Cincinnati Reds' 5 Most Important Players for 2015 Success
In order for the Cincinnati Reds to contend in 2015, they are going to need Joey Votto and other key players to have strong performances.
After a busy offseason, the Reds' 2015 season will come down to quite a few "ifs." That's not the ideal situation for any team to be in, but Cincinnati does have the talent to make the playoffs if those "ifs" have favorable results.
Four of the five players on this list were on the club last year. They all have one thing in common: disappointing seasons.
Had just one or two of the players had a better season, perhaps the Reds would have made the postseason. Instead, injuries took their toll and caused some key players to miss time and/or perform poorly.
Keep reading to see which players are the key to the Reds' success in 2015.
*All stats are via MLB.com
No. 5: LF Marlon Byrd
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Cincinnati left fielders haven't contributed much in recent seasons, so the team went out and got Marlon Byrd this offseason. It hopes that the veteran outfielder can provide production.
Byrd hit .264 with 25 home runs, 28 doubles and 85 RBI in 2014. Last season, Reds left fielders hit .233 with 10 home runs, 30 doubles and 57 RBI. In 2013, the team's left fielders hit .250 with 14 home runs, 30 doubles and 65 RBI.
It's clear that Byrd should be a big boost offensively.
Byrd has had quite a resurgence with the bat recently. He hit .291 two years ago and .264 last season. He also hit at least 21 home runs in each of the past two seasons.
With the increase in power has come an increase in strikeouts. He struck out a career-high 185 times last season. Cincinnati can live with the strikeouts if he can hit around his .278 career average and add 20-plus home runs.
Byrd's bat could make this lineup very deep. He is projected to bat sixth or seventh in the lineup, so if he produces the way he has in recent seasons, the Reds are going to be in good shape.
No. 4: RF Jay Bruce
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Every Reds fan knows that when Jay Bruce is on, he has the potential to carry a team. If he's not producing, however, the offense tends to struggle.
Bruce missed 15 days after undergoing knee surgery in early May. He rushed back to return the first day he was eligible so he could help the team. Unfortunately, he just was not right after the knee surgery.
The slugging right fielder hit just .217 with 18 home runs, 21 doubles and 66 RBI in 2014. When he's healthy, he's good for a .260 average, 30 home runs and 100 RBI. Those types of numbers are crucial for a team that struggles to score runs consistently.
Bruce never got on one of his legendary hot streaks last season. The 27-year-old did hit .300 in June after returning from the disabled list in late May, but that was the only month in which he hit above .230. He also never had a huge power surge, with four home runs being the most he hit in a month.
Cincinnati has to hope that Bruce's knee is completely healthy after a full offseason to recover. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay, the reports on Bruce's health this offseason are good. That's great news for the Reds.
No. 3: LHP Tony Cingrani
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Last year, Cincinnati was able to be patient with Tony Cingrani. After trading Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon this winter, the club needs the young southpaw to produce this year.
Over the past few years, the Reds have been fortunate enough to have a loaded rotation. Homer Bailey was the team's No. 4 starter in 2013; Mike Leake served as the No. 4 starter last year. Those are pretty good pitchers to have in the back of the rotation.
This year's rotation will feature Johnny Cueto, Bailey and Leake. That much is known. The final two spots are up for grabs this spring, with Cingrani likely beginning camp as a favorite to win one of the open spots.
In 2013, the southpaw went 7-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 18 starts. He struck out 109 batters and walked just 36 in those starts, relying mainly on a dominant fastball. Last season, he struggled while trying to mix in his secondary pitches. He went 2-7 with a 4.68 ERA in 11 starts in 2014 before getting sent down to Triple-A and eventually being shut down with a shoulder injury.
The 2014 season was supposed to be an opportunity for Cingrani to work on his stuff and get some innings under his belt. Instead, it turned out to be a bit of a wasted season.
Cincinnati stayed in contention for much of the 2014 season because of its starting rotation. The rotation tied for third in the majors with a 3.37 ERA, so, despite a weak offense, the team was able to hang around.
If the Reds are going to contend this year, they will need production from the back of the rotation. Cincinnati's rotation has been deep in recent seasons, and with Cingrani likely serving as the No. 4 starter this year, it has the potential to once again be one of the deepest in the league. If that's the case, the Reds should be just fine this year.
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No. 2: CF Billy Hamilton
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There's no doubt that Billy Hamilton is one of the biggest keys to the lineup. When the speedster gets on base, he makes things happen; when he doesn't get on base, the Reds have to rely on home runs to score runs.
Last year, the Reds went as Hamilton went.
Hamilton got off to a good start and even won the National League Rookie of the Month in June. Behind Hamilton, the Reds went 18-10 in the month of June.
Then, when Hamilton struggled at the end of the season, the Reds struggled. Through August, Hamilton hit .267 with six home runs, 25 doubles, seven triples and 54 stolen bases. In the final month of the season, the rookie hit just .123 and had only one extra-base hit and two stolen bases—while getting caught three times. The Reds went 10-15, including 7-14 with Hamilton playing, in the final month.
It's not fair to put so much pressure on a young player. However, the Reds need the speedster on the bases. He gives pitchers one more thing to worry about.
The key for Hamilton's career will be to avoid hitting the ball in the air. Here's a breakdown of Hamilton's batting average depending on the type of contact he made, via Baseball-Reference.com:
| Avg. | |
| Ground Balls | .304 |
| Fly Balls | .061 |
| Line Drives | .578 |
| Bunts | .341 |
According to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Hamilton has spent this offseason working with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate Louisville Bats manager Delino DeShields on bunting and hitting line drives.
If Hamilton can avoid hitting the ball into the air, he should get good results consistently. That would help the Reds immensely.
No. 1: 1B Joey Votto
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There is absolutely no question about who is the most important player on the Reds.
Joseph Daniel Votto.
The veteran first baseman was hampered by a quadriceps injury early in the season, and his performance reflected it. Through the middle of May, he was hitting just .257. He went on the disabled list for about a month, which did seem to help a bit.
However, in early July, Votto's overall average was at .255. He had not hit a home run since coming off the disabled list. He looked—by his standards—helpless at the plate and appeared to be playing through a lot of pain. There was no avoiding another trip to the disabled list.
As of July 5, Cincinnati was 44-42 and just three games out of the final National League wild card spot. That was the final day that Votto played in a game in 2014. The Reds went 32-44 the rest of the way and finished 12 games out of the wild card.
There is no question that the Reds missed Votto's presence in the lineup. Not only did the record show it, but the team's offensive numbers did as well. Cincinnati finished 29th in the majors with a .296 on-base percentage last season. Votto had led the league in on-base percentage for four straight seasons before last year, and despite a low average, he still had a .390 on-base percentage in 62 games in 2014. Working the count and getting on base was a big issue for the club without Votto.
Reds fans may get frustrated that Votto walks so much. However, he is no longer a player who is going to hit 35 home runs. As long as he gets on base, he is doing his job. If Bruce, Devin Mesoraco and Byrd do their jobs, Votto's on-base percentage will be more valuable than his power numbers.
With a healthy Votto, the Reds have a chance to be legitimate contenders.
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