Cincinnati Reds

As I have gotten older, my views of the Reds have become more objective.  I can find fault with the team and logically investigate ways in which they can improve.  

The Reds' representation on blogs and social networking sites has really exploded over the last year.  Some people are fanatical, which is great.  Others, including myself, love and support the Reds as much as anyone, but also try to mix in an analytical approach to following the team.

The Reds have been given permission to recognize the 25th anniversary of Pete Rose breaking Ty Cobb's all-time hits record.  Rose recorded his 4,192nd hit on September 11, 1985.  

Major League Baseball has tried to make Rose a ghost in Cincinnati and throughout baseball.  The Reds sell jerseys with "Bench—5", "Morgan—8" and "Perez—24" on the back.  However, the "14" jersey that is sold in the team shop is without a name.

Washington Nationals fans were able to see their phenom Stephen Strasburg blow his arm out very early this year. Cincinnati Reds fans have been patient, and their phenom from Cuba may join the Major League baseball club on either Monday or Tuesday, according to a source close to Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan. 

This goes against the popular belief that Chapman would bring his 105 mph fastball to the Reds on or after September 1st. But joining the team before September 1st would make him playoff eligible. 

By now the baseball world is well aware that the National League Most Valuable Player race has essentially come down to two NL Central first basemen currently chasing the Triple Crown.

Barring a huge slump on either of their parts or a huge surge by another candidate—crazier things have happened, and Adrian Gonzalez looms in the shadows—the NL MVP is going to go to one of these two players.

So how close is the race between them? Shockingly close.

They are in a statistical dead heat.

It’s time to size up the National League MVP race. Or what what I like to call the “Albert Pujols’ to lose” award. This year, Pujols is getting a run for his money by a couple of young studs.

Here is how I see the NL MVP race shaping up…

Best of the Rest

Sure, they have a possible Triple Crown candidate in Joey Votto—and fellow All-Stars Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen. The pitching staff has been solid, if not spectacular, led by the most consistent pitcher in the majors: Bronson Arroyo.
 
But the glue that keeps this team together is the bench. They are unsung heroes that have proven to be the WD-40 to the Reds' machine when it gets a bit rusty. The players that were expected to be afterthoughts have instead been essential to the Reds success.
 

In Wednesday’s series finale with the San Francisco Giants, the Reds looked like they were going to beat them as if they stole something.

Joey Votto, Jonny Gomes, and Ryan Hanigan all homered to stake Homer Bailey to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. It looked like payback time for the boys from the Queen City.

Votto hit another homer in the third inning, his 31st of the season, to cap a four-run inning and the Reds were on top 8-1.

The last couple of nights, you really can't put the full blame of 30 runs given up to the Giants on the relievers, but the bullpen is a piece that does need some serious help. Unfortunately, Cincinnati has only themselves to blame.

Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco. I hope the Cincinnati Reds have not left their confidence there.

Regardless of today’s outcome, the San Francisco Giants have shown some serious flaws in the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff.

In two games they have been outscored by the Giants 27-7 and have given up 35 hits in the 16 innings the Giants have batted.

The Reds are starting to receive some nationwide recognition for the first time in years, but with that comes scrutiny as well.

Simply put, some people on a national level don't believe that what they are seeing is legit.  Some of the criticism is founded, and some not so much.

A lot of what I hear is people just simply hitting the "high points."  Stats can be found everywhere, but they don't tell the whole story.