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By Sara Normand
Sometimes change is a good thing. Sometimes, change makes all the difference in the world. Change is just what the Cincinnati Reds need if they want to avoid any future embarrassment. What happened to the group that started off the season 3-0 with the best record in the majors? They’ve plummeted to the bottom of the National League Central, and by plummet I mean taken a nose-dive. Thursday’s off-day couldn’t have come at a better time for the Reds, interrupting their seven game skid.
The troubles all started back on April 27 in Chicago when the Reds lost in the 9th inning to a Cubs walk-off homer. Little would we know, it would mark the beginning of a very unfortunate trend for the Redlegs.
The losses continued to pile on when Cincinnati traveled to Milwaukee. The Brewers took all three games before the Reds came home and gave three more to St. Louis, including the 10-9 loss on Monday to the Cardinals after taking a 9-3 lead into the 9th inning. It was the team’s worst collapse since 1952. One would assume that after getting swept by the notoriously bad Brewers, they’d be brought back into focus upon hosting the best team in the National League. Apparently not, and the series apparently wasn’t that intriguing to fans either. The Reds-Cardinals game on Wednesday was broadcast as a Wednesday Night Baseball feature on ESPN, yet the stadium appeared empty. Obviously the team isn’t doing well, but it doesn’t help to have fan support reach Montreal Expo levels.
Bottom line—pitching wins games, and the Reds aren’t winning. Pitching has been the biggest Achilles’ heel for Cincinnati, both starting and relief. Something has to change. Reds’ starters just flat out have to go deeper in the games. Pitching for two innings like Ramon Ortiz did in one loss to the Brewers just won’t get it done. The Reds bullpen, which has yet to be impressive, cannot pick up that much slack every game. Reds starters have lasted at least seven innings only four times in 27 games. Aaron Harang, Eric Milton, Brandon Claussen, and Paul Wilson each have done it only once. The starters have to go out to the mound and stay mentally tough, prepared to stay out there all nine innings, as if there was no one to bail them out. And truthfully, there really isn’t anyone to bail them out on this team so far.
The Reds have got to STOP relying on the bullpen to bail them out of games, but the Reds bullpen has to STOP relying on the offense to bail them out of games. The bullpen ERA is at 6.08, an unacceptable number to close games out. Four of 12 save opportunities have been blown. That’s four wins the Reds should’ve had if it weren’t for the bullpen. And there is no Reds pitcher with a winning record. That’s pathetic if you ask me. It’s May already. On paper, they’re better than this. They get all the run support in the world and can’t get the job done on their end of the stick. The Indians pitchers, who basically lack run support of any kind, are probably throwing a fit.
But if you take a look at the successful teams of late, they all have one common theme—good pitching. Two teams with solid rotations are the Marlins and White Sox. The Marlins have three pitchers leading the national league in complete games. That’s depth right there and a lot of resting time for their bullpen.
Now there’s not a whole lot Dave Miley can do as manager, not having a lot to work with. He can, however, consider experimenting with Kent Mercker at starter. The lefty actually was a starter when he was with the team in 1997, posting a 3.92 ERA. It’s worth a try to mix things up anyway.
I can guarantee though that by the trading deadline, a move will be made to acquire pitching. There are too many good hitters on this team, including five quality outfielders. While Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Austin Kearns usually start at left, center, and right respectively, they’ve also got Wily Mo Pena coming off the bench and utility man Ryan Freel. These two hold the top two averages on the team and would no doubt be starters on any other team! What’s up with that!? Pena has only played in 19 games yet has the second highest home run total on the team with 6 and the second highest batting average (.313) and 12 RBIs to boot. They cannot sit this guy! There is no doubt in my mind that Pena is one of the best players on this team, and he doesn’t even start! In Freel, the Reds have a speedy base-stealer and a guy who can play any position, but he’s played in only 20 games. Freel has the highest on-base percentage on the team (.462) and should be leading off in the place of D’Angelo Jimenez, whose batting average is below the Mendoza line at .195! Jimenez is clearly not getting on base, and that is what the leadoff hitter is all about. Doesn’t it make sense that Freel should play the leadoff role? Exactly. And wouldn’t it make sense to start Pena at right field until Kearns proves he can hit above .208, where he’s at right now? No question.
The Reds also have highly talked about prospect Edwin Encarnacion down at Triple-A Louisville, and he’s currently on an 11-game hitting streak. This team is stacked offensively and scores nine runs and still loses! If that isn’t a sign that a trade is in the horizon, I don’t know what is.
So whom do you trade? Nobody’s safe. Well, nobody except Sean Casey. Casey is an untouchable; a fan favorite and clubhouse leader on and off the field. He’s the longest standing member to be with the Reds after coming over from the Indians in 1998. This pure hitter always has a positive attitude and can make any new teammate feel welcomed. He’s also a guaranteed 80 RBIs and above .300 average, always one of the league’s top. This guy stays.
Unfortunately, I think the Reds are just showcasing Pena, not playing him every day to keep him healthy and valuable, yet still allowing him some playing time to show off his abilities. In an ideal world, I would like the Reds to trade Griffey, Jr., for pitching because he has done nothing for this team of late and is very injury prone. The team will not win without better pitching, but starting pitching is what they need most. That means Danny Graves will have to step it up as closer, and by step it up, I mean closing out games in a 1-2-3 fashion. Sure, he’s got eight saves on the year, but the Reds generally have to have a comfortable lead when they bring him in because of his tendency to give up at least one run before getting his three outs.
After losing 12 of their last 15 and falling eight games behind the Cardinals in the Central, the Reds will look to recuperate from their recent struggles and focus on the three-game series at home against the National League West’s first place Dodgers. When you’re flat on your back, the only direction you can go is up, so it seems that things can only get better for Cincinnati.
Reds fans, look on the bright side. Cincinnati has a record almost identical to the New York Yankees! Well, one would assume that would be a good thing. This year, however, it’s a different story for the floundering Bronx Bombers.
The Reds can only get better… the Reds can only get better… the Reds can only get better…
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