Cincinnati Reds Report: We Have Some Catching Up To Do

Well, it sure has been a while.  Tons of Reds' news has happened since we last met.  I have unsuccessfully tried to publish two of these reports though.  They must be lost somewhere in the vast unknown that is cyberspace. 

Oh well, that's not important, and as Rule No. 76 states, "No excuses, play like a champion!" 

I will hold no punches, but won't hit below the belt either.  So for the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world...Llllllet's get ready to rrrrumbleeeeeee!

Where oh where to start? 

Joey Votto is back and still as good as ever.  He got a hit Tuesday night which stretches his hitting streak to 10 games.  Only Phillips has driven in more runs and No. 19 still leads the team in batting average.

He didn't make the NL All-Star team, but there is this Pujols guy that also plays first that's pretty good, so nothing to be ashamed of there.

The Reds' lone All-Star is closer Francisco Cordero.  CoCo has saved 21/22 and has an ERA of 1.75.  Not bad for a .500 team, huh? 

Just to put that in perspective, the Redlegs have won 41 games, and Cordero has saved 21 of those.  That's a pretty good start, and if projected over an entire season that's 42 saves.  Not too shabby at all.

We'll stay with pitching for the moment. 

Homer Bailey: love him, hate him, had enough of him. Whatever your belief, he had the best outing of his career Friday against the Redbirds.  He didn't get the win, but still pitched well enough to keep himself out of Louisville for a little longer.

I didn't want to have to bring this up, but the Cincinnati boys weren't so hot Monday night.  The World Champion Phillies put quite a beatdown on the Reds.  The Fightin' Phils put up 22 runs on the Reds, and only allowed one.  Johnny Cueto, who has been the Reds most consistent pitcher so far, only went two-third innings.  

The good thing about that loss is that it only counts as one game.  It took me all day to convince myself of that fact.  Even with that terrible, terrible, loss, the Queen City Sluggers are a mere three-and-a-half games back of St. Louis in the division race. 

This team is 41-41 and only three-and-a-half games back? No way!

Way. 

If this team can put together any kind of momentum, this division is begging to be won.

Things are looking up for the Reds even though they just lost by three touchdowns in baseball.  They are finally, finally starting to get healthy. If they can stay that way, maybe—just maybe—they can actually paint the town red.  (Still not sure if I like that song yet or not.)

Which I guess brings us full circle.  All the way back to Tuesday's game at Philadelphia.

Things looked bad, really bad.  Aaron Harang gives up back-to-back jacks in the third.  The Reds were out on their feet.  Those two knockout punches ended the night early, right?

Wrong. 

Harang squirms out of a no-out bases-loaded jam, but who could the Reds turn to for offense?  Don't worry, their gold-glove second baseman answered the call.

Phillips delivered two hay-makers himself Tuesday.  He single-handedly picked his team up off the canvas.  Reds win 4-3.

This win is one of those that we look back on in September and call a season saver.  The team was banged up, tired, and in the dumps.  They didn't quit though; they fought and scrapped and got a W. 

Say what you want about this team, but they never say die. 

Ever.

Don't lose hope, Redleg fans, this season is far from over.  Just when things start to look the worst is when it gets better.

Hear that?  That's the bell.  I gotta get back to my corner.

In a unanimous decision, still the heavyweight champion of the world...me.  Until next time, I'm gone.