edinson Volquez's start in Tampa the beginning of a solid run? If the rotation smooths itself out, and someone emerges from left field to play everyday, the Reds will take off. But, if Volquez relapses to his 'walk a batter an inning' self, Homer Bailey can't stay healthy, and left field continues to be a carousel, the Reds will remain near .500, and in third or fourth place. Will Walt make a move that toughens his club like he did so many times in St. Louis? Will Dusty be able to push all of the right buttons in the coming weeks? Will somebody light a fire under this team to play with some urgency and passion, like last year? As much of an eternal optimist as I am with the Reds, I am very skeptical of this team - I can't figure out their identity. I fear they are destined for another year like 2009. One without an October.