Are the Cincinnati Reds Lacking a Killer Instinct?

The Cincinnati Reds are seemingly caught up in their own hype.  Sure, they're currently in first place.  But they missed a huge opportunity to stab a midseason dagger right in the hearts of the St. Louis Cardinals and the rest of the NL Central last week.

The Cardiac Reds lead the NL Central by a game and a half. 

They also lead the league in come from behind wins, and victories in their last at bat—so "Cardiac Reds" is a perfect name for these guys—not a team for folks with weak tickers.

They will need to sweep the Dodgers to win their current 10-game home stand.

The Reds split a four game series with San Francisco, while losing a three-gamer to Kansas City.

The Royals came into Great American sporting a .410 winning percentage.

After losing Sunday's afternoon affair to the Zack Greinke-led Royals, Reds' manager Dusty Baker said, “You’re always a little apprehensive and nervous when a guy of that quality is 1-8. You figure the law of averages is on his side.”

Most would agree that the law of averages for a guy, Greinke, with a 1-8 record and a 4.05 ERA, is something to be "apprehensive and nervous" about.

Another thing that should cause Reds' fans concern, apprehension, and nervousness—the aforementioned victories in their last at bat, and come from behind wins.

Dusty Baker, while not the greatest manager in the world, is a very smart man.

The law of averages will sooner or later catch the Reds, and Dusty knows this.

While his team is caught up in pomp and hype, wondering who will or will not be named to the All-Star squad—the Dodgers are coming to town on Tuesday—hungry after a series sweep at the bats and hands their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Angels.

Immediately following a Thursday afternoon game versus the Dodgers, the Reds head out west. 

In a recent Bleacher Report article by Michael Hammons titled "Go West Young Man? Bad Idea for the Cincinnati Reds ," Hammons writes that relative to each summer's first trip westward, the Reds historically have a dreadful tendency to totally collapse—and fall out of contention.

There is a saying about hindsight.  Unfortunately for the Reds, barring an unlikely sweep of the Dodgers, they will fail to capitalize by winning the home stand.

Since there is really not a cliché regarding foresight let's get a copyright and make one up right now:

Boys, stop pussyfooting and put the boot to the throat and take this division!