Cincinnati Reds

Heading into 2011, the Cincinnati Reds have a deep rotation, not necessarily loaded with aces, but with arms who are definitely strong enough to get a team through the 162 game ringer.

The Reds were a popular sleeper pick in 2009. As it turns out, we were all just a year too early.

Cincinnati returns essentially the same lineup it ran out each day during its NL Central title run with a few new additions. Because many of the Reds' core players are young up-and-comers, we should see many of the players on the Reds roster skyrocket in fantasy value over the next few seasons.

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In 2010, the Cincinnati Reds ended a 14-year playoff drought by winning the NL Central Division with an overall record of 91-71.

The Reds' regular-season success didn’t carry over to the postseason, as they were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round.

By Mike Harris, Senior Writer for 4thandHome.com

Our first entry in this series looked at the September Star phenomenon and how an astute eye could have forecasted a Jose Bautista 2010 breakout. This week, we take a look at our first nominee, Drew Stubbs, to determine if he's destined for 2011 stardom.

The 2010 season was full of numerous surprises, one of which was the breakout season of the Cincinnati Reds. As a team comprised of budding stars and a young pitching staff, few writers and media pendants believed the team had enough pitching to beat the Cardinals for the NL Central crown.
 

The Reds are blessed with two of the best young hitters in the game in Joey Votto (27) and Jay Bruce (24 in April).

In the 2010 season, the Reds surpassed everyone's expectations, winning 91 games in not only posting their first winning season since 2000, but also making it to the postseason for the first time since 1995.

For the first time in years, we are being sold something legitimate heading into a season. For years, it was merely a desperate hope and promise of something that seemed so vague and far away, but it's a new bill of goods now, where merely achieving respectability will no longer do the trick.  

Did the Reds do enough during the offseason to make one think they have the personnel to win the division for the second straight season?

I think so. They were fairly solid with what they had after the season was over. They led the league in BA, HR, RBI, H, SLG, OPS and OPS+.

They led the league defensively in FLD PCT and fewest errors and were really deficient in a couple positions.

The Cincinnati Reds continued a solid offseason today, avoiding arbitration with pitcher Johnny Cueto with a four-year, $27 million contract.

Cueto, 24, was one of the Reds' best pitchers last season, setting a career high for wins (12) and innings (185.2). Cueto finished the regular season a 3.64 ERA and a team-high 138 strikeouts.

I have been meaning to post a “Hot Stove” update for several weeks, but the misery of watching and writing about the Bengals has taken its toll.  However, when I read this story written by Paul Daugherty, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to comment.