Tweet
First 4-game winning streak since late August last year. 
-
-
21-3 this season when scoring 4 or more runsComment
-
I have a feeling Latos is going to have very good looking numbers by the end of the season. He does this every year. His K rate the last few starts has increased dramatically.Comment
-
Looking ahead at the next 12 games after we swe-, er, play ATL tomorrow night:
vs COL (3)
@ PIT (3)
@ HOU (3)
vs PIT (3)
Pretty soft. I'd say 9 wins is an aggressive, yet reasonable goal.Comment
-
First 4-game sweep of Atlanta since 1990. First 6+ game winning streak since May 2010.
Jay Bruce is 4 for his last 37 with 19Ks.Comment
-
MESO!
Stubbs and Mesoraco had a good day and a good day for my fantasy team!
Comment
-
Oh, this too. Votto/Phillips/Bruce going 6 for 39 (.154) with 3 R, 4 RBI in the 4-game sweep.Comment
-
Reds had same record time last year.
Difference is, last year they were in the midst of a 6-game losing streak, and never recovered.Comment
-
Speeding while driving with a suspended license. Chapman was pulled over after being clocked at 93 mph in his 2010 Mercedes S63.
“A much bigger deal was made of it than it is, you know what I mean?” Baker said after Tuesday’s game. “You show me a young person that hasn’t gotten a speeding ticket, and I’ll show you somebody that didn’t drive.”
“You just tell him to slow down,” Baker continued. “He doesn’t understand English that much. He said the policeman told him the same thing.”
Comment
-
Nice to see ESPN showin us some love for once.
The Reds received a game-changing grand slam in the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead against the Braves on Thursday night, leading to their sixth consecutive victory and their first sweep of the Braves since 1980. It wasn’t superstar Joey Votto who provided the knockout punch, nor was it mainstays Brandon Phillips or Jay Bruce. The home run came off the bat of one of the Reds’ many unheralded young players: 23-year-old rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco.
The blast also marked Cincinnati’s 10th home run of the series, leading to 14 of its 16 runs in the series. Winning with home runs is nothing new for this Reds squad, not at Great American Ball Park and certainly not in the Joey Votto era. But Votto didn’t hit a single homer in the series. Neither did Bruce. Phillips hit two. Instead of the three stalwarts on this Reds squad, it was the supporting cast leading the way: Mesoraco (1), Drew Stubbs (3), Zack Cozart (2), Todd Frazier (1) and Mike Leake (1).
Leake’s homer backed up a quality start on Monday, and the other home runs backed up quality starts from Mat Latos (Tuesday), Bronson Arroyo (Wednesday) and Homer Bailey (Thursday). The Reds saw scoreless outings from five different relievers and saves converted by three. To accomplish this in any series is excellent; to do so against the second-highest-scoring team in the league in one of the best hitters’ parks in all of baseball is another.
Depth and pitching have set this year’s Reds squad apart from last year’s version, a preseason favorite for the National League Central crown that was eventually lapped by both the Brewers and Cardinals. The 2011 season saw a 156 OPS+ from Votto and 119 OPS+ marks from both Phillips and Bruce. No other full-time starters came close; only part-time players Chris Heisey (113), Ramon Hernandez (113) and Miguel Cairo (101) even mustered an above average mark.
This season has seen the likes of Paul Janish, Edgar Renteria and Jonny Gomes excised in favor of Cozart (.727 OPS) and Frazier (.887). It has seen Stubbs come to life after three horrible series to open the year -- he owns a .266/.324/.430 line since April 17 to go with his typical fantastic defense. It’s seen Ryan Hanigan pick up his game as well, with a .794 OPS in 27 games as the starting catcher.
Johnny Cueto owns a phenomenal 2.22 ERA over 33 starts dating back to May 2011, but it was the other four Cincinnati starters who held down the Braves this week. Latos started out cold, but has a 2.35 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 innings in May. Arroyo has a 121 ERA+ after allowing a near-record 46 home runs last season, owning an absurd 44-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first 58.2 innings. Bailey and Leake have had their rough spots, but they fit well in the back of the Reds’ rotation -- a tough job with half of their starts coming in the bandbox in Cincinnati.
The bullpen has established itself as one of the league’s best. Regardless of what one thinks Aroldis Chapman’s role should be, it is undeniable that he is the league’s best reliever. In the four-game sweep of the Braves, he pitched two more scoreless innings. Chapman fronts a bullpen full of talented pitchers: Jose Arredondo, Logan Ondrusek and Alfredo Simon all own ERA+ marks of 137 or higher. Sean Marshall shouldn’t be counted out either despite a rough start -- he was one of the best relievers in baseball over the past two seasons.
The Reds currently sit atop the NL Central, with a half-game lead over the Cardinals. As usual, Votto, Phillips, Cueto and Bruce lead the way. But if the Reds maintain their current success and carry it through to a playoff run, it will be because this year they didn’t have to do it all themselves.Comment
-
How is this possible? #Reds leadoff hitters: .171/.208/.275, Reds 9th hitters: .186/.204/.276Comment
-
Expanding on that, it really is amazing that as the Reds sit atop the division before play begins on May 25, in the midst of a 6-game win streak, the offense has struggled mightily, and Jay Bruce has endured one of his classic slumps during the whole deal.
Look at this...
Reds led the NL in everything in 2010, and were second to the Cards in runs scored last season, so there is virtually no chance that they finish the year at .238 or under .200 with RISP. And that 42 point difference is just not going to happen.
The Reds offense has been nothing short of pathetic, thanks to virtually every player on the team not named Votto or Hanigan (or Bruce for like 3 weeks) struggling out of the gate. The leadoff spot is not going to bat .171, and the team is not going to hit .196 with RISP. And i'd be willling to bet they finish the year close to .260 overall.
The point? Somehow, this team finds itself in first place despite not even coming close to hitting to their potential.Comment
-
That's what has be so excited about being in first right now. It makes absolutely zero sense how we have been able to rip off all these wins given those numbers. I think the pitching will fall back a little bit because it has been outstanding so far, but the offense has been PATHETIC and the numbers will certainly go up quite a bit average wise.Comment
Comment