Cincinnati Reds: 5 Things Going Well for the Reds Right Now

The Reds started the 2012 season in abysmal fashion, batting under .200 as a team after three weeks of baseball. 

Over the last couple weeks, however, things have turned around in the Queen City. They've begun to win some ball games and are at the .500 mark, entering today's game at 11-11, just 3.5 games behind the division-leading Cardinals.

That being said, what specifically are the Reds doing right?

Jay Bruce

Jay Bruce is certainly the headline of an article like this one, as he's the guy leading the offensive production. Bruce is hitting a scorching .476 over the last five games, and has hit a homer in each of the last four.

Has he finally hit his stride? Marty Brennaman certainly put it well after Bruce's home run on Sunday against Houston—after a run like this, we probably won't see another home run from him for two weeks.  That speaks to the inconsistency that has plagued Bruce throughout his young career.

However, my belief is that this time is the real deal.  Bruce is hitting .296 on the season, a team high.  Time will tell as to whether he's finally reached his potential, but the reigning NL Player of the Week is on fire right now.

Starting Pitching

Let's make this clear—this slide applies to three of the five current starters. It's no secret that Johnny Cueto is the ace of the team and should be considered a serious Cy Young contender. He's currently 3-0 with an impressive 1.39 ERA.

Moving onto veteran Bronson Arroyo, he seems to be bouncing back well from last season's disaster, as he's posted a good 2.70 ERA and a 1-0 record.

Homer Bailey—who I said a couple weeks ago should be on a very short leash—has answered the call so far, having posted a respectable 3.60 ERA.  He's 1-2, but batters are only hitting .258 against him.

These three guys are doing well, but Mat Latos and Mike Leake are causes for concern right now. It's too early to describe the trade for Latos as a failure, but it's certainly not started well. As for Leake, he probably is now on that short leash Bailey used to be on.

Quality Bullpen Work

I don't need to praise Aroldis Chapman here—we all know how good the Cuban Missile is. Besides, I've got more to discuss about him later.

This slide is mainly to praise what has been a fantastic season so far for Logan Ondrusek. He's made a team-leading 12 appearances, giving up no runs and only six hits in over 11 innings of work. His WHIP is 0.91.

Recently, Jose Arredondo and Alfredo Simon have brought their numbers down, and Sean Marshall's numbers are largely hindered by his recent debacle against the San Francisco Giants. In an overall sense, the bullpen appears to have righted the ship.

Slumping Guys Are Answering the Call

I am not a guy who will give Drew Stubbs a lot of credit. I'm highly criticized by a lot of people because I don't think he can hit major league pitching and think he's a waste of speed.

For now, I'll praise him, though. He's only batting .241, but he was up around .270 before his recent 0-for-9 stretch. For a few days, he was seeing the ball much better and even drew a walk! I fear that his last two games have shown him resorting to his old ways, but I pray I'm wrong.

Scott Rolen is still batting under .200, but he's hit safely in four of his last six games, so slowly but surely, he's finding ways to contribute. Obviously, his glove will always be gold, but it's hard to keep a good defender who bats .200 in the lineup.

Which brings me to Todd Frazier. He was struggling in Louisville before his call-up, but in the majors, he's started the season with a .385 batting average. Hopefully, these guys can stay out of their slumps for an extended period. 

Aroldis Chapman Bumped to the Starting Rotation

**Dislcaimer: this is a rumor I've heard on a couple of local radio stations. I have not confirmed that this is a fact, but will be sure to update when I know for sure.**

For right now, I've heard rumblings that Aroldis Chapman will be inserted into the starting rotation on June 1.  I heard this stated while listening to 1360 AM radio in Cincinnati, though I can't recall who's show was on the air.  In any case, if this is true, I hesitate to say it's something the Reds are doing right, but I am going to stick with my gut and say it is, and here's why.

When the Reds signed Chapman, he started in Louisville, but was sent to the bullpen after proving he had too many control problems. After nine outings in 2012, Chapman has (seemingly) made it clear that those problems don't plague him anymore. With Mike Leake struggling and Chapman hitting his stride, what better time to stick him in the rotation?

I understand that Chapman has been a terrific setup man, but I trust Ondrusek to be that man now. If this rumor is, in fact, true, you can bet I'm going to go ahead and get a seat for his starting debut.