The following article is a replica of my debut in the St. Xavier Blueprint. I'll apologize in advance if it lacks the usual Burnside furniture fair style and flair, but you have to realize not every chump at St. X that will be reading this is as bro as you are. So without further ado...
Reds baseball in September? That’s a funny joke. Coming from a franchise that hasn’t even fielded a winning team in a decade, it’s about that time of the year these guys should be hosting tryouts for next year’s squad. But that was then and this is now. Fresh off an impressive 5-1 homestand, the Cincinnati Reds are still flying high in September. The Redlegs are currently perched atop the NL Central in what had been known as the tightest two-team pennant race in major league history through the first 4 months of the season. Speaking of the NL Central, with the sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers this past week, the Redlegs improved to a staggering 17-3-1 in series against division opponents. It just doesn’t get much better than that. Anyways, since being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals at home just three weeks ago, the Reds have gone on to post a 14-4 record, and more importantly, have built an 8 game lead over the Cards. This remarkable momentum swing, coupled with the excitement of “Chapmania” has this city thinking playoffs. In case you haven’t noticed, this team is for real. The offensive attack, led by MVP candidate and Triple Crown hopeful Joey Votto, leads the league in hitting and runs, while the defense boasts an equally as impressive mark as tops in the league with the fewest errors. Quality baseball is something Cincinnati fans have not seen as of late, and as the Redlegs head into final month of the season on their quest for the playoffs, it’s time for this city to get rowdy again.
Even with an 8-game lead, it’s easy to think these Reds will surely find a way to muff what seems to be a storybook season (see Bearcat basketball). For all you pessimists out there, yes, teams have found ways to blow these types of leads before in the final month of the season, but I really don’t see that happening with this squad. For one, of the 29 games remaining on the Reds schedule, a whopping 20 of these games are against sub .500 opponents including home series with cellar dwellers such as the AA Pirates and Arizona D-backs. Two more trips out west (and a mere total of 6 games) remain on the schedule, but after the recent success out in the land Horace Greeley once implored Americans to explore, there needn’t be much to fear. Speaking of playing on the road, the Reds are an impressive 37-28 away from Great American Ballpark, and lead the majors with 5 road series sweeps. I’d say that bodes well for a post-season hopeful team. A trip to St. Louis this weekend that only weeks ago might have seemed a key series for the Reds postseason hopes is now honestly just another series. Bottom line is that if the Reds play even just decently down the stretch, the post season is theirs as they control their own destiny.
While pitching has been a concern all year for this ballclub, I’m pleased to announce the Reds now have a Cuban Missile Crisis on their hands. In case you haven’t heard, Chapmania is here ladies and gentlemen. We have already gotten two glimpses of what the young Cuban phenom can do on the bump at the big league level, and it is mind blowing. The kid’s got a fastball that tops out at 105 mph and a slider that drops off the face of the earth. It’s not fair, really, but look for the Reds to continue to utilize this weapon of mass destruction down the stretch. In the final month, also look for the Reds to continue to mix and match their starting rotation to find the right 3-man rotation come playoff time. Even though this staff doesn’t have a bonified ace, guys like Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto can certainly hold their own and will be vital parts to any sort of playoff success.
Under the guidance of veterans Scott Rolen and Brandon Phillps, along with the emergence of unsung heroes such as Miguel Castro, Ryan Hanigan, and, Xavier French ‘11’s boy Paul Janish, the Reds have taken the league by surprise with their aggressive, and quite frankly successful, style of play. Johnny “Chawny” Gomes has been at the forefront of this aggressive play more times than not, and it really makes this Redlegs squad an exciting team to watch. And of course how could I rattle off a list of players without mentioning Sir Joey Votto. Talk about a guy who keeps his mouth shut and talks with his game. He is a nightmare for any pitcher, and has provided one clutch hit after another all season long. Not to mention he picks it with the best of ‘em down at first base. He really didn’t become relevant until his All-Star snub just 2 months ago, and ever since he has been doing what he’s done all year: tearing it up. The offensive surge has shown little signs of slowing down, and with the recent call-ups of Juan Francisco, Chris Valaika, and Yonder Alonso, I only see this offense being more dangerous with more weapons
With the Reds currently ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals by a whopping 8 games, the post-season is beginning to look more and more attainable. It’s almost as if I’m dreaming considering the pain I have endured as a die-hard Reds fan over the past decade and a half. I’d be lying if I said I, along with many other faithful in Mr. Cappel’s reer’d home room last year, wasn’t calling this last back in the winter, but that’s largely irrelevant. Moral of the story is that this team has silenced its doubters time and time again throughout the year, and it’ll undoubtedly be exciting to see the GAB rocking come September as the hunt for October continues. Fasten your seatbelts Reds fans, here comes the homestretch.
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